Brothers by Patricia Loofbourrow

Author:Patricia Loofbourrow [Loofbourrow, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: espionage, psychological, organized crime, noir fiction, ya protagonist, manservant, consent issues, steam powered
Publisher: Patricia Loofbourrow
Published: 2022-06-01T05:00:00+00:00

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The months passed. Some event Daniel had never heard of called Queen’s Night meant the servants had to stay up all night making decorations for a grand dinner in honor of Miz Rachel. Other than that, their lives and duties stayed much the same.

Daniel turned eighteen, the boys, fifteen. To the dismay of the other servants, Jack insisted Daniel be at his birthday party. Gardena still kept coming to her brothers’ rooms, but seemed shyer, less talkative.

“She likes you,” Jack said one day.

Daniel smiled to himself. “Is that so?”

“Everyone likes you.”

Daniel shrugged. Many of the maids seemed to like him, particularly Cora. Nowadays, she seemed to be the one who came upstairs anytime a summons came from the boys’ rooms.

But from what he could tell, the group of servants who seemed suspicious towards him when he arrived hadn’t changed their views much. He was an outsider, and they considered him a threat.

A few of the men still glared at him, refused to shake his hand. Were they that jealous that he’d been picked over them to take care of the boys?

Then he got a surprising thought: or does one of them fancy a maid who has eyes for me?

Daniel wasn’t sure what he might do about that, other than tell them all about Baraja. And that was the one thing Swan told him never to do.

Once a month, Baraja would send news of Hermosa: she’d cut a tooth, or learned a word, or was crawling. And Daniel would hold the portrait Baraja had sent of them as he read the letter, never wanting to forget what they looked like.

Daniel would count to the penny how much he must spend that month and send the rest to them. One day, the woman he loved and his little girl would be free. Tell her every day I love her, he’d write, the words blurring. As much as I love you.

It was times like this that he thought of Jacob. Was he alive? Was he happy? Did the people he’d been sold to treat him well?

Sometimes he wept in fear for him, remembering the horror of him hanging by his belt there in the zeppelin. Please, Jacob, Daniel would whisper. Stay alive. I’m right here. Don’t lose heart.

***

The summer passed, the days grew cooler. One day, Mr. Julius told them he was taking Jonathan on an outing, and that he wouldn’t return until late.

Jack took the opportunity to invite Daniel to his bed.

While they lay there afterward, once Jack had been cleaned and dressed, Daniel said, “What do you think that outing is about?”

“I’m sure Jonathan will tell us,” Jack said. “But I think they found him a bed maid.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. My father must have heard the servants talking. Maybe he thinks Jonathan’s unfit to be wed.”

“Oh,” Daniel said. “And you?”

“I’m sure he’ll arrange a marriage for me someday.” He got up on one elbow. “But you’ll always be with me, for as long as we live. Everyone will believe you stay by my side simply as my loyal manservant.

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