Red Crystal Romance: #1 Emma

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “Now? It’s past two in the morning, Emma,” but he laughed at her enthusiasm.

  “Alright. Tomorrow…” she frowned at him. “In the morning, after breakfast.”

  “If you sleep and eat all your food,” Lucas had seen the way she picked through her food and she’d completely walked away from her last meal.

  “If you think about it, I’ve accumulated two full days of sleep,” she told him with a bright smile.

  “Good night, Emma,” Lucas had to struggle to keep himself from returning the grin on her face. She was far too infectious.

  “I am tired,” she admitted, settling back against his shoulder and closing her eyes. “Good night, Lucas.”

  Lucas was positive he should be in bedlam.

  The bedroom had been empty as he’d just had the workmen finish it several weeks before. But now it had completely taken on Emma’s personality and scent. He knew they had to be simple caches that hung around her clothing and were perhaps in the trunks, but it had become her scent. Lilacs and sunshine.

  And he’d chosen to lie in the middle of it all with Emma curled against his shoulder. Bedlam, to be certain.

  Chapter Six

  Today she had plans.

  Actually, she opened one eye and peered around, through the thick strands of dark hair in need of a washing. After years of wishing and praying, she wasn’t certain where she’d wake up. The two sides were definitely at war over the answer to that one. She didn’t want to repeat the pains. She didn’t want to repeat hurting another, even if it had never come to light other than in her own mind and worn emotions.

  The bed still felt like a well filled feather pillow. The slight breeze wafting in through the open window carried a scent of summer, not the cold mid-winter that had been.

  Emma sighed and pushed against the surface to sit upright, the camisole top askew and resting down one shoulder. She tossed aside the light blanket she’d worn most of the night and plopped down in the center of the bed after a quick trip to the bathroom.

  A clock, she thought, looking around and taking in the various bits and pieces that made up her new bedroom. It was very large. And very off shaped, she realized, beginning at her left and slowly scanning and counting.

  She was about to go in search of the room with the bathtub when the tapping came on the door. She was still marveling over the six sided room.

  “Come in,” Emma rubbed both palms over her face and offered a little smile at Nancy. “Isn’t it Sunday? Should you have the day off? Oh…good morning.”

  “Good morning, Miss,” Nancy carried a small tray with her. “I brought you juice. Breakfast will be an hour in the dining hall, unless you would like me to bring a tray here for you.” She smiled and handed the large, heavy glass to Emma. “I have Monday’s off, Miss.”

  “Only one day? Huh…” she sipped the juice. “Well, if you need more time off, just tell me. I’m pretty okay on my own…once I get things figured out. Where can I wash my hair and take a bath? You’d said there was a special room for it.”

  “Yes, his lordship built it onto the back of the house. And I can wash your hair for you,” Nancy went to the bureau she’d packed the night before and pulled a long robe free.

  Emma looked from the robe to Nancy and shook her head. “It’s much too warm for that. I’m fine like this. Where are the towels? And is there shampoo there?” She stopped at the look on Nancy’s face, one she was becoming accustomed to on people she spoke to for any length of time. “Soap for the hair? In America, it’s called shampoo…but I’m really not sure where the word came from,” she added, getting used to the girl’s natural curiosity.

  “Oh, yes, Miss, Mrs. Neilson makes our soap and…shampoo…” she nodded, liking the sound of the word. “It smells like the finest roses, it does. And towels…”

  “What you dry yourself with after a bath,” Emma clarified carefully, stretching and scooting to the edge of the bed. She slid to the floor and headed for the door.

  “Miss…you should really wear your robe,” the uncertainty in her voice made Emma pause at the door.

  “Nancy, I’m covered from here…” she placed one hand on her shoulders and carried it to her knees. “To here. Lucas has already seen it all, so there’s nothing to hide. It’s just us girls…and since you’re my maid, I’m guessing you’ll be seeing it all at some point and we’re all pretty much built the same. Come on, I want a shampoo and bath and it’s got to be quick. I want to go outside and explore today.”

  With a resolute sigh, Nancy laid the robe on the chair and followed her new mistress.

  Emma could almost feel the younger woman arguing with herself.

  “It’s alright, Nancy, you will never, ever be in trouble because of my choices. I promise you that,” Emma waited for her and looped arms with her, something that made Nancy jump. “Okay, show me this new modern marvel of a room,” she asked with a bright smile until she ran her tongue around her teeth. “I need a toothbrush and some paste…think, girl, think…recipes have filled my head for ages…I need to find a drug store…” she thought for a minute. “An apothecary,” she corrected and hoped it was the correct word. “Right?”

  “There are several in town,” Nancy told her.

  “Will you go with me? We can spend the day shopping. I’ve several things I need to find and I’ll make a list as soon as I find paper and something to write with,” Emma walked at Nancy’s side down a back set of stairs and along a wide corridor. “It’s cooler here.”

  “His lordship says it’s because we’re braced against the hillside and it keeps the temperature of this end of the house far cooler than the rest,” Nancy recited proudly. “We cannot shop today, Miss. It’s Sunday. The shops are closed. But I can change my day and go with you in the morning.”

  “Lucas is very smart,” Emma agreed with a look around at the sconces hanging and lit as there were no windows in this portion of the house. She could smell food so she had the idea they were near the kitchen. “Oh...Sunday…yes, tomorrow.”

  They approached a large archway where Nancy stepped away from Emma and found the matches. She went around and lit all the sconces.

  “It’s freezing in here,” Emma stepped onto the smooth stone beneath her feet, her gaze taking in the wide, open room that Lucas had designed. Shelves filled with thick, fluffy looking towels lined the wall closest to the large, deep tub in a creamy white porcelain. She walked to stand beside it, her fingers touching the smooth, cool curve of the tub.

  “I can get a fire going, Miss,” Nancy assured her, busying herself to get some heat in the room. She next went to the archway and pulled the thick curtain over the entrance.

  “It’s beautiful. Simple and beautiful,” Emma wandered to a low table with a collection of bottles and bars of soap. “Mrs. Neilson makes all this?”

  “Yes, Miss, she’s teaching me how and I learned a little at the salon.”

  “I have recipes to write down,” Emma murmured to herself, looking around and sighing. She went to the tub and turned the handle with the big H on the white inlaid circle and ran her fingers beneath the water flow, testing it. When it ran warm, she turned it back off. “So how do we do this? I suppose it would be easiest for me to…” she sighed and pulled the camisole over her head. “Suck it up and get over being naked around people.”

  Emma climbed up the sturdy step that had been positioned by the tub and put her leg over the side. She adjusted the water and knelt down, bending her head beneath the heavy flow and soaking down the mass of hair. She had a plan for that, too, she thought, oh yea.

  “I have the…the shampoo here, Miss,” Nancy had quickly found the bottle she wanted and went to stand close to the tub.

  “I love a good scalp massage, Nancy,” Emma braced her hands on the bottom of the tub. A shiver raced through her when the cold, thick liquid was poured over her head. Next time, she thought, put a towel beneath your knees. But the discomfort faded as the fresh, sweet scent of roses filled the chamber.
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  Thirty minutes later, she was rinsed and bathed and standing just outside the tub with a huge bath sheet wrapped around her. A smaller towel had been turbaned around her hair.

  “That was wonderful. I don’t remember the last time I had such a nice, hot bath,” she admitted, knowing just how true that statement was since she always had showered before. Emma pulled the curtain to the side and followed the corridor to the back stairs. “I’m surprised we haven’t seen Mr. Harris this morning. He seems to be up on all that goes on in the house.”

  “His lordship sent him off on an errand for a few days,” Nancy answered, flushing with color when Emma looked at her. “I heard from Mrs. Neilson. Daniel has taken his duties for now. He is being trained by Mr. Harris.”

  “You fancy him,” Emma said, carefully holding the bath sheet around her as she climbed the stairs. “Mr. Harris, I mean.”

  “He’s a good person. Smart, like his lordship,” Nancy answered, clearing her throat and closing the bedroom door behind them. “Sit here, Miss and I’ll brush out and fix your hair.” She gestured to the cushioned bench before the large oval vanity mirror.

  “A simple, nice long braid will do, please. I plan on going to walk on the beach and explore the grounds,” Emma told her, lifting a comb and handing it to her. “Do you have a boyfriend? A special man in your life?”

  “No, Miss,” Nancy kept her gaze focused on the long wet hair she was plying.

  Emma looked into the mirror. “Do you like Mr. Harris?”

  “Of course, Miss,” she answered instantly. “He’s kind and patient and very smart...”

  “Is he married?” Emma prodded gently.

  “No, Miss.”

  “He isn’t interested in you,” Emma said quietly.

  “He believes me to be too young, Miss,” Nancy almost whispered the answer.

  “Oh, Nancy, I’m sorry. He isn’t so very old. Men. Pigs, all of them,” Emma was relieved when it at least brought a giggle free from her new friend. She sat up straight, head held stiffly and eyes closed.

  She was supposed to wake and have it all be normal. Contrary human, she thought. Either way it makes you sad and want to cry. So which would have been better in the end? She hurriedly swiped at the tear that broke free while Nancy tied a slim piece of ribbon tightly around the end of the braid.

  “Thank you. Now I guess I better find something cool and light for the day,” Emma accepted the two folded pieces of muslin, quickly sliding into the pantaloons and camisole before opening her bedroom door and draping the large bath sheet over the corner. “Leave that hanging there, please. The moisture will be good for the room and me.”

  She looked down at her feet.

  “Guess I need a pair of good walking shoes, too,” Emma went to the last large trunk and worked the knobs and clasp. She saw Nancy toss something in a pale green shade onto the bed before rushing to her side.

  Between them, they had the lid up and leaning against the wall next to the bathroom.

  “Wow…must be why it was heavier than the other one,” she lifted volumes of books from the inside. “Maybe I won’t need to write my recipes down after all. Why would I bring all this stuff unless I knew I wouldn’t be returning to America? Oh, God, you don’t think my father is planning to live here, do you? Ewww…” She exhaled and started handing Nancy the books. “Just lay them on the floor for now. I’ll find a shelf for them or maybe Lucas will allow me to put them on one of his shelves downstairs.”

  “I think Lucas might just enjoy that notion a great deal,” commented the low male voice from the doorway.

  “Sir! I haven’t finished helping Miss to dress yet,” Nancy protested but realized between the two of them, it didn’t appear to matter.

  Lucas looked at the familiar attire and then at the hastily lowered smile on Emma.

  “She appears dressed to me,” he shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers with a little frown at the laughter from Emma.

  “Nancy thinks you’ll have vapors because you’ve seen skin,” Emma moved to the bed and lifted the dress that had been chosen. She quickly had the front buttons undone and was wiggling into the dress when Nancy was there, pulling and adjusting the bodice.

  “You’ve lost weight, Miss,” she said with a visible frown.

  “I’m sure it’ll return,” Emma dismissed it and was glad the sleeves were short and not tight. She hated being constricted inside clothes. She turned to Lucas with a smile. “You wouldn’t mind? If I set these in your library?”

  “Not in the least. I’ll get Daniel to move them and leave them on the floor of the library and we can rearrange things after our meal.”

  “Are you going out?” The she remembered the day. “Oh. Do you go to church?”

  “Church? Not unless you require an escort,” Lucas hadn’t considered her religious standpoint. Then he caught the look on her face and laughed. “That is a great relief, Emma.”

  “Religious and political zealots…I know that for some, having a preacher tell them what to do and what’s acceptable and what’s best for them works, but it only makes me want to go out and do the complete opposite,” Emma told him, returning to her trunk and moving things around to find a small pair of comfortable looking shoes. “These will do. Just put the books out on the pile and then take off for the day, Nancy.”

  “Off, Miss?”

  “Didn’t you tell me tomorrow is your day off? You agreed to walk with me to town and shop, so you should have today off,” Emma said, crossing the room with her shoes still in her hand. “It’s alright, isn’t it, Lucas?”

  “Of course. It’s most kind of her to go with you tomorrow,” Lucas would have liked it to have been him as her escort to the shops, but he couldn’t trail after her constantly, he told himself firmly. Right now he was going to be content knowing she was placing her books in his library.

  “So…breakfast?” Emma came to a stop in front of him, her smile fading only a bit when he turned those round, deep blue eyes down at her. “Oh, my glass,” she spun before he could say anything and ran to the nightstand, scooped up the glass Nancy had brought her and quickly drained it.

  With shoes in one hand and the glass in the other, she returned to Lucas.

  “Bye, Nancy, have a great time off,” Emma told her before striding past Lucas and into the hall. She hoped she could remember where everything was in the house. She was usually pretty good at things like this, she mused, trying to keep her mind off the man following behind her. She was way, way too old for him, she told herself with a crooked glance at the banister as she walked down the stairs. With the right collection of pillows at the bottom…

  Lucas watched her pull her lower lip between her teeth. He saw the curious little frown on her face and knew immediately what she was thinking.

  “If you do, Emma, you’ll find yourself over that trunk and I won’t go easily on you this next time,” Lucas made certain he was standing near her ear and barely missed being struck by her head when she jerked straighter.

  “I…if I do…what? I wasn’t even…”

  “And I wouldn’t dream of calling you a liar, Emma,” Lucas gently gripped her elbow and led her along the corridor to the dining hall. He chuckled as he held her chair for her, adjusting it before taking his seat.

  She dropped her shoes to the floor and settled the empty glass down.

  “I’m usually a very quick learner,” she finally said as the warmed plates were laid out before them. “I like this way of breakfast. It seemed such a waste for food to be placed with tons of choices and then never eaten,” she lifted her fork and dug into the creamy scrambled eggs.

  Chapter Seven

  Lucas watched her; studying her. It was what he was good at. Studying. Analyzing. And Emma Carstairs was a collection of contradictions that fascinated and aroused the man in him.

  She lifted lids and examined contents before hazarding a taste, a smile filling her face as she reached for the knife and spread the orange marmalade over he
r toast. That was when she realized he was staring at her.

  Emma looked down at the front of her dress and them off to each side before looking over at him again. She leaned a little into the table.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Lucas snapped upright as if slapped.

  “You were staring,” Emma said carefully, checking over her shoulder one more time. “Is everything alright?”

  “Yes, my apologies, Emma,” Lucas shook out his napkin and began eating. He would be the first to admit to being far more at home in his workshop than in social settings. But Emma didn’t appear offended at his behavior.

  “Are you busy today?”

  “Busy?”

  “You promised you would show me your drawings. And I would love to see your workshop,” Emma beamed a bright smile at him, her fingers down to lift a slice of bacon and bite down thoughtfully. “You should consider another room next to the room where the bathtub is…a nice shower would be good.”

  “A shower?” Lucas felt drawn in, her use of words one of the curious fascinations about Emma.

  “I can draw it for you…roughly…but you must promise not to laugh at how badly I draw,” Emma warned him in advance. “Yes, a shower. Think of it as a stand-up bath, where the water comes from above your head like a waterfall and washes out through a drain in the tiles at your feet.”

  “And you can draw this?”

  “I can present the general idea,” she said cautiously. “Not a design with…with measurements and…details…that’s your job.”

  “So it is,” he said, matching her smile. He ate quickly, each of them laughing when they reached for the last slice of thickly toasted bread. He bowed his head and pushed the plate to Emma.

  Emma lifted her knife and cut the bread in half, taking her piece and laying the other half on his plate. She made a half sandwich of the last few pieces of bacon and bit down hungrily.