ariam ordered, pointing tow

ushed from the heat of the kitchen, a few strands of hair curling against her temple. She tucked t

gently, placing t

ansion kitchen, aprons tied neatly around their waists, the

ices," Mariam said, stirring the pa

odestly. "I learne

? I didn't think they taught much

e sisters gave cooking lessons. It was part of our 'domestic duty

about the disciplined part,

en. The heat radiated against her face as she bent down to check the tenderness - completely

that someone

-

adn't planned to

home with the growing desire for silence - and maybe, just maybe, the warmth of a decent me

when he walked into the side

t o

s kit

-

ed just outside

th garlic and onion that curled under his skin. The second was the sound of soft female

ere sh

tina

to the curve of her ass as she reached into the oven. She was humming softly - a hymn, may

ly not mea

aw cl

hat se

-

now she had them. She moved like no one was watching. Like she still believed she was invisibl

tepped

echoed o

early knocking the pan of

t quickly recovered with a

from shame but from heat. Her lips parted slightly, unsure what to say. The apr

silk-dressed girl he'd bee

... she was ten ti

o early," Mariam added, t

d dryly, then turned to

made the gravy and the po

the stove, his eye

er to dip a finger into the sauce. He brought

tared, hear

ravy from his f

he said,

s nearly

-

evening wa

it at the head

he side. Cl

ask her to

id ask h

e had laundry to finish - though Christina suspected she didn't

ce sliced into the roasted chicken, tasted the potato

y good," he

p, surprised

cooked

vent. Every

"They didn't teach you

She looked down at

pron. "That dress underneath. I

n her seat. "

I minded," h

le

ds. The pulse in her

at you do to a

d changed. The fear was still there, but next to it... s

e to help," s

in his chair, s

es distraction when a maid bend

ushed

rying to di

hat makes

tood

r was

hen leaned down - just enough f

less you want me to show you how it feels to be

hen h

trembling, silent, and suddenly