19The minute Anthony and Annie closed the door behind them Lizze jumped up to straighten her room up before her father got upstairs. She slid the tray that had held the sandwich under her bed, then she put the letter carefully back into her purse, and got her other papers out of her purse and spread them out on her bed to give the effect that she had been working on making a tutoring list. Finally she sat back down on her bed, and only then did she let her mind wonder. What if my dad catches them? Crap, Anthony would probably be expelled and Annie would be fired. That means I would have ruined two peoples lives, by one little mistake of mine. Being so selfish that I had to talk to someone, and I couldn't just accept that my dad didn't want to go to dinner with me. What will happen to me? Will dad send…her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
Annie grabbed Anthony's hand and pushed him threw a whole in the wall that wasn't there a second ago. When he turned around he saw Annie closing a door. Suddenly Anthony was engulfed in darkness. He inched back to where Annie had just been and felt a wall. He put his ear up against it and listened. He heard Annie say, "Hello, headmaster," then the Headmasters sharp tongue reply, "What are you doing here?"
"I was serving your daughter sir."
"Was there anyone up there with her, a boy perhaps?"
"No, sir, I haven't seen anyone."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, sir, I'm positive." Then Anthony heard footsteps coming towards his hiding spot. Oh shit, he knows I'm here, someone must have told him. Anthony started backing away from the door finally he hit the other side of the hiding spot he pushed against the wall and it opened. He stepped through and closed the door just as the Headmaster was opening the other door. Then he heard the headmaster close the door. Anthony let out a sigh of relief he hadn't realized but he had been holding his breath the whole time. He turned around and realized that he was in the kitchen.
"Can I help you Mr. Graham?" asked Grayson, walking towards him.
"We have known each other for along time right?"
"Yes, sir, ever since your first year, why?"
"So I can trust you and you will tell me the truth right."
"Yes, sir, but I don't see were this is going."
"Did you tell the headmaster I was here visiting Lizze?"
"I told him you were here, but I said that you were just borrowing the phone in the kitchen."
"Well then, what would give him the idea that I was visiting Lizze?"
"Maybe Professor Brake told him."
"Maybe, well can you possibly lie for me and say that I was down here the whole time?"
"No problem sir, I will say you were with me and that I fetched you because you had a phone call, and after that since I called you out of dinner, I fixed you a sandwich."
"Thanks Grayson, you're amazing. I'm going to go back up to the school, oh, and please tell Annie, thanks and that I will talk to her later."
"Yes, sir."
Lizze sat up straight at the knock at the door. "Who is it?"
"It's Annie," Lizze barley heard her because she was whispering so soft.
"Come in Annie." Annie walked in with a look of sheer terror on her face. "Annie are you okay, here come sit down." Lizze motioned for Annie to sit next to her on the bed. Annie moved over to her saying, "he knows."
"Who knows what?"
"Your dad knows that Anthony was here."
"What, how does he know that?"
"I don't know but as we were coming down your stairs your dad was about to come in so I shoved Anthony in a side hall, and when your father came in he started questioning me asking me if anyone had been up there with you, and hinted that he thought it was a boy."
"Well if anyone was here it would have to be a boy, that doesn't mean anything."
"I really think…" but Annie was interrupted by a knock on the door and a booming voice saying, "Lizze open up right NOW."
"Start taking things out of my suitcase and putting them in my closet it doesn't matter what goes where right now." Lizze whispered to Annie as she was walking towards the door, Annie immediately jumped up and started unpacking. Lizze opened the door saying, "Hey daddy, how did your business go?"
"It went fine," then he looked over at Annie, "what are you doing here?"
"Helping Li…Miss Reynolds, unpack her clothes."
"Get out for right now I need to talk to my daughter alone, she will call for you when we are done." He watched as Annie put down the red sweater she had in her hand and scurried out the door. When the door closed behind her Headmaster Charleston began speaking again. "Why are you going by Reynolds?" To Lizze's surprise he seemed a little hurt that she hadn't kept his last name.
"It was easier at school and now it's just a habit."
"I see, well I hope you understand there are a few rules as long as you are living here."
"Okay,"
"One, I don't want you to fraternize with the boys at the school, you are the tutor that is it. Second, you are to stay to your room, do not go wondering about my house. Third, I do not want you disturbing any other servants besides Annie, she has been assigned to you. She is living in the room right next to you there is a door connecting your rooms, it is located in the closet, which is how you will access her room." Lizze had made her way to her bed and sat down, her father was still standing in the doorway. "Fourth, I don't want you wondering around campus, you are to stick to the house. Fifth, I don't want to be disturbed I have a lot of things to tend to, if I need you I will call for you, and if you need me tell Annie and she will tell someone who will tell me. Sixth you have to have permission to go out into the town. That is it for now, do you have any questions?"
By now Lizze was really furious, "Yes, SIR, is there anything I CAN do besides sit on my butt and do nothing, tutor, and go to class?"
"Yes, you can call your mother or your friends back in Texas on the phone over there, don't worry about the cost." Then her father came over to her and kissed her on the forehead, and then left the room shutting the door behind him.
Lizze waited for the sound of his footsteps to disappear before taking her pillow and chucking at the door and screaming, "I hate you!" Then she heard a small giggle coming from her closet. Lizze jumped in fright then said, "Annie, is that you?"
"Yeah," Annie came out of the closet, "I hope you don't mind that I was listening in on your conversation."
"I don't mind at all, now I'm starting to realize why my mom left him."
"Wow that's harsh."
"I know, but after that he deserves it, Annie I'm going to write up a couple of tutoring schedules, so I really don't need anything, but umm if you want to stay here and we can talk or whatever."
"I would love to just sit here and talk but, I'm sure Grayson has something for me to do, oh yeah I can take your dinner tray."
"Good thing you reminded me, I would have forgotten about it and you would have had a nasty surprise next time you cleaned under the bed." Lizze slipped off her bed, pulled out the tray and gave it to Annie.
"Thanks, Annie"
"You're welcome." Annie left the room and Lizze went to her bed and gathered up the papers she lay on the bed and looked at them and started reading. After reading all the lists, Lizze started writing out her own list.
Latin-
1. Mark Murray 2. Liam Bran Driscol 4. Luc Morris
Chemistry-
1. Mark Murray 2. Trystan Griffith 3. Shaw Byington 4. Gavin Yule 5. Dubhlainn Sullivan
Medieval History-
1. Mark Murray 2. Aedan Driscol 3. Ardan Driscol
Geometry-
1. Mark Murray 2. Liam Bran 3. Arthur Brice Corser
Welsh-
1. Charles Howard 2. Dubhlainn Sullivan 3. Mark Murray 4. Luc Morris
Lizze put down her pencil and examined her list. Mark was on there a hell of a lot of times. She might just give a whole day to him. I'm sure that would be fun. She was still amused with the fact that he had kissed her hand. She rolled over and looked at the little clock at the side of her bed. It read 10:00 but she wasn't really that tired, then she converted it back to Texas time. It is only 4 o'clock that's why I'm not tired. Shit, I really need to go to sleep because classes start tomorrow at 8:20. So I probably should get up at like 6 or 6:30. I wonder if Annie can get me any sleeping pills? Lizze walked over to her closet and looked in. She saw where the door into Annie's room was and knocked on it.
Anthony stepped outside the hidden door to realize that it was raining. "Shit" Anthony yelled as he started running towards his dorm. By the time he was in the common area for the sophomores he was soaking wet. Charlie and Mark were sitting in their usual spot and once again talking about Lizze. When they saw him they stopped talking immediately and looked at him expectedly as though he was going to reveal some great secret.
"What?" he asked looking at them like they were crazy.
"Well?" Mark asked expectantly.
"Well, what?" Anthony said back sitting down and scooting his chair close to the fire.
"Well are you going to tell us about the heads daughter?" said Charlie smacking him upside the head.
"Ouch. Since you hit me maybe not." Anthony said grinning at them.
"Come on man, spill." Mark said.
"Fine, it isn't much. She just wanted to ask me about stuff."
"What stuff?" Mark asked.
"She wanted to know about the teachers, who was hard and who was easy. What people thought about her dad and she asked about you guys."
"Really?" Mark and Charlie said in unison. Both guys sat up in and looked at him in awe.
"Nope! Just wanted to see your reactions and I have to say they were damn good!" Both Mark and Charlie punched Anthony, "not funny dude."
"Hey, don't blame me it was just some innocent fun."
Then one of the professors came in and said that they all had to be in bed in ten minutes. They all got up and walked to their room they continued talking and laughing. Then the three boys walked into their rooms and went to sleep. Both Mark and Charlie dreamed of the beautiful red head that they had barely gotten to know. Anthony was thinking about Lizze too, but he was trying to figure out why his Uncle was being such an ass to Lizze.
Elizabeth's alarm clock rang at 6 o'clock she sat up and groaned. Well my dad never went over eating with me. I'm sure of it, he didn't say that I couldn't go eat breakfast with the boy's. That would make him mad, huh. I wonder what time they start breakfast. Elizabeth once more walked over to her closet and walked into Annie's room. To Elizabeth's surprise she Annie was already up. Annie turned around when she heard the doors of her closet open.
"Hey Lizze, how can I help you?"
"I was wondering do you know what time they start breakfast at the main dining hall?"
"Yeah, it starts at 7 o'clock. Might I ask why."
"Yeah, I was thinking about going down there to eat with the boy's"
"Lizze that might not be the smartest idea, what if you eat lunch with them? Because then you will be with Anthony, your cousin."
"I guess that is a good idea. Okay, I'm going to get ready. Hey Annie, how long have you been here?"
"I got here like three days before you came."
"Oh, okay. Hey if you can just stay up here I want to talk to you before I go to class. I really need to talk to a girl. I have only been here for a day and I'm already going crazy. Do you mind?"
"I don't mind at all. While you're getting ready do you want me to make you breakfast?"
"If, you don't mind, can I have toast?"
"Absolutely, I'll bring it up into my room."
"Okay, see you in a few."
Lizze walked back into her room and Annie went down to the kitchen to make breakfast. Lizze looked in her closet and found capris and a spaghetti strap shirt. She went into the room she figured was her bathroom. When she opened the door, she found a bathroom that was all white with pink accents, such as the towel and washrags. Lizze walked over to the shower and turned on the hot water, and stepped in. Fifteen minutes later she stepped out and started to dry her hair. Then she put on a hint of makeup and walked out of the bathroom. Then walked into Annie's room where she found her toast and a quickly scribbled note from Annie.
Lizze~
Sorry your father caught me on my way up and told me to deliver your toast and come back down to his study to talk to him.
~Annie
P.S. Might be smart to get rid of this note.
Lizze immediately grabbed her piece of toast and took the letter and ripped it to shreds and stuffed it in her pocket. She ran back to her room and went down the stairs. When she was down them she ran over to the door of her father's study, and was about to knock when she heard raised voices from inside. Lizze put her ear against the door and started listening.
"GRAYSON! I thought I made it clear that your niece was to serve Lizze. And that was all, not to befriend her." Lizze expected that it was her father.
"Sir, she only was only taking Miss. Reynolds her meal." That must be Grayson.
"FROM NOW ON YOU WILL CALL HER MISS CHARLESTON, I'M HER FATHER SHE WILL GO BY MY LAST NAME."
"Yes, sir." Grayson said.
"SIR, Did you ever think that the reason she is not going by your last name is because you are not treating her fairly." Annie?
"What do you mean by that!" her father's voice said very angrily.
"Annie, go wait outside!" Grayson said hurriedly. Lizze heard Annie's footsteps coming towards the door, so she moved away from the door. Then she looked at her watch 8:15, crap I have to get to class before getting to talk to Annie. So Lizze ran out of the house and towards her class. I hope Annie and Grayson are still there when I get back from classes today.
Anthony looked at his watch, 8:19, he was sitting in his Latin class. I wonder where Lizze is.
"Well class, we are going to spend about another ten minutes waiting and then we will start class," said Professor Zericella. As soon as he finished talking Lizze walked in.
"I'm so sorry Professor."
"It is all right Miss Reynolds." Professor Zericella said. He looked around the class room and said "hmm we don't seem to have an open seat, Mister Murray do you mind giving Miss Reynolds your seat?"
"No sir, not at all." Mark said with a grin, he immediately stood up. Elizabeth walked over to the chair and sat down. Mark proceeded to stand behind Elizabeth the whole class period. She took out her a notepad from her book bag and placed them on the table. Elizabeth knew she should be taking notes but the whole time she kept wondering about what would happen to Annie. She hoped that Annie and Grayson wouldn't be fired, on a count of her. I shouldn't have befriended them. I should have known better after reading my father's note. He obliviously thought that I was a bother and that I shouldn't be distracting anyone. I can't… Her thoughts were interrupted by Mark pulling her chair back for her. She realized that the bell had rung and that she needed to get to her next class. She thanked Mark for pulling her chair out for her. She went to pick up her books to find they weren't there.
"I have your books I hope you don't mind Miss." said Mark. She looked at him curiously, she wasn't use to this kind of treatment from boys. She had gone to a public school for a couple of years and the boys there basically ignored her the whole time. But Elizabeth took it in stride she allowed him to carry her books and walked along with Anthony, Charlie and Mark to there next class. When they got there Anthony looked down at his watch and said, "Hey, can I talk to Elizabeth for a second in the hall?" They just looked at him and then he added, "Alone!" They nodded their heads and gave him a wary smile.
"Why were you so late Lizze and you seemed really distracted the whole time in Latin?"
She looked at him and said, "I might have gotten Grayson and Annie fired."
"What? What happened?"
"I was walking down the stairs and I heard raised voices in my dad's study and so I started listening to it. And then…then…" Elizabeth started to choke up, Annie was the only friend here that she trusted, and if she got fired it would all be her fault.
"Wow, its okay, don't cry." Anthony said not knowing exactly what to do. "I'll talk to you about it later, Lizze I didn't realize that it would make you upset. We need to get into class."
Elizabeth just nodded her head and started to rummage in her purse for a tissue to wipe her eyes. They walked in the classroom just as the bell rang. Anthony guided Elizabeth over to where Charlie and Mark were. They sat down and waited. Charlie who was sitting at the very end of the table leaned in and said, "Hope it's another free period."
"How do we know if it is a free period?" asked Elizabeth.
"If the Professor doesn't show up in ten minutes," replied Charlie.
"Oh okay," said Elizabeth, secretly hoping it would be so that she could run up to the house and make sure Annie and Grayson where still there. The four of them sat idly chatting. Mark kept flirting with Elizabeth, but she didn't pay much attention to Mark's advances and he eventually gave up. Finally the ten minutes was up and the whole class, except Elizabeth, got up and started to leave. When Elizabeth realized what was going on she stood up and turned to Anthony and said, "I'm going back to the house I have to check on them."
"Sure, we are heading down to the grounds so we will walk with you," said Anthony.
Elizabeth nodded her head in agreement and went for her books to once again find them gone, she looked towards Mark. He shook his head and held out his books to show that it was only his.
"I've got them Miss Charleston, I mean Miss Reynolds," said Charlie.
"Thanks."
They started to walk down the hall towards the stairs they were almost there when a voice came from behind Elizabeth.
"Hey girly!" Elizabeth whipped around as did the three boys. She was looking at a boy with jet black hair and piercing green eyes. "You the head's daughter."
Elizabeth looked at him like he was stupid, "Nope, I'm just some random girl at an all boy school…" Anthony cut her off by grabbing her wrist and hissing "be careful."
She ignored him and kept going, "of course I'm Headmaster Charleston's daughter. What are you an idiot?" When she said this, the boy looked at her with a look of utter hatred and started to walk towards her.
"What did you just say?" he said in disbelief. Elizabeth was about to say something back when Anthony, Charlie and Mark all stood between her and this boy.
"What are you going to do Dubhlainn?" said Mark challenging. "Like you have so brilliantly figured out this is the Headmasters daughter so you might want to be careful what you say to her."
One of the boys next to Dubhlainn turned to him and said, "Maybe he is right Dubhlainn, she is the head's daughter, she could get us in a lot of trouble," the boy had light brown hair and brown eyes.
"Shut up Ievan. I'll say what I want to anyone I want and if she doesn't like it then she can learn the hard way that my word is rule."
"She has a name," said Charlie angrily.
"Yeah I'm sure she does, but I think I will call her Girly, seems to fit."
"Shut up about Lizze!" yelled Anthony. Elizabeth put her hand on his arm and he realized what he had said. Both Charlie and Mark looked at him in confusion.
"Looks like Girly's got a boyfriend," said Dubhlainn laughing, the boy named Ievan laughed along to. All the sudden there was a noise around the corner and someone yelled, "HEAD!" everyone scattered. Anthony, Mark and Charlie all grabbed for Elizabeth and pulled her towards the stairs. They didn't stop running until they were on the grounds. The four of them stopped under a tree and just stood there in silence digesting what had happened.
Mark broke the silence turning towards Anthony and asking him, "Why did you call her Lizze?"
Anthony looked at him trying to figure out what to say, but Elizabeth answered instead, "I asked him to call me Lizze that is what my friends at my old school called me, I was going to ask ya'll to call me that too. I just wanted to make sure I liked ya'll before I gave ya'll permission to call me Lizze."
"Oh okay," Mark said but Charlie looked at her suspiciously as he nodded his head.
"I'm going to go back up to the house I'll see you during or after Outdoor Activities," said Elizabeth as she walked away towards the house.
The three boys watched as Elizabeth started walking away. As soon as she was out of earshot Mark and Charlie turned on Anthony.
"What did she say to you when you went out in the hall? She just didn't tell you to call her Lizze. She was really upset when she came back in," said Charlie staring at Anthony trying to see if he was lying.
"She was upset because she thinks she might have gotten two servants at the mansion fired."
"That is…" Mark started to say but then stopped immediately. He was looking over Anthony's shoulder and so was Charlie. All of the sudden Anthony felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He turned around to find Headmaster Charleston looking at him.
"Can I help you Headmaster?" said Anthony as calmly as possible.
"I need to talk to you in private," replied the Headmaster as he steered Anthony out of ear shot of the other two boys.
"What do you want Uncle?" asked Anthony.
"Where is Elizabeth, and you know your suppose to call me Headmaster, on campus."
"Why do you want to know where Elizabeth is…Headmaster?" He said the last bit with as much disdain as he could manage.
"I want to know where she is because she is my daughter." Headmaster Charleston said his voice rising.
"She went back to the house, is there anything else, Uncle, or can I go back to my friends."
"Detention," said Charleston with a fury in his voice.
"What for I told you everything you wanted?" Anthony said his voice matching his uncles in intensity
"I told you not to call me that, so you saying that is a fragrant disregard to my rule."
"FINE! Where and when?" Anthony said his teeth clenched together to keep from saying anything else.
"You will help Mr. Grayson in the kitchen tonight."
"You done?"
"Yeah," said Headmaster Charleston stalking off towards the house.
Mark and Charlie instantly reappeared at his side.
"What happened? What did he want?" said Mark.
"I got a detention." Anthony said walking back towards the center of the grounds where the Outdoor Activities class was held. Mark and Charlie followed behind him trying to get him to talk but Anthony glared at them and they shut up. Anthony was glad to be left alone with his thoughts.
He said with Grayson so that means he is still in charge. But I have a detention that sucks. I can't believe my Uncle. He is such a jerk.
All of the sudden a whistle blew and Anthony pulled himself out of his thoughts and listened to Professor Flynn tell them that they were running cross country and that they needed to go to the locker room and change and be back out in five minutes. All of the boys jogged towards the locker room. In the locker room Anthony went to his locker and opened it up. He Mark and Charlie were talking when all of the sudden they heard Dubhlainn's voice form the other side of the locker room.
"Yeah I saw her. Looks like the shrimp Anthony and his mates are her protector. Ha. She picked some pretty weird friends."
Mark and Charlie had to grab Anthony by the arm to keep him from going to the other side of the room and hitting Dubhlainn.
"Calm down, he isn't worth it mate. You already have one detention. You don't need another one," said Charlie.
"Yeah just ignore him. Damn for a guy who says he doesn't like the chick you really take offense to someone insulting her."
"She isn't here to stand up for herself so someone has to. Can you imagine what it is like to be related to the Head? I'm just looking out for her. You can let go of me, we need to get outside." Anthony said
Charlie and Mark let go of Anthony and started walking out of the locker room.
"I guess your right being related to the Head would suck," said Mark off handedly. Charlie sort of grunted in agreement and Anthony wanted to say you have no idea.
Elizabeth walked away from Anthony, Charlie and Mark, thinking about how close Anthony had come to revealing to Charlie and Mark that they were cousins. As soon as she was sure they couldn't see her she started running towards the house she had to know what had happened. Once she got in the house she walked towards her dad's office, she put her ear against the door and didn't hear anything so she went into the kitchen. She saw Grayson standing there giving orders to some other servants. Elizabeth ran over to him and gave him a huge hug.
"I'm sorry that I almost got you fired."
"What are you talking about?"
"I heard the argument you had with my father this morning."
"Oh, well so I guess you realize that you and Annie are going to have to be a lot more discreet about your friendship."
"Yes, sir. So she isn't fired."
"No, he wasn't going to fire us he just wanted to talk to us and the Annie said something about you waiting to talk to her. And that is probably what you heard. I think he is just mad that you want to talk to Annie and not him."
"Oh," Elizabeth said, "I'm going to be up in my room I don't think I'm going to go to Outdoor Activities today."
"Okay, I'll send Annie up to help you unpack some more." Grayson said with a wink.
Elizabeth went up to her room and lay down on her bed. I guess I need to finish with my schedule. She started to dig threw her purse when she heard her bedroom door slam. She looked up and saw her father.
"Usually people knock before they barge in to someone's room." Elizabeth said and started to go back threw her purse not even paying attention to her father.
"Don't sass me." He said back.
"Sorry," Elizabeth retorted with out looking up.
"I want to talk to you."
"Okay talk." She said still not looking at him.
"LOOK AT ME!" he yelled. Elizabeth's head jerked up and looked at him with a death glare. "Why did you want to talk to Annie?"
"What this morning, I had to ask her whether or not she thought I should eat lunch with the other students?"
"Why didn't you ask me?"
"Hmm I don't know let me think." Elizabeth paused for a second while she pretended to think. Then she put on a deep voice and said, "there are a few rules as long as you are living here. One, I don't want you to fraternize with the boys at the school, you are the tutor that is it." She was mocking her father, he started to turn red in the face but she kept going. "Fifth, I don't want to be disturbed I have a lot of things to tend to, if I need you I will call for you, and if you need me tell Annie and she will tell someone who will tell me." She paused to look at her father who looked like he was about to yell.
"HOW DARE YOU!" he yelled, "I can see why your mother wanted to get rid of you. I'm tempted to send you back to her."
"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" Elizabeth yelled jumping off her bed and trying to push her father out the open door. Once he was out she slammed the door in his face and locked it. Tears started running down her face. Her dad was banging on the door. "GO AWAY" she yelled. All of the sudden the pounding stopped and Elizabeth thought of the door in the closet. She ran to it and locked it just as she heard someone come in Annie's room.
"Elizabeth," a quiet voice said from the other side of the door. "It's Annie can I come in?"
Elizabeth unlocked the door and Annie walked in to the closet. Elizabeth walked to her bed without saying anything and threw herself on it sobbing.
Annie timidly walked over to her and said, "I was in the hallway I heard what he said. That is just awful." Elizabeth kept crying without saying anything. "I'll have your Professors informed that you aren't coming to class today." Annie said and then walked towards the closet.
Elizabeth stayed on the bed crying, she didn't know what to think. She had been so glad that she got to come visit her father for the summer. Now she didn't know if she wanted to stay or go home. All she knew was that crying was the only thing she could possibly do right now.