Raised voices and stomping boots announced the return of the party back into Fairfax Manor. The foyer became loud and raucous as Mrs Clark, Lily and Sophie and the other servant girls offered towels and brandy to the complaining gentlemen who received attention gratefully, clearly soaked to the skin and exhausted.
Lord McDonald, the oldest and slenderest man of the party appeared to be quite unwell. His tall grey figure stumbled into the hallway and shivered profusely causing a cry of anguish from Lady McDonald.
“Hours out there, if you hadn’t lit those windows…I don’t know where we would have ended up”
Lady McDonald wept as she held his hand and with an arm over Athena’s shoulder they took him up to his room. His riding coat almost took Athena to the floor it was that
As dawn rose the next day, in the eaves of the fourth floor servants quarters Sophie prodded Lily awake. As she yawned and came to Sophie's blue eyes sparkled mischievously. "When he came in all soaking wet and serous last night…" Lily couldn't help but roll her eyes and grin back in agreement. "He is very nice to look at, I cannot lie. Certainly not worth waking me up for" "You should have offered to take his wet clothes off" Sophie giggled and gave her a cheeky wink. "Sophie!" Lily admonished quietly, trying not to wake the others, "you would never be so bold surely?" This time Sophie was the one to blush and avert her eyes.
The next month saw a concentrated effort from both Athena and Felix to avoid any further interactions. It was a thoroughly miserable month for both as she buried her head in a newly delivered greenhouse, ensuring she was out of reach every day. Felix visited London on business twice but just found himself at the club mulling over those green eyes, failing to keep up with the conversations of the gentlemen around him. Achilles had never seen so much exercise as every local landlord and the business owner found themselves the victim of unplanned visits by a distracted Baron Fairfax. Keeping his resolve not to pursue Athena strong was the fact that Lady McDonald and Dacre had bestowed their highest praises upon Athena. Her actions brought their husbands safely home and they considered her a remarkable treasure.
The past four weeks had been much more pleasant for Craig. Despite Athena working him and his men hard, there had been opportunities to enjoy Fairfax Manor. He found himself making excuses to visit the kitchen. Though their eyes frequently met, they were always amongst bustling strangers and unable to form any meaningful conversation. Her happy smile and bright eyes had started worming their way into his daily thoughts as he shifted earth and laid foundations. The secluded bench near the stable block where Athena had cried the previous month had subsequently been discovered by Craig. He enjoyed its privacy from the windows of the main house as a peaceful place to take his lunch during the day. Today he strolled up to the bench as usual with his satchel and
Baron Oliver headed to London well before dawn. Athena entered the main foyer and seeing no sign of Felix decided to head into the library and go over her designs. There was no need to hide away in the greenhouse now. She wore a delicate yellow linen dress tied under the bust with a pale green ribbon. Her brown hair was pinned up but already some stray tendrils were framing her oval face. Her expression was serious but content as the hours passed by at her drawing board. When a glum-looking Sophie fetched her lunch, forcing her to look up from her work she gasped at the change in weather. Huge black clouds were rolling over the horizon. "Look Sophie, there will be a storm tonight. Can you see it approaching?"
Silently, deftly he peeled away the ruby silken robe leaving her standing in her white nightdress. Her hands replaced against the windows she let out a fresh pant of pleasure as his hands felt the outline of her body. The bumps in the fabric where her buttons rose caused his fingers to judder as they caressed up and down. Pushing herself more firmly against his rigid body she felt the teasing stubble on his chin and the increasing firmness in his trousers. Still kissing her neck, teasing her with rough and smooth embraces, his strong hands roamed her stomach, waist and rib cage until he reached her breasts. Lightning continued to crack across the sky and the pelting raindrops down the windows drowned out her heavy breathing. As he gently embraced their roundness,
The Gilded Falcons' reputation was increasingly notorious across the gossip pages of London. It required a landed title for entry, one had to be sponsored by an existing member and there were absolutely no limits to what could be gambled.Oliver had found himself here over the previous summer multiple times with Henry Lupton. It appeared to be a regular gentlemen’s club from the street and indeed the front half was purely a cigar lounge.Beyond the leather-seated main bar was a guarded second entrance. To pass through to the gambling hall there was a severely polite bald gentleman. He would check your name, and credit against the approved members list and only upon his silent nod if approval would you gain access.The d
The morning after the thunderstorm saw a hive of activity in the gardens of Fairfax Manor. An immaculately clear blue sky had emerged from the storm, the spring flowers were in full bloom as they hugged the wide gravel driveway. Muttering servants milled around the edges of the lightning strikes impact mark which had burnt dozens of deep vein-like marks into the grass for several metres. "It looks like a bloodshot eyeball," the grizzled Jackson offered to a nodding group. "It's beautiful," murmured Lily to Sophie, "I wonder if it's still hot in the middle?" Craig appeared behind the girls and spoke up, "the centre should be like glass now if it is similar to what I have seen before. It's the heat of the lightning. Like turning sand into glass, same thing." Jackson wandered towards and announced to the group, "Mr Thornfiel
Athena looked at the gathered crowd from her room, wrapping her arms around her waist. Practically she wondered whether the extracted lightning impact should somehow be displayed in the pagoda at the centre of the lake. Emotionally her mind was completely stuck in the depths of last night. She could not believe how brazen she had been. Of course, if he was as familiar with the whorehouses of Europe as rumours suggested, her actions were probably routine, perhaps even boring. To her, every interaction with him was an awakening of another locked piece of her soul. Looking out onto the gardens she felt like one of her bulbs bursting into bloom. Her skin was brighter, smile wider and eyes sparkling and he was the source. She had matched his supposed indifference by i