Smartly dressed in a lilac cotton gown, tied    beneath the bust with a purple ribbon Athena descended the sweeping wooden staircase    once more. Though she looked identical to      last night, everything was upside down in her mind. She had lost her mind in the stable, she had put everything at risk for a quick tryst with a known womaniser.    She resolved to be the stronger person in this situation. Felix was a Baron of unparalleled      riches, she would just be another conquest to him. The fact he was employer and had that    hold over her fate was both terrifying and        enticing. Complete the job and get out              became her calming mantra.   Lightly treading into the library she found the abandoned ladies playing cards and reading    after lunch. There was no sign of Felix, which settled her nerv

As dawn rose the next day, in the eaves of the fourth floor servants quarters Sophie prodded Lily awake. As she yawned and came to Sophie's blue eyes sparkled mischievously.   "When he came in all soaking wet and serous last night…"   Lily couldn't help but roll her eyes and grin back in agreement. "He is very nice to look at, I cannot lie. Certainly not worth waking me up for"   "You should have offered to take his wet clothes off" Sophie giggled and gave her a cheeky wink.    "Sophie!" Lily admonished quietly, trying not to wake the others, "you would never be so bold surely?"   This time Sophie was the one to blush and avert her eyes. 

The past four weeks had been much more pleasant for Craig. Despite Athena working him and his men hard, there had been opportunities to enjoy Fairfax Manor.    He found himself making excuses to visit the kitchen. Though their eyes frequently met, they were always amongst bustling strangers and unable to form any meaningful conversation. Her happy smile and bright eyes had started worming their way into his daily thoughts as he shifted earth and laid foundations.   The secluded bench near the stable block where Athena had cried the previous month had subsequently been discovered by Craig. He enjoyed its privacy from the windows of the main house as a peaceful place to take his lunch during the day.    Today he strolled up to the bench as usual with his satchel and

Silently, deftly he peeled away the ruby silken robe leaving her standing in her white nightdress. Her hands replaced against the windows she let out a fresh pant of pleasure as his hands felt the outline of her body. The bumps in the fabric where her buttons rose caused his fingers to judder as they caressed up and down. Pushing herself more firmly against his rigid body she felt the teasing stubble on his chin and the increasing firmness in his trousers. Still kissing her neck, teasing her with rough and smooth embraces, his strong hands roamed her stomach, waist and rib cage until he reached her breasts. Lightning continued to crack across the sky and the pelting raindrops down the windows drowned out her heavy breathing. As he gently embraced their roundness,

The morning after the thunderstorm saw a hive of activity in the gardens of Fairfax Manor. An immaculately clear blue sky had emerged from the storm, the spring flowers were in full bloom as they hugged the wide gravel driveway.  Muttering servants milled around the edges of the lightning strikes impact mark which had burnt dozens of deep vein-like marks into the grass for several metres.     "It looks like a bloodshot eyeball," the grizzled Jackson offered to a nodding group.      "It's beautiful," murmured Lily to Sophie, "I wonder if it's still hot in the middle?"     Craig appeared behind the girls and spoke up, "the centre should be like glass now if it is similar to what I have seen before. It's the heat of the lightning. Like turning sand into glass, same thing."     Jackson wandered towards and announced to the group, "Mr Thornfiel