Part 25 (1/2)
She said nothing, likely because her mouth had dropped open and her stare had become vacant.
”Is this something that offends you?” I asked when her look persisted, as did her silence.
She snapped her mouth closed, opened it, closed it and finally got down to it.
”As you know, my, uh...well, as you know, no other maid I know addresses her lady that way. It just isn't done.”
”I'm not just any lady and you are definitely not just another maid. If the Winter Princess herself knew of your talents, she'd try to steal you from me.”
A blush of pleasure pinkened her cheeks as she said, ”I'd never leave you.”
I tipped up my chin. ”And I know this and prize it. So let's dispense with some of the formalities, shall we?”
”I...all right,” she agreed, a tentative smile forming on her face.
”Excellent,” I murmured. ”Now that's done, I'll meet your final candidates tomorrow. Once I do, we'll discuss them and decide. But I need to give you another task.”
”And that would be?” she asked.
”Your gowns, stockings, cloaks, boots, slippers, etc. You'll need to visit a local clothier, cobbler and milliner as you'll require clothing suitable for a variety of climes and a good deal of it. When we're aboard a s.h.i.+p, I'm not certain there are laundry facilities, and I don't like the idea of you donning dirty clothing because you have no spare. And please, increase the quality of the pieces you choose. You are a maid of a lady of the House of Drakkar but further, we've no idea what we'll be encountering. It would be good for those who look upon us to think you're my ward, and thus have some protection of a certain cla.s.s, rather than my maid.”
”Really, Lady...I mean, Franka?” she breathed, her mouth now working, but her eyes had again gone wide.
”If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't say it,” I retorted.
”I would...would...would...” she finally spit it out, nearly bouncing in her seat, ”adore that.”
”I change my mind,” I stated and her face fell. ”We'll go together. I want to make certain you don't do anything frugal out of habit. Once my brother has arrived and I've greeted him, he'll want to settle his family and probably rest. We'll go out after he arrives.”
Bright-eyed again, Josette replied, ”That would be most lovely, erm, Franka.”
”Indeed it would,” I agreed, regarding her thoughtfully. ”With your coloring, I think greens. Perhaps pinks. You've excellent skin, roses and creams, pink would suit you.” I tipped my head to the side. ”I do believe red would also become you, but we'll have to see.”
She sniffled and I stopped scrutinizing her and looked in her eyes.
They were wet.
”Josette,” I chided softly. ”You really cannot rush from the room under the threat of tears every time I show a kindness.”
”My Lady,” she said in a choked voice.
”I thought we dispensed with that,” I reminded her gently.
”No,” she stated. Lifting her hand and coughing delicately behind it, she dropped it and straightened in her chair. ”That's the last time I'll say it, I promise. But I just want you to know, you're My Lady.”
These words made me blink rapidly three times, feeling the sting hit my eyes.
I then straightened in my own chair and declared, ”It would vex me greatly if our growing relations.h.i.+p meant we degenerated into simpering ninnies, weeping at every pleasantry that pa.s.sed between us.”
”I'll endeavor to be more hardened, Franka,” she promised.
”See to that,” I ordered smartly.
She fought it. I watched it. But she couldn't control the strangled giggle that pa.s.sed her lips.
I smiled at her indulgently.
I did not berate myself on doing this or doing it indulgently.
I was getting used to it.
Chapter Seven.
It Was Gone Franka I was abed with my breakfast tray the next morning when there came a rap on the door.
I turned my head that way only to see said door open and Noc stroll through.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
Truly.
The nerve.
I wasn't even out of bed yet!
”I'm having my breakfast,” I snapped.
”Good morning to you too,” he replied, not hiding his amus.e.m.e.nt in the face of my frustration and sauntering across the room but not coming to my bedside.
No.
He walked across the foot of the bed to the other, vacant side, and I watched in stunned silence as he put his a.r.s.e to it, twisted, put his whole body to it, stretched out and settled on his side but with his body up on his forearm, facing me.
Noc in those b.l.o.o.d.y trousers and a blue s.h.i.+rt that did nice things to his eyes, stretched out in bed beside me.
He was impossible.
Once settled, he then reached out and selected a cantaloupe ball from my crystal bowl of fruit and popped it into his mouth.
”That's my melon,” I kept snapping.
”Chill, baby,” he murmured, grinning at me.
”Chill?” I asked, knowing this was his-world slang, just not able to fathom what it meant.
”Relax,” he explained.