At precisely 7:55 pm came three sharp knocks at the dingy attic door.
Mr Ambrose was amused, yet his face remained impassive as always when he let in a tired looking Pearl.

The day had not been an easy one for her.

...
After ruffling her hair, crumpling her dress in the right places, she started descending the stairs.

As an afterthought, she added a slight waddling movement, accompanied by her smirk.

"Oi girls!! There she is! Come quick!"
Shouted one of the loungers at the bar when she had landed carefully.

"You've got to tell us all about IT..."
"Is IT good?? Tell us..."
"How was he?? Was IT up for good..."

"GIRLS! Leave her alone! Now"
When Madame Dumant ordered something, you would be a fool to not obey at once.
But even her stern voice couldn't stem the interest they all had in that delectable stranger.

"Pearl! Get in my room, now. Everyone else you go back to your chores."
With that, she marched into her office.
Pearl had no other option but to follow.

"Was he gentle?"
Was the first question she heard after she had closed the door.

Pearl took a deep breath and decided to get this over with.
"Yes, he was. He was considerate and very emotional. He knew when he was to hurt but was very careful."
Pearl said, laughing on the inside at her skills at lying through her teeth.

Mr Ambrose would surely have an aneurism if he heard.

"He was everything a girl could hope for... Its just..."
She arranged her features to morph into hesitation.

"What is it?"
Asked Madame rather curious.

"He's requested for me again tonight. And I want to! The pay, while not good, it's still something!
Would you allow?"

"Well if that's what you want, then I have no objections. But please be carefully."
Madame Dumant beseeched her, with a motherly hand on her shoulder.

Well, that went well, thought Pearl.

The girls were a different matter altogether.

"Tell us! Tell us everything! Don't miss a single detail!"
Sally whisper yelled, as a group of madam's girls dragged her towards the backyard.

"Sorry girls, but my lips are sealed."
She replied breezily.
But, when the wicked thought reared its head, she gave in.

"But... I can tell you this. He's the best you'll ever have. Of course, he has requested for me again tonight. But the day is open. Feel free!"

With a saucy wink at the swooning girls, she went home.

"What happened to the shy little Pearl. What could that man have done to make her this way?"
Wondered Sally, before squaring her shoulders and going towards a certain stuffy attic to find out what the mystery man had.

............

After a hard day of working in the fields, Pearl felt dead on her feet. She had but slept an hour during the day.

"Do you mind telling me what exactly was it that you said to those females to bring them by the hoard to my door, an hour after you went home?"

Mr. Ambrose's glacial words did not have the desired effect as Pearl burst into a volley of giggles.

"Oh! That was nothing. I just commented on your tenacity to keep me working throughout the night..."
Pearl said, controlling her laughter, as best as she could.

"Be careful Ms. Hayes. I do not tolerate disrespect from my employees."
Taking a menacing step towards her, he continued

"And under my employment, you will do exactly as I say. Or there will be consequences."

The shiver that elicited from his words made Ambrose smirk internally.
The girl was safe with him, he would never harm her. But that knowledge might lead to her lazing about.

"Bring me file number KD344409..."

........

The night went on like the last one. Only towards dawn did Mr Ambrose stop his incessant perusal of files.

Sitting down on his bed, Pearl was startled by it. It was the hardest thing she had ever sat on, and that included the floor of the hen coop.

"How do you sleep on it Mr Ambrose? Don't you feel backache afterwards?"

"My sleeping arrangements are of no consequence to you. Now if you please, read this contract careful. Then sign your name on the dotted lines."

Taking up the contract, she was awed by the sheer number of difficult words on it. And she was supposed to read AND understand those?

"Ummm. Mr Ambrose, sir? I don't think you understand..."

"Understand what Ms hayes?"

"T-that I can't do this. I-"

"Read it. Sign it. What can you not do?"

Taking a deep breath, Pearl decided to get it over with.

"Understand, sir. I just know my letters sir. There is no way I will ever understand these hard words."

"I see." Came the stoic reply.

Getting up from his chair, Ambrose came to stand in front of Pearl. A little too close for comfort, making her squirm.

"Well Ms Hayes, this contract basically says that for the next seven days you will be under my employment. You will do as I say, exactly as I say it."

"And that is different from the last two days exactly how?"

The twitching of his little finger indicated his end of patience.

"Do not interrupt me again."

At the sudden change, Pearl gulped her sass as she nodded hastily

"Good. Now, as I said. You will be under my employment. At the end of the week, you'll receive your enumeration, then we will part ways. You will never speak of this to anyone else. Now if you will, sigh here..."

After the legal work was done, and the contract was notarized by Ambrose himself, Pearl was given leave to retire for the day.

Only, her mind was still occupied by the contract.
"What happened Mr Ambrose? Why today?"
She said in a rather small voice, not expecting an answer.

"Because today was the last day we did our work here. Tomorrow, we visit someone."

"Who!"

"A Mr Kingsley. He is-"

The rest of his words vanished into thin air as he saw the slight figure of Pearl starting to sway.
He caught her by the waist just as she was about to fall.

"Ms Hayes!"
But she had already fainted.

............

Sorry for the delay, the plot took time to arrange itself :-p
Your opinions, votes, suggestions are appreciated.