Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 10: Allergic to a Duke

Chapter 10

Jay stared at his maid. Her eyes were closed, her lips quivering just a touch as she waited for him. She was beautiful. He probably should ask her name before he kissed her but then again he probably shouldn't be kissing her here in a dark corner of his best friends' garden. Fate must have agreed with him because Jay heard a rustle in the nearby geraniums and quickly pulled the maid to him and out of sight of the nearby ton. The petite maid's nose was mashed into his jacket lapel and that was definitely not where he preferred her face to be. He wanted her jaw line to be next to his lips as he trailed kisses down to her neck. As luck would have it they were on the run again. He signalled to her to be quiet and climb the nearby apple tree but realised by her confused expression she didn't understand the Home Offices secret Masonic hand signals. For a man whose job it was to keep his two worlds separate he was having an increasingly difficult time around this woman.

"What are you doing?" She asked with a slightly dazed expression, no doubt wondering if he was ever capable of finishing off a kiss he started.

"Sssh. There is someone around the corner." His voice an octave below a whisper.

"What?!" She said even louder as if he had a hearing difficulty.

He grabbed her hand and pushed her toward the tree. "Sshh," he repeated. "Can you climb this tree?"

"That's a strange question, but yeah. Of course I can climb this tree. I love climbing!" she exclaimed rubbing her nose as if it was still recovering from being smashed into him.

Jay couldn't help but smile, "Okay well climb this tree, please."

"Why?" she persisted while making circle motions with her open palm over her nose.

"Must you always ask so many questions?" he sighed exasperated

"Well someone has to or no one would get any answers and honestly I need some answers because I don't understand anything about you at all. I mean, you seem normal and sane but here we are in a garden and you- a Duke, mind you- are asking me if I can climb a tree instead of you having dinner with all those others inside." She paused as her stomach sounded suspiciously like it grumbled, and then continued- " Oh, and I'm starving."

Not one to concern himself with problems Jay pointed to the afore mentioned tree and kept his words low and short. "Apple tree..... apple. Climb. Now"

He watched her consider her choices which she no doubt realised were not vast and then with a few sniffles she turned to take her first footing on the gnarled trunk base. He suddenly remembered he was asking a female to climb a tree. It was inappropriate and inconsiderate but really what choice did he have. He couldn't afford to be caught with a maid. Her reputation may not be anything to lose, no offence to the young girl, but he had worked hard to blend into society and maintain a certain image which allowed him into certain circles and close to certain people of interest- he couldn't jeopardise that now. So Jay did the best thing he could in his situation and moved close to the ascending maid to offer her a hand up.

He barely brushed her side to give her an undignified push when she swatted him away, assessed the branches once more and with a quick leap pushed off the trunk and onto a lower branch. With a few rapid movements she had shimmied across the lowest rung, hauled herself onto the nearest fork and completed a series of short bounds to place herself half way up the tree. She scrunched up her face as if warding off a sneeze and then continued her journey upward.

Jay raised both eyebrows and made short work of following her. Where he used the strength of his arms and powerful leg muscles to climb she ducked and weaved and made him envious of her nimble grace and agility. This girl was a disaster on dry land if the past 24 hours was anything to go by; she may not be able to walk from point A to point B without tripping once and stopping for food twice, but on a tree she was magic.