The Seahorse and the Spice 🪼🎩✔

2: A Little Wine Never Hurt Anyone

Salem
I woke up and groaned, the hangover from last night's trip to the bottom of the bottle hit me like a spear into my eyeball since I had an old hag who didn't care about my hangover like I did.
"Wake up, Master Barma, you have a day ahead of you. Lord Higgaby is in the drawing room awaiting your arousal."
"Why is he over here so early?" I groaned, throwing my hands over my face.
"Milord, it's one o'clock in the afternoon."
"Is it? Oh... well... Tell him I'll be around shortly."
"Yes sir. I will have one of the maids bring you something for the headache. A tonic perhaps..."
"Yes, that will be nice."
I got up and stretched, looking down and realizing that I didn't have any pants on. I shrugged and smiled, because I looked amazing down there. Who could resist this? Obviously not Lady Sophia from last night... I chuckled to myself about what had happened. I would have to relate this to Andrew when I see him. I picked out my clothes and got dressed.

********************

As I went down the stairs and toward the drawing room, I passed by someone who was scrubbing the floor furiously and was in the way.
"Excuse me, wench, you're in the way."
She looked up and I frowned.
"Oh, it's you again. What are you doing on the floor?"
"Scrubbing it, of course."
I watched the woman scrub for a moment and though she had been so annoying last night, the fact that she was on the floor with those beautiful hands made me almost sad.
"You should wear gloves when you scrub. Your hands are the only pretty thing on you; best not to have them go downhill as well."
She glared at me and sat back on her knees.
"Thank you, milord, for the suggestion. If you'll be so kind as she move aside and not step in my water?"
I looked at the small puddle of water and just to be mean, I walked through it and trailed water to the drawing room.
I opened the door and saw Andrew sitting there with one leg on the other, dressed to the tee as usual, and sipping some tea. He looked over and smiled at me.
"Ah, Salem, I'm glad you've finally awoken. I thought maybe you were going to sleep away the whole day. How do you do that?"
"By drinking all night and passing out..."
"I can tell. Your face is... a bit zitty."
"No!" I said, not believing him.
"Aye, it's true, it's true." He put the cup on the table and pointed to his cheek. "It's right there."
I put my hand to my face and he was right, I felt it there. I frowned but sat down and poured myself some tea.
"I've found an interesting person here at my mansion. I didn't even know she was here until yesterday."
"Oh?"
"Yes. This horrid maid. She was very untoward to me, the first one that I've met that has been. She told me that doing my every whim was not on her schedule or something like that."
"Smart girl. I'd like to meet her."
I frowned at him. "She's horrible."
"No, she's right and you don't like it. You've never had a woman tell you that you're a pompous ass and you're afraid of it... or rather, you like it." He said with a look as he leaned on his arm on the table, his green eyes giving me a look. "You kind of like that she's like you toward you."
"That's preposterous! A woman who fights back? That's almost like a shy virgin with a secret lust. That's not fun at all. What's the use of it all being there and not drawing it out?"
Andrew shrugged when the door opened and the butler came in.
"Sir, there is a Lord Jacoby in the foryer, would you like for him to come into the drawing room?"
"Why is he here?" I asked, surprised that the father of the woman I just had relations with was coming to see me.
"He said that he wanted to talk with you."
"Well, go ahead and send him in. Keep the door open..."
He bowed to me and I pointed to the maid on the floor.
"See her? That one right there is the smart ass one."
Andrew turned his head and watched her as she scrubbed.
"She's got a nice ass though. Watch it as she scrubs."
I looked and turned my head because he was right, she had a nice round backside. The view was obscured by a pair of legs and an old man. Horace Jacoby stood in my doorway and I sighed, looking at him with a tired look.
"What is it you want, Lord Jacoby? I thought you had kicked me out of your house so wouldn't I be the one who should bring you a gift?"
"True. But I think you have taught my daughter a lesson on picking up rakes with her innocent looking eyes. Though my daughter is now... ruined... I think this is a good lesson for her. So, I came to apologize with this wine. It's some of the best from Italy and I figured that for throwing you out of my house in your knickers."
Andrew coughed to hide a laugh and I made a face at him. I stood up and accepted the wine.
"Thank you. I will break it open as soon as you leave."
"Indeed... Someday, Duke Barma, I hope that you have a daughter and a man just like you does what you did to my Sophia so that she will learn her lesson as well."
I heard someone laughing and I looked behind the baron to see the maid laughing her head off. Andrew was snickering as well and I frowned.
"Thank you, I'll be sure to enjoy this wine."
The baron bowed and left and I looked at the bottle of wine. Andrew stood up and grabbed the bottle from me to look at it.
"Hmm, looks like a good year. Shall we pop it open now or will you wait and debauch yourself into it tonight?"
"It's for me shagging his daughter, not you." I growl, taking the wine back. "Go find an innocent virgin to shag and maybe her father will be nice enough to give you some wine."
"You're deplorable." Andrew said with a laugh.
"There's no laughing matter about it; you shouldn't encourage the blighter to be that way." I heard from the ground.
We looked down and saw the maid looking at us.
"It's a bit of fun."Andrew said.
She stood up and wiped her hands looking at me.
"I hope that you get what you deserve, you swine!"
"Ooh, she is spicy. No wonder you can't forget her... and a scullery maid too."
"She was supposed to be my personal maid but she's got responsibilities to some brats of hers and couldn't handle it."
"No, sir, I couldn't handle you." She sighed and looked away. "I apologize, milord, I speak out of line."
"I don't know why you apologize now... I'm going to pop this open and take a swig."
I laughed and walked away.

**********************

Later that night, after a horrible stroll in the park and being assaulted by at least three women's mothers, I sank into my chair and sighed. I wanted something but brandy didn't seem to satisfy my want. I noticed the bottle of wine and popped it open, pouring some into a scotch glass. I smelled it and took a swig. It really was a good year and I had to admit that even though the gesture was odd, the wine was damn good. I felt it slink down my throat but when it hit my stomach, I felt something strange, like a warmth come over me. I figured that's how good the wine was.