The House of Beardsley

Chapter Twenty

A week had passed since our visit to town when one morning something unexpected happened.

"Wake up! Wake up!"

The shouts this time weren't from Mister Kupka, but Clo, who was still in her nightgown, frowning and lips pale, terror in her voice.

"Clo?" I looked around the room. Beth and Rhiannon had just woke up too, and were grabbing robes to wrap themselves in. The room was still dark—it must've been dawn.

"It's not time for work yet, what's wrong?" Beth asked drowsily. She looked at me and I shook my head, showing her I was just as confused. Then I heard the voices outside the door.

"Girls, be careful! Stay inside and don't come out until we tell you anything!"

It was Mister Kupka—but why?

"What's wrong?" Rhiannon asked, also stirring from her bed.

"There's people outside," Clo said quickly. "Don't open the curtains—they were tossing all sorts of things at the windows."

"And a window in the first floor was shattered! For Christ's sake," another voice, which I recognized Rudy, said. "Right now the valets are attending to their masters, besides Rudy, because Mister Silas and Master Tobias are trying to settle the situation. However, it's not going well."

"What situation exactly?" I asked. "Can I open the door?"

"Are you properly dressed?"

"Mister Kupka!" I managed to protest, "That hardly matters right now!"

"Fine."

I open the door, and both Mister Kupka and Rudy were in their robes, hair ruffled and in a mess.

"This is unsightly of me," Mister Kupka muttered under his breath. "Never in my life shall I be caught dressed like this again."

"Never mind that," Clo snapped. "What's the matter?"

"People attacked the house."

I struggled to wrap my head around it. "Why?"

"The children are crying," Rudy said. "The poor kids. It was a good thing they lived in the innermost rooms of the mansion."

"We weren't aware, as the servants' rooms are in the attic," Mister Kupka explained, "but they woke up some time ago. Mister Silas and Master Tobias are trying to reason with the townspeople, but they are in hysterics."

"Townspeople? What?" Rhiannon asked, already wrapping a shawl around her and slipping into slippers.

"It's because of the other day, the market," he said. "They've always hated us, but now they are accusing us of taking in immigrants and using them for—well, improper purposes."

"Well, what did I say when I first came," Clo spat. "It's obviously the first thing people will think when a house full of men hires four girls for the first time in centuries." She combed back her frizzy hair, as she hadn't had time to tie it up.

"But didn't the noise die down?" I asked. "I can't hear anything."

"Is the situation better?" Rhiannon asked.

"I'll run downstairs and ask a valet," Rudy said. "You stay here and guard the girls, Mister Kupka!" Then he went running, his slippers shuffling down the hallway.

I realized, suddenly, that Beth had been quiet the whole time.

"Beth, are you okay—" I turned to look at her, but halted my question.