The House Maid (completed)

Chapter 6

Daisy easily found a moment with Harry alone where she was able to give him her address that she'd written down on a scrap piece of paper she found in Bradley's room in the bin. He folded it and placed it in his pocket and looked at her longingly as she walked away as quickly as she showed up. He may have been staring too long, though, because Connie caught site of it.

Connie had become quite fond of Harry, and for good reason. She had never been treated with such enthusiasm in bed before. Men usually just assumed she was an easy lay and rarely put in effort, but Harry put in 100% and it seemed to her that he really enjoyed her body and company. He was very giving and it made her feel as though he truly appreciated her. As though he might return feelings for her. But she saw the small exchange from the window overlooking the back garden. She was sitting in the library drinking tea and reading (well, she wasn't actually reading, she watching Harry work) when she saw Daisy come up to him from behind and give him something that he looked down at for only a moment before putting it into his pocket and then watched on as Daisy walked back into the house.

First, it was odd that a housekeeper's assistant would need to give a seasonal gardener anything so small that he'd be able to fit it in his pocket (a trowel, or pick perhaps would be more likely), and secondly it was odd that Harry watched on and kept himself looking at Daisy walk away and stayed that way until she entered the house, and only when he could no longer see her did he turn back around to continue his work.

When Daisy left the Archer House at 4:30 to head home she slowly walked her way through the side entrance to get the attention of Harry. He saw her almost immediately but continued his work. He didn't want to draw attention but as soon as Daisy neared him, he stood up and chanced being caught so that he could tell her he'd see her in some hours.

Daisy smiled and continued walking but then remembered something, "Oh! Harry, I cannot see the street side of the apartment because my window is at the back of the house. So, when you arrive," she spoke in a whisper, "come round to the back of the unit where the alleyway is. My room is the very center and topmost window. Throw something at the window to get my attention and I'll come down to the front to let you in." She'd done it before, having a suitor come over late when she was already home. The only way they had to let her know they'd arrived was to throw small rocks at her window, either that or she was to sit on her front perch outside and wait.

Harry nodded and smiled a deep grin as she walked away. He got back to work right away with the small bit of worry in the back of his mind knowing that Connie would be approaching him soon to make their nightly arrangements. He'd already thought of what he'd say, he just hoped she didn't throw a fit.

Connie didn't know how to react to seeing Daisy and Harry interact twice in the same day. The first was odd, sure, but if it hadn't happened again she might have been able to forget about it. However, upon seeing Harry rush to Daisy as she was leaving for the day after her shift and to watch them exchange words... and the smiles that carved into their faces? There was something going on and Connie would confront Harry about it tonight, maybe after they'd had sex, she thought, so as to not ruin the mood right away.

Harry hadn't counted on having eyes on him nearly his entire workday. He had no idea Connie was so enamored with him that she did very little during the day but watch him work. If he had known, he'd have met with Daisy inside. He didn't understand the levity of Connie's feelings when she approached him at 6 o'clock that evening to tell him that he should stop his duties early and come to her room sooner, rather than later (she wouldn't normally request he get off early but she was getting anxious to speak with him about Daisy). Harry stood up from his work and scratched the back of his head as he spoke to her, "Um, Miss Archer. I have been thinking that it's probably best if I do not continue meeting you at your room in the evenings anymore. I feel that this has gone on too long and you are set to travel next week to Paris anyway, so..." he couldn't look her in the eyes after he saw her face fall. He watched his feet as she interrupted him.