he didn’t stop looking at her like a hungry wolf, she couldn’t be
responsible for the sensuous turn of her imagination.
"Excellent," Ford said, taking a few more bites of
eggs and toast. "Then I’ll see you this evening. I hope I don’t fall
asleep before I get to my room. "He made the comment with a boyish grin
that sent Sabrina’s toes into a curl. She was going to have to put a stop to
this. She had only been working for the man less than a day, and already she
was imagining things completely outside the bounds of propriety.
He stood to go, bowing slightly, and as he left the room,
Sabrina barely managed to utter a proper farewell, so entranced was she by his
tall, well-shaped form, broad shoulders above slim hips and a very fine
derriere. "Good day, Mr. Northcliffe, sleep well." She said barely
able to utter the casual comment.
How was she to get through the afternoon with that image
burned into her consciousness? Worse still, how was she to pull herself from
this silly infatuation and get on with her job? She had not been hired to ogle
her employer. Sabrina was determined to squash whatever feelings had arisen and
continue as if nothing were amiss. And of course, she had to. Sabrina gave
herself a firm mental shake as she absently finished her breakfast. She had a
long day of meeting the rest of the servants ahead of her. This was going to be
a difficult task and she wondered how she should present herself? Briefly,
Sabrina considered going to Cassiopeia’s office and discussing the intricacies
of her position. But she quickly dismissed the notion. She simply did not have
time for such nonsense; there was too much work to be done. First things first,
Sabrina needed to make sure that Alice was well occupied while she was getting
to know the household and everyone’s basic functions.
Making her way to the kitchens, Sabrina attempted to compose
herself and appear as businesslike as possible. Smoothing the violet material
of her simple but elegant gown, she stood straight and lifted her chin with
determination. This was not the time to ruin her chances of a decent position
in a respectable household. Alice was helping Mrs. Dixon mix something in a
bowl. She looked up from what she was doing to give her mother a bright smile
and Sabrina’s heart lurched in her chest. This was the entire reason for her
existence, to make her daughter safe and happy.
"Are you having a good time, Alice dear?" she
asked, wishing she didn’t have to hide the child from the master’s eyes.
"Yes, Mama," Alice said, wiping a smudge of flour
from her nose. "Delores is showing me how to bake. And later, Mr. Roland
is going to teach me how to count silverware. Did you know that he counts it
every day?"
"No, I hadn’t any idea." Suddenly Sabrina felt the
panic take over. She didn’t know anything about what the servants did when she
wasn’t around. She was a fraud, and they would all find her out in just a
moment, reveal her to Ford and he would kick her and Alice out into the cold.
"Of course you don’t, Mrs. Tremaine," Mrs. Dixon
said, coming to the rescue. "Ladies don’t generally get involved with such
mundane tasks. They’re too busy making sure the master is happy and having his
needs fulfilled."
Sabrina tried not to blush at the vague reference to Ford,
but it was impossible not to think of certain other needs he had that would go
quite unfulfilled in her presence. She quickly recomposed herself and nodded in
agreement, relieved that she wasn’t expected to know everything immediately.
"Would it be too much trouble to watch Alice for just a
bit longer," she asked the cook.
"Course not, Mrs. Tremaine. Why I’ve taken right to the
little miss and it’s my pleasure to be in her company." Mrs. Dixon gave
Alice a wink, and then cracked an egg into the bowl they were working on.
"Well, I suppose I should meet with the housekeeper,"
Sabrina said, looking around as if the woman might pop out of a corner
suddenly. "You
responsible for the sensuous turn of her imagination.
"Excellent," Ford said, taking a few more bites of
eggs and toast. "Then I’ll see you this evening. I hope I don’t fall
asleep before I get to my room. "He made the comment with a boyish grin
that sent Sabrina’s toes into a curl. She was going to have to put a stop to
this. She had only been working for the man less than a day, and already she
was imagining things completely outside the bounds of propriety.
He stood to go, bowing slightly, and as he left the room,
Sabrina barely managed to utter a proper farewell, so entranced was she by his
tall, well-shaped form, broad shoulders above slim hips and a very fine
derriere. "Good day, Mr. Northcliffe, sleep well." She said barely
able to utter the casual comment.
How was she to get through the afternoon with that image
burned into her consciousness? Worse still, how was she to pull herself from
this silly infatuation and get on with her job? She had not been hired to ogle
her employer. Sabrina was determined to squash whatever feelings had arisen and
continue as if nothing were amiss. And of course, she had to. Sabrina gave
herself a firm mental shake as she absently finished her breakfast. She had a
long day of meeting the rest of the servants ahead of her. This was going to be
a difficult task and she wondered how she should present herself? Briefly,
Sabrina considered going to Cassiopeia’s office and discussing the intricacies
of her position. But she quickly dismissed the notion. She simply did not have
time for such nonsense; there was too much work to be done. First things first,
Sabrina needed to make sure that Alice was well occupied while she was getting
to know the household and everyone’s basic functions.
Making her way to the kitchens, Sabrina attempted to compose
herself and appear as businesslike as possible. Smoothing the violet material
of her simple but elegant gown, she stood straight and lifted her chin with
determination. This was not the time to ruin her chances of a decent position
in a respectable household. Alice was helping Mrs. Dixon mix something in a
bowl. She looked up from what she was doing to give her mother a bright smile
and Sabrina’s heart lurched in her chest. This was the entire reason for her
existence, to make her daughter safe and happy.
"Are you having a good time, Alice dear?" she
asked, wishing she didn’t have to hide the child from the master’s eyes.
"Yes, Mama," Alice said, wiping a smudge of flour
from her nose. "Delores is showing me how to bake. And later, Mr. Roland
is going to teach me how to count silverware. Did you know that he counts it
every day?"
"No, I hadn’t any idea." Suddenly Sabrina felt the
panic take over. She didn’t know anything about what the servants did when she
wasn’t around. She was a fraud, and they would all find her out in just a
moment, reveal her to Ford and he would kick her and Alice out into the cold.
"Of course you don’t, Mrs. Tremaine," Mrs. Dixon
said, coming to the rescue. "Ladies don’t generally get involved with such
mundane tasks. They’re too busy making sure the master is happy and having his
needs fulfilled."
Sabrina tried not to blush at the vague reference to Ford,
but it was impossible not to think of certain other needs he had that would go
quite unfulfilled in her presence. She quickly recomposed herself and nodded in
agreement, relieved that she wasn’t expected to know everything immediately.
"Would it be too much trouble to watch Alice for just a
bit longer," she asked the cook.
"Course not, Mrs. Tremaine. Why I’ve taken right to the
little miss and it’s my pleasure to be in her company." Mrs. Dixon gave
Alice a wink, and then cracked an egg into the bowl they were working on.
"Well, I suppose I should meet with the housekeeper,"
Sabrina said, looking around as if the woman might pop out of a corner
suddenly. "You
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