by Radclyffe
"Did Mr. Norcross explain what your duties are to be?" Graham continued, unaware of Annas discomfort.
"Not in detail. Im afraid I may not be what youre looking for. I have no experience managing a household."
"Really?" Graham remarked dryly, raising an eyebrow. "Mr. Norcross led me to believe that you had been married and now live independently. That sounds as if you have managed at least two."
Anna laughed. "Neither was much of a challenge. Can you tell me what it is that you require?"
Graham sighed slightly, turning toward the fire. In profile signs of fatigue lined her face, and Anna caught glimpses of gray streaking her dark hair. Anna guessed her to be ten years her senior, but despite her commanding tone and rigid control, Anna sensed a weariness that had nothing to do with the years.
"I needassistancewith handling correspondence, reviewing accounts, running the day-to-day affairs of the estate. Helen cannot handle all of this any longer, and Icannot do it alone. I have never had anyone else do it, and I dont want Helen to think that Ive lost confidence in her. It has simply become too much. You would also have to do some rather menial chores, Im afraid. Helen no longer drives, and it is difficult getting deliveries out here." She stopped, making an impatient gesture with one graceful hand. "We need someone at Yardley, it seems, who can manage in the world beyond our gates."
Her tone was bitter, and Anna could only imagine how hard it must be for a woman of such obvious independence to admit she needed a stranger to assist her.
"Ms. Yardley" she began.
"Please, call me Graham," Graham interrupted, "otherwise I will feel truly a relic." She smiled slightly, and Anna caught a fleeting glimpse of her haunting beauty. When she allowed her feelings expression, she was even more intriguing.
"GrahamI am in something of a desperate situation myself. I want to continue in graduate school full-time. Without this job, I wont be able to afford to do thatnot and keep a roof over my head, too. Im afraid Ill need some help, but I would like to try this very much." She meant every word, and her sincerity showed in her voice. She didnt add how drawn she was to Yardley the moment she saw it, or how right it felt to be here. She couldnt admit even to herself how much the woman before her captured her imagination, and her curiosity. She very much wanted to learn more of Yardley, and its compelling master.
Graham ran a hand through her hair, leaving it tousled, and sighed again.
"It seems we are both in need of some assistance, then. Shall we agree to try it for a month or two?"
Anna smiled in relief. "Id like that very much."
Graham rose, crossing to the door with deliberate steps. "Ill send for you when I need you. Good evening."
With that she was gone, her footsteps echoing in the quiet house. Anna glanced up at the portrait, wishing it could tell her who Graham Yardley was.
Chapter Three
Anna awoke very early the next day, as much from excitement as from the strangeness of a new house. It would take a little time to get used to the night noises of the old structure, the rhythmic pounding of the surf, and the absence of city traffic below her window. The quiet seclusion of Yardley Manor had truly transported her to a new world. After Helen retired to her rooms the previous evening, Anna stayed up reading in her sitting room. She must have dozed for it was quite late when she was startled awake by a noise outside in the hall. She listened intently for a few moments, thinking she heard footsteps pause before her door. But then there was only the gentle creak of the shutters in the wind. Smiling to herself, she got ready for bed. As she lay awake, waiting for sleep to come, she mused over her first meeting with her new employer. Rarely had anyone caught her attention quite so dramatically. Graham Yardley was impossible to describe in ordinary terms. Anna was quite sure she had never met anyone like her. As she drifted off to sleep, the image of the dark-haired aristocrat lingered in her mind.
Shaking herself to dispel the last vestiges of sleep, Anna pushed back the heavy comforter and reached for a tee shirt. She moved quickly across the chilly room to the window, anxious for her first glimpse of Yardley in the morning. Looking down across the lawns, she was surprised to see a figure at the edge of the bluff, facing out toward the ocean. She recognized instantly the tall, slender figure of Graham Yardley. As the sun rose, it struck her face, outlining her chiseled profile in stark relief against the sky. Standing so still, her hair windblown, one hand clasping the ebony walking stick, she appeared hauntingly alone.
As Graham began to make her way carefully up the steep slope to the house, Anna stepped back from the window. She didnt want her employer to see her watching. Almost instantaneously she remembered that Graham could not see her. The fact of Grahams blindness saddened her deeply. She wondered why that should be, since she scarcely knew her. Perhaps it was the poorly concealed pain in her voice or the fierce pride beneath the tightly controlled surface. But more than that, Anna was moved by Grahams apparent isolation from the world. To Anna, that was the greatest tragedy of all. Anna experienced life as a feast for all the senses. It was that love of life that drew her to the miracle of growing things and motivated her desire to design living spaces where people could exist in harmony with nature. The environment was the canvas of Annas dreams. It troubled her unaccountably to think that Graham Yardley had withdrawn from that. Anna looked down into the ruins of the Yardley estate, imagining the beauty that once existed there, and she longed to know it as it had once beenflowering with new growth, rich with the pageantry of life.
She turned to dress with a sigh, reminding herself that the reasons this solitary woman chose to live secluded here by the sea were no concern of hers. What did concern her was that she had work to do, although exactly what that work was to be, she wasnt quite certain she yet understood.
When she entered the kitchen, she found Helen busy baking. The clock over the large oven showed the time as 6:20.
"My goodness," Anna exclaimed, "what time did you get up?"
Helen smiled up at her as she placed biscuits on a tray to cool. "Five oclock. I cant seem to sleep late, no matter what! Old habits die hard, I guess. When all of the family was about, Id have breakfast ready and the table in the dining room set by now. Mr. Yardley was a banker, and he always worked here after breakfast for a few hours before he left for town. He said he couldnt work without my breakfast. Thomas, that was my husband, was the general caretaker. He managed the grounds and oversaw most of the staff. Hes been gone almost twenty years. My son worked here too before he went off to college. Hes a doctor now. Lives in California. Even though everyone is gone, I still stick to my old routines." She pushed wisps of gray hair back from her face and straightened her apron. "How did you sleep?"
"Wonderfully," Anna said, eyeing the biscuits appreciatively. She realized she was starving.
Helen caught her look and laughed. "Have one. Ill have the rest ready in a minute. I was just taking a tray to Graham."
"Oh, wont she be joining us?" Anna asked, strangely disappointed.
"Shes in the music room. She takes all her meals in there," Helen informed her, a fleeting expression of concern crossing her face. "Shes been up for hours, I imagine. Im not sure when she sleeps."
"How did she lose her sight?" Anna dared ask.
Undisguised pain crossed the older woman's features fleetingly. "A car accident." She looked as if she might say more, but then quickly busied herself at the stove again. Anna regarded her silently. Helen obviously cared for Graham a great deal. Anna wished there were some way to ask Helen more about her solitary employer, but she knew instinctively that Helen would never discuss anything of Grahams personal life with her. It was clear that Helen guarded Graham's privacy as carefully as did the woman herself.
After a sumptuous meal of biscuits, eggs and country ham, Anna insisted on helping Helen straighten the kitchen. As they worked, she said, "Youll have to give me some idea of how I can help, Helen. I want to be useful."
Helen nodded. "I know this all must seem stran
ge for you. Graham told me that you were a student and would need time for your studies. Ive made a list of things we need, but it shouldnt take too much time."
Anna laughed and said she was sure she could manage. She was touched that both Helen and Graham were concerned about her needs. While she had been married, Rob had acted as if it were a great inconvenience whenever she needed time for herself. She reminded herself that all that was in the past.
"Let me see the list."
**********
It was only 10 A.M. when Anna returned and began unloading the Jeep. It was a clear April morning, the air crisp and fresh. She felt wonderful and hummed as she climbed the steps to the kitchen. She called as she went, "Hello! Helen, Im back!"
She was surprised when Graham pushed the door open. She was wearing an immaculately tailored pale broadcloth shirt tucked into loose-fitting gray gabardine trousers, somehow managing to look casual and elegant at the same time. Anna recognized the understated quality of her attire, the fit so perfect she must have all her clothing made for her. Despite her informal dress, Graham was the image of sophistication.
"Hello," Anna called softly, wondering why this woman made her feel so shy.
"Good morning," Graham replied, sliding the door back while Anna carried a bag of groceries to the counter. Graham stood listening for a moment, then to Annas surprise said, "Let me help you."
Anna started to protest, and then stopped herself. She had gleaned from their brief meeting how critical Grahams independence was to her. Any suggestion that maneuvering the steps with packages in her arms might be dangerous would certainly provoke that formidable temper. "Of course. My Jeep is parked just to the right of the steps. The tailgate is down."
Graham nodded and started down the stairs. Anna watched her, noting that her slight limp was hardly noticeable this morning. Graham moved cautiously but confidently forward, her left hand lightly trailing along the side of the vehicle. When she reached the rear, she looked upward at Anna, who was still standing on the porch.
"Since youre here, why dont you hand me something to carry in?"
"Of course," Anna said, blushing as she realized she had been staring. Why did it seem like Graham knew that? She hurried to pull a box from the Jeep. She handed it to Graham, who cradled it against her chest. Anna didnt move until she saw Graham up the steps safely and through the door. Then she grabbed up the last of the bags and rushed inside. She found Graham emptying the box onto the long counter top. Now and then Graham would turn an object over and over in her hands, her long fingers exploring the shape. Anna was fascinated by the delicate movement and caught herself once again staring at her enigmatic employer.
"Olive oil," Anna said when Graham frowned over the bottle in her hands. "I think I buy that brand because I love the shape of the bottle."
Graham nodded, caressing the curves of glass, committing the shape to memory. "Sensuous, isnt it?" she remarked quietly, as if speaking aloud without realizing it.
Anna blushed for no reason she could understand. "I never thought of it that way, but youre right."
Graham set the heavy bottle down abruptly and straightened her back, her face suddenly remote.
"When youre done here, Id like you to join me in my study. Its the last room on the right."
"Ill be there in a minute," Anna replied as Graham quickly left the room. She sorted the rest of the parcels, then poured a cup of coffee from the pot Helen had left steeping on the stove. As she headed down the hall, she tried not to think about the fact that it wasnt the bottle she had found so sensuous, but the intimate way those graceful hands had held it.
Chapter Four
Her attention was immediately drawn to a magnificent grand piano that stood before double French doors. The doors were open to an enormous flagstone patio. It was the same terrace overlooking the long slope to the sea cliffs which Anna had first seen from her bedroom windows. Opposite the piano was another fireplace with a comfortable appearing sitting area. Grahams breakfast tray lay on a small table before several large leather chairs. Graham sat at a large walnut desk, stacks of papers and envelopes piled before her. Sunlight streamed into the room, highlighting the angular planes of her face.
"What a lovely room," Anna exclaimed.
Graham raised her head, a slight smile softening her features. "Isnt it? Soon, the roses at the edge of the terrace will nearly obscure the view."
Anna glanced at her in surprise before remembering that Graham hadnt always been blind. "How sad," she thought, never to see the roses bloom again.
Perhaps it was the appreciation she heard in Grahams voice, or the sight of the rose bed Graham alluded to nearly obliterated by wild growth, that prompted her to speak impulsively.
"You know," she began hesitantly, "the grounds are badly in need of attention. All the gardens are overgrown- many of the paths are nearly obliterated. They are literally choking to death. The house is suffering from weathering and could use repair, too."
Grahams face was remote. "I hadnt realized. We havent had a gardener here in years," she added absently, unwillingly remembering Yardley in another life. She forced her thoughts back to the present. "Perhaps you could look into it. Make any arrangements you think necessary."
Anna adopted her employers formal tone, afraid that she had given offense. "I will, thank you. Ill keep you informed, of course."
Graham waved her hand dismissively, her mind clearly elsewhere. "I thought we might go through some of this correspondence. Its been neglected for months."
Anna took a seat beside the desk, availing herself of the opportunity to study her employer. Close to her now in the light of day, she could see the fine lines around her eyes, and the abundant gray streaking her coal black hair. The scar on her forehead scarcely detracted from the symmetrical arch of her full, dark brows, the high cheekbones or the strong chin. Her lips were soft and full, in striking contrast to the stark planes of her face. Her eyes were dark and clear, and although Anna knew them to be sightless, the gaze which fell upon her was penetrating nevertheless.
"Why dont we begin with these," Graham said, indicating a stack of unopened envelopes by her left hand. "If you could read them to me, Ill tell you which ones need a reply. Theres a tape recorder there for you to make notes."
For the next hour they sorted mail into piles, some to be discarded, some to be forwarded to Grahams attorney, and some that needed Grahams personal attention. Anna was surprised at the scope of Grahams financial involvements, and a little overwhelmed.
"You know, some of this is quite beyond me," she said at length. "You need more than someone who can barely balance her own checkbook."
Graham stretched her long legs out and shrugged, apparently unconcerned. "Never mind. Youll learn." She stood and walked to the open doors. She leaned into the breeze, her hands in the pockets of her trousers. Anna observed her with interest, trying to imagine how one experienced a world one couldnt see.
"Its nearly one oclock, isnt it?"
Anna glanced at her watch. "A few minutes before."
Graham nodded, crossing to the long buffet on the opposite side of the room. She reached into a small refrigerator enclosed within and withdrew a bottle.
"Would you like some champagne? It seems a reward for our efforts would be appropriate."
Anna smiled. "Id love some."
Anna watched intently as Graham confidently set two crystal glasses on a silver tray, opened the bottle, and placed it carefully in an ice bucket. Turning to Anna, she held out the engraved silver tray.
"If you could take this, we can sit on the terrace. If you dont mind the slight chill to the air," Graham added, raising a questioning eyebrow.
Reaching for the tray Anna smiled. "Id rather be outside no matter what the temperature."
She followed Graham across the flagstone terrace to a round wrought-iron table near the ornate open stone balustrade. The sea breeze blew up from the ocean, ruffling Grahams hair. Graham faced the water, a slight frown on her
face.
"Are you quite sure youre not cold?"
"Im wearing a sweater," Anna replied softly, moved by Graham's thoughtfulness. Graham herself was more exposed in her thin silk shirt. "Can I get you something warmer?"
Graham took a seat next to the glass-topped table and shook her head. "It doesnt seem to bother me."
Graham slid her hand across the table to the tray, deftly found the glasses, and expertly poured their champagne.
"Thank you," Anna said, accepting the glass. Graham nodded slightly in response, and together they turned toward the sea. Silently they basked in the spring sun, not quite warm yet, but full of promise. Anna found herself surprisingly content in the presence of her austere employer. Despite her reserve, Graham displayed moments of warmth and quick humor that were quite engaging.
"Graham," Anna began at last, "Id like to see what I can do with the gardens. There is so much beauty here, and it needs care. Id enjoy doing it myself."
Grahams expression was guarded. "David Norcross told me that you are a landscaper. Tell me about it."
Anna sketched her history for Graham, passing quickly over her marriage to describe the last year of her life. She explained her classes and found herself revealing her hopes of some day having her own business.
"You mean to be more than a gardener, then," Graham commented seriously.
Anna laughed. "I love the physical work, but I also want to be involved in the actual design."
"Youll need help with Yardley. There was a time when we employed two gardeners here full-time."
Anna nodded. "And youll need to hire someone again. But I can handle the formal gardens myself."
"But if I understood you correctly, you have your own work to do!" Graham protested. "My work alone, never mind Helens needs, will keep you busy enough! It would seem that undertaking to save Yardley too would be quite a task." Although her tone was lightly mocking, her face was quite serious.
Anna was strangely touched that Graham gave any thought to Annas work, let alone considered it important. What a surprise this woman was!
