Page 40 of Once More, My Darling Rogue
“I must have just used up everything,” Phee said.
Marla smiled brightly. “It’s a good thing I brought what we’ll be needin’ then. What all have you seen to today?”
“I washed the dishes after breakfast.”
“That’s good. What else?”
Phee thought about it. Surely she’d done something. Marla widened her eyes as though she thought that would assist Phee with finding the answer. “I opened packages.”
Marla laughed lightly. “Did you now?”
“Drake brought me some things—books and clothes and a hairbrush.” She couldn’t stop her smile at the last.
“Drake?” Marla asked.
“Yes. Drake Darling. He lives here. I told you that yesterday.”
“You should refer to him as Mr. Darling.”
But he didn’t seem like a Mr. Darling to her. Drake or Darling seemed to fit better. Perhaps because she’d awoken in his bed. “All right, then, yes, Mr. Darling.”
“Why would he be bringing you a hairbrush?”
“Because I haven’t one.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I seem to be without a good many things. I think perhaps I was going somewhere when I fell into the river.”
“You fell into the river?”
“Yes, I told you that.”
“Nah, you said you hit your head.”
“Well, I fell into the river and now I can’t remember anything. Although I sense I’m being rude. Would you care for some tea?”
“We haven’t time for tea. Mrs. Pratt only gave me an hour to help you this morning, so we’d best get on with it. Have you swept the front walk?”
“No, why would I?”
“Because leaves and dirt and such are on it. You can’t expect Mr. Darling to walk through the muck.”
“It seems a waste of time. The wind will only blow the leaves and dirt and such back onto the path.”
Marla shrugged. “Which is why we do it every day.” Without asking, she opened the pantry door, peered inside, and removed a broom. Then picked up her bucket that was filled with rags, bottles, and tins. “Come on. I’ll show you how it’s done.”
“I think I can manage sweeping.”
While Phee proved her skills in that regard, Marla went back into the residence and returned moments later with a bucket of water. Phee supposed she should have been a bit more cautious about Marla going into the residence but it wasn’t as though Darling possessed anything of value to be taken. Besides, Marla was a housekeeper and domestics were trusted. She had no reason to pilfer. She had a salary.
With her hands on her hips, Marla walked along the pathway from the door to the gate like someone inspecting troops. How did Phee know that? Had she seen troops being inspected?
“You did a fair job,” Marla said.
“Fair? I did an excellent job.”
“You missed a few bits here and there.”
