But Lucas didn't care. He was still outside, inspecting the garden one more time until he caught sight of a man who pulled the lock of the gates so that he could get inside. The man appeared to be in his early thirties, sharing the same kind of clothes where his brown hair was combed neatly to one side without a single strand sitting out of place.
Walking to the man before he would reach the entrance, Lucas stopped him midway, "May I help you?" he asked in a polite voice and the man immediately stopped his footsteps from going any further.
By the scent, Lucas could tell this one was a human. He saw how the human noticed the clothes that he wore, his eyes looking from the top to the bottom where his shoes were clean and polished.
The man wondered what was going on, but nonetheless, he changed his expression to a polite one and said, "I am here to fill the stop of the butler and would like to meet Mr. Adams," Lucas tilted his head.
"Is that so?" Lucas questioned him, "I think you mistook the information because as you see the spot for the butler has been filled," he kept his voice even, his pitch-black eyes looking down at the original butler who was supposed to be working here and not him. The person was three-inch shorter than him.
The man frowned in thought, "I didn't hear anything about it," there was an unhappy expression on his face, "I will let Mr. Rufus know about it so that there's no confusion about it. They should know to organize things like these than make a person miss out on opportunities. I had three different offers before agreeing to be Adams' butler. And now I need to find another one."
Lucas knew that if this man went whoever this Mr. Rufus was, the Adams' family would get to know he was an imposter and he would have to move out.
Leaving this mansion wasn't an issue but it would be a ha.s.sle to search for another place where he would need to take another form without being questioned. This was the closest place to a lot of things. The main being where he had left the man's soul with another creature.
Right now, he had cut off all the signals to be able to hear the radio which humans, witches, or vampires weren't able to hear and which was meant only for them. This way no one could track him down.
"I am sorry to hear that," said Lucas and then said, "The Adams' family needed a quick filling and they chose me as I was available. You know what, just go back home and come back a week later. I will talk to Adams and see if they can repost you here or anywhere where there's an opening."
"That is very kind of you to do that for me. I don't think going back to Mr. Rufus would do any good if he didn't bother to inform me. You are a very kind man," said the original butler, "My name is Peter."
"Harry," Lucas gave a false name. It was much easier to move the blame if ever the butler did go to meet Mr. Adams or Mr. Rufus to speak about giving falsework to him, "I will make sure I find something for you," and he sent the man away with a polite smile on his face before the smile fell from his face.
For now, the problem was gone and he could stay here a little longer. He pulled out the rusted pocket watch from his trouser pocket to flip it open to see how the watch was flickering back and forth. He hadn't noticed this earlier but it seemed like his watch that was perfectly fine and working had started to act crazy since a day before he turned to be the butler here.
Right now it wasn't safe to show up anywhere and it was best to act in the mundane life which the creatures here were used to. Seeing the man leave, he gave the man a bow when he turned to look at him to receive a bow back and he was out of sight. Turning around, he started to make his way towards the entrance when his eyes caught someone in one of the many windows of the mansion looking down at him and then the gate.
It was Mrs. Adams.
His footsteps halted and he bowed at her. When he lifted his head, he saw the woman had left the side of the window. The Adams family were mere vampires, therefore he doubted that she would have heard anything from this distance.
He was going to step inside when he remembered something.
Taking a right, he started to walk towards the shed where the carriage was parked and he opened the door of it to see the stuffed rabbit sitting in the corner of the seat. After reaching the mansion, Mrs. Adams had picked Belle in her arm while leaving the toy behind. Reaching for it, he picked up the toy and got back inside the mansion.
During the time of night, the Adams' had finished their supper and the little girl appeared to be not looking at the butler. She sat quietly at the table, finis.h.i.+ng her meal and going back in search of Mr. Fluffs not knowing where he was. She knew he couldn't be far away and he was somewhere here but this was the first time she was spending her time apart from him.
"Belle, stay inside the house and do not step outside," her mother said, not happy that the little girl had climbed the tree for G.o.d knows how many times as she had lost count by now.
Mr. Adams stood next to his wife, wiping his hand with the kerchief when he asked, "She's going to be bored inside the mansion."
"Papa, Mr. Fluffs has been Rabbitnapped," Belle looked up at her father worried. Mr. Adams blinked at what he just heard and then nodded, "I am not able to find him."
Both Mr. and Mrs. Adams' didn't know why someone would steal an old ragged rabbit, "Maybe it is time to get a new toy," her father said and Belle looked heartbroken.
"But he is lost," came her small voice, "He needs me," she said worriedly.
"Belle, the rabbit has lost an eye, has an arm that is loose, and it's turned dirty," her mother said, "Maybe it is a sign for you to have a better-looking rabbit. Let's go out tomorrow to Isle Valley to bring you a new one. "
"No."
Her mother sighed. The rabbit had not one bit of appeal yet their daughter was attached to it, "Just don't step outside the house. You don't want to get picked up by a ghost," said her mother knowing it was the only effective way to keep her in without worrying where she would be out looking for that toy.
Belle who stood quietly felt her father's hand gently pat her head, "He must have not gone too far. You will find him eventually," he said and went to the room with his wife.
She still had time before going to bed, therefore, she made use of that time to search for her dear Mr. Fluffs. As it was the time of night, Belle made use of a candle so that the corridors wouldn't look as dark as they looked right now.
The servants had begun cleaning the dining room, and the little girl left the lower floor wondering if she had left her rabbit somewhere at the top.
The house of the Adams family was big enough to accommodate more than fifteen members excluding the servants whose rooms were located below on the other side of the mansion. Belle right now walked in the lonely corridor, her eyes darting everywhere as the flame flickered with every step she took.
She walked until the far end of the corridor when she heard something in the atmosphere. It was a faint whispering that made the little girl stop walking and gulp. The walls held the candles in the candle stand in the corridor but it worried the little girl. Trying to be brave, she took a couple more steps until the candle she had been holding suddenly had its flame blown out.
She saw something on the other end of the corridor, a silhouette that stood unmoving. The wind outside had increased that shook the window panes lightly.
Little Belle took a step back when she saw the figure move towards her and suddenly there was light as the butler had arrived with a bigger candle stand that held four candles.
"Lucas!" Belle suddenly stuck to the butler's leg making her look like a Koala bear.
"You alright there?" he asked, looking down at her.
Belle looked at the corridor again and when she saw nothing there, the little girl wondered if it was the shadow of the object.
Lucas had come to look at the windows if all of them had been closed when he found the little girl standing at the end of the corridor. Her small body was s.h.i.+vering out of fright. She wasn't ready to let go of his leg. He looked at the other side to see nothing there.
"Someone there," said her small voice.
"There isn't anyone there," he said and she finally let go of his leg. Seeing the candle on the ground, he bent down to pick it up and looked at the little girl, "You shouldn't be afraid of the dark," he said to her while she stood there quietly until a loud thunderstruck with a series of lightning and she jumped being back the koala by putting her hands around the butler's neck with her eyes closed.
The butler sighed, "You don't listen do you?"
