Post by Thera Noble on Apr 9, 2009 22:35:39 GMT -5
Bertrand stood silently in the doorway watching Gracie clean the parlor. She really was a nice little girl. Watching her as she dusted, she even seemed to hold the integrity of the inanimate objects in the room in high regard. It seemed cruel to him that a girl as nice as her had to have such a tough life. Granted, he knew next to nothing about her family life. He hoped it was better than her working life but it wasn't as if the working life alone wasn't enough to make her entire life hell. He could hardly imagine having to take mother's insults on top of Thera's with the knowledge that there was no clear end in sight. At least for him, once he was married off, he could leave. He could run his own household however he liked. Maybe he'd take her with him when he left. It was already a given that he'd be taking Essie with him and he'd been angling for Karl as well for about a year or so. I wouldn't be too hard to negotiate just one more servant into the deal. Besides, she deserved to work in where she was given the proper respect.
He noticed her tense slightly as she continued with her dusting and figured that she had noticed that someone was there. "Hey, kid" he began quietly, announcing his presence in the room. He remained in the doorway where he stood silently for a minute or two, not quite sure what to say next. "I heard what Thera said to you out there... my window was open and all..." he continued awkwardly "Look, I know, I'm not in the best position to really understand your situation but, just try not to let her get to you okay. I know it's probably harder for you than it is for me and this probably sounds completely self-centered but It'd be really depressing to see someone like you get cynical." To tell the truth, though he didn't dare say it for fear of pushing her further into cynicism, he also didn't want to see her change because he felt like she was a good influence on Thera. he didn't think he'd ever heard anyone stand up to Thera like that other than Essie and she was so much older that it was easy for Thera to dismiss anything she said as just the ramblings of a dotty old maid. Today, for the first time that he could remember, Thera had really let somebody who she considered lower than herself to get to her. She may have sounded indignant and dismissive but the very fact that she had given Gracie a comprehensive comeback rather than just a superficial retort was definitely a step forward. One which he had never expected to see in his sister.
"You don't need to worry about Karl's kids." he added, hoping to reassure her as much as he could. "He takes really good care of them. They're better off than a lot of kids I know. and if it makes you feel any better, as much as Mother and Thera whine and complain and flaunt their alleged superiority, they really can't fire you. That all comes down to Father and he's really not a fan of change so I don't think a complete overhaul of our staff would ever be in the cards."
He noticed her tense slightly as she continued with her dusting and figured that she had noticed that someone was there. "Hey, kid" he began quietly, announcing his presence in the room. He remained in the doorway where he stood silently for a minute or two, not quite sure what to say next. "I heard what Thera said to you out there... my window was open and all..." he continued awkwardly "Look, I know, I'm not in the best position to really understand your situation but, just try not to let her get to you okay. I know it's probably harder for you than it is for me and this probably sounds completely self-centered but It'd be really depressing to see someone like you get cynical." To tell the truth, though he didn't dare say it for fear of pushing her further into cynicism, he also didn't want to see her change because he felt like she was a good influence on Thera. he didn't think he'd ever heard anyone stand up to Thera like that other than Essie and she was so much older that it was easy for Thera to dismiss anything she said as just the ramblings of a dotty old maid. Today, for the first time that he could remember, Thera had really let somebody who she considered lower than herself to get to her. She may have sounded indignant and dismissive but the very fact that she had given Gracie a comprehensive comeback rather than just a superficial retort was definitely a step forward. One which he had never expected to see in his sister.
"You don't need to worry about Karl's kids." he added, hoping to reassure her as much as he could. "He takes really good care of them. They're better off than a lot of kids I know. and if it makes you feel any better, as much as Mother and Thera whine and complain and flaunt their alleged superiority, they really can't fire you. That all comes down to Father and he's really not a fan of change so I don't think a complete overhaul of our staff would ever be in the cards."
