by M.D. James
Chapter 3
“Master Jonas? It’s time to wake up.”
Jonas opened his eyes to see Elias standing over him, gently nudging his shoulder. “What time is it?” Jonas asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“It’s time for school,” Elias answered with a smile.
“School?” Jonas had no idea he would be starting school already. He hadn’t even had time to find his own way to his bedroom, or eaten a meal with his Uncle.
Elias showed him a school uniform and where he could get washed up and ready.
Charlotte, Aspen Estate’s cook, prepared a grand breakfast. Anyone who saw it would likely think it was in celebration of Jonas’ return, but it was actually how things were normally done. Martin Concord liked the best of everything and that extended to his breakfast. Charlotte ordered around her helpers, making sure the oranges were juiced and the pancakes were kept warm in the oven while the eggs were prepared. Fresh fruit was washed and chopped, and even fresh bread was baked.
“Come on, now! We only have a few more minutes. Get that bacon done!” she yelled.
Charlotte had worked at Aspen Estates for five years. She was stern, but not unkind. When she wasn’t working to get the meals prepared on time, she was a very lovely woman.
Jonas and his Uncle sat in silence as they ate. Again, his Uncle Martin’s head was buried in a newspaper. There were so many questions Jonas had about his mother and father, but he was getting the feeling that his Uncle didn’t like him very much. He decided to wait until they had bonded a little bit more before asking his Uncle for details.
After eating, he was led to Charles and the car without even a ‘goodbye’ or word of encouragement from his Uncle. Even at his worst orphanages, he was always taken to school by his guardians.
“Why isn’t Uncle Martin coming with me to school?” he asked Charles, who ignored him rather than answer.
Ms. Shivels, the Principal of Wellington, met Jonas at the car. Jonas was barely out of the car before Charles drove off, again without a word.
Ms. Shivels was a pretty lady who took her job very seriously. She marched Jonas to her office, and informed him of the rules of the school.
Back at Aspen Estates, the servants were having their breakfast of sausage and a roll.
“He seems like a really good kid,” Elias was telling the others. His focus was on Kathy, who he had a crush on but was too shy to ask out. He had tried many times, but was always either interrupted or misunderstood.
“How old is he?” Madeline asked. “Will we have to help him with his reading?” Madeline was a very naïve girl and not very bright.
“Of course not, Maddie!” Kathy answered. “He’s at least thirteen or fourteen. I’m sure he can handle his own school work.”
“He’s twelve,” Elias informed everyone. “He’ll be dating before long.” The women snickered. “Speaking of dating,” Elias added, directing his attention to Kathy, “Would you like to go out on a date with me?”
“Fat chance,” Charles added from the back doorway. “Why would she wanna go out with the likes of you, when she can go out on a proper date with me?”
“Really, Charles? You want to take me out on a date?” Kathy was overjoyed. In her eyes, Charles was perfection and could do no wrong. She never noticed his imperfections or mean streak. As she made room for him to sit next to her at the table, she turned her back to Elias.
“Don’t worry about them,” Madeline told Elias. She wasn’t very book-smart but she could see how hurt he was over what Charles did. She hated how he took every opportunity to mess with Elias, who she felt was one of the sweetest and most attractive men she knew.
Elias got up to leave, taking one last glance at Kathy. Instead he caught Charles’ face, who gave him a nasty sneer.
At school, Jonas was making his way through the day. He did manage to make two friends at lunch. Rachelle was a very pretty girl with brilliant blue eyes, long, black, curly hair and porcelain skin. He cheeks glowed with a natural pink tint. As Jonas sat at an empty table, she was the first to come over and introduce herself. The table quickly filled up, but the only other person to talk to him was Timothy, who he also recognized from his class.
They were fascinated by his stories. They had never met anyone from an orphanage before and wanted to know exactly how it was for him. As they ate and talked, Rachelle’s twin sister, Rebecca, took every chance she could to make snide remarks about how all orphans were a leach on society and had no true manners or intellect.
Jonas was good at ignoring people like Rebecca. All of his years in different orphanages taught him well how to deal with people that were petty or mean. If he could put up with Billy, he could certainly put up with Rebecca. He found it strange how two sisters, both so beautiful, could be so opposite.
Instead of focusing on her, he decided to focus on the fact that he had two new friends. It was a small thing, but it somehow made him feel not so alone.
Elias was waiting for him out front as Charles pulled the car around to the front door of Aspen Estates.
“What do you think of the car, Elias?” Charles asked with an edge to his voice as he opened the back door to let Jonas out. “You think Kathy will like it? Maybe I’ll give her a tour of the back.”
Elias’ aggravation for Charles showed but he refused to comment and instead asked Jonas how his first day of school was.
Jonas told him all about his two new friends, which made him think of his old friend…Bartzen. “Elias?”
“Yes, Master Jonas?”
“Can you help me get some paper?” he asked his footman.
“Of course. I’ll see to it that you have everything you need for your studies,” Elias informed him. Jonas told him that he didn’t want it for school, but so that he could write Bartzen. Elias smiled and told him that he’s go to the library right away and get him paper and envelopes and everything that he’d need.
As Elias approached the library, he heard part of a conversation he was never meant to hear.
“You’ve got to get the boy to sign the papers,” a man’s voice he recognized to be Mr. Concord’s cousin, Mr. James Harkton.
“We will present him with the papers tonight,” Mr. Concord told him. “I’ll just tell him that it’s paperwork allowing him to take possession of Aspen Estates when I pass away. He’ll never be the wiser.”
Both men laughed, and headed out as Elias waited outside silently.
“Elias, can I help you?” Jonas’ Uncle said in a suspicious tone as he saw him lurking in the corridor.
“No, Sir. I mean, I was just coming to the library to get Master Jonas some paper and envelopes so he can send a letter to his friend.”
Jonas’ Uncle could see that Elias was clearly nervous, but knew that even if he had overheard the conversation with James, he would never tell anyone. Elias was too scared of what would happen if he ever betrayed his boss.
“Please tell Bruce to let all of the servants know that Mr. Harkton will be staying for dinner this evening,” was his only comment back to Elias before walking away with his cousin in tow.
“Yes, Sir,” Elias answered, but Mr. Concord and Mr. Harkton were already carrying on another conversation and made no sign that either had even heard the young footman.
Once Elias brought him the paper and envelopes, Jonas began writing Bartzen back.
Bartzen,
Thank you very much for the letter you wrote me. My first night here was a very lonely one, and your letter helped offer some comfort.
You wouldn’t believe how big my new home is. There are at least twenty servants, and our dining table has just as many chairs. But, get this…the servants don’t even eat at that table. It’s just for me and my Uncle.
My room is at least ten times as big as our room at Bushton Hall. Even with such a grand palace to live in, I’d much rather be sharing a cram
ped room with you and fighting with Billy.
I had my first day of school. I made two new friends, Timothy and Rachelle. They are both really nice, but you will always be my best friend.
Thank you for telling me how much I mean to you. I hope you know I feel the same way. You are like so much more than a brother to me as well.
If you haven’t forgotten about me by the time you get this, please write back as often as you can, and tell Ms. P that I said Hi and that I love her.
I love you too,
Forever,
Jonas
As he wrote the address on the outside of the envelope, Jonas took extra care to write Aspen Estates’ address. He wanted to make sure it was easy to read so Bartzen would know where to write him back.
Bruce, Uncle Martin’s footman, came to collect Jonas for dinner. “Where’s Elias?” Jonas asked.
“He was needed elsewhere,” was all Bruce replied. Jonas wasn’t sure if he was just very proper or if his cold demeanor was due to him not liking children.
Bruce helped Jonas change for dinner and Jonas took the opportunity to ask Bruce to mail his letter to Bartzen for him.
“Of course, Master Jonas. I will see that it gets to the post first thing in the morning,” Bruce answered. “Make sure to call me whenever you have mail that needs to go out, so I can make sure to take care of it personally for you.”
Jonas felt better about Bruce after hearing that. Bruce may not have much personality, but it was reassuring to know that he could be counted on and that Bartzen was sure to get his letters.
At dinner, Jonas’ Uncle introduced him to Cousin James. “James is a Solicitor,” Uncle Martin told Jonas.
“Did you know my mother?” Jonas asked Cousin James as they ate a meal bigger than the feasts he’s had for Christmas in the past.
“I did. She was a lovely woman.” Something about James’ answer set off warning bells with Jonas, but he pushed them to the back of his mind. He wanted to hear all he could about the mother he never knew. “I spent summers here at Aspen Estates with her and your Uncle.”
Jonas asked questions as fast as he could think of them and kept the two men talking. He had yet to even see a picture of his mother, but from his Uncle and Cousin’s stories, he could picture her as a young girl.
Towards the end of dinner, Jonas stated feeling sick, and excused himself quickly so he could vomit. He was rarely sick, and never vomited. He figured it was all the stress of so many life changes so quickly that caused him to get sick.
Once the table was cleared, Jonas’ Uncle and Cousin retired to the library where they discussed what to do since they were unable to get Jonas’ signature after dinner.
“You’ll just have to stay another day,” Martin told his Cousin.
“I told you I have a hearing starting tomorrow morning that will last all month. I’ll just have to come back next month,” James suggested.
“You know time is of the essence. The government will take ownership of Aspen Estates in just six weeks if my snot-nosed nephew doesn’t either register the deed with the courts or sign over ownership to me.”
“We’ll get it done in time. We have to do this carefully, though. If we rush, you may lose everything.”
Martin knew it was good advice for a less than ideal situation, but he still wasn’t happy about it. Neither saw another way though to get Jonas to sign over his rights to Aspen Estates.
Once Martin said goodbye to James and retired to his bedroom, Bruce brought him Jonas’ letter. “I told the boy to make sure to give me any letters he writes,” Bruce informed his boss.
“Very good,” Martin praised his loyal footman. “Make sure you burn that one and any others. I won’t have him messing up my plans now that I’m so close to finally owning Aspen Estates. We cannot allow him to retain any of his old connections. He needs to trust me only, at least until he signs over all of his rights.”
“And what then?” Bruce asked his boss with a knowing half smile.
“Once his usefulness has expired, poor Master Jonas will have an unfortunate accident.”
