The Heiress (Wattys2018) (Completed)

Ch.5 Stubborn maid

A grunt from behind her. Sophia turns around to greet him.

"Good morning, Your Grace. It's a fine morning," greets her.

Bern only grunts as usual. Lately he doesn't like to write to her anymore. Bern points to her bed.

The old maid quickly says, "I told her to rest more, Your Grace. But she refused it. She insisted to walk on her own."

Sophia touches her head.

She says, "I still don't remember who I am. But I felt okay beside the loss of my memories."

Bern only grunts.

(It's my fault. Her head was wounded because of me. Her family might be worried sick for her. I tried to contact a runner. But without any identity, he could do nothing for me).

Bern grabs her hand and leads her back to her bed.

A grumpy bear.

That's was Sophia's first impression on him. Strangely his fierce appearances never scared her.

"I'm bored..." complaints her.

She's sitting on her bed now. She is pouting.

She asks, "Could you give me any assignments? I'm bored..."

Bern looks to the old maid. And she shrugs her shoulders. Basically Sophia is strong enough to move around. Although she still feels dizzy sometimes.

"Why don't you give her simple tasks, Your Grace?" asks the same old maid.

Bern nods. A huge manor like this always has many chores. He holds her hand and leads her to the library.

Books from various subjects filled the shelves from top to bottom. But the vast collections don't impress her at all.

She scolds, "Look at these dusty books. Your maids have been slacking off, Your Grace."

Bern hardly ever steps into the library. Unlike his father, he isn't avid reader. So he doesn't care if his servants have been neglecting this place.

Sophia goes to find a broom, duster, mop and a bucket of water. Bern sits on a couch, watching her do the cleaning.

(She's used to cleaning. Maybe she's a maid somewhere? Hard to find her family when she doesn't even remember her last name. She could stay here. I will give her excellent wage and give her simple chores.
It's to pay her kindness. Not because I like her smile).

Bern stares to her back when she keeps dusting the books.

She tries to dust higher spot and suddenly thick books are falling toward her.

The books crash down to her but she doesn't get hurt at all. Sophia opens her eyes. Bern has used his body to shield her from the fallen books.

They are standing so close, their breath mingled. He is so big and strong like a bull, no, a huge bear. Sophia is a short woman and she felt so tiny in his arms. Yet, she never fears him.

He grunts a little.

"I'm okay," whispers her.

She adds, "You could let go now..."

He caresses her pink lips with a thumb before he reluctantly let her go. Sophia shivers a little.

(That wasn't a fright. What was that? I felt...I don't know what I felt...)

Sophia grabs her mop and begins to clean the library once more.

Like her old habit, she begins to sing a song during cleaning.

Bern sits back on the couch and closes his eyes. Listening to her singing, calming his senses. It doesn't take long for him to fall asleep.

Sophia is standing very close to him. The Duke is a mute man. Josephine, the old maid said he was kidnapped many years ago. And he was already mute when his uncle rescued him from the villain.

Thick brown brows. A handsome face. Body sculpted like a war hero, a legendary fighter from the past.

Sophia quickly continues her work when he stirs in his sleep. She doesn't want her new boss to catch her drooling over him.

*****

The new maid loves dusting.

The next day they go to the Attic a.k.a warehouse. Tons of dust are waiting to be removed here. Bern takes off his coat and vest. It's impossible for her to clean this mess alone. So he rolls his sleeves and begins to move the old furniture.

Sophia found old hats from a trunk. She begins to screen stuffs from the various crates and trunks. A fancy knife caught her eyes. The sheath is coated with fake jewels.

Bern smiles a little when he snatches the knife from her hand. He pulls the knife out of it's sheath. And he stabs it to his chest.

She shrieks loudly.

Blood is oozing out of the Duke's wound.

"Help! Help! The Duke is injured!" yells her frantically.

Bern puts a hand to cover her mouth. He puts the bloody knife on her hand. He unbuttoned his shirt and shows his naked chest to her. No wound. Only some red paint.

Sophia yells angrily, "You idiot! You gave me a fright!"

She hits his chest few times but Bern grabs her hands. And he kisses her lips out of instincts.

Sophia is frozen on spot.

Bern scratches his head when they have kissed. He just leaves the attic. Just like that.

Sophia kneels down and grabs the knife. Her cheeks are burning. One thing for sure. She knows no one has kissed her like that before. Sophia decides to keep the knife until she could return it to him later.

Bern is drinking alone in his chamber. Not like him to kiss a maid. Not like him wanting a woman. He usually goes to town to find a whore when he needs a woman. Never play with a maid.

But he really wants her.

Sophia.

He doesn't even know her last name.
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Don't forget to vote and comment:)

A mute Duke and a maid with forgotten past.

Not easy to make a story with a mute male character.

Why I'm giving so much troubles to myself?

Lol