It wasn't hard to find Freeda's contact in the Newman's residence. Ivonna worked in the kitchen for many years and periodically provided the Hand of God with valuable intel.
She was lady of a large stature, and not only tall, her size notably exceeded Tess's plump forms. Despite that she was surprisingly fast, and after dashing through the hallways of the Newman mansion, she wasn't even out of breath.
Now she sat between sacks and boxes of vegetables, and grain that turned the originally huge kitchen into a tiny booth. In her hands she held red, triangular piece of wood, and she absentmindedly kept playing with it. It was in a size of half her thumb, and had a faint number three carved on it.
According to Freeda, this item was a fucking key to open every fucking noble household, but unfortunately she gave only three names – the people who were the keyholes.
"How is she?" Ivonna asked.
"Surprisingly good." Lee smiled back, "Still looking half her age, energetic as always …"
"Mhm." Ivonna absentmindedly nodded, but then looked at Lee and said, "You do realize you picked a really bad time to come to Sunwell?"
"On my way here I was stopped and frisked multiple times." He said, "But I'm a loyal imperial subject, I've nothing to be afraid off."
"Smartass!" Ivonna snorted, "You better be more down-to-earth around here if you don't want to stand out. Alright, kid, what's your name? What can you do and what do you want?"
"I'm Lee. Looking for a job. I can clean, cook and serve, whatever you need." He quickly said.
"Of course, you can!" Ivonna said, without attempting to hide sarcasm in her voice, "Everyone always wants to work in the kitchen! As if that's the only job!"
"I didn't say that." Lee politely smiled, "But I'm just following orders."
"Sigh, right, right … orders." She said while shaking her head, "What are your orders?"
"May I have my thing back, please?" Lee said, stretching out his hand.
But Ivonna's reaction surprised him, "Good! At least you're not a complete idiot!"
Then she passed the triangular piece of wood to Lee, and said, "You do you, kid, but be careful. I've been working here for over three decades, and it has to stay that way, understood? For now, wait here! Sanders usually wakes up before lunch – he's responsible for hiring help."
"Sanders?" Lee was confused.
According to Freeda, Ivonna should've hired him to assist her around the kitchen. The pay would be low, but at least he could always eat to his heart's content.
As it turns out the Third Hand was not as well informed as she claimed to be, or didn't have the influence she thought she had. But there was no way around it. Lee didn't lie – he was searched and questioned multiple times while looking for the Newman residence, and it was hard to find a good place to settle down in the capital.
"Yes, Sanders." Ivonna said, "He's technically a butler, but ever since master began to drink himself into oblivion more than three years ago, he's running the place."
Then she realized she said too much, threw a nervous glance at the door, and as if punishing herself bit her lip, ending the discussion. The last thing Ivonna did was, she pointed at a chair deep in the corner, hidden between potato sacks, indicating the place Lee should sit, and from that moment on, ignored him.
Sanders really loved to sleep, and it was well past midday when Lee realized why. Clearly the man took after his master and closely befriended the bottle.
He entered the kitchen, carrying the stench of last night's booze, and his shaky stature showed the pleasant buzz was long over, and the hangover had kicked in. He was short and thin, but surprisingly well dressed, and even clean shaven. And if not for the glassy eyes and weak steps, one could actually think he was a respectable servant.
Realizing it was a bad time to apply for a job, Lee shrunk in his corner, and luckily Sanders didn't notice the boy. He only cut a large piece of ham, grabbed a half loaf of bread, and left the kitchen.
As it turned out, this place was rather busy with quite a few people coming and going, some helping Ivonna, mostly following her orders. But Sanders returned only in the evening. This time his eyes sparkled, and there was a wide smile plastered across his face. Clearly he had a few drinks and was fully cured.
Seeing the employer was in the proper condition, Lee immediately stood up and coughed, drawing attention to himself. While waiting the whole day he had seen and heard enough from the other servants, and figured out the best approach.
Ivonna was right, everyone wanted to work in the kitchen, and he understood Freeda's worry of him being always well fed. But from what he observed during the day, by staying in this place there was no chance to achieve anything, and he would be basically stuck for no reason.
Therefore, when Sanders noticed him, Lee politely bowed and said, "Good afternoon, Sir! I hope you're doing well!"
"Who are you?" Came the obvious question, after butler measured Lee with his eyes, "What are you doing in my kitchen?"
This was the time when Ivonna had to explain he was her cousin's nephew or something, but Lee didn't give her the opportunity to talk.
Copying Alan's act in Maryport, he said, "My name is Roger Waters. My father, Steve Waters served master Cummings until … until Worthing was burned down. I'm one of the very few who survived the incident and … well … I had no other choice but to come to Sunwell looking for a job … but I can do anything, Sir Sanders, anything! I can cut wood, peel potatoes or sweep floors! I ..."
"Wait, wait!" Sanders waved his hand, trying stop Lee's endless stream of words, "Worthing? Isn't it a port in the south? What happened in Worthing?"
Straightened up and said, "Reporting to Sir! Worthing was attacked almost a month ago."
"You were in the army or something?" Sanders was confused by the attitude. Ivonna, watching from the sidelines was even more baffled. It was as if Lee had transformed into a completely different person within half a day.
"No, Sir!" Lee said, still standing straight, hands pressed to his sides, "Governor Cummings loved order … we … I was trained this way."
"Were you a butler or something?" Sanders asked.
"No, Sir!" Lee said, but his expression turned sulky in an instant, "My father was, but he was killed when Master Cummings's mansion was burned down … everyone was killed …"
"You know how to read?" Sanders asked.
"Of course!" Lee nodded.
"Write?"
"Uhmm … a bit."
"How old are you?"
"Fifteen, Sir!"
Sanders looked at Lee closely ,and pondered out loud, "You're kind of weak for a fifteen year old."
"Sorry Sir! I assure you I'm quite tenacious! It's just that the Waters family men are not very big, you know." Lee explained.
"Tenacious, huh? I might have a job for you … maybe." Sanders said, "Come back tomorrow, I need to check some things first."
"Thank you, Sir!" Lee bowed, but then asked, "Could you recommend a place I could stay? I don't have a coin on me … and I'm embarrassed by how dirty I am ..."
Sanders closely looked at him again, and thought, holding his chin. Ivonna was also staring at Lee, not capable of comprehending what exactly was going on. While the whole story was nice and all, but he could've much more easier gotten a job if they went according to the previous plan. And he was clearly well dressed – Sanders was a drunkard, but he wasn't blind!
But then the strangest thing happened. Sanders turned to her, and said, "Show him to Darla's room. Let him wash up and give a decent clothing. He'll wait the young mistress tonight!"
Ivonna was barely capable of nodding, and after Sanders left, it took her a while to regain the ability to speak. In the end she slumped on a stool, and asked, "What in the world was that?"
"I applied for a job." Lee shrugged, "Took a bit of a gamble, but it payed off."
"What gamble?" Ivonna looked at him, no less confused than before.
"Kitchen is no good for me. I need to have another position." He said, and pulled out the wooden triangle as if confirming his orders, "His name is Sanders, mine is Waters, we both are men of small stature that love order and cleanliness, my father was a butler … I'm basically the son he never had."
Ivonna stared at him in disbelief, "But you do realize he'll have to verify your story? With everything that's going on in Sunwell there is no other way!"
"I hope he will!" Lee smiled back.
"So Governor Cummings had butler named Waters?" She asked, but Lee only shrugged in response. No one could check that part unless they actually found someone from the governor's household. But from what he heard from Freeda, the Hand of God cleansed Worthing.
"Alright!" Ivonna said, "Let me show you to your room. You might get the job, but I wouldn't start to celebrate if I were you."