A princess on the run, Briar Aldrich has no choice but to take on the role of scullery maid when Lord Sterling Huntington stumbles upon her in the woods and doesn't recognize her. But how safe is she actually in his home? And how safe is her heart?
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Briar scrubbed the dishes from breakfast for the second day in a row. She had volunteered for every duty that kept her downstairs and away from the nobility ever since her run in with Lady Cora. It wasn't that she was afraid of the Lady. But she was reminded of how necessary it was to remain hidden within the relative security of this estate when she had feared she would be forced to leave it. Now, Lady Cora represented another threat that sought to take that protection away. So she would have to appease her, do as she says, or risk a dismissal from the only Lady of the house. Her survival depended on ensuring she made no one of importance angry and that especially included the Lord's own sister and Queen of Gossip, Cora Huntington.
"Briar, Elsie will need your help with he ladies tea this morning," Mrs. Woods said simply as she turned to her preparation of lunch. Briar left the dishes in the trough and headed over to her, wiping her wet hands as she went in preparation for what she hoped would be a successful confrontation.
"Mrs. Woods, I've been meaning to ask you," she started. "It's just that... well, I'm so terrible with the cooking. I haven't had much experience in preparing the level of fine cuisine that you prepare for the nobility here and I was really hoping I could learn. I would appreciate being taught by the best. You, that is. I know the other girls prefer the serving to the preparing anyway so, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to be given kitchen duty from now on so that I may learn."
Mrs. Woods stopped working then and looked up at her. She looked her over with a scrutinizing eye and Briar thought desperately that she hadn't succeeded. But she stood her ground anyway, holding her head high and smiling surely at the old cook. Finally Mrs. Woods broke into a grin, beaming at her.
"I'm delighted to hear it dear!" She crooned, excitedly. "Oh I've been hoping for one of you girls to show an interest in the cooking! But I thought you all believed it to be such a chore. I am so in need of someone I can teach what I know to. This kitchen will need someone to take over for it once I'm gone. You could do that, dear! Oh, you'd do it so well! Would you like that? Serving the Huntington's in the comfort of this estate for many years to come?"
She nodded in what she hoped was fervent alacrity and Mrs. Woods beamed again, grasping her hands and leading her over to the hearth. She began talking very quickly then, explaining her plans for lunch and why she had chosen them, how lunch needed to be light as dinner was always so heavy. She talked about how much the Lady Cora enjoyed her vegetable soups and fruits and how the Lord liked his meat peppered just so. She nodded along and tried to remember as best she could, considering grabbing a pad of paper to jot down notes but then remembering she wasn't sure if Mrs. Woods knew she could read.
"Mrs. Woods," Elsie was calling from her place by the tea trays.
"And then you'll want to make sure you stir it regularly, my dear," Mrs. Woods was saying. "Otherwise it will burn to the bottom and you'll have to throw the whole batch out and start again. Oh, and the carrots! You see how the skin-"
