and Clifford.’ He put his hand on Lily’s shoulder and his fingers were warm on her skin. She felt exposed in her low-cut gown and saw that the eyes of both men were drawn to the shadow between her breasts.
‘We do not stand on ceremony here,’ James was saying as he led the way into the small dining room. ‘Please, gentlemen, make yourselves at home.’
Betty carried in the tureen and ladled mutton broth into bowls. The smell rose invitingly and the two men began to eat with relish, Conrad dipping his bread into his bowl and sucking at it eagerly.
‘You are an excellent cook, Lily,’ Conrad said, soup dribbling unchecked down his chin. Lily averted her eyes.
‘Thank you, Conrad, but I did have a little help.’
‘Don’t listen to her!’ James said. ‘She is the finest cook a man could ever wish to meet and quite a game little filly into the bargain.’
The men laughed and Lily felt uncomfortable. She glared at James, angry with him for being so crude especially in earshot of such fine gentlemen. Her eyes were drawn to the gold ring set with a large diamond that sparkled on Clifford’s thin fingers. He was the smaller of the two men, his face a little gaunt to be called handsome but he had deep blue eyes that met Lily’s whenever she glanced at him.
Conrad on the other hand was well built, his breeches stretched over his round stomach. He had a red, rather jolly face and a ready smile. Of the two of them, she preferred Conrad. Not that she needed to like either of the men, they were being entertained to supper, given a bed for the night and then, presumably, they would be off on their travels in the morning.
The beef was served and it sizzled with heat on the platter. Whole onions surrounded the joint and small roast potatoes and a garnish of herbs offset the smallness of the joint, the smell making the mouth water.
The wine flowed freely and Lily wondered how much the men were paying. It would have to be a great deal to cover the expense of the meat and the drink.
The pudding was steamed to perfection, the honey running over the sides melting into a golden glow.
‘You have fallen on your feet with this little lady,’ Conrad said, wiping his mouth on the napkin. Lily groaned inwardly; there would be a great deal of boiling of table linen tomorrow but, then, Betty could see to all that.
When the debris of the meal lay spread about the table, James replenished the wine glasses yet again and nodded in Lily’s direction.
‘Go along, Lily, we gentlemen wish to smoke, remember your manners now.’ He slid an arm around her waist as, embarrassed at his tone, she rose abruptly. His hand tightened as she would have wriggled free.
He ran his other hand along her hip and let it rest for a moment on the curve of her buttocks. ‘Go along then.’ He released his grip. ‘Go upstairs, I’ll come to you when I need you.’
As Lily went into the bedroom, she wondered at James’s parting words. What did he mean about needing her? Was he letting her know in advance that he wanted to come to her bed again? She sighed inwardly; she had wanted to hold him at bay, to make him more eager for marriage. But if entertaining was James’s only idea of making money, they could never afford to get married; she felt they would make little or no profit out of his scheme. She had been well looked after by her late husband and had grown accustomed to depending on him for everything. James however seemed to have no head for business at all.
She was practically asleep when she heard the sound of ribald laughter from the hallway. Heavy feet stomped up the stairs and Lily held her breath, expecting James to come into her room at any moment. She was not mistaken.
‘Ah, Lily, let’s get some more light in here.’ He lit the candles he had carried upstairs and, behind him, Conrad and Clifford stared at her as if she were another delicious morsel to be picked up and eaten. Lily drew the covers up to her chin.
The men crowded
‘We do not stand on ceremony here,’ James was saying as he led the way into the small dining room. ‘Please, gentlemen, make yourselves at home.’
Betty carried in the tureen and ladled mutton broth into bowls. The smell rose invitingly and the two men began to eat with relish, Conrad dipping his bread into his bowl and sucking at it eagerly.
‘You are an excellent cook, Lily,’ Conrad said, soup dribbling unchecked down his chin. Lily averted her eyes.
‘Thank you, Conrad, but I did have a little help.’
‘Don’t listen to her!’ James said. ‘She is the finest cook a man could ever wish to meet and quite a game little filly into the bargain.’
The men laughed and Lily felt uncomfortable. She glared at James, angry with him for being so crude especially in earshot of such fine gentlemen. Her eyes were drawn to the gold ring set with a large diamond that sparkled on Clifford’s thin fingers. He was the smaller of the two men, his face a little gaunt to be called handsome but he had deep blue eyes that met Lily’s whenever she glanced at him.
Conrad on the other hand was well built, his breeches stretched over his round stomach. He had a red, rather jolly face and a ready smile. Of the two of them, she preferred Conrad. Not that she needed to like either of the men, they were being entertained to supper, given a bed for the night and then, presumably, they would be off on their travels in the morning.
The beef was served and it sizzled with heat on the platter. Whole onions surrounded the joint and small roast potatoes and a garnish of herbs offset the smallness of the joint, the smell making the mouth water.
The wine flowed freely and Lily wondered how much the men were paying. It would have to be a great deal to cover the expense of the meat and the drink.
The pudding was steamed to perfection, the honey running over the sides melting into a golden glow.
‘You have fallen on your feet with this little lady,’ Conrad said, wiping his mouth on the napkin. Lily groaned inwardly; there would be a great deal of boiling of table linen tomorrow but, then, Betty could see to all that.
When the debris of the meal lay spread about the table, James replenished the wine glasses yet again and nodded in Lily’s direction.
‘Go along, Lily, we gentlemen wish to smoke, remember your manners now.’ He slid an arm around her waist as, embarrassed at his tone, she rose abruptly. His hand tightened as she would have wriggled free.
He ran his other hand along her hip and let it rest for a moment on the curve of her buttocks. ‘Go along then.’ He released his grip. ‘Go upstairs, I’ll come to you when I need you.’
As Lily went into the bedroom, she wondered at James’s parting words. What did he mean about needing her? Was he letting her know in advance that he wanted to come to her bed again? She sighed inwardly; she had wanted to hold him at bay, to make him more eager for marriage. But if entertaining was James’s only idea of making money, they could never afford to get married; she felt they would make little or no profit out of his scheme. She had been well looked after by her late husband and had grown accustomed to depending on him for everything. James however seemed to have no head for business at all.
She was practically asleep when she heard the sound of ribald laughter from the hallway. Heavy feet stomped up the stairs and Lily held her breath, expecting James to come into her room at any moment. She was not mistaken.
‘Ah, Lily, let’s get some more light in here.’ He lit the candles he had carried upstairs and, behind him, Conrad and Clifford stared at her as if she were another delicious morsel to be picked up and eaten. Lily drew the covers up to her chin.
The men crowded
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