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Reaching up with an unusually cluers traced a randoave out and he let it fall back to his abdo “There Like you said Liked the way you did
the water Needsoneeddeath”
“No I forbid that, Dev You’re my servant You serve me”
She wouldn’t let him push her away, but he tried She didn’t want to hurt hiht him here in the yard in front of the leers of Ruskin’sswirl of his thoughts a mixture of pain and exhaustion, so deep she almost felt the lassitude in her own limbs
“It will be all right,” she said, letting it go for now and giving hi her other ar his face into her breast, the pro him hide from himself “Let me take care of you, Dev Don’t think
Just sleep”
It took two rinses in the yard to get h so that he wouldn’t turn the water in the inside tub into a , so thankfully he didn’t have to see Ruskin’s departure
Danny had to leave her staff to do the washing of the outer crust while she perfor to block the whi children, she overheard one stock instructions that, once back in Darwin, they would be put back into their individual ses and starved for the next week as punishment for their failure She couldn’t bear to look at their faces, and actually hated the Vampire Council for their apathy
Lord Ruskin’s fareas curt, though his eyes were hard on her face “I will restock , so they will perform far more ably So I advise you to improve your manners, as well as those of your servant Otherwise, you will be part of the excellent entertainments I’ll have planned”
She cheerfully and viciously hoped he would drive straight into Hades as the entourage passed out of her gates and headed down the dusty track to start the long journey back to Darwin However, she couldn’t take her eyes away as the last Rover passed and the three caged children in it watched her, fear and pain in their gazes
Damn it, damn it, damn it
Turning back toward the porch, she saw her s old Jilance, he stepped forward “Any orders, my lady?”
“You’re in charge until Dev’s on his feet For tonight, have the men retire to quarters and handle their stock duties as normal”
“Yes,of forelocks, an exchange of glances, none of which she perceived as being duplicitous, and then they were off to the sleeping quarters Fro look, she knew she could rest easy, at least for tonight However, she couldn’t delay long in deter the house staff, would all need two h, she had only one thing to do that really mattered to her
Her ht the sein some more clean water At her entrance, they both looked up, but she waved a hand so that they could continue, though her gaze narrowed thoughtfully on the young woman
“Ruskin didn’t assign you to watch me Who are you?”
“No, ht before she died She saidyou’d probably like ed and she rushed on “I ood lady’s maid, as well asI can do household duties, also
Mrs Rupert”—she nodded to the cook—“she can tell you I’m a hard worker”
“A little too pretty,” the cook said gruffly “But, yes, my lady The blokes fall over themselves when they see her, but she keeps her aze shifted “Your ed it so Elisa would never be bothered by the old master His oath to her Possibly the only one he ever honored, and that was because she hasn’t been gone very long Plus, he was still occupied with Mary This one was a little too strong willed for his tastes”
Danny arched her brows and the woies—”
“None needed,” Danny said “Thank you for that honesty Elisa has already proven her worth to me today As you have” There was a rumble, a sound suspiciously like a snort, and Danny adjusted her glance to see Dev considering the young wo bosoht over his face “I like her fine already,” he observed