Simple Servant

Chapter 7 - Leading with a Lie

^ Alexandria Maxine Georgiana Bell

Chapter 7 - Leading with a Lie

A smile found its way onto Alexandria's face. "That sounds fair." She said happily, excited that she hadn't reduced the man's pride. "Lead the way, Noah." She blurted.

Alexandria froze. She had said his first name. She hadn't even given him the courtesy of adding his title.

How could she have been so careless?

His name had been floating around in her thoughts ever since Kimmie had introduced them. Why had she blurted it out now?

What reason would Lady Tompson have to use his first name?

Lord Jenkins stared at her with a shocked expression and she understood why. Lords and Ladies didn't speak on a first name bases unless they were intimate, or at the very least childhood friends. Alexandria and Lord Jenkins were neither, and yet-

Alexandria couldn't help but wonder-

"Lady Tompson" She heard him caution sternly "it is highly inappropriate for you to..."

"Call me Annabell." She blurted. Where did that come from?

And again, Why?

Thankfully she said Annabell and not Alexandria. The Sky forbid what would have happened if she had told him to call her by her actual name.

A look of disbelief crossed Lord Jenkins' face. It was clear that he had expected the words to come from her mouth as much as she had.

"My Lady Tompson," he confided, "it would be rather improper for me to do so."

"Well." She said, courage somehow finding its way into her voice. "I called you by your first name, Noah, and I will continue to do so."

She would? Her boldness excited her.

"If anyone passes by and you continue to call me Lady Tompson, they might think that you are nothing but a lowly servant. You wouldn't want that would you?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Alexandria felt mortified. She had called his status into question. Surely he would be upset with her. She watched him cautiously but her blow to his pride didn't seem to faze Lord Jenkins. For a moment it was almost like he considered agreeing.

Perhaps he was thinking of her modesty. If a passerby heard them calling each other by their first names, the on lookers would not think that the two were merely acquaintances.

"Lady..." Lord Jenkins implored cautiously.

Alexandria eyed him pointedly. He took a small step away from her, his eyes wide with concern.

Was her gaze so fearful?

"Well." He blurted out forcefully, "It seems that you are a rather cunning woman that knows exactly what she wants."

"And it seems that you are refusing to adhere to my request." She shot back matching his tone.

Why did this type of banter excite her?

None of it made sense.

The silence lasted a few moments and Alexandria tried to calm her pulse.

"Very well," she heard him say after releasing a loud sigh, "Might I have the pleasure of your conversation?" He asked still not saying it.

On instinct, she shot him the same pointed glare from earlier.

Perhaps she had pushed Lord Jenkins too far. He was a member of Society after all. Even if he wasn't Alminian born she should show him some respect.