Page 4 of Tempting the Earl
“Emily!” he almost yelped as he looked up at her on the ladder. “Whatever are you doing up there? Get down at once. You will trip over your skirts and fall and break your neck. What were you thinking doing something so foolish?” he demanded crossly. He knew he was being unreasonable, that was what the ladder was for after all, but he just could not help being concerned for the girl’s safety.
“I am so sorry, my lord. I was just trying to reach that last volume of Josephus. I thought it would be best to shelve them all together. I did not wish to disturb you at your work, my lord. I'm sorry for upsetting you.” Emily explained in a rush as she bobbed him a deferential curtsy, fear filling her features, making Philip feel like a churlish beast.
Philip raked a hand through his dark, wavy hair trying to contain his tumultuous feelings, realizing he was being strangely irrational with regards to the young woman standing with calm dignity before him. After heaving a frustrated sigh, he dismissed her for the day. "That will be all for today, Emily. Go see Mrs. Simms and get a new assignment from her, we will not be requiring your services here for the rest of the day. You can work out a schedule with Mr. Dale tomorrow."
Emily bobbed a quick curtsy and left the room with relief written all over her face.
Chapter Four
After making her escape from the earl’s disturbing presence, she contemplated her morning spent in his library. What a stroke of genius to tell him she had worked in the library and the gardens. She had been able to be genuine and enthusiastic on the topic. And it hadn’t even been a complete lie.I love the library and the garden, she thought with a grin.
“Thank you, milord,” Emily had murmured with as much deference as she could muster, trying not to reveal too much relief as she felt elation bubble up inside at the prospect of being safe and reasonably comfortable for the first time in months. Having enjoyable work to do would be the icing on the cake.
With that Emily had turned and started gazing about her for the first time since she’d entered the vast room. She gasped with pleasure at the splendour of the collection. Massive bookshelves ran from floor to ceiling, crammed full of volumes of priceless editions. Some, she could see, were quite old and rare, and the variety was endless. This was obviously not just for show but was a true collection by a real book lover, one she would take great pleasure in exploring.
She approached the nearest shelves and reverently reached out a hesitant hand to touch a heavy volume. ‘Sophocles,’ she whispered to herself as she delicately fingered the next volume and took a deep breath of the unique scent of the book collection.
She’d had the best day in ever so long. She had greatly enjoyed listening to the informative dialogue between the master of the house and his secretary and was amazed at how involved he was with all the details of running his estates. It impressed her that he knew about the lives of his tenants. Most in his position did not even know their names, she was sure. He was still very proud, but her estimation of him had grown, and she wished to learn more of the management and details of being a landlord. She considered it would be very useful information to have if she could ever get her own affairs straightened out.
Emily returned to the present, shoving thoughts of her messy circumstances aside for the time being. For now, she was Emily the housemaid. She would be safe at Yorkleigh for the time being. For that safety, she owed the earl her attentive service. The day flew by.
~~~~
The next day Mrs. Simms directed Emily towards Henri, the head gardener, having informed the older man that the young miss was going to be assisting him. His usual slightly dishevelled look increased in disarray as he tugged on his wiry grey locks, ranting over this seeming slight to his botanical genius.
“Never had a she-person helping out in the garden before. Don’t know what’s going on with his lordship, that I don’t! Of what use is a she-person going to be to me, that’s what I’d like to know…” He continued grumbling incoherently as he paced in front of her.
Emily was a bit taken aback. Realizing how he felt about her dubious help made her uneasy, but she put on a brave face, cleared her throat loudly and announced, “I’m here, sir. I am ready to be of assistance.”
“Well it’s about time, too. Let me have a look at you, I don’t think you’ll be of much use you’re much too scrawny. What I need are some strapping young men. What’s his lordship thinking, that’s what I want to know,” with that he dwindled off into his grumbling again.
Emily’s eyes were wide with indecision, but she set her shoulders and said firmly, “I may be small, sir, but I am a good worker and I have experience working in a similar style of garden in the past. If you will give me a chance, I would like very much to be of assistance to you in the earl's gardens.”
Henri shrugged in a decidedly foreign manner and waved his hand towards the distant garden, “Go see what you can do with the flowers, the heads need removing and so do the weeds. I’ll check on you later and see what you’re capable of.”
“Thank you, sir, I will see you later then.” With that Emily made her way happily to begin her tasks, determined to prove her abilities and worth to the grumpy older man.
~~~~
Lord Yorkleigh stood at a distance debating the wisdom of interrupting the slight figure bent over her work. He had been wondering if he had taken a blow to the head that he couldn't remember, so distracted was he by thoughts of this young woman. He had been unable to settle down to work that morning, disturbed by wondering what she was up to. He had been disgusted with himself but had once again succumbed to his curiosity and went off in search of her, leaving James to deal with the unwanted details in the library. Henri had made it quite clear what his opinion was on the matter of Emily and her dubious assistance. It had been amusing to hear Henri's opinion of the earl's assigning him a woman to work with, and that had relieved Philip of some of his disquietude.
So there he stood admiring her as she tugged vigorously at the stubborn weed patch Henri was testing her on. As he had left the house an impulse had caused him to pick up an old hat and pair of gloves left in a cupboard by his mother. Thinking of Emily's pale, delicate looking skin he had thought she could use them, before he realized none of his servants displayed much vanity. He was starting to feel awkward just standing there looking at her so he strode forward briskly to interrupt her.
Philip thrust the items toward her unceremoniously, without a word, interrupting her work. She looked up in amazement, a delighted smile gracing her now slightly pink hued face. It would appear he was a little too late.
“My lord, how did you know that was just what I was wishing for?”
“I figured you would burn and peel that fair skin of yours if you sunned yourself out here all day. I don’t think that would be a sight Mr. Dale is prepared to face when you are helping him in the library,” Philip prevaricated as he took in the information that she really hadn’t a clue about the way things worked in reality.
It had been an impulsive gesture, bringing the hat and gloves as an excuse for seeking her out. He had not actually expected her to accept the articles so readily. It was the members of thetonwho so concerned themselves about maintaining their creamy complexions. He grew ever more intrigued with his secretive little maid. What kind of servant was she, this beautiful young woman with the trunk-full of secrets? He was powerfully attracted and yet frustratingly disturbed by his newest servant. She was beautiful, but he could not forget the bedraggled mess that had climbed out of his boot just days before. And he was repulsed by his own attraction to someone from the servant's quarters. He was not the sort to so abuse his authority.
He felt drawn to her in a way he had never felt before. He argued with himself that it was merely compassion for an obviously troubled young woman while he completely ignored the fact that others in his employ had trouble in their background and he had never felt the intense need to observe and protect them like he did with this Emily.
He shook his head and left her to her work after seeing that she was getting along well in her role in the gardens. He observed that Henri hadn’t dismissed her yet.Even that surly old coot isn’t immune to her charms, Philip thought with a silent chuckle as he wondered if everyone on the estate would fall at her feet.
~~~~
After the earl left, Emily had the vague sensation that the sun had gone behind a cloud but when she stood to stretch out her sore, tense muscles and glanced around the now immaculate patch of garden, she could see that the sun was still blazing through the spring sky.
