“You didn’t marry Leon so we could have a housekeeper,” Papa Duday said.

Marion was relieved they weren’t talking anymore about her family and had moved on to how she would spend her days. There would be lots of volunteer work with the war going on, but Marion suspected that would only partially fill her hours. She wanted to feel like she belonged, and helping keep the place clean was the best way she could imagine to settle in.

“But Papa, I like cleaning and setting things right. It relaxes me. Please let me do a little! I might not be as good as the girl who comes in the morning…”

“What girl?” he asked.

“The girl who cleaned up my room this morning. I stripped the bed, you see, and was planning to help out with laundry later, but when I went back up for my nap the room was pristine, the bed made, the foor swept, so obviously you have someone coming in…”

“Of course! Silly of me to forget, Marion. Well, I’m an old man, and a little absent-minded. I hope you’ll understand if I forget things now and then.”

“And I know… Forgive me but I know Felicia would appreciate it. We washed dishes together this evening and I don’t think she’s used to it at all. She kind of sloshes the water and uses too much soap, and I was afraid she’d chip one of those beautiful bowls. And I couldn’t even find the apron. I guess it’s hanging up in a pantry somewhere. She grew up with a full complement of servants she told me…”

“Yes. She did.”

“…and I know you got rid of them, but obviously you’ve had someone coming in part time. And now with the war you may have to let them go, too.”

“Yes, well, we’re thinking of that…”

“So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to help, just a little. It would make me feel a bit less of a stranger here. Maybe I could do the dishes at night. I couldn’t hope to be as good a cook as you are…”

“Of course. Cooking. I do that.”

“…but I can make everything shine! I really can.”

“Let me think about it,” he said. “The part time girl has been coming in for a long, long time, you see. Ever since Felicia and I were married. It would be an adjustment.”

“I could speak to her. I could even help her.”

“Oh she’s very, very shy. Terribly shy. Not quite right in the head actually poor old dear. Doesn’t like seeing people she doesn’t know well. Practically invisible really. Maisie, that’s her name. Yes, old Maisie. Let me think on it. Felicia, darling, how nice of you to join us! Your work going well upstairs?”

“Oh, fair to middling,” said Felicia. “I hope you both have had a nice talk.”

“Excellent, excellent.” Telesphore rose and went to the fire and poked at it for a moment, looking down at the logs as he added. “Marion tells me she’d like to do a little work around the house, you know, assist Maisie the part-time girl, the one who makes beds in the morning.”

“Really?”

“Really,” said Tel. He settled on the sofa and looked at the fire.

“But I like Maisie. She does such excellent work, and she’s so quiet.”

“I can be quiet too, really,” said Marion.

“Don’t be ridiculous, darlin’, you’re not a servant. What will we say to Leon if he comes back and finds out you’ve been keeping house for us?” Felicia looked past Marion at her husband. “Why don’t we introduce her to Maisie? Then Marion will understand…”

“No, ‘Sha, not yet. It’s far too soon.”

“But I got along with Maisie beautifully from the day after we were married.”

“You knew about her well before then. You were prepared for each other…”

Marion was embarrassed. She hadn’t meant to start an argument. She turned away and pretended to be fascinated with the view of the courtyard, even though it was so dark she could hardly see anything. “…we need to talk about this,” Felicia was saying to Papa. “We need to talk about this right now.”

“We will talk about it later,” he said. And apparently Felicia started to say something else because he added, very firmly “I said later, ‘Sha.” Marion heard him get up and walk out.

Felicia sighed, and stood looking at the fire.

Marion was looking more intently now at the shadows shifting behind the glass doors to the courtyard. She thought she heard something. Had Lamont come back? Was he working in his garden?

She moved closer to the glass doors. Yes, something was definitely there, but it wasn’t Lamont. She was sure she could hear a sound like something walking on grass, something large with four legs. Could a dog have gotten in somehow? Marion supposed it was possible an animal had managed to get onto the roof and hop into the courtyard.

Then, quite suddenly, whatever it was stood upright and walked up the steps towards the glass.

Marion did not scream, though she did draw in her breath so so roughly that her throat burned afterwards. And then she was beside Felicia again, struggling to speak, but so frightened she couldn’t form words.

“What is it?” Felicia asked her. “For heaven’s sake, girl, spit it out, what’s the matter?”

Marion pointed at the glass doors. “Demon,” she whispered.

“Telesphore,” Felicia shouted, her eyes still on Marion. “The courtyard.”

The lights came on in the courtyard.

Nobody was there. Marion saw Telesphore in the window on the other side of courtyard. He looked into the garden briefly, then stepped back. The lights went off.

“You see,” said Felicia. “Nothing.” But Marion was certain Felicia had not even glanced towards the glass.

Marion whispered something.

“What did you say?” asked Felicia.

Marion cleared her throat and looked at her feet, unable to meet Felicia’s eyes.”An army of devils is horribly broke in upon the place which is the center,” Marion said, her voice barely audible.

Telesphore came in, walking as quickly as a man of his age could. “What’s happening?” he asked. “Good Lord, Marion, are you all right?”

“Something frightened her,” said Felicia. “She said she saw something in the courtyard. Something about devils…”

“A demon,” repeated Marion. “I saw a demon.”

“Oh now really,” Telesphore smiled and took her hands. “My God. You’re cold as ice. Sit down, sit down here immediately. Look at me, Marion. That’s my girl. Now look around here at this room. Are you telling me you think there are demons lurking about? In this sanitary, modern house, with electric lights and indoor plumbing, the radio playing, we have demons?”

She looked around, then up at his broad, smiling face, then down again. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Truly? You believe this?”

“I know what I saw.”

“But my girl…” He rubbed her hands as though to warm them. “You have to know this is nonsense. There are no demons. No monsters in the courtyard. You’ve had a very upsetting few days. Married, a new house, a new family. And tomorrow your husband is shipping out, and will be gone for, well quite a long time. Of course you’re upset and over-excited. Of course you’re seeing things.”

Marion wanted to weep. She would as soon as she was alone. This kind, generous man did not know, did not understand at all. Her father had warned her about this. “They say they believe in God,” he’d told her, “they think they do, but they don’t. Not really. They reject and deny the invisible world and so reject and deny the Almighty and his works.”

She longed for Leon. She wanted him so much. If she were in his arms, she’d feel safe.

“Tel, I think she’s ill. She’s shaking. Darlin’ are you cold?”

Marion shook her head mutely.

“I’ll make some tea,” Tel said.

“Now really, Marion,” said Felicia when they were alone. “Aren’t you ashamed? A grown, educated woman like you being so frightened by a few shadows at night! Now you’re going to have a nice hot cup of tea and then pop into bed and get a good night’s sleep. And in the morning, I think you’re going to laugh about how silly you were.”

Marion stood up. “I don’t want to be in here,” she said. “I don’t want to be in this room with…” she could only gesture towards the glass doors.

Felicia walked with her into the other room, her hand on Marion’s arm as if she feared Marion would fall. She sat Marion down, and then Papa Duday was there holding out a hot cup of tea that smelled deliciously of chamomile and hot lemon.

Marion sipped it.

It was so good to taste something familiar. She felt calmer now. Chamomile was like that, it had always settled her, made it easier to think.

Papa Duday and Felicia couldn’t help it, really. They meant well. They just didn’t understand the things she understood, the things she’d been taught to understand. When she married Leon, she’d known everything wasn’t going to be absolutely perfect.

Just the right amount of sweetness and lots of tart. Exactly the way she liked it.

They were right. She was tired, even a bit sleepy.

Marion wondered how Papa Duday knew she loved Chamomile with a little honey and half a squeezed lemon. Maybe Leon told him. Had Leon known?

She’d think about it later. Right now, all she really wanted to do was sleep.