Minute Maid by Natalie Dae

Author:Natalie Dae [Dae, Natalie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Published: 2012-05-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Johnny stood at the front gate and watched the vehicles disappear around the corner. Emmaline had been escorted from the house on the arm of a burly fellow, one who looked as though he enjoyed the sport of boxing, his nose squashed and slightly askew. Like Lizzie’s cap. He turned and walked back up the path, pausing under the outside light to glance at his watch, a leather-strapped affair with a gold-edged square face, something he thought would have given him away long before now. A watch such as his didn’t belong on the wrist of a butler, but that wasn’t who he really was. Besides, he made sure he kept it higher up his arm than usual so that if his jacket sleeve rode up when he reached to open the door it still wouldn’t be seen.

It had been on impulse, following Lizzie from here to the market that day and then applying for this job—one he didn’t need. He’d been in this part of London visiting one of his offices, run very well by a manager, as were his other two. He dealt in finance, offering loans and mortgages, a lucrative business that meant he could live very nicely, thank you. With time on his hands since he had others taking care of his business, he’d decided on a walk down this street, wondering if maybe he ought to move into the empty three-storey Victorian three doors up. Of course, it was occupied now—his weeks working here had seen to that, the passage of time waiting for no man—and, after seeing what went on in this household, he wouldn’t want to buy property here anyway.

That day, as he’d studied the outside of the vacant house, Lizzie had left this one and turned onto the street, basket over her arm. She’d stripped off her cap, stuffing it into her apron pocket. He’d smiled at her defiance, at wanting just a short time where she wasn’t seen as working, where she was like any other woman on her way to market. Except she still wore her white apron, her black dress, and it was there and then the image of her in the same dress—but shorter—had filled his head. He’d followed her to the market, noting her slender fingers as she fondled one corner of red silk on a bolt, how she sighed and looked at it longingly.

He’d wanted to buy the whole bolt there and then and order a dressmaker to create every piece of clothing she might need. Something about Lizzie drew her to him, and, reluctant as he was to be out of her company, even if it was only in pursuing mode, he’d returned to Emmaline’s house and asked about employment.

Would Lizzie feel betrayed if he confessed who he really was? Would him telling her he’d only started work here because she’d captured his heart and attention frighten her? He had no idea but grinned at the choice words she might say to him when she found out.

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