Salvatore looked behind him at Roderick, who was walking toward him across the grass. Salvatore pointed his finger toward the roof of the old bakery building.
"Who asked him to get up there?" Salvatore asked. His voice was sharp.
Roderick looked up. He squinted his eyes at the chimney. He saw a man with a completely black face sitting on top of the stone structure. The man's hands were moving quickly, scrubbing at the soot and pulling out old debris.
"Maybe it is one of Henry's men," Roderick said, looking confused. "Bernard said he was going to call Henry to send someone to fix the blockage."
"No," Salvatore said. He stepped closer to the building. "It is Milo. Look at him. Don't you see him?"
"Who?"
"Hartley's man."
Roderick looked again. He stared at the small frame of the person on the roof. He realized the person was too thin and too small to be one of the regular workers.
He opened his mouth in an 'O' shape as the realization hit him.
"Oh. Well. I did not know he was out here," Roderick said.
Salvatore did not wait for another answer. He walked quickly toward the old building. He stood at the base of the wall and looked up. He saw Milo leaning over the edge of the chimney, his face covered in black ash.
"What are you doing up there? Get down!" Salvatore shouted.
Milo looked down. The sound of Salvatore's voice startled him. He began to cough because the dust from the chimney was getting into his lungs. He looked at Salvatore's face and saw that the man looked angry.
Milo felt a sudden wave of panic. He wondered if he had done something wrong again.
Milo did not want to climb back down through the inside of the chimney because it was too cramped and hot. Instead, he crawled out onto the sloped roof. He sat near the chimney and looked down at the ground. It was very high. He didn't know how to get down from the outside.
Salvatore watched Milo move on the roof. He saw the young man's foot slip slightly on the old tiles. Salvatore felt a jolt of panic. He didn't like the idea of the young man falling and breaking his neck on the stone path.
"That fucking kid!" Salvatore hissed.
Bernard came walking out from the inside of the bakery. He heard Salvatore's shouting and looked around.
"Oh, you are here," Bernard said, wiping his hands on a rag.
"What are you doing with that boy?" Salvatore asked. He pointed at the roof.
"I asked him to clean the chimney," Bernard said. He sounded casual.
"What?" Salvatore asked. His look seemed to say, couldn't you find someone more competent?
"I asked Henry many times to send someone," Bernard complained. "He didn't send anyone. He said he would send a man this morning, but it is already nine and no one is here. The boy said he could help, and he fits in the hole perfectly."
Salvatore looked at Bernard with a hard expression. Then he looked back up at the roof. Milo was currently crawling on his hands and knees toward the edge of the roof.
"Damn it! Get down from the inside!" Bernard yelled up to Milo.
"It is okay! I can get down from here," Milo called back. He sounded nervous but determined. He reached the edge and looked for a place to put his feet.
Salvatore clicked his tongue. He did not want to watch the young man fall. "Get the ladder, Bernard!"
Bernard hurried back into the building and returned a moment later with a long wooden ladder. He leaned it against the stone wall. Salvatore held the bottom of the ladder to keep it steady.
Milo reached for the top of the ladder. He stepped onto the wooden rungs very carefully. Every time he moved, the wood made a loud creaking sound. Salvatore watched him closely. He noticed that Milo was not wearing any shoes. His feet were completely black with charcoal. His shirt and trousers were now entirely black as well.
Roderick stood back and watched. He let out a quiet laugh. Milo finally reached the bottom of the ladder and stepped onto the grass. His face was so covered in soot that only his eyes and teeth were white.
"How did you even recognize him?" Roderick asked Salvatore.
Milo walked toward Salvatore. He kept his head down, feeling scared. Suddenly, he felt Salvatore's large, calloused hand touch his chin. Salvatore lifted Milo's face to examine it. Milo winced slightly as the man's thumb brushed against the soot near his jaw.
Salvatore's eyes were narrow and dark. "How is Hartley going to look at you like this? This ash is hard to clean off."
Milo swallowed hard. He looked directly into Salvatore's eyes. "I... I don't want to go back there. Please. Let me stay here. I can help with anything. I can clean, I can fix things. Please."
Salvatore saw the look in Milo's eyes. So determined. More like the look of a man who was fighting for his life.
"You are really that desperate to leave your house?" Salvatore asked.
Milo shook his head. "It is not my house."
Salvatore released Milo's chin. He looked at the young man's dirty clothes and bare feet. "Well, I was planning to make you go on a delivery with Ronald this morning. But it seems you were already busy."
Milo looked up, his eyes bright against the black soot. "Can I stay here? Please?"
Salvatore looked Milo up and down. The young man looked like a mess, but he had worked without complaining.
"Damn. Go take a shower and come see me later," Salvatore said.
Milo felt a surge of hope. He realized that Salvatore had not said "no." He turned to run toward the mansion, but Salvatore's voice stopped him.
"Wear your shoes!" Salvatore shouted.
Milo stopped and looked at his black, dirty feet. He looked at Roderick's feet, which were inside polished black leather shoes. He realized that the people in this house valued order and appearance.
He nodded quickly. "I will, Sir! I'm sorry!"