Then, Maya spoke, “I couldn’t care less where you bring your daughter.”Flora lowered her head and looked at the food she was eating. Then, Nadi reached out a hand and asked her mother to cut a piece of meat for her. Flora did so and remained silent as she thought about what she had been told. Flora remembered that Maya tried to take Nadi earlier to the nursery and only refused when Nadi hid behind her. Flora was beginning to doubt if there really was a nursery where she could leave Nadi. Is there really a nursery? Flora asked herself. Who will watch over Nadi if there is?After Flora had finished eating, she rose with Maya who had given her general instructions on what she would need to do inside the house. Flora would be cleaning all the hallways and the common areas. As for the rooms, access would be given by Maya who would unlock the rooms that would need to be cleaned. Flora would do the laundry at least once a week and could start that very day

Flora pulled her daughter towards her as she looked at Emil. Nadi played with her veil and started covering her face with it. “Just place your clothes there with the others,” said Flora motioning at the pile of clothes.“Thanks,” said Emil, placing the basket he was carrying on the floor. Then, he noticed the pile of soiled clothes that Flora assumed to belong from the master and his guests. Emil stopped and spoke to Flora without looking at her.“I also have a little girl,” he said.“You do?” asked Flora. “Where is she? Maybe she can play with Nadi.”Emil stayed silent and slowly stood up straight, turning towards the laundry room door. “My wife. She’s with my wife,” said Emil, his expression as blank as his words.“Are they here? Did Pablo also allow you to bring them here with you?” asked Flora.“Yes, they’re here,” answered Emil an

Eva led Flora and Nadi inside the anteroom to the kitchen and had Flora change her slippers with those that were provided in the open shelves. At first, Eva was undecided on Nadi’s footwear, but Flora suggested that she just stay at the anteroom and play with her doll. “Are you okay playing here, Nadi? Mommy’s just inside this door to help your Auntie Eva,” said Flora.Nadi looked at her mother and asked, “Why can’t I play inside?”“Well, Auntie Eva and Mommy will be cooking dinner. There will be boiling water and knives and we don’t want you to get hurt,” replied Flora.Nadi sat on a stool and stayed silent for a moment. “I also want to cook dinner,” she said sadly. Then, she lifted her head and looked at her mother. “Is the wrinkled lady inside?” she asked.Flora tried to suppress a laugh but could not when she heard Eva laughing at her side.“O

Flora continued to watch the guest as he ate, all the time wondering who he was and what work he was doing in the mansion. He ate slowly, cutting his marinated pork with short strokes of his knife and chewing each morsel with the finesse of an aristocrat. Flora waited patiently but was soon feeling her weight in her legs as she tried to stay still beside Pablo. It was not long before she started to shift her body weight from one leg to the other and lifting the relaxed leg to relieve it of tiredness.Pablo soon noticed Flora occasionally swaying from side to side and frowned. He stood there as still as a statue and observed the guest as he ate. Pablo remained inconspicuous by maintaining his distance from the lone diner, not making any unnecessary sounds, and not looking directly at the guest nor his plate.Without anything to do except wait for Pablo’s signal, Flora could not help but let her mind wander. She wondered if she was going to replace Eva as the kitchen maid and whether it

“He is? Let me take a look!” Eva took Flora’s place at the peephole. She stayed there and looked at Emil who stood motionlessly in front of her door across the corridor. A few minutes after Flora heard him knocking on the door, Eva saw him turn and walk away without making any more sounds. His face was expressionless, and his eyes were glazed, as if looking at someone who was a long way away.Eva turned away from the peephole and looked at Flora who was waiting for her to say something.“What is he doing?” asked Flora in hushed tones.“He’s walked away,” reported Eva. “He just stood there for a few minutes without doing anything.”“I wonder why he came,” said Flora. “Why didn’t he knock again?”“I don’t know. Maybe he’s shy or maybe he thought I was already sleeping,” replied Eva.Flora nodded her head but thought that it was weird for anyone to just knock at someone’s door and then leaving without even calling or trying again. Maybe Eva’s right. Emil was probably just too shy, althoug