Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 35 Part 1: Endgames

Verushka seemed sufficiently distracted with satisfying her grumbling stomach rather than pursuing the matter and the three girls tucked into their feast with gusto.

"Thanks so much. I'm starving!" Verushka slid a thick slice of cheese between two layers of bread and inserted a large portion of it into her mouth. "It's like those debutant's barely eat and anytime I reached for a slice of cake I got frowned at by several matrons."

"Mmmm...," Liara licked the sweetened flakes from her lips. "This is how the other half lives!"

"Mmph kermphm nermml," Mina chewed her own appreciation before gulping. "Totally."

Having laid waste to her first breakfast item, Verushka took her time selecting the next morsel. She chose a particularly delectable strawberry tart with dusted icing sugar and tried not to be overly concerned with the increasing number of crumbs on her mattress. "Who made these?" she asked taking a bite. "They are amazing."

Mina pointed at Liara to avoid wasting valuable time on speech.

Verushka looked at the other maid with shock. "No way, Li."

"Uh, huh," Liara nodded. "I told you I've been up before dawn, and the maids here seem quite insistent on actually completing their jobs so the only thing I could be arsed doing is baking. Turns out I'm a bit of a natural. Who knew?" she laughed. "Anyway, Mina also tried to find a use for her particular skill set so she has been climbing trees in the orchard to pick fresh fruit... which is also the reason she is currently soiling your beautiful bedding."

Verushka glanced down at the muddy smears along the coverlet with a grimace.

Mina attempted to dust the stains surreptitiously to no avail, at which point she just folded a blanket corner over it. "Now tell us everything!"

"Umm... Verushka hedged, suddenly too shy to invite the scrutiny of her friends into her new life, "what do you want to know?"

"EVERYTHING!" Both girls yelled out, sending sprays of frosted pastry out like a blast of snow.

"Okay..." Verushka began. "To tell you the truth it was so scary. I was nervous the whole time and if I didn't have Jay with me I don't think I could have done it. I thought at some point I was sure to step on someone's toes, or speak out of turn, or trip and have everyone stare at me and discover that I was an imposter. But, it turned out alright in the end. I think they might have even liked me."

"Hah," Liara scoffed. "That's the understatement of the year. Rumour has already circulated that the ton adore you-"

"Which of course they would," Mina nodded as if it was a surety.

"-and that you are a 'diamond of the first water'," Liara concluded.

"Really?" Ver's eyes widened. "That's what they are saying?"

Both girls nodded once again in unison.

"I mean, I know my dance card was always full but I never suspected that they would truly like me."

"Oh my god," Liara rolled her eyes. "This is just like that time that you moved over from the Riverstone Manor to the Bexley Townhouse and you thought that no one would like you but every single male in the house ended up being infatuated with you, well except the Duke of Bexley but he wasn't really living in the house at the time so he can be forgiven."

"But, he is back now," Verushka pointed out.

"Yes," Mina concurred. "Back and in love with you."

Verushka pressed her lips into a thin line of disagreement. "Don't be silly."

"What's so silly about that?" Mina asked. "Everyone is talking about how you managed to charm the Duke in one night."