Sam unpacks the last of the boxes. She gazes around her new apartment. She doesn't have much yet. She had to sell some of her things to afford the move to Brightsprings, Arkansas. Hopefully, she can find work quickly and make this place feel like somewhere she would call home.
One job prospect is a housekeeping position at someone's mansion. She would have to show up early at eight in the morning and stay until about five in the evening. The pay seems decent, so she's willing to spend hours dusting and scrubbing floors.
Sam has no prior experience when it comes to cleaning homes. Her previous job was as a waitress at a small restaurant. Nevertheless, some of her duties involved cleaning. Not to mention, she dealt with entitled customs from time to time. She could handle a snobby boss for a while.
In about two hours, she will have to leave for an interview. She stops settling into her apartment for now to focus on getting ready. She takes one last look in the mirror before hurrying out the door. She steps into her car and drives to the address given to her.
On the drive there, she observes the town. The area is nothing special. She doesn't know why she chose this town rather than closer to where she lived before. Brightsprings has opportunities for her, so she's not complaining.
After pulling into the driveway, she stares at the mansion in awe. The brick walls are tan, and the roofs are very dark brown. The home is huge and even has a tower. She wishes she could own a place like this.
The mansion is unknown to her. At the same time, it's familiar. She shrugs off the polarizing feelings and gets out of her car.
Sam calms herself as she approaches the front door of the old-looking mansion. She presses the button for the doorbell. A few moments later, the door swings open. A man in his early forties stands at the threshold.
"Hello," the man says. He speaks in a professional manner, but he still comes across as welcoming. Sam first assumes he might be the owner. "You must be here for the interview. Please, come in."
He steps aside so Sam can enter. She stands in the foyer while he shuts the front door. The interior is even more extravagant than the outside. The tiled floors have a simple design. The grand wooden staircase has intricately carved railings. Above Sam is a glittering golden chandelier.
"My name is Sam Clark. Are you the owner?"
"Oh, no," the man answers. "I am more of a footman. My name is Philip."
Sam has no idea what a footman is. She doesn't ask in fear the lack of knowledge will cause her to lose this opportunity.
Philip gestures for Sam to follow him down a hallway to the right. The hallway is lined with various frames of different people. The clothing seen in the portraits suggests they are from the eighteenth century or older. Light from the windows stream onto the wooden flooring. The wood appears old, but that fails to surprise Sam all that much.
Philip leads her to a room that has tall bookshelves and a massive mahogany desk. The walls of what she guesses is the study are dark red with gold accents. A plush leather armchair sits behind the desk. Two smaller chairs are in front of the desk.
He gestures for her to sit down, which she does. Philip sits in the armchair.
"Is the owner not coming?" Sam asks. Usually, the would-be boss asks the questions. That or they at least sit in to watch.
"No. Lothair is not usually around during the day," Philip responds. His eyes scan the details of the sheet of paper before him. "Now, let's go over your resume. It says you worked as a waitress before coming here?"
"That's right."
"Any reason you are no longer with the restaurant?"
"Oh, well, times were tough. My previous manager needed to let go of a couple of people, and I happened to be one of them."
"I see. I must say that this is quite a shift in career paths. What skills from your time as a waitress would you say are relevant to this housekeeping position?"
Sam's hands become sweaty, but she doesn't show the nervousness on her face.
"I may have waited tables but I have cleaning experience. I wiped tables, mopped floors, and cleaned the restrooms. I am also good at managing multiple tasks at once and working under stress."
"It is necessary that, as a housekeeper, you keep things clean and organized. My boss has high standards. Being responsible for an entire house is different than wiping tables," Philip says.
"I'm very quick when it comes to learning new things and can handle a lot of responsibilities at once," Sam replies. "I believe I can meet those standards."
Philip leans back in his chair, studying Sam with a critical eye. It's like he's contemplating something.
"I see. You may have noticed this mansion is spacious. You would have to manage almost every room on both floors before the end of the day. Do you think you can handle all of that?"
"I'm sure I can."
Philip smiles.
"Good. You can start tomorrow."
Sam grins, thanking Philip. He stands up, offering to show her around her new workplace. He first leads her to a door in one of the hallways.
The door swings open to reveal a spacious closet. The shelves stocked with all manner of cleaning supplies, linens, and other household necessities. In one of the corners is a mop, bucket, and a broom. In another corner is a vacuum.
"You should find everything you need here. Let me know if you ever run low on anything," Philip explains.
There are a few products that Sam is unsure what they are for. Philip is kind enough to explain what they are used for.
As the tour continues, Sam can't help but notice that there's hardly anyone else in the mansion.
"Are there other workers here?" she inquires.
"No. It will only be us during the day. Sometimes, the work may have you staying a little late. So, you may see Quillan, the butler, wandering the halls," Philip answers.
Philip introduces Sam to the kitchen. The one in her apartment is half the size as the one she's in. This kitchen has a more modern look to it, contrasting the mansion's vintage aesthetic. The countertops are made of marble. The fridge is located at the far end.
"You are free to eat the food here during your lunch break. Just make sure to wash the dishes when you're done."
Sam nods.
Philip eventually takes Sam upstairs. They pass by a set of double doors. She asks him what's in the room, and he tells her it's Lothair's room. He informs her that Lothair is not to be disturbed during the day for any reason. Lothair's room are not the only thing Sam doesn't have to worry about cleaning.
One part of the house catches Sam's attention. A few feet away from her is a winding staircase that leads up the mansion's tower.
"What's up there?" she asks. Her curiosity is piqued. Her mind instantly thinks of the kinds of things that are hidden up there.
"It's one of the few places where Lothair likes to go when he wants to be alone," Philip says. His tone is serious. "You are also prohibited from going up there. Never let anyone catch you up there."
Sam nods. The tour eventually ends, and the two end up back in the foyer. Now that she's walked around the place, the mansion feels a lot bigger than it looks. She'll have to go from one end to the other every day from now on.
"You are scheduled to work Mondays through Fridays. You are to arrive tomorrow morning at eight. Based on your performance, we'll see if you'll stay as our housekeeper," Phillip says.
"I won't be late," Sam promises.
Philip bids her farewell and opens the front door for her. She's left standing alone outside, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. Tomorrow, she will begin her new role as the housekeeper for this grand mansion and its elusive owner.
Sam takes a moment to process this before heading back to her car. She returns to her apartment. She texts her sister that she managed to get a new job. She looks forward to the next day.