“Good afternoon, Mr. Abraham,” I said with a bow.

He was sitting at a large desk, a few small stacks of paperwork collected into neat piles before him.

He gestured for me to sit down in an adjacently faced chair. I complied swiftly and looked to him for instruction.

Pulling out a thin folder from his drawer, he paused, holding it in his hands before setting it down in front of him.

I stared at him nervously as we duly existed in a brief silence.

What in the world is going on here?

“Good afternoon, Henry. I have an assignment I'd like to extend to you. One that I believe you'd be well equipped to handle.”

I gave a slow, grim nod.

With how the house had been buzzing this morning, this surely had something to do with the arrival of the Duke's disgraced daughter.

What could Mr. Abraham possibly think I could do for her?

“As I'm sure you've heard, the Duke's heir will be residing in the countryside estate for an undisclosed amount of time,” He said, opening the folder with a swift flip.

“I'd like to extend the dual position of Lady Isadora's personal footman and coachman,” He continued, grabbing a pair of thin spectacles from his breast pocket, placing them atop the bridge of his nose.

I was at a complete loss for words.

It’s every male servant's dream to elevate to the position of footman for a noble family… 

But to act as a footman to that of a shamed noblewoman?

I coughed, trying to clear the growing itch in my throat that was becoming much more uncomfortable by the second.

“Should you accept, your current duties would cease, and these two positions would become your sole responsibility. They, of course, come with a pay increase,” he said, eyeing me from over those spectacles.

I froze, racking my brain.

A pay increase could alleviate a significant amount of monetary strain for us. My wife and I could even start a family sooner.

I gripped the arms of my chair tightly.

But serving a disgraced noblewoman would surely cause people to look down on me and my family by association.

If this assignment ends up being short-lived, I may find myself without a means of work.

“Mr. Abraham,” I started slowly, searching for the appropriate words.

“While it’s an honor to be offered the position of footman for the esteemed Alistair family. I might ask if I could consult my wife? I would like my family to be a part of decisions that could alter our lives.” I replied, meeting his stern eyes.

This is a decision that would not only have an effect on us financially, but how we were perceived socially by our peers in society.

I couldn't possibly make it on my own without so much as her opinion.

“Of course. Report here tomorrow morning with your answer. I trust it will be favorable, as I intend for your duties to ensue immediately,” He said, turning back to the neat piles of work on his desk.

With a stiff nod, I rose from the chair. I gave a deep bow, then exited the room swiftly.

The breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding shakily escaped my mouth as the office door shut behind me.

Never in my life would I have thought I'd be offered the position of footman to a member of the main family…

Albeit a disgraced heir.

A noble family's prestige extends to its servants, so did its shame. 

How could I knowingly put my wife in that position? 

But, with a pay increase, I could provide us with a more secure means of survival. We’d certainly be able to live more comfortably.

Just what exactly is the right decision here?

The afternoon passed by as quickly as it had come. I found myself focused on the dirt beneath my feet.

The sound of gravel crushing harshly between the soles of my shoes and the quiet road home. I considered the conversation I was to have this evening as I watched the sun start to lower in the distance.

This breathtaking golden hour I witnessed every day felt different.

As the sun's harsh edges of light began to soften, the chaos of the day quieted somehow more than usual, replaced by the hushed symphony of twilight.

Then, I saw the dim glow of candlelight through the quaint windows of our home.

Without a second thought, my pace quickened, until my hands were pushing through the front door. My body falling into a set of outstretched arms.

“Henry, you're late,” 

I nuzzled my face into my wife's soft blonde hair. Reveling in her warm embrace.

No one in the world could be as sweet as this woman. There was no smell, no taste, no feeling that could match hers.

“I’m sorry. I had to meet with Mr. Abraham this afternoon and fell behind on my work,” I admitted, the warmth of embarrassment flowing into my cheeks.

I released her and proceeded to remove my livery, as she handed me a linen nightshirt.

I slid it over my head and sat down at the kitchen table, inhaling the savory scent of a vegetable and grain stew. 

“Oh my, I hope it wasn’t anything troubling,” She said, adding a few scoops of soup into a wooden bowl before placing it gently on the table in front of me.

“I’m not sure yet. Tell me about your day first,” I replied, changing the subject as she sat down beside me with her own bowl.

“Well, at work today, I heard from one of the ladies maids, the heir of the Alistair estate took up lodgings in the countryside, but there was a complete scandal,” She said, pausing to savor a spoonful of soup.

“What had they to say about the scandal? The entire estate was abuzz with news of terrible acts,” I asked, my ears immediately perking up.

“Goodness, Henry. It isn’t like you to gossip,” She teased, as I felt my ears grow warm.

She leaned closer.

“From what I was told, this information comes from the Grand Duchess’s daughter,” She continued, as I cocked my head to the side in question.

“Truly! One of the ladies in waiting attended a salon and the child seemed to be telling everyone that would listen about the whole scandal,” She explained, with a laugh.

“She claims that her sister had inappropriate relations with a stable boy! He apparently used her, then tossed her away, causing her to attempt to take her life by poison,” She said, shaking her head, then grabbing our empty bowls and proceeding to wash them in a bucket. 

I furrowed my brows as I watched her pour warm water from the kettle into a washbasin.

That poor girl.

She was just an innocent child who hadn’t known any better, and if he’d truly taken advantage of her, that makes it all the worse.

She placed the washbasin of warm water on the table next to me.

“How awful,” I mumbled, lifting my arms as I pulled my nightshirt up to my neck.

“It is certainly a shame,” She replied simply, submerging a cloth in the water and wringing it out tightly.

I closed my eyes as she washed my back with the warm water. It was heavenly.

“What did Mr. Abraham request of you?” She asked curiously.

I had almost forgotten about it.

“He asked me to take a new assignment as a footman,” I said with a sigh.

She stopped and walked around to look me in the face.

“Henry! That’s fantastic! Why do you look so glum?” She squealed, plopping down in my lap, planting a few kisses on my lips.

“He wants me to be the footman of the disgraced Duke's Daughter,” I said, placing my forehead in the crook of her neck.

“That’s what you're worried about?” She said, I felt her chuckle reverberating throughout her body.

“This position holds shame, not only for her but for us!” I replied, looking up at her seriously.

“Henry,” She said, cupping my face in her hands.

“This is a great opportunity for you, for us. We could start a family sooner than we’d hoped,” She said, kissing my lips lightly.

“People may talk, but that’s all it is. It doesn’t change what you provide for this family.” She continued bringing her lips back to mine, before I was able to get a word in.

I closed my eyes, my mind growing blank as her kisses grew more urgent. She suddenly broke away and stood up.

I blinked a few times, trying to bring myself back to reality.

Staring up at the goddess before me, our eyes locked.

Her soft lips tinted pink from our passionate kiss. My eyes lowered, her nipples had shown hard through the thin linen nightdress.

Her eyes bore through me, they were dark and needy. My heart pounded loudly in my chest as she lowered to her knees before me.

I gripped the table's edge as heat shot through me.

Closing my eyes in ecstasy as her movements sent shocks through my body, only opening them as I felt her leave me.

I watched her with growing desire as she slowly bunched her nightdress up to her stomach, her hips swaying. Her pale skin glistened in the room's low candlelight.

“I don’t want you to think about what others will say, Henry,” She said softly, climbing on top of me.

One hand on my shoulder while the other guided me as she aligned herself.

“I only want you to focus on your family,” she said, slowly lowering herself onto me.

I ran my hands up her thighs pulling her down on me, rougher than I'd meant to.

She cried out, clinging to me as my urgent grip tightened at her waist.

Her body suddenly convulsed, her legs clenching tightly around me.

I sighed, as I leaned my head against her breasts. I could still feel the heat between us as I caught my breath.

We separated ourselves and I carried her across the room to the bed. It didn’t take long before she was fast asleep. I gently covered her with a blanket, but lay awake beside her.

Too many thoughts had been swirling through my mind all day. At least knowing where she stood on the matter made my decision easier.

I finally closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

Hoping to get some semblance of rest before what awaited me on the morrow.