Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 8: Dalliance in the Dark

He smiled at her trying to seem casual and make her feel safe, but here in the shadowed gardens beneath the pale glow of the moon and the din of genteel conversation and silverware inside she did not feel safe. For some reason this supposedly unimposing, well dressed, well versed man had a hum of danger about him. And yes, a part of her kind of liked it.... a large part, if she was honest with herself. But, like any normal girl with a flawed plan, her flight/fight response was thundering through her blood.

He took a step forward and she stilled.

He took a step back.

Jay turned away to considered his battle tactics. Clearly this woman did not want to be approached, so his earlier plan to kiss her senseless was obviously going to have to wait. No need to abandon the idea completely- just postpone the inevitable. He ran his eyes over her, assessing her with tools garnered from the Home Office. She wore a well pressed uniform but clearly did not look comfortable in it in a way that could not be blamed on the stew soaking through the cotton. She was definitely not a woman who obsessed over her visage and clearly wanted or needed to spend much of her time in the sun giving her complexion an unfashionable tanned glow, but her hips did have a dramatic wonderful curve to them and her fingers were long and slender....and splattered with paint. Ah, so perhaps she was an artist of sorts?

Mina watched him avert his eyes for a moment and lean on a banister but she still had the impression he was too controlled. And then he asked the strangest question-

"What is your favourite colour?"

Mina frowned, "Why do you want to know? What's your favourite colour?" She shot out the words in rapid succession.

He laughed a deep, rich, decadent laugh. For a man who appeared casual but seemed to her dangerously controlled, Mina found his laugh to be the first real, disarming quality about him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt true.... whatever that meant, and she felt herself soften when he finally answered, "Green" with a friendly shine in his eyes.

"Oh... well then mine is blue...or purple. I used to like royal blue but now I think I like purple better. Not a dark violet-" she made a disgusted face, "- no, more like a lilac." Mina paused for a moment and then continued, "although... sometimes I like pink, a bright pink ....oh and green is also nice too, but not my favourite."

His eyebrows were raised when she looked up. He had expected a simple response, he never imagined she would have an arsenal of favourite colours or such a strong preference for some. Artist or no, most women painted watercolours because it was fashionable.

"What?" she asked

"Oh, nothing" he seemed to relax again. Play it cool Jay! he scolded himself.

"No," she was adamant. "What is it?" she started to sound slightly defensive.

He paused and then explained, "I just never gave it so much thought. Is there a reason you like those.... colours?" He finished with a slow, almost 'I can't believe I'm asking this question'  lilt.

Mina rolled her eyes. "Of course! I mean, I don't know the exact reason but some colours just make you feel happy or calm or..." she looked into his grey eyes and thought that they were the exact colour of storm clouds.

"Umm... what was I saying?" she questioned.

"You were explaining about colours. You are probably right you know. I never postulated shade definitions before, having a more mathematical mind than philosophical. However people do tend to define dyes by means of evocation, notoriety or remembrance ."

Mina knew her eyes were a little blank. She had only caught every other word and though her English lessons with the upstairs maid were good she didn't exactly go to College.