It was his duty to make sure all was in order. As the butler, he was in charge of everything and every personnel in this manor house. Today, his master would be hosting a dinner party. The vehicles of the guests were due to arrive in an hour. He moved hurriedly through the main house, where other personnel were busying themselves with their tasks. He kept an eagle eye on his surroundings, giving orders here and there. Next, he went to the kitchen, which was bustling with activity. It didn't surprise him that it almost looked like a war zone. He exchanged a few words with the head chef while making sure not to get in the way of other staff. Everything seemed in order. Good.

He went up the stairs and quickly walked down the corridor, in his impeccable shined shoes, to the right wing where all the guest rooms were located: four rooms with king-size beds, and six rooms with queen-size beds. He had already checked everything, of course, but he preferred to have another once-over to make certain that nothing was amiss. Everything was in order. Excellent.

His master was the most demanding employer he ever had in his 25-year career as a footman, and every single day was a test. This was the first major social gathering after his appointment as the butler of this household three months ago. He wouldn’t want to disappoint his boss. As he fixed a slight tilt of a painting that hung on the hallway wall, he remembered that the former butler of this household used to do just the same; this particular painting always seemed to be slightly tilted no matter how many times he corrected it.

He didn’t know what happened to the man. He just disappeared a month after his arrival at the manor. The former butler was 10 years his senior, and he was a man of discretion and patience, both indispensable qualities for this work. He liked the older man, even though he really didn’t have the time to get to know him personally due to the hecticity of the first month, absorbing all the necessary information and adapting to the new environment.

Then, one morning, the older man was gone without warning or saying goodbye to the staff. The master told him to be the successor, stating nonchalantly that the former butler had to quit because of family reason. He didn’t ask for elaboration, nor did he refuse the command; it was not his place. Besides, he would get paid much more.

Sometimes he wondered what really happened. The strange thing was that nobody seemed to gossip about it. None of the staff ever mentioned him again, and it was almost as if he never existed. The newly appointed butler was not a talkative person, but he knew that house servants usually enjoyed gossiping among themselves. Come to think of it, the personnel here were exceptionally reserved even without the presence of their master.

It didn't matter. He just needed to do his job with his utmost precision. The guests were due to arrive soon.

Crowd Story challenge by @Jana: Write a story including these three words.

• vehicle

• guest

• king

(The picture is by Mike Smith in Unsplash)

✔Corrected