Chapter 36: The Kitchen

“Is he still looking at me?” Flora asked Eva as they ascended the few steps leading up to the main house.

Flora looked back and saw that the gardener was still gazing at them. He stood motionless as a statue as he stood near the hedge with a pair of pruning shears in his hands. He glanced at the hedges that he was pruning and saw some branches that protruded above the otherwise uniform surface of green leaves. Then, the gardener returned his gaze at the women as he snapped his shears and cut the protruding branches with the sharp sound of sliding metal blades. The offending branches fell to the ground soundlessly as the gardener looked on. The result was an almost smooth and immaculate surface of greenery that bordered the gravel path towards the mansion.

“So, is he?” asked Eva who pulled Flora’s arm excitedly as Flora turned and looked back at where she was stepping.

“He is. Like a puppy,” said Flora who chuckled. “Or a naughty cat getting ready to pounce on a little bird.”

“Oh, is he