The Shelby woman

Shakshuka

Charlotte gets out of bed, putting on her silk nightgown that was thrown to the floor during lasts nights activities. Shrugging on her robe to try and seperate her body from the light chill in the air. Looking back at Alfie asleep in bed makes her smile. She's the only one who gets to see this side of him, peaceful, sleeping with his mouth wide open and a tad bit of drool dripping from the side. Charlotte quietly walks out of the bedroom and makes her way downstairs to the kitchen.

Standing in the downstairs hallway Charlotte can hear the banging sounds of pots and pans. This makes her roll her eyes, having never been one for maids or butlers. She didn't grow up with any, she didn't believe in them. With no disrespect, she would rather find them employment somewhere else, keeping one or two to do the cleaning once or twice a week. Cooking she can do, but cleaning? She'd rather jump in front of a horse running at full speed. Charlotte has been meaning to get Alfie to find most of them another house to work for, not wanting any of their workers to be unemployed. They have families counting on them to bring in money so they can have a roof over their heads, food in their bellies and shoes on their children feet.

Sighing, she enters the kitchen. The sound of the door opening makes the workers stop what they're doing. Rushing to form a line from one end of the kitchen to the other, all ten of them look at the lady of the house.

"Good morning Mrs Solomons." All the male and female workers greet her.

"Morning, hope you all had a good nights rest." Charlotte gets nodding heads in return.

 "Now, Alfie should be up in a few hours and I'd like to make him some breakfast. Gavriel?" Looking to a young dark brown haired boy of eighteen, a cousin of Alfies cousin. 

"Would you be able to go to town and get some fresh tomatoes and eggs? I feel like making shakshuka. You can take Abe if you'd like, he's due his morning walk." The boy nods his head quickly, excited to take the dog out with him. Making her way out of the kitchen and back up the stairs to the bedroom, Charlotte opens the door and Abes head pokes out from under the blankets at the foot of the bed. Laughing quietly, Charlotte snaps her fingers twice making Abe come towards her. Abe sits in front of Charlotte, looking up at her with eyes full of love. 

"Come on Abe, downstairs." She points downstairs and he gets up and begins to walk towards the stairs. Charlotte closes the door quietly, not before looking towards her snoring husband. He'd be out cold for a while she thinks to herself, giving her enough time to make him some food.

Meeting Abe at the stairs, she looks at him. "It's a good thing papa wasn't awake to see where you were sleeping. He doesn't like the fur." Laughing as Abes golden body makes his way down the stairs, the soft sound of his nails hitting the wood on the staircase.

 Turning left down the hallway, stopping at the side table across from the kitchen, Charlotte opens a drawer and brings out the dog lead and two pounds from a small box. Abe comes to sit down at Charlottes feet, knowing whats going to happen. Bending down, Charlotte brings the lead and clips it to his collar. Giving Abe a pat and kissing him between the eyes. Going into the kitchen, Charlotte is handed a cup of tea. Drinking it slowly and leaning against the kitchen bench thats in the middle of the room, she watches Abe go over to his feeding bowls and begin to drink some water.

"Gavriel, can you come over here please?" Charlotte says softly, not wanting to disrupt any conversations going on in the kitchen.

Walking over to Charlotte, Gavriel stops in front of her and nods his head in greeting. "Ma'am"

"You can call me Charlotte." She says softly. Handing him the pound notes. "We are cousins after all, here's the money for the food. I would like some bread aswell, white if you can." Sick of the brown bread that the head cook always makes, it settles in her stomach weird. Giving Gavriel the two pounds. He pockets it quickly.