Morgan, age 32, City of Marin

I had moved on to briefing myself for the Head Mistress' visit by the time the guards led Corbin into my office again. I sipped the wine that had arrived with lunch as I studied him. He'd taken a stance in the middle of the room that was submissive yet powerful, with his hands behind him, his chest out, and his head bowed. I liked it very much.

Behind him, Vanusia cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the door, wondering if I needed him to vacate once again. I shook my head.

"I have assigned the Captain to your training," I told Corbin.

"Yes, Mistress. He has evaluated me already." I saw a smirk on his lips and wondered what had transpired. I was sure I'd hear about it at some point.

I sipped again before continuing. "The Captain is talented and good at what he does, but he's a bit of a hot head. Don't let him get to you if he starts yelling."

A smile tugged further at the corner of his mouth. "I will remember that, Mistress."

I turned the contract toward him. "Can you read? You can sign this once you have done so, but Vanusia can read it aloud if you need him to."

"I can read, Mistress."

So, an educated man. That means he wasn't a common laborer. Of course, I should have deduced that just by the fact he could afford the Bluejay's help. That does not come cheap.

He picked up the contract and scanned it. "It is more generous than I expected. Thank you." He noted, probably referring to the inclusion of not only room and board but also the stipulations that we would provide him health care and a small savings upon his departure.

"We take care of our own," I said, pushing the writing utensils his way. He dipped the quill and signed, then dusted his signature. I did the same, then handed the contract to Vanusia.

"We have a Gala happening in two weeks for which the Queen herself will be in attendance. I expect your involvement, in whatever capacity, to be flawless. You might also think about entering the games for entertainment. Someone with your," I looked him up and down pointedly, "stature would do well, and it is an opportunity to earn tips."

He shook his head. "I am not much of a sport when it comes to such things." I took that to mean that he was more concerned about hiding that winning money. Wise man.

The guard knocked on the door a second before the Head Mistress breezed into the room. Vanusia and I stood to acknowledge her presence. When Corbin didn't move, I flicked a hand signal that made it clear he was to kneel. He did so quickly. Smart man, too. Quick to learn.

"Oh! Morgan! I apologize. I didn't realize you were in a meeting," the Head Mistress said, all but flouncing into the room. It was a lie, as I knew my guards would have informed her. She just wanted to pull rank. I had no choice but to let her.

"It is quite alright, Head Mistress." I lied before indicated the kneeling man. "This is Corbin Paquette. He is new to the Household guard."

She eyed him, walking around him to look from all angles. "Yes, I heard you had to let Faryn go. Such a shame, but how fortunate to have found a replacement so soon!" She reached for his chin to tilt his head up to her. "Look at me," she ordered.

My nostrils flared when he complied.

"Oh! What lovely eyes," she exclaimed.

My gut clenched, and I wanted to smack her. I did not want her to touch him. I was surprised I had become possessive so soon. To hide my anger, I agreed. "Yes, lovely indeed."

"Perhaps you should take a new lover," she told me, continuing to walk around him. "I have my Charles, but I have gotten the sense that you and the Captain are nearing your end."

I sighed. I'd rather not air my personal life before the new hire, but what was I to do when the Head Mistress brought it up? "Yes, I believe you are right about the Captain and I. He was most unsatisfactory with his attitude about Faryn's dismissal. But, perhaps I will wait to take a new lover. I have not yet decided."

Corbin's ears had turned scarlet, and the Head Mistress chuckled. She waved him toward the door. "You are dismissed."

"Yes, Mistress," he said as he rose and turned to the door. We waited a few moments until he was gone.

"He really is quite lovely. Where did you find him?" she asked.

"Serendipitously, he wandered in off the street moments after I let Faryn go," I explained. I would never, ever reveal the Bluejay connection to the Head Mistress. I liked the woman for the most part, but I didn't trust her overly much to keep a secret. "The Captain has already put him through his paces."

She nodded as she sat at my desk. I tried not to seethe. I hated it when she did that. I longed for the day when I was in charge of my own Household. "Good! Now, let's go over the menus for the Gala."

Vanusia brought the notebook of plans to the desk and opened it for her to the meal plan. We spent the next hour reviewing each course and fine-tuning any details we needed to address. When done, my headache was well-formed, and I needed a massage. I must have done a poor job of hiding it because, once the Head Mistress had glided out of my office as dramatically as she had swept in, Vanusia insisted I see Maribelle.

"Yes, I think that is an excellent idea. Pull together all our notes and see that the cook gets them. Hopefully, this will be the last set of changes the Head Mistress will make."

"I will do what I can to keep Cook from quitting," he chuckled. Cook was notorious for threatening to quit every day for two weeks before any significant event. After twenty-five years with the Household, we didn't quite believe she'd actually leave, but we still tried to tread lightly. She took her job seriously and had an enormous amount of pride wrapped up in her kitchen. She'd started as a simple kitchen maid and had worked her way up. She was simply brilliant at what she did. Best yet, she made the Queen's favorite dessert to perfection. It would be the highlight of the meal.

I left my office, nodding to the guards on my way out. One stepped behind me to follow, as did a young servant waiting outside on a bench. I remember his name was Bobby.

Hoping to avoid running into the Head Mistress had she chosen to linger, I took the back way to Maribelle's. She served, in part, as our physician's assistant and had her own office and workroom near the infirmary. She was always cheerful, and I heard the smile in her voice as she called for me to come in when I knocked.

"Morgan! So good to see you!" she exclaimed when I entered, depositing the guard and Bobby at the door before I closed it on them. She came from around her desk, hands held out to take mine. They were strong and soft when I took them in mine. Many years as a masseur working with various moisturizing oils made them so.

"Maribelle, I'm hoping you can fit me in. I have a terrible headache, and," I complained as I rolled my shoulders, "I'm full of knots."

She tsked. "You know, we should just put you on the schedule for a daily massage from now until the day after the Gala. You're always a mess."

I sighed and smiled in gratitude. "That would be great, yes."

She turned her scheduler toward her and flipped through it, penciling in my name each day in the late afternoon. "There. All done. Now, come on, I've got a table with your name on it."

We entered her workroom, a calming place filled with soft, relaxing scents and pretty candles. Sometimes, she hired a musician to play softly in a corner, but not today. I was glad for the quiet.

I stepped behind the screen and began to disrobe. Getting out of the corset was certainly easier than getting in. She'd help me get dressed afterward. But, for right now, I focused on getting naked and then pulling the sheet around me before lying on the padded table.

When I did, she chuckled. "I can see the knots in your back, Morgan! You shouldn't wait so long between visits."

I sighed as she began. "I know. There's just so much to do! The Head Mistress came by today, and we went through the menus again. I think this must be the fourth time now."

"Yes, and then there's the nonsense about Faryn to deal with. I heard you had to dismiss him! What did he do?"

I rolled my eyes and tried to relax. "He fucked the Duke's daughter and got caught. Idiot."

"Good lord. Trouble just seems to follow him. Thank god he's pretty."

"I know, right? I hate to let him go. He was an excellent guardsman. But, the Duke could call for his head. Maybe this will save him."

Maribelle ran her hands along my spine, and I groaned. It hurt so good. I relaxed further as she worked on me, and by the time she was finished, the sun had nearly set on the early spring day. As she helped me dress, I wondered what to do about the Captain.

Tonight was our usual weekly night to have dinner in my suite. This often led to other things that my body was craving, even though my mind told me I probably should cancel. Given how he'd behaved in my office earlier, I knew there would be a problem sooner or later. I hoped it'd be later, though. I really needed the Household to run smoothly for the next two weeks.

My apartments were well appointed. I had a living area, a small office, a main bedroom suite, and a bathing area. In each, there was a fireplace lit against the chill of the night. The colors, my favorites, were rich reds and golds. In the living area, there was a couch and chairs, plus a small table where I could have meals. The office was more of an alcove by the window than a proper room, with a roll-top desk.

The bedroom contained more chairs by the window and a heavily curtained four-poster bed covered with a luxurious down-filled duvet. Two wardrobes were also in the room, one containing gowns for the season and the other containing more everyday clothing. The bath was imported marble with a great tub and a watercloset that had been installed a year ago. The entire place was lit with wall sconces and candles to make it glow.

I called for my bath right away when I arrived and it took just a few minutes for the servants to begin to fill the tub with hot water. I kept my hair up as they washed me to keep it dry and was nearly dressed when the Captain arrived.

"Mistress, I'm here!" he called from the living area. He knew better than to come into my more private rooms without being specifically invited.

"I'll be out in a minute," I told him, allowing the giggling girls to finish lacing me before shooing them away with a wink and a smile.

When I entered the living area, my heart pounded as I found him on his knees before the fireplace, hands behind his back, and head bowed. He does know how to get on my good side. I strode to him slowly, pacing myself, enjoying the sound of my heels on the floor before I stepped on the carpet beside him.

"Please allow me to apologize for my outburst earlier today, Ma'am," he said quietly. "It was unfounded."

I couldn't think of a better way to start our evening. Perhaps I wouldn't have to let him go after all. I stood before him and allowed him to press his body along my leg and rest his head on my abdomen. I stroked his hair and felt him relax under my touch. We connected like this so seldom anymore that I was disappointed when the knock of the servants at the door announced dinner had arrived.

The Captain looked up at me. "May I serve you dinner?" he asked, his voice low and husky, sending a thrill through me.

"You may." I watched as he removed his shirt knowing that I liked seeing him in nothing but his leathers. He folded the shirt and set it aside on the sofa before motioning me to the table.

I moved to sit as the servants laid out the food. Once they did, he dismissed them. With pleasure, I watched his muscles flex with even the slightest movements as he poured our wine and loaded my plate for me before piling his high. He settled opposite me and waited for my signal to begin, which he did once I nodded.

We ate in silence for a while before he cleared his throat. "Mistress, may I speak freely?"

"As long as it is not about Faryn, yes, you may," I allowed.

He wiped his mouth and paused. "I would like to talk about marriage, Morgan."

I frowned, not following his meaning. "What about it?"

"We've been dating for over a year. I would like to talk about us getting married."

I froze momentarily, fork halfway to my mouth before setting it on my plate. "You expect us to get married?"

His brow knit together. "Well, eventually, yes, I thought it was the goal. Isn't it usually when a man and a woman are in love?"

I was taken aback. "You're in love with me?"

"Yes, of course. Are you not in love with me?"

I didn't know how to respond. How did you gently tell someone that you didn't love them? I didn't know what to say, so I remained quiet.