Chapter 7: Servants and Scholars, Page 108
*a couple of notes before we begin.
1. This scene is from the first day of school, when everyone is assigned rooms.
2. It is infinitely more amusing if you imagine Alan Rickman’s voice whenever Lord Havelock speaks.
3. If you followed my Facebook updates last year, you’d understand about the Alan Rickman thing. Reader, I tried to keep him out of this. But he took up residence in my manuscript and could not be persuaded to leave. Alternately, if you would like to upset Alan Rickman, feel free to imagine Lord Havelock speaking with Sean Connery’s voice instead. *

“My, my, emergencies do happen quickly.” Lord Havelock glared. “Who has died?”

Rohan went pale, but swallowed and bravely said, “No one, sir. However, the three of us have not been assigned rooms. I trust there is a good reason.”

Henry and Adam exchanged a look of surprise. Rohan’s accent was unbelievably upper crust, but even more curious was how he faced Lord Havelock without fear.

Lord Havelock also seemed taken aback, but he reached into a fold of his master’s gown and produced a small, grubby plaque.

“I’m afraid your nameplate was ordered late, and only arrived this morning,” Lord Havelock said, brushing past them. “And here we are, gentlemen. Your chambers.”

Lord Havelock stopped at a shabby wooden door across from the common room. It was not a grand door–the wood had gone warped in places, and the doorknob was made of unfinished wood, rather than shining brass. Henry would have thought it was a broom cupboard if he had noticed it, and it was not a very noticeable sort of door.

Lord Havelock tacked the plaque–rather crookedly, in fact–to the door and, with a cold smile, turned on his heel and returned to his chambers.

“Shall we?” Adam asked, hand on the doorknob.

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