“Alright” he responded and got on with the job. It was at least another hour before he had the couch back into one piece but at least now there wasn’t a massive hole in the middle. Once he had packed his gear back into his cart, Claude went looking for the butler, rather unsuccessfully. Instead he sort of just wonder around the house looking for the man.

By some miracle Claude had not bumped into Rose.

Instead, Mr. Be Not Afraid of My Body was nowhere to be found … but there were some closed doors upstairs. Having figured his butler would be actually doing his job, Zechariah had retired to the bedroom to hide from a cute boy read with the bed lamp on.

It was odd being in a house with so many rooms, but after he was sure he had been in everyone at least three times he hovered by the stairs. It felt wrong going up there, but it felt silly circling the rooms down stairs once more. Slowly he creeped his way up and towards the closed doors. Perhaps that’s where he would find the butler? Claude lightly knocked and waiting. The whole time eyeing the stairs in hope. He really didn’t want to be yelled at.

"Claude?" Rose had seen him go up the stairs and came rushing up the stairs herself, clad in a simple black dress, broom in hand. She had just reached the top step when she saw him knock and grasp. "Oh really, you shouldn't." She said, rather too late. Rose stood frozen in her place.

Rose was right, but for the wrong reasons.

It was a moment, but the door creaked open like a teenage son who was peering from the darkness to see if the path was clear of Foter.

Worse. It was obstructed by the pleasant boy who blushed at dirty poetry.

“What, more poetry?” he teased, not in the least mindful of who might be peering (or hearing) around the stair.

Yiddish:

Foter = Father

At his name, Claude looked at Rose. What was she doing here? In a man’s home? After dark? What was she thinking? 

His attention was pulled back to the door as the said man of the house opened the door. Claude couldn’t help the blush that reappeared at the question but at least he wasn’t dropping longs again. “No sir, not this time” he replied with a light, ever so playful smile. “I couldn’t find the Butler.”

Rose stood and watched, though she couldn't see Zech from where she stood.

Nor could he see her...

He spoke far more warmly to Claude than Rose... or his strange guests, be they male or female.

“Is that so,” he said with a crinkle of his nose that looked more coy than disapproving. “You realize these are the bedrooms.”

None of the curtness he had shown Rose upon her introduction to the upstairs was there.

Claude looked at him a little bit lost and a bit shocked. He honestly hadn't know. "I'm sorry to disturb you then sir..."

“Who said I was disturbed?” he said smugly, though he took a more formal tone afterward. “How much do I owe you?”