Perhaps lucky for Ivan, the head butler was coming down the stairs into the main hall just then. He spied Ivan immediately, and didn't recognize him at once. He knew most of the children in the house, since most of them belonged to servants and, really, there weren't that many. But that one was unfamiliar.

"Are you lost, young man?" he asked as he reached the bottom, approaching with soft steps. Some on staff liked noisier shoes, but Lyall never did. He preferred not to be easily noticed.