Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 5: Preparations for a Ball

Chapter 5

Mina watched as Verushka moved her arm and slowly leaned forward. It was like a carriage accident and she couldn't look away; but at the corner of her eye she noticed a dark form staring at her. Momentarily distracted she turned to see a stunningly handsome man with rugged features and a hooded gaze. He thrummed with well kept secrets, enigmas and half smiles only to be concealed by that same hooded gaze. Something about him scared and excited her, and she was already well and truly infatuated with him before he uttered his first word to her- which as far as momentous occasions go, wasn't that momentous.  He simply stared at her with those fathomless grey eyes and said, "Hello."

Jay was well and truly bored with his friends obsession with his house maid, and although the vendor across the street was fleecing another of London's finest and a widow of rather advanced years ten yards to the left was trying to catch his eye, it ended up settling on another maid in the street.

With a slightly darker complexion than her friends, no doubt from toiling in the sun, and a loose plait down her back she stared at him with a shrewd expression and Jay found himself offering a greeting.

"My Lord" she replied. "How may I be of service?" she questioned shifting her eyes around awkwardly as if she was well aware of the peculiarity of their predicament. She curtseyed low and- dear Lord, was that bread chunks in her hair??

Jay frowned, "Young one, are you and your friends lost?"

Mina, who was in fact only five years his junior, swallowed convulsively "No, my Lord. We were somewhat weary and carelessly thought to take a short cut home... although now I'm rethinking that bright idea."

Jay's eyebrows peaked. It was not often a woman spoke with honesty and candour in London and he reluctantly has to appreciate the brevity although it also smacked of insult which even as a Gentleman he couldn't ignore.

Leaning down he pulled a chunk of bread free from the loaf rather than her head , blew the fine layer of dust off and before popping the less than choice morsel between his lips and asked, "Is my presence really so very bad that you wish yourself back in the alleys rather than sharing the morning sun with me?"

Mina blinked. Really she didn't know how to answer that question without seeming like either a harlot or a total dunce. And while she struggled with that choice a small part of her was still outraged he'd taken her food, although seeing as it was his friends food actually she probably ought not complain. Still, where was the justice in the world when a Lord could walk up and just take a maid's ill gotten snack?

While Mina pondered those scholarly thoughts she was saved from making any reply as she saw the dark Lord's eyes narrow as he stared behind her and with a swift , "Please excuse me Miss, It was a pleasure to break bread with you" -  he was striding off; halting only for a moment to throw over his shoulder the words, " By the way, my name is Jay."

Mina turned and only just caught a glimpse of his sable coat flapping around a cobblestone corner and into the shadows of London's alleyways. Her heart was oddly racing and her palms clammy when she suddenly remembered her friends standing beside her.

***

The metal was oddly cold compared to his sun-warmed flesh beneath her fingertips. Verushka was momentarily marvelled by this odd new find, barely even registering the butterflies dancing in her belly and sending shivers of discreet delight up her arm.

Scot however stood motionless. Was it hours since she placed her hand on him- skin to skin, flesh to flesh, or was it mere minutes, or maybe seconds. This slip of a girl has a curious power over him; but he was not a green boy of eight and ten. He still had the presence of mind, though not the desire to take a single step back before he embarrassed himself in the street with a maid he hardly knew, and was never able to show his face in his Club again.