For the first time, Rose could see mirth in the mans eyes. He was teasing her!
"Ah, yes. I remember." he replied and pulled away from her as he stood up straight once more. Rose then realized how she was holding her breath now that she exhaled slowly, glad to have some distance between them.
"I will take my leave, enjoy the book, Miss Woods." he said as he started to walk away from there, heading towards the mansion.
She cleared her throat and called back. "Good night, Mr Rickhorn.", not caring that he did not like that address.
Once he was out of view, she let out an exasperated breath. "What a frustrating man." she complained, her cheeks still flushed.
She tried to continue the book which she was on the verge of completing before Dre showed himself, but for the life of her she could not concentrate at all!
After a wasteful ten minutes, she had given up and decided to go back inside and retire to bed.
Entering her assigned room, she walked towards the wardrobe that had her clothes and belongings. The room dark aside from the moonlight that reflected off the cream and gold furniture from outside the window. She could now feel the tiredness that came from the day weighing on her as she pulled out her white night dress.
Once she was changed and under the comfort of the soft blanket, her thoughts wondered to how she kept having these derailing encounters with DeAndre Rickhorn. He was a strange person, who acts as if nothing on this earth could affect him, at the same time he reads romance novels? Thinking this, Rose let out a soft chuckle. She then remembered how his voice vibrated through her with him so close earlier, the way he held her gaze so unflinching.
"A very frustrating man indeed." she said to softly to herself.
Sleep soon took her.
In the corridors of the back wing of the mansion where the servant quarters where, Daisy who was also in her night clothes could not sleep as her mind was plagued by the thoughts of Roy Harper. This morning, he had tried to get her attention to speak to her after breakfast this morning, and even before when she was still on her way to wake up the lady. She could not understand why he was intent on it. She could hardly keep her composure when there are other people in the room, let alone when they are alone. It has been quite a few years that she has known Roy, and all those years she was able to hide her feelings for him quite well.
But with him pestering her like this, it was becoming stressful.
The servants quarters took the entire first and second floor of the back wing. The mansion was large enough to accommodate all the servants with a room of their own. The rooms where not large like the others of course, but had enough space for a bed, wardrobe and a tub to bath in.
Daisy sat on her narrow bed, brushing through her wet hair after her bath when she heard a knock on her door.
Getting up, she made her way to open the door. Just as she turned the handle, Roy had suddenly rushed into the room and shut the door with her against it. Her eyes widened at the sight of Roy towering over her.
"You have been avoiding me Daisy," he said with a low voice.
"I-I- What are you doing here?" she stuttered in shock. He then placed both hands on either side of her, palms down against the door.
"What happened the other night?" he asked her, his face just a few inches away from hers.
"It is not right for the maids to be wandering around the mansion after working hours, Sir Roy." she tried to speak without stuttering which resulted in her not looking directly at him but near his shoulder. Daisy felt that if she had to look into his eyes right now, his gaze would be too intense to keep.
"You are going to make excuses now?" he said and raised a brow. This caused her to frown because till now, she did not understand why he had suddenly asked her to meet him that night. She had known Roy for quite a few years now. They both had lived and grown up in the same village at the outskirt of Kantor. It was a small village and their families even knew each other.
She was twelve when she started to notice the boy with beautiful red hair and a lean figure. At first, it was only but a tiny crush. Soon when they both had ended up in the city, working in the mansion for the Rickhorns, she watched as he became a man. He had become someone worthy of any women's fancy. Slowly her feelings gained an anchor. An anchor which held onto the redhead with such longing.
But Roy's accomplishments have earned him a place in high society which is alongside Master Dre. For this reason, she knew it would be best to not let herself hope for a relationship with him, as she was just a maid, and he is Sir Roy Harper.
"Sir, I do not understand. What was the reason to call me from the servants quarter? And why are you here now?" she added in a hushed tone, more worry starting to appear in her blue eyes.
"Sir, this is scandalous-"
"Scandalous?" he interrupted her and her eyes widened even further when she felt him run his finger, ever so gently along her jaw. The touch made her shiver slightly and the hairs at the back of her neck stood up.
"Sir?" her voice a breathless whisper.
"You know Daisy, you are a clever lass. But so slow that it makes me lose my mind." his voice low, captivating her under the glow of the single candle in the room.