The clock chimed midnight as I moved through the darkened halls of the Beaumont estate, dismissing the last of the servants for the night. Baron Reginald had left suddenly hours ago, his destination unknown. As head butler, I, Jasper Hamilton, was left to maintain order in his absence—a burden that grew heavier each day.
"Jasper, a word?" Matteo, our overworked footman, approached with shoulders slumped from exhaustion.
"Make it quick," I replied, straightening my waistcoat. "It's been a long night."
"That's precisely my point." Matteo ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I've been doing the work of three men for weeks now. When are we hiring more staff? I can't keep serving guests, polishing silver, and tending the gardens all at once."
I sighed, feeling the weight of managing a household in decline. "We'll discuss staffing tomorrow. The Baron's finances are... complicated at present."
"You mean nonexistent," Matteo muttered.
