Thankfully they found a servant who was more than happy to guide them to the butler's office. It was another good fortune that he was there. It would seem that only Seit suffered from misfortune after not being able to find her master once she returned to her room. Although the young maid dashed about the manor in a panic, Ravina remained unaware of her frenzied efforts until she returned home.
“So Lady Ravina, how may I be of service?” Mathus inquired, his figure casting a long shadow in the flickering candlelight of his cramped, book-lined office.
Taking a deep breath Ravina started with hope that he could help her. “It's about the issue between the Quil and the Watch, do you know about it? The collapsed mine.” The smell of old paper was quite calming and she took another breath of the pleasant, almost vanilla scent.
“Quil and Watch?” he repeated, narrowing his eyes with a soft tilt of his head.
Ravina smiled thinly and with only a small hesitation she clarified.“Yes, Ravenquil and Ravenwatch”
“Oh, yes.” The butler's face brightened with understanding. “I heard about the collapsed mine, I am surprised you know about that.” his joyful smile warmed the room, allowing Ravina to release some tension she held without knowing it.
As her shoulders relaxed she answered his stubble question. “Yes, well Madam Pelmen asked me to look into it and I don't know enough so I was hoping you could help me.”
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Mathus’ eyes went wide. Honestly, his reaction seemed a little extreme. It hurt her feelings a little. “The great madam asked you to look into that?” For Mathus’ part, he was confused and a little worried that the lady he held in such high regard forced a task on a young girl. Ravina was annoyed that the butler thought so low of her.
“I can do it,” she insisted, “I asked if she needed any help after all.”
A radiant joy illuminated Mathus' seasoned features, a joy that had been quietly simmering since Ravina's arrival. “Certainly, I’ll be more than happy to help you.” It was the truth. The prospect of assisting her in this matter wasn't just a duty; it was a cherished opportunity. He had been looking forward to it since she arrived.
“Thank you. Please hand over all the necessary documents to my maid. I'm stepping out for a moment of fresh air…I plan to visit the library.” She instructed, her voice slipping out her most common lie. Any other day it would have worked its magic but today the good butler had other plans.
As Ravina turned to leave, Mathus called out, “My lady.” His gaze, firm and resolute, momentarily unsettled her. “This might be overstepping, but since his lordship has introduced you to the elders. You should be more than welcome to use the count’s private library now.” thankfully he seemed worried about her, she had not been caught….yet.
“Oh.” Ravina tried to say something. Her voice caught in her throat. Silence hung in the air for a moment.
“Perhaps later.” Mathus relented. He closed his eyes and nodded to the young mistress. “I shall entrust the young Siet with the files regarding both houses and our information about the mine.”
“Thank you.” She said with a soft smile. Her chest tightened as she left his office.