The following morning, I returned to House Vellmore through the main entrance, this time without needing to borrow anyone else’s face.
The supervisor was waiting near the guardhouse when I arrived. He gave me a brief look before recognising me, then gestured for me to follow him inside. A few guards were already gathered there, some preparing for their shifts while others were finishing their morning meal.
"Joseph, is it?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Good. You’re starting today. I’ll have someone show you around and explain your duties. For now, you’ll be assigned to the outer grounds. Don’t wander where you haven’t been given permission to go, and if you see anything unusual, report it rather than trying to investigate it yourself. Understood?"
"Understood."
He introduced me to the other guards before calling over a man who looked to be in his late thirties. The man gave me a quick once-over, apparently deciding that I was neither particularly impressive nor particularly threatening.
"This is Marcus. He’ll be showing you the ropes for the next few days."
Marcus gave a small nod. "Come along, then."
I followed him through the estate, listening as he explained the basic arrangements. The guards were divided between the main entrance, the outer walls, the gardens and the various entrances used by household staff. There were also guards assigned to the interior, though Marcus made it clear that those positions were reserved for men who had served the house for considerably longer than I had.
It was a useful introduction, even if I already knew more about the estate than a new recruit should. I made a point of asking ordinary questions and paying attention to the answers. There was no reason to make myself look particularly clever on my first day.
By the time Marcus finished explaining the rotation, I had a reasonable understanding of where I was expected to be and, more importantly, where I wasn’t.
My new position gave me something Facsimile never could: time. I no longer had to squeeze an entire investigation into a single hour, and I could move through the estate without constantly worrying about the ability wearing off.
Of course, there was still the matter of Felix.
I hadn’t seen him since the previous day, but I knew he would eventually return to his duties. I could only hope he wouldn’t make things unnecessarily complicated.
As it turned out, I didn’t have to wait long.
I was standing near the guardhouse when Felix arrived. He looked a little pale, though otherwise he seemed fine. He greeted one of the guards before approaching the supervisor, who had just stepped outside.
"Felix," the supervisor called. "You’re back."
"Yes, sir."
"How are you feeling?"
"Better, thank you."
"Good. I was beginning to think you’d be away for another few days." The supervisor glanced towards me. "By the way, I met your cousin yesterday. Joseph, was it?"
Felix looked at him blankly.
"My cousin?"
The supervisor frowned. "The one you recommended for the vacant guard position. You told me he was looking for work and asked me to give him a chance. He’s starting today."
Felix’s expression changed, confusion settling across his face. His gaze moved towards me, and I kept mine fixed on the supervisor, pretending to be occupied with the conversation.
"I... don’t remember that, sir."
The supervisor gave him an unimpressed look. "You don’t remember recommending your own cousin?"
"I’m sorry. I haven’t been feeling quite myself lately."
"That’s obvious enough. You’ve been passing out more often than a man ought to. Get yourself checked if it happens again."
"Yes, sir."
The supervisor dismissed the matter and returned to his work. Felix remained where he was for a moment, looking as though he wanted to ask something else, but eventually he shook his head and went inside.
I let out a quiet breath.
That had been closer than I would have liked, but Felix didn’t seem to suspect anything. As far as he was concerned, he’d been having unexplained spells of unconsciousness. He had no reason to connect those episodes to me, much less imagine that someone had been wearing his face.
I would have to be careful not to give him one.
The rest of the morning passed without incident. Marcus kept me occupied with the less interesting parts of the job, which suited me just fine. I was still learning the estate’s routines, and there was little advantage in rushing things.
It was during one of those assignments that I first saw Garret.
She was coming down one of the corridors leading towards the main hall, carrying a small stack of documents. She slowed when she noticed me standing near the entrance, then looked briefly at the badge on my uniform.
"You’re new."
"Yes, miss. I started this morning."
"I see." Her eyes moved over me for a moment before returning to the documents in her hands. "Do you know where I can find the supervisor?"
"He was near the guardhouse a little while ago. I believe he’s still there."
"Thank you."
She started to walk past, but I spoke before she could get too far.
"Are those meant for him?"
She glanced down at the documents. "No. I was looking for someone else."
"Then I hope you find them."
A faint smile touched her face. "So do I."
It was a brief exchange, hardly enough to call a conversation, but it gave me my first opportunity to speak with her without pretending to be someone else. I didn’t know much about her yet, and there was no reason to act as though I did. If I wanted to build any sort of trust, it would have to happen naturally.
She continued down the corridor, and I returned to my post.
Not long afterwards, I noticed her speaking with Felix.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying from where I stood, but I could see the change in Felix’s expression. He looked uncomfortable, occasionally glancing around as though searching for an excuse to leave. Garret, on the other hand, seemed increasingly puzzled by his responses.
Eventually, she folded her arms.
"Are you sure you’re all right?"
Felix nodded quickly. "Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?"
"You’ve been acting strangely."
"I’ve been unwell."
"So I’ve heard. But that’s not what I meant."
He looked at her, clearly unsure how to respond. Garret said something else, and his expression grew even more confused.
I couldn’t blame him. Whatever conversation she thought they were continuing, the real Felix had never been part of it. He was trying to make sense of a situation he had no reason to understand.
"I think there’s been some misunderstanding," he finally said.
Garret stared at him for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh. "Perhaps."
She walked away, leaving Felix standing there with an expression that suggested he’d rather be anywhere else.
I turned my attention back to my duties before anyone noticed me watching.
This was going to be more troublesome than I’d anticipated. Later that afternoon, the atmosphere around the estate changed.
It wasn’t anything obvious at first. A few servants hurried through the corridors, and the guards near the main entrance became noticeably more attentive. Marcus straightened his uniform and instructed the men nearby to make sure their equipment was in order.
"What’s happening?" I asked.
"Lord Vellmore is returning to the estate."
That explained the sudden activity.
I took my position with the other guards near the entrance. A short while later, a carriage passed through the gates, followed by several mounted men. The guards moved aside as it approached the main building.
The carriage stopped, and a man stepped out.
Lord Vellmore was older than I had imagined, though not particularly frail. His clothes were expensive without being excessively decorated, and his expression carried the sort of confidence that came from being accustomed to having people listen when he spoke.
The supervisor approached him immediately.
"My lord. Welcome back."
Lord Vellmore gave a brief nod before looking towards the gathered guards. His gaze passed over several faces before settling on me.
"And who is this?"
"Our newest recruit, my lord. Joseph. He started this morning."
"New?"
"Yes, my lord."
Lord Vellmore studied me for another moment. "Then I trust you’ll learn your duties quickly."
"I’ll do my best, my lord."
He gave a small nod and continued towards the entrance, with the supervisor following close behind. The other guards returned to their positions once he had passed.
I watched him disappear into the estate.
Until now, Lord Vellmore had been little more than a name attached to a political dispute and a series of suspicious records. Seeing him in person didn’t tell me whether he had any connection to the Thorn Collective, but it did remind me that the man was not some distant figure whose decisions existed only on paper.
He was here, at the centre of the household, and I was now inside it.
As the afternoon wore on, I was assigned to help with the movement of supplies near one of the estate’s service entrances. It was an ordinary task, but it gave me a chance to observe how the household operated when its master was present.
At one point, a servant approached the guards and informed us that certain deliveries were to be directed elsewhere. Marcus listened, asked a few questions, then told the man he would pass the instructions along.
It was the sort of thing that happened in any large estate. Deliveries were redirected, schedules changed, and servants carried out orders without asking too many questions.
Still, I made a mental note of it.
I wasn’t going to find anything by standing around waiting for someone to announce a secret. If House Vellmore was involved in something, the evidence would be buried among ordinary routines, and I would have to learn which details mattered.
For now, I had what I came for.
A position, a reason to remain on the grounds, and enough time to begin looking around without relying on Facsimile.
I just had to make sure I didn’t become too comfortable.
After all, the real Felix was still here, and I had no intention of letting him discover what had happened.