Louisa had promised her mother that she would behave, and since Benjamin hadn't been rude, she would heat up the water and ask one of the servants to take it to his room. Benjamin wouldn't be there for long, so she'd only need to hold out for a maximum of two months.
She finished chopping the vegetables her mother had ordered and put the water for Benjamin's bath on to heat. Joseph, the boy who helped with the heavier work inside the house, was the one who carried the buckets of water for Benjamin.
"Put the vegetables in the pot, Louisa. Lunch has to be ready soon." Eva ordered, bringing two geese to be prepared for dinner. She never left things to the last minute, as she hated having to deal with unforeseen circumstances. Louisa nodded and did as her mother told her.
Benjamin, after taking a bath, dozed off, until Judith knocked on his door to call him for lunch. Usually a servant would do this job, but Judith wanted to be close to her son. Although she and her husband traveled from time to time to visit Benjamin, it was completely different from having him back home, even if only for a short time.
"I'll get ready and go downstairs, mama." Benjamin said, and Judith asked him not to take too long, lest the food gets cold. She insisted that lunch should start before noon and her son still remembered that very well.
As soon as he finished dressing, Benjamin opened the bedroom door and left quickly, only to end up knocking someone to the floor in the hallway.
"Oh, I'm sorr-" he started to say, but then he burst into laughing when he saw Louisa sprawled out. She had gone upstairs to take her ironing to the masters' room and the pile of carefully ironed clothes in front of her did not allow her to see that Benjamin was walking out of his bedroom.
Louisa knelt down and began picking up the clothes from the floor. She gave Benjamin a look full of resentment. 'How can it be that he looked like an angel at one moment and like a demon at the next, on the same day?' she wondered, as she piled up the sheets. Benjamin held back his laughter a little and helped her out, but she didn't thank him. When he placed the last sheet onto the pile, already in her arms, he asked:
"Aren't you going to say 'thank you'?"
"You were the one to blame, so I don't have to thank you." She said, trying to get past him, who got in front of her.
"And this is how you talk to your boss?" He asked.
"Of course not. Mr Harry Dankworth deserves all my respect." Louisa replied, intentionally and theatrically acting offended.
Benjamin understood that she meant that he wasn't her boss and therefore didn't deserve an iota of her respect.
"Listen, you brat! I am yo-" He started to say, but Judith's voice calling out to him interrupted him. He looked at Louisa one last time, making it clear that this wasn't over, before answering his mother and heading towards her, who was turning down the hall. "I'm coming downstairs, Mama."
"Ah, that's good!" Judith said and saw Louisa standing there, looking unfriendly. "Is everything alright, Louisa dear?" she asked, to which Louisa responded with just a smile and bowed at her slightly, going about her own business.
Lunch passed smoothly, with pleasant conversations, until Harry asked his son what he intended to do when he finished college.
"I'm going to enjoy life a little, a year or two, before I come back here and get married, Dad. That is, if you agree." Benjamin replied and Harry nodded in approval.
"Enjoy life?" Judith questioned.
"He means to travel, my love. A man must have knowledge and be prepared before he has a family. After he returns to the farm and gets married, the responsibilities will be many."
"Oh, I understand." In fact, she didn't, but she also didn't want to start a discussion over the matter.
When they finished eating, Benjamin said he wanted to go for a ride around the property. Harry let the boy go alone, as he had some unfinished business to attend to.
Benjamin still remembered when he was younger and liked to be near the sea. He would run down to the sand and let the waves wet his feet. And he would do the same thing today. He didn't feel free at school. There it was necessary to maintain the pose of a lord.
Harry Dankworth was blood-linked to the Baron of Lilford, with no chance that Benjamin would inherit the title. In addition, the family was not on good terms, so, no balls and family parties, anyway. However, Benjamin was required to be educated in the event of inheritance. That was all the more reason he didn't get involved with any girl of little means.
As he walked back across the sand toward his horse, he saw Louisa wetting her feet and running, laughing by herself. Even though she was young, he could see that she would be a very beautiful woman. He stood there, watching her, until she noticed his presence and stopped laughing immediately. She picked up her shoes and walked away. Benjamin ran after her.
"I thought the servants had more important things to do than play on the beach." He commented, trying to be witty, but she didn't like it at all and saw it as a show of arrogance.
"This servant apologizes and is on her way back to take care of her business." Louisa said and Benjamin realized his mistake. Then he grabbed her arm and made her turn to him.
"I didn't mean to be rude. I was just kidding." He said, in a regretful tone. "I'm sorry."
Louisa stopped walking and looked at Benjamin in disbelief.
"Kidding?"
"Yes." Benjamin was in internal conflict. While he wanted to be stupid with her so she wouldn't get her hopes up where there was no chance, he wanted to get closer to her.
"Right. Well, anyway, I have to go. If my mother finds out about my being out here, I'll be in trouble." She said and continued up the little hill to get back to the farm.
"I can give you a ride." he offered. She looked at him and the horse.
"Hmm. I'm not much into horseback riding." She said. She was kind of ashamed by saying out loud that she didn't know how to ride. Which was a shame, after all, her father was a stableman on the farm. Benjamin deduced just that and held back a laugh.
"I won't let you fall. I promise." She pondered for a few moments, until she decided to accept his ride offer.