Langcaster House - Chapter 5 - Wedding bells for Linda



Wedding Bells for Linda

 

My last semester before graduation passed uneventful.

The family had settled in and had avoided trouble. Whenever there was a possibility of something coming up they had learned to alert Charlie right off.

This was due to Charlie watching over the whole clan and the confidence they now had in him.

I received my degree and now was working full time for Charlie.

I went to Linda’s graduation ceremony but didn’t make it known to her. I think she spotted me as she got her diploma but I quickly slipped out before it ended.  It is seldom that I allow myself to think about her but down deep I still have a yen for her.

Some months later I heard she was to be married soon and I must admit that news caused me a great deal of pain.  Or better said, it was a grief to me.

I happened to see her in a restaurant and she waved to me and motioned me to come over to her table. When I got there she said sit down and as I fumbled for a reason not to she said, ‘Sit, please.”

After saying our hellos we searched for something to say while avoiding what we really wanted to say. She said, “I’m getting married in two weeks.”

I said, “Oh, I think I heard that.”

I fought against it but it just came out, “Do you love him?”

She said, “He’s nice.”

The best I could muster was, “That’s nice.”

She said, ‘Yes.”

We went on like that till I got embarrassed and said, “I’d better go.”

She said, “Please don’t go, not yet.”  She continued. “I still haven’t said what I wanted to say to you when I saw you.”

“Oh,” I replied.

She said, “I’m fond of the man I’m going to marry but I haven’t got over you.  I still love you and wish things were different. The reason I agreed to marry Jim was I know you don’t seem to want me and I need to have some kind of life.

You know if you want me you can still have me but what I need to know is do you have any feeling left for me or am I the only one with these feelings?”

I have to say that took my breath away. I had written her off after the way she acted with the football star but even with all my determination to forget her she was still anchored in my heart.

Instead of telling her of my feelings I asked her to come back to my apartment and we could continue our conversation. It seemed somewhat cold at the time but she agreed to come.

When we arrived I put on a pot of coffee. As I walked over to where she was standing with her lips turned up toward me, I couldn’t resist kissing her. The kiss was long and satisfying.

I had several things to say to her but that kiss made my mind go blank or maybe the kiss said it all.

She said, ‘I thought so or at least I had hoped so.”

I said, “What about the wedding?”

She smiled and said, “If you are serious the wedding is off.”

I couldn’t help myself and said, “Our wedding is on if you’re willing.”

She said, “The sooner the better.”

I asked, “What about Jim?”

She said I already told him I couldn’t go through with it for I was still in love with you and it wouldn’t be fair to him to marry a woman who had another man on her mind all the time.”

He agreed and said he was glad I told him before we made a mistake.

I said, “If you are willing we can catch a plane to Vegas and be married tomorrow.”

She said, “I’m willing, in fact I have a suitcase packed, and it’s in the car.”

I told her, “You must have been pretty sure of yourself,” and she said, “Far from it but I had high hopes because I knew you really loved me and I didn’t think the flame was completely gone out for I saw you looking at me from time to time and your eyes still had a gleam in them.”

I had to admit she had me there. When we arrived at the airport I received a phone call and it was from Charlie. He said, "Congratulations."

I said, "How did you know?"

He said, "I know everything and I’m glad to tell you that Linda has toed the line ever since she made that one mistake and I’m proud of her.

After the ceremony you can move up to the big house say after a couple of months if you want to.

Just to relieve your mind I won’t be watching you and her while you are on your honeymoon so have fun."

To Be Continued

House of Langcaster - Chapter 4

Each month there was a social gathering hosted by the senior Wynn’s, and Charlie went along with it even though it wasn’t his thing.  Lady Barbra flourished in those surroundings and Charlie liked to please her.

I was quite happy to assist at those times and see to it that everything went smoothly.

Charlie always introduced me as a part of the family and I met many influential people during those parties. This included many of their daughters some of whom I dated later on after breaking it off with Linda.

Due to the fact that Charlie and Barbra were very passionate people their bedroom was an active place in the evenings and much to everyone’s surprise they announced they would soon be the parents of a baby boy.

At first everyone thought they were going to adopt but they soon realized Barbra was pregnant.  Jeanie, her maid was ecstatic. They were going to have a baby in the house and she was going to be a part of raising it.

Barbra said she would have to get a nanny to which Jeanie objected saying you get a maid because you already have a nanny named Jeanie.

Barbra could see Jeanie was determined to be the baby’s auntie so she said okay, let’s keep peace in the family.

During the last month of Barbra’s pregnancy Jeanie interviewed over a dozen maids before she found one acceptable to her for after all she knew what Lady Barbra’s needs were.

Let me keep my focus on Barbra for a little longer even though there are many things going on within the family.

Barbra gave birth to their boy and Charlie was dumbfounded by the sight of him. He was so small and he was trying to tell what features were from his side of the family. It was a week later before I was allowed to see the child mostly because Jeanie wouldn’t let anyone near him. She makes such a fuss over the child; she wouldn’t even let Barbra disturb his rest except to nurse him.

As Barbra watched Jeanie care for the boy her only worry was she was going to spoil the child and his father isn’t going to like that.

The scullery maids, Ellen and Mary

Maids but studying to better themselves -

I enjoyed talking to the two scullery maids Ellen and Mary for we were all in school.

They were full of fun and took the cook’s complaints with a smile. Actually the three cooks liked the two girls for they did their job well.

Once in a while I would take Ellen and Mary out to dinner and a movie. It would be a time when we could all relax and let our minds take a holiday.

They liked to talk about the guys they were interested in and ask my opinion about each of them.

All in all it was just a fun time for the three of us and since I wasn’t dating much and I thoroughly enjoyed being with them. I knew how sincere they were about finishing their education and moving up in the world, it made me appreciate them all the more.

The Three Cooks

The three cooks; Zeta, Loraine, and Lucille were all single.

Ellen and Mary enjoyed teasing Zeta about her boyfriend. They would say things like we are going to take him away from you. She would reply; you can have him along with his wife and children.

Loraine had a long term boyfriend but marriage was never brought up. They liked the arraignment as it was for they were both independent and didn’t want to be tied down.

Lucille had several boyfriends and wanted to get married but she couldn’t get any of the right ones to propose to her. She wasn’t without any opportunities over the years but the ones who asked weren’t the princely type as she viewed them.

She would often be humming the song; “Some day my prince will come” and she still had hope.

 

Langcaster House - Chapter 3

I was almost finished with what was actually the third year of my studies and had begun spending time at Charlie’s main office getting acquainted with the business.

I was also spending time in the library where I met a lovely young lady. She was taking some of the same classes I was and we prepared for this year’s finals together.

We became good friends though there wasn’t anything romantic about our being together.  We finished the semester and she said she would have to be transferring to another college in order to get the credits she needed to graduate. I was sorry to hear that for we had became good friends and studying together made the time go faster.

Linda was taking some summer school classes, something I couldn’t understand because her grades were above average.

I had some free time so I thought I would go and pick her up after class and while I was waiting for her I happened to see her making out with a husky guy wearing a sports sweater. I supposed he was a football player and probably popular with the girls. I could see she was into him from the way she was kissing him so I left her to it.

I don’t need to tell you how I felt about the circumstance.  All this last year I kept hands off as Charlie had requested me, and here she was really digging this guy. We were supposed to be committed to one another and it seems I was the only one who took our relationship seriously.

I never told Charlie about this but I figured he might notice I wasn’t going around with her as of late.  A few days later he called me into his office and said he wanted to discuss something with me. I thought he is going to get on me for neglecting Linda.

When I got to his office I had to wait for a half hour and finally was led into his big office. He told me to sit down and he ordered us some drinks. I thought this is all too casual to be good.

He started with; I have something I need to go over with you and since you have been completely honest with me I’m going to be as honest with you. He said I have been very demanding as to your conduct with Linda. He said my company has a reputation to maintain and the conduct of all members of the family must remain without any vestige of scandal.

Something has come up that you need to know about and I’m not going to keep anything back from you. It seems Linda has been going out with a guy at her school. They have been slipping around and going to the local make out places.

This last time they were going farther than they had before and “The Man” (he didn’t call his detective by name) observed what they were doing and broke it up.

I had to ask; “How far did it go?”

He said, “Well… he got her bra and panties off before this man broke it up. ‘The Man’ pulled Linda out of the car half-dressed and took her to his car. The young husky guy came after them and attacked ‘The Man.’ 

That was a mistake for ‘The Man’ shook him like a rag and beat him up pretty bad and afterward had a short conversation with him before he let him go.”

“A conversation?”

“Yes.”

“ What did he say?”

It had something to do with if he ever spoke to Linda again he would lose part of his face. He then almost twisted his ear off. He then ripped the rest of Linda’s clothes off and said; if you are going to be a slut you need to dress like one.

Because she was naked she tried to cover as much of herself with her hands and arms as she could for he wouldn’t allow her to have her torn clothes back. Yes that is the way he dropped her off at her front door.

Charlie went on and said, ‘From now on you can forget about Linda for it is apparent she can’t be honest in a relationship. This was her lesson number one in how to conduct oneself. Lesson two is ready when she needs it.”

He continued, “That’s about it but in case you are interested here is her bra and panties which you can keep or return to her if she tries to lie to you about her conduct.”

As he left, he said that he wouldn’t speak of this again so not to ask him for anymore answers.

I went upstairs to my apartment and was feeling totally let down. I knew she was playing around but never thought she had gone that far. I wonder who that mystery man was and how did he find her.

I should have asked Charlie when he asked me if I had any questions. I was so shocked that I couldn’t think of what say.

After he was gone, all of these questions flooded my mind:  Who was “The Man”? Why was he there, and why strip her naked?

If I could find the man I would pose those questions to him but I wouldn’t want him to whip me like he whipped the football player.

For the next three weeks I never went to see Linda but finally she came up to my apartment and just walked in.  This was something she usually did but I thought she might act differently after what happened.

Of course she didn’t know I knew everything that happened about her being ready to give herself to her hero and she tried to act as if nothing had occurred.

She came over and kissed me and started to talk her silly talk as usual. I wished she hadn’t kissed me for that was my weak spot even though I had built up a wall of resistance (Or tried to) about my feelings for her.

I asked her what she had been doing and got an evasive answer. So I dug a little deeper as it were.

I told her there is a rumor going around saying she was seeing someone behind my back.

She said, “Who told you that?”

“I said several people had all told me the same story, is there anything to it?

She began to redden.  I said, “Do you have something to tell me?”

She started to say no there was nothing to the story and then she saw her undies laid out on the table.

As fast as she could she ran out of my apartment crying and gasping for air.

It was a week later when I was taking a walk she caught up with me and wanted us to sit on a bench.

I said, “Sure why not, I need some rest before heading home.”

She said she had been talking to Charlie or rather Charlie had laid down the law to her and he told her I knew everything that was going on and what happened. She said she was sorry and was guilty of being unfaithful. She went on saying she hasn’t spoken to the guy since that night and doesn’t intend to ever again.

Another thing he has a deformed ear she never noticed before and she couldn’t understand why for it was obvious for everyone to see. She said she understood why I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with her anymore and couldn’t blame me.

I told her that I felt better about the situation since she was honest about it and there was no reason for us not to be civil toward one another. She said I guess I was too immature to commit to a relationship at this stage of my life and was vulnerable to attention from others even though I knew they just wanted sex from me.

I told her I hoped what happened would prepare her for a solid commitment to the next man who came her way.

She replied she hoped that was the case. She went on and said I really do love you and will continue to do so.

That took me aback somewhat and I didn’t know how to respond.  I told her to come back to the apartment for a minute. When we got there I retrieved her bra and panties and handed them to her. I said, “This is the only time I have ever had my hands your personals.”

She said, “I know you were just following Charlie’s orders about keeping hands off. I’m sorry for my foolishness,” as she started to weep and cling to me.

I held her for a while and said, ‘We all make mistakes and it’s not the end of the world.

It helps if we learn and don’t make the same mistake again.”

I released her and she left without saying anything else.

To be Continued

 

Langcaster House - The Staff Chapter 2

The Large Estate needed a Large Staff of Workers

 

Chapter 2 - The staff

There are two other butlers other than myself. There are five, sometime six maids - if company comes, the extra maid is called in.

We have three regular cooks and a couple more on call for large parties. Finally there is one chauffeur and two scullery maids. The outside help consists of three gardeners and one maintenance man. We have a pool service that cares for the large pool.

Butler #1 - Me

Starting with me, you know a lot about me already.  I have a couple regular girlfriends or at least I did have until I got committed to Linda so now she is it.

I must admit I wish she would hurry and grow up mentally and emotionally, for I need a full grown up woman.

She said it would be alright if I went out with one of my old girlfriends but I know she didn’t mean a word of that.  She would go ballistic if she thought I did.

Linda teases me to the point where I could wring her neck saying things like; “I’m here anytime you want me.”

She knows I have promised Charlie to keep “hands off “until she was grown and then only if and when I decided to marry her.

It’s a good thing that I’m so busy with school and working. When I’m with her I’m so tired all I think about is getting some rest. Time is moving on and she will graduate from high school, and I will get my degree about the same time. I know there is no use in me talking to her about her continuing on to college. I’ll have to deal with that when the time comes.

That brings us to butler #2 - James

James is designated as butler #2 which is a step lower than me.

He was already employed when I was hired and he expected to be the #1 guy when the number when the #1 retired but it didn’t work out that way. As it turned out he had an attitude issue. He has a tendency to talk down to everyone he speaks to.

That didn’t sit well with Charlie. James was working here when Charlie bought the estate and he expected to move up to #1 during the transition to the new owner for the old #1 retired. When he was passed over he pitched a fit and threatened to quit.

Charlie took him aside and laid down the law to him. When he came out of the meeting he was meek as a lamb. Charlie told him among other things that he was hanging by a thread and if that snooty talk didn’t stop he was gone. He was told to take a day off and think about what he had just heard.

When he came back the next day he was a different person.  He was an efficient butler who knew his stuff and was a great help to me. Charlie said he was going to keep him on since he got his head on straight and knew his place. He lived in the servant’s quarters but coveted my apartment over the garage.

My apartment had privacy and plenty of room for a single fellow and could easily accommodate a married couple.

It was rumored that James had a girlfriend he visited on both his day off and his half day. I wasn’t interested so I didn’t pursue it.

Then there was butler #3 - Lester

He wasn’t really a butler but filled in when he wasn’t acting as the extra chauffeur. Most of the family drive themselves to where they are going but on formal occasions Lester does the driving and waiting for whomever it was he was hauling.

I had to warn him a couple of times about questioning the intelligence of a family member. I said his thoughts were his own so keep them to himself or else. I think he got the message and I haven’t had to deal with that problem again. I believe the threat of being dismissed had something to do with it.

To me it was like biting the hand that fed him. There was one other issue and that was he and his wife were separated and their one child lived with her mother. It took most all of Lester’s salary to make ends meet so he couldn’t afford to lose his job.

On his time off he drove for a limo service if they needed an extra driver which was where he got his fun money. Rumor was he had a girl on the side he seldom could see because he was so busy working.  



Maid # 1 Mimi

Mimi was the number one maid and she served Papa and Mama Wynn. She claimed to be French but her inability to speak the French language fluently gave her away. I thought she did rather well being from Brooklyn.

She did have the body of a young French maid which Papa Wynn enjoyed looking at.

Mama Wynn gave him strict orders to only look and not touch.  Since he was afraid of Mama he obeyed her orders to a tee.

Male friends of the Wynn’s always gave Papa a jealous look after seeing her flit about the room serving the guests especially when she bent over a little. Several tried to hire her away from the Wynn’s but she wouldn’t leave.

Mama Wynn liked Mimi very well and they laughed a lot as they shared stories. Papa was always left out of their fun time and it made him feel as if they were plotting some kind of joke to pull on him.

All in all they both loved having Mimi on staff especially after a big night when they both felt awful. She would brighten up the morning with her cheerfulness and happy giggles. Charlie enjoyed having her around and she would be the last one to go if there was to be a shakeup in the staff (except for me, maybe and oh yes, Jeanie).

Maid # 2 - Jeanie

Jeanie was the maid for Lady Barbra (and of Charlie). She was the oldest and most organized of them all. She was a single lady who had a limited social life although she dated occasionally.

When she went out on a date, Barbra wanted to know every detail about the evening. She especially wanted to know if her date got fresh with her and he if did how she responded to his advances.

For Barbra it was almost like being on the date herself. She liked to tell Jeanie that she should have done this or not done that. It was one of the most fun times for her.  Lady Barbra had in a short time came to be heavily dependent on Jeanie to keep her life in order, for she knew all about fashion and matching the right accessories with the right gown for the right occasion.

It had come to the point where Barbra would give Jeanie her schedule and leave it to her to pick out the right clothes for the event. Every so often Jeanie would say; its time to go shopping for you don’t have the right attire for a certain event. Of course Jeanie would go with her and help her pick out the right outfits.

Even though Lady Barbra felt there was a difference in social stature she felt like they were like sisters in private. She insisted Jeanie go with them on all their trips and take in everything that wasn’t a formal affair. Barbra has said her most enjoyable times were when she and Jeanie went out just the two of them.

I believe it was because Barbra didn’t really have a friend, only acquaintances.

Maid # 3 - Renee

Renee was maid number three. She was actually French. She had been in several temporary arraignments sometimes called a relationship but had enough of that scene.

She was looking for employment as a ladies maid when Lenore found her on a trip to France and brought her back to America.  While they had the usual English-French differences in opinions they got along famously.

Lenore like Barbra had no real friends so that fact made it easier for her and Renee to be pals. When they went shopping they both got new dresses and new whatever else. This was the only thing in Lenore’s life that wasn’t totally restrained.

Lenore was almost rude in all her dealing in business and was curt when interacting with the family. Her relationship with Renee was her only departure from her demeanor. She would like to have double dated with Renee but that was a step she wasn’t quite ready to take just yet but had considered it.

Maid # 4 - Tina

Tina, maid number four serviced George and Doris. Tina was best described as being from the wrong side of the tracks that made good if you call being a maid making it.

She got a job working for a hotel and they taught her how to restore order to an accommodation. Since they were sloppy and strew clothes and things all around her job was usually to do a complete cleaning of the rooms (somewhat like hotel rooms after a party) each day she worked.

Mondays were totally brutal for the weekend went without pickups and food scraps were ready to begin to mold. Tina brought in a garbage can on wheels and started throwing their garbage in it. After removing the debris she then picked their clothes and hung them up or took them to the laundry. They didn’t care if their sheets were changed or not so Tina just changed them a couple times a week.

Then it was trying to clean the spots out of the carpets… Mondays were the worst. In the mornings she had to busy herself doing something else because Doris usually slept in till noon. George got up around eight and went to his car shop and started tinkering with his cars.

Charlie realized the difficulty Tina had keeping their rooms in order so he told Doris if she wanted anything she should go get it herself for Tina had her hands full.

When she started to object she found out you don’t mess with Charlie for he told her in plain terms if she ever asked Tina to do anything other than to clean up their mess he would throw both of them out in the street.

Later he found Tina and told her if Doris or George ever asked her to serve them anything to tell him and he would take it to them. That was good news to her for they constantly interrupted her cleaning wanting something from the kitchen or the bar.

The two scullery maids - Ellen and Mary

Being from England the Wynn’s called two young ladies who did the dirty work in the kitchen and around the house “Scullery Maids.”  It would been just as well to refer to them as cleaning ladies but the Wynn’s were old school.

Both of the girls were taking night classes trying to improve themselves but had to finish their chores before they left for school.  On party nights the cooks wanted them to stay late to clean up but Charlie wouldn’t stand for it. He wanted them to get their education and the cleanup could be done in the morning.

The cooks decided not to object for they had heard his “Like it or lump it” speech before.  

The two girls shared a room walking distance from the estate and were getting by with a little left over. They ate at the estate but rent and school costs left little for fun.

 

The grounds keepers

The three grounds keepers consisted of two older men and the nephew of one of them. One of the sisters (Lonnie) became too friendly with the younger grounds keeper and Charlie sent him packing when he found out about it.

He then sat down with Lonnie and said she had to grow up and realize what the difference in social stature is all about. He said one of the first things she needed to learn was what it meant to be poor and how the lack of an education played into the mix.

Charley said people who were raised into those underprivileged surroundings can cope very well with it but someone who had been catered to all their life can’t make it there. He explained she was almost broke from foolish spending and she could never handle living from paycheck to paycheck.

He said we are going down to where her friend lived and see how they existed. After seeing the places where the hard working poor had to live Lonnie became ill.

When they arrived home Charley said playing house with guys who live in poverty can lead to a difficult existence so think well before you go further into this game you are playing. If you persist in this folly pack your things, leave and don’t plan on coming back.

She had a small temper flare up and stomped out of the room but shortly she came back and apologized. She said, “I don’t know what I was thinking. As far as I can tell it was just a little excitement that I was craving.”

Charlie said, “Let that be the last of it but if you pursue that line of conduct again then you are out of here for I won’t put up with any more foolishness out of you.”

They replaced the young man with an older grounds keeper and that solved that issue. Though Charlie never mention that he got the young man another position somewhere else for he knew he wasn’t entirely to blame.  

The maintenance man - Joe

The maintenance man is a married man who keeps the place up and running. What he can’t handle alone he hires some help to do it.  At times Joe is almost invisible. He just goes about his work unobtrusively and has set up a punch list where anyone who has a problem writes it down and he takes care of it.

 

To Be Continued

 

THE HOUSE OF LANGCASTER - Chapter 1

A New CONTINUED STORY begins Today

 

Happy Family of Royalty

The house of Langcaster sounds very English doesn’t it? Perhaps you will see why that is if you continue reading.

Langcaster house is a very large house and affluence virtually oozes from all of the inhabitants. Should I introduce you to members of this household both the elite and the near peonies? Yes I think that would be apropos to our discussion.

Barbra

Let me start with the Dowager lady Barbra. I start with her for she insists she is the most important member of the family. I should point out that I allow each member to be what they see themselves as being.

Behind that principle I have established that I see them for what they really are but I am paid by the former not the latter. If I should allow myself (which I don’t) I would say that Lady Barbra is quite a piece of work. You must understand she is from one of England’s most notable families and she gets her identity from her generational past.

Due to her marriage to Charlie Lancaster she has a vast fortune but her own net worth had diminished over the years due to over spending and faulty management.

When she was eighteen her family insisted that she marry an Earl thereby giving her the title of Lady Barbra.  Due to some irregular actions a couple generations ago the family had lost their peerage and no longer could sit in the House of Lords so this was an important step for her.

Under pressure she agreed to marry an Earl who was serving in the army. He was to report for duty the next day after the wedding and on their wedding night she refused to have relations with her husband until he returned from duty and they could have a proper honeymoon.

Unfortunately he was wounded and died shortly afterward. For the next three years she was known as; “the Virgin Lady Barbra.” 

The family sold their estate in England due to some financial reversals and came to America where the pressure to spend large sums of money maintaining the estate and keeping up appearances socially wasn’t nearly as expensive.

Charlie

She met Charlie after her family moved to America and he had purchased a large estate. He liked the idea of her being The Virgin Lady Barbra and pursued her relentlessly until she agreed to marry him.

Again it was pressure from the family and because her own fortune was diminishing that caused her to make up her mind.  Love was not an issue at first in the marriage. Her needs were met and as far as Charlie, he got what he wanted from her which was regular physical contact and the prestige of the family’s name.

Upon her marriage the Lady Barbra’s family moved into Charlie’s large home and sold the one they had purchased. Charlie had made his fortune in the market. To some it was obvious he knew things that were unlawful to know but no one could prove anything. He was simply rich and getting richer.

Due to some suspicions he hired some detectives to check on all of the family so he would know what everyone was doing all the time.  He wouldn’t allow any of them to do anything that would reflect on his name or the families’ name.

The detectives caught some of them both the men and women in compromising situations and let them know in the strongest terms it better not happen again. They convinced them that if they did there would be an emergency operation to remove the source of the temptation. One warning was all it took to convince the offender to walk uprightly and be faithful to their vows.

Once they were called the house of Wynn but now here in America it is Mister and Mrs. Wynn and the rest of the family.  It was either Mister or Master for the young ones and Mrs. or Miss for no one had adopted the Ms. Characterization.

Lenore

Miss Lenore was the older sister of Barbra and she was still single. She was much, much wiser than Barbra for she had amassed her own fortune while Barbra and most of the other children had wasted theirs.  Some of them were on the verge of having to find a job.

She had several Bo’s but when they began to get serious she broke it off with them. She knew much of her attraction was her money for there were a lot of penniless Romeo’s floating around. She was still a couple of years under thirty so she was in no hurry. She knew she could buy a husband anytime she wished to for money speaks volumes to these guys who are broke. I will be talking more about Miss Lenore later.

Let’s take the rest of the family one by one. There are two younger sisters and three boys in the mix.

 

 Ryan

The next in line is a brother Ryan Wynn who was named after an Irish grandfather. The grandfather was a semi-drunk meaning he was drunk most of the time. He managed to stay sober enough to manage the family fortune successfully and didn’t let his drinking and womanizing interfere with business.

It was rumored that he had several kids out of wedlock but his motto was; “Bastards don’t count.” Being truthful there was a couple of the extracurricular boys he liked and saw to it they made their fortune.

Ryan dated several of the debutantes but one night he got too friendly with one of them and her father who was an expert shot strongly suggested a wedding before the baby was born.

After her father took him to his gun room and clicked a couple of the empty guns at Ryan’s heart the wedding took place shortly thereafter. The girl’s father took Ryan into the family business and he is doing very well with a couple more additions to his new family.  Charlie suggested that Ryan and his family move in with his new in-laws so there was one less family living at Langcaster house.

George

The next we should consider is George Wynn.  He loves cars. This began when he was around four when he got a pedal car for his birthday. He scarred most of the furniture at Wynn house from running into it at full speed.

As he grew his father bought him an Austin to drive around the estate.  Since he was only nine he was restricted to the estate but one day he went out on the road in front of the place and the police pulled him over.

After that event where the father got a strong lecture from a judge little Georgie lost his driving right for six months.  During this time George tore the Austin apart and put it together again. He saved the left over parts and still has them as well as his Austin.

He now races cars as a hobby but also has a dealership for foreign cars. He was so caught up with cars and speed he didn’t have much time for the ladies but one finally managed to keep his attention long enough to accept her proposal of marriage.

His mother said if she hadn’t proposed to him he might not ever have gotten married. So far they don’t have children and still live at Langcaster house.  Doris his wife is caught up with the all of the society things so she doesn’t require much servicing and doesn’t care if he spends so much time racing and at his dealership.

Mason

Now we come to the last son, Mason. Mason was a child who loved to hide in the house and the servants had to spend a lot of their time trying to find him. He discovered places in their large England home that no one knew about which only increased the time the servants had to spend looking for him. This resulted in several servants quitting their job for it was demeaning playing hide and seek when they had other duties they were expected to do.

When Mason was five he saw a copy of the National Graphic magazine and the scantily dressed natives. He demanded his father subscribe for the magazine for him. He now would hide with his favorite copy of the magazine for hours and they stopped looking for him. They knew he would appear when he wanted to.

The servants speculated as to what his puberty years were going to be like as he looked at the pictures in the magazine. They found several copies thrown into the garbage that had no pictures in them of interest. He was sixteen when he was finally allowed to go to the Dark Continent.

He secured a guide and the necessary bearers to carry his goods. He discovered in order to satisfy his romantic curiosity he would have to marry the object of his affection. This required him to come up with some cows and other goods. With the help of his guide he managed to secure everything required and the wedding took place.

He was quite active until her first monthly occurred which he wasn’t prepared for; he packed up and left promising to return shortly. He travelled on and found another tribe and repeated the same thing as with the first tribe. He only stayed a week there and headed back home and to school.

Upon his arrival at home his siblings wanted to know how he fared and he said it was interesting if not educational.  He made other trips using the same format until he couldn’t remember how many wives he had some of which he spent an extended period of time. When it became obvious they were with child he quickly departed.

Along with all the wives he contacted several diseases and when he managed to get the last one under control he decided his curiosity had been satisfied and has never returned to the continent so far.

He didn’t consider his marriages on the Dark Continent to be valid so he pursued a girl of his ilk named Elsa and wed her. The doctors believe his escapades may have rendered him unable to sire a child and so far that seems to be the case.

Elsa the wife of Mason

Elsa was from Sweden and migrated to America with her aunt at a young age. She is very comely with a caring personality. Due to the fact she was young when she arrived here she is an all American girl with just a trace of a Swedish accent which adds to her charm. She is very patient with the Wynn family for some are a bit snobbish around her.

Lonnie

Lonnie, a sister is eighteen and was still playing with dolls. She had a huge collection, and would buy a new one every day. It has been quite a chore for mother Wynn to get her to embrace the societal scene. She has just came out as a Deb and she shocked everyone by being dressed as a doll. She tries to emulate a dolls vocabulary which is considered to be gross by the other young ladies her age.

Her mother out of desperation took all her dolls and burned them in a funeral pyre. She wouldn’t let her buy any more of them and sent her to a girl’s finishing school. She was behind most of the girls and had to catch-up. The other girls put a lot of pressure on her to shape up for they were judged as a group instead of as individuals.

After the first year she was talking normal and had blended in with the others. She had become close friends with a young grounds keeper and some thought that might have had something to do with her changes. By the time she returned home she was ready for the dating scene and her mother now had to subdue some of her wildness.

Linda

Now we come to the youngest, Linda who is quite studious. As soon as she obtained her driving license she became even more independent and drove herself to everywhere she wanted to go.

I as the butler had hopes that at least one of the kids would show signs of intelligence and it appeared the she was the one with the most potential. Outside of her independence she was normal in every way except one.

She was overly fond of me.  Although I was only six years older than she, the social order placed us miles apart.  I constantly reminded her of that but to no avail.

She acted as if we were a couple and in private she was a hand full. Her actions weren’t unseemly just too familiar.

My most difficult moment was when she kissed me by surprise and I found myself kissing her back. I told her that was not acceptable behavior and I apologized for my part in it.

I told her I would have to quit my job if it happened again and she said alright she wouldn’t press the issue, but it doesn’t change anything it was just a matter of time.

I felt I needed to tell Charlie about what was going on for he had been good to me.  He took me on while I was still in school and gave me the top job in the household. I couldn’t do something behind his back so I caught him with a spare moment and told him what the circumstances were and I would leave should he want me to.

He said if I hadn’t been intimate with her he saw no reason for me to leave. I assured him I hadn’t and had no plans to.

He said it was a testy issue because of the family’s social position. For one of the family to marry a butler would be a black mark against all of them. He went on to say, “You have taken some business schooling haven’t you?”

I said, ‘Yes two years but I ran out of money and that was when I came to work for you. I had hoped to finish when I saved enough money but I like my job working for you.”

He said I want you to finish your courses and you can work in my office part time.

I’ll see that you have enough money to get by on and if you promise to behave yourself you can see Linda ever so often.

Hopefully that will settle her down enough to keep her out of trouble. He said I could continue to live over the garage in my small apartment and use one of the older cars.

He said that he would explain to Linda the rules and extract a promise from her to obey them. I couldn’t believe what just happened. The reason he gave for doing this was he said finding honest people to have around him was the hardest thing he had encountered.

The fact I came to him and didn’t try to hide what could have turned into a bad situation showed what kind of a person I was.  He went on and said I was the kind of a person he wanted around him.

That in brief introduces you to the main family but now we come to the peonies better known as the household staff for they are indeed part of the household.

To be Continued