11 Chapter 11 - Stella Smells Like Cookies (2/2)

”No, I mean, in a more general sense.”

”Well,” she said, pursing her lips in contemplation. ”My mother needed money, and men are willing to..”

”No, no, no…That's not what I meant. I mean, why are you here and not with Stu?”

She looked at him for a moment before answering. ”I've been with you this entire time as your personal servant…”

Joseph looked at her for several blinks before thinking back. Sure enough, his memory reminded him, that every time he was served food, a particular girl smell, of some kind of soft vanilla cookie, came to mind.

”You smell like vanilla cookies,” he stated.

Her blush took him by surprise, because she turned so red, he was almost afraid for her health.

”I may eat a few too many,” she mumbled in embarra.s.sment.

Nodding as that made sense, he picked up his spoon for the stew and began eating. She explained to him, as he ate, that Stu thought he had taken an interest in her, so her father had decided to amend his one rule about slaves being a certain age, and took her. Since she was his personal servant, he would be the one to determine what she was to learn and do.

He thought about this for a while, as he ate, and decided if she was to be his servant, even as a king, she would need to know how to read and write, and definitely diplomacy. He wondered if his dad had a tutor he could use, for her to learn some etiquette as well. As he thought about it, he figured it wouldn't hurt for him to learn some etiquette. It wouldn't be right for his servant to know more than he did.

Maybe talking to his father, was a good idea. Both of them could have lessons right before the evening meal every day. That way he could talk over supper about things with his father. While he knew his dad was very proud of his study, it probably bothered him how preoccupied he had become.To get a chance to talk to him would relieve some of his father's concerns.

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