Hire Me
1079 Words
“Fine,” he said. Robert took a breath and sighed. “The ladies that work for me were up last night pleasuring gentlemen for money. They are still sleeping. Please come along, now.” Amelia wrinkled her nose and frowned. “Look, Princess, none of these women are forced to work for me. And I am good to them,” he said. Amelia felt as if he was trying to defend what he did, although she had no idea why her opinion of his livelihood should matter to him. “I charge them very little to rent their rooms, so they keep a good portion of their wages. I don’t allow anyone to hit them. I don’t allow drug use by them or any of my guests. My ladies are well taken care of. I treat them better than most other places around here. Ladies in their position are begging for a place in my establishment.” He said, pointing to the top of the stairs.
Robert once again held Amelia by the hand. This time he held it tightly, leading her up the marbled master stairs and down a short hallway to a small office. There was a neat oak desk and chair in the middle of the room facing the door. Empty bookshelves lined the walls and a small green gas lamp hung over the desk. The walls had been painted pale blue. There was a circular off-white rug with blue flowers under the desk. A clean fireplace was on the back wall with a chestnut rocking chair had been placed close by. On the other side of the fireplace was a worn blue armchair. It looked soft and inviting to Amelia. She could imagine herself sitting in the armchair with her legs tucked up underneath her as she read a book by firelight. This was the only bright room that she had seen since she arrived.
“How are you with figures?” he asked, leading her to the desk. He continued to hold her hand.
“I can budget a household’s finances if that is what you are asking.” She replied, glancing around the comfortable room.
“Good, my previous housekeeper has left for a more lucrative position,” he said with another evil grin.
Amelia’s eyebrows drew together, her forehead wrinkled and her frown deepened. He smiled again at her, almost laughing at her.
“Oh Princess, you are pretty when you’re angry. I bet you are lovely when you wash the flour off your face.” He brushed some of the flour off her cheek with his thumb.
A tiny spark sliced through Amelia. The only men she had been around were her uncle and other servants. Very few male members of the staff spoke to her and Amelia did her best to stay out of her uncle’s reach. This man purposely angered her and now he touched her. She was shocked. The angry mask she had worn since meeting Robert slipped from her face. Amelia shuddered involuntarily. Robert grinned his wicked grin that angered Amelia and the spell that had weakened her knees was suddenly broken. She slapped his hand away from her face.
“I am not one of your ladies. Do not touch me again.”
“Fair enough, but you did enjoy it, Princess,” he said. Robert pulled her hand that he continued to hold to his lips and gently kissed the top. Robert stared into Amelia’s eyes and wore a sideways grin. The nervousness Amelia felt upon first meeting him returned; she wondered what his intentions towards her were. She wondered if she would be able to escape from this house and if anyone would come to her aid if she screamed. He took a deep breath.
“This is what I need from you, Princess.” He said to Amelia as if the encounter never took place. “My previous housekeeper was very detailed with my household accounts. Now that she has left, it seems that money has gone unaccounted for.” He paused and stared at her once more.
The smile that was previously on his face was gone and Amelia could see why her uncle was scared. His eyes grew dark and his jaw tensed. He looked angry enough to strike someone. She could see he did not like someone taking advantage of him.
“I don’t like that. I don’t like when people steal from me and I don’t like when people refuse to pay their debts.” Robert paused and brushed stray hair from her eyes. “I want to find out where the money is going. If someone is stealing from me, find out who it is.” Even his voice had changed, he spoke to her with a harsh tone.
“And then what?” Amelia asked and his grin returned.
“If you should discover that someone on my staff is stealing from me, you will notify me and I will take care of it. These ledgers,” he said, pointing to the books on the desk, “were kept up by Ms. Pryce until she left. I haven’t changed any household spending.”
“Are you certain?” She asked, puzzled as to why someone would dare to anger the man in front of her. Mr. Deacon was large and muscular, he could easily toss her across the room if he chose. Even her uncle, a full-grown man, was terrified of the club owner. Amelia had also had firsthand experience with people who could overspend. “I have observed that it is very easy for some to overspend and not realize it.”
“I am not one of those people,” he said and pulled Amelia to the desk. “Do what I ask. Go through the books.” His tone implied that he did not wish to ask her again. He opened the top drawer and revealed a drawer full of receipts. “Go through the receipts and find where the missing money has gone. You do that, I’ll forgive Winthrop’s debt and you can go home.”
“I don’t have a home and I don’t want to go back to Lord Winthrope’s.”
“Go where you like then, I don’t care.”
Amelia finally realized her opportunity for freedom was standing right in front of her. She smiled for the first time since her arrival.
“Hire me.” She said.
- Writer
