SWNOVELS Chapter 38: No! No Attraction.
The next day, Nancy felt so refreshed. She regretted not having allowed her boss to take her into the main building the day he had come to show the quarters to her. But she refused to be deterred. She went up the doorsteps and pressed the doorbell. The door was opened after she had identified herself and it had been confirmed. 'Welcome, welcome my child. You must be Miss Nancy who moved in yesterday'. Mrs. Potts the main cook said.
Nancy smiled. She had not expected to be received as warmly like this.
'Thank you ma'am. But please it is Nancy. Call me Nancy'.
'Okay. But what have you come here for? Silly me. You must be very hungry. But I was planning on sending your breakfast over to you or inviting you to join us here if you would rather'.
'There isn't any need for that. I am not used to lazing around while allowing others do the work. I do not want to usurp your position or take over your job but I'd like to help since I am not going to the office today'. She explained. She knew from experience that cooks did not like people interfering with their jobs.
'Oh no, you won't. Mr. Campbell sir,instructed that we should not allow you to strain yourself and seeing you, I can understand why', Mrs. Potts smiled.
Nancy looked bewildered. There really was no use hiding her pregnancy since everyone seemed to have noticed it and it wasn't as though it was protruding.
Mrs Potts smiled further, interpreting her puzzlement correctly.
'You do not have to be baffled or ashamed. There is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a good thing. Please come right in, I could use some help'.
Nancy was glad. She met some other helps and they exchanged pleasantries.
Peeling the potatoes, mashing this, and that, chopping the onions and all. Soon the aroma from the kitchen was something to kill for. The coffee pot was put on the fire and .r. Campbell who had been up for sometime and was ready to go out to meet with some friends, came downstairs and Sandy, the kitchen help was asked to take him his breakfast.
'Oh no. Let me do it if you don't mind'. Nancy offered and before they could raise any objections, she carried the tray, then remembered that she didn't know her way around and definitely not to the dinning. She smiled at Sandy who chuckled at the look on her face and directed her to the place. She thanked Sandy and carried the tray to the dinning to find Mr. Campbell already seated but with the day's papers. 'Good morning sir', she greeted.
He was so absorbed in what he was reading that he answered mechanically, thinking that he was responding to Sandy who always brought him his breakfast.
'Good morning'.
Nancy placed the tray on the table and arranged it for him. She was about to leave when he raised his eyes to ask Sandy a question when he saw Nancy's golden hair caught in a ponytail. The hair was not Sandy'.
'Hello? Who are...'
Nancy turned back and he swallowed the rest of the words he was about to say or ask.
'What are you doing this early? I didn't give you the quarters so that you could work for me at home as well as the office. I already have people doing all that for me and why were you allowed, Mrs Potts! Sandy!' he called.
Nancy knew that he wanted to ask them why they had allowed her help out and she was angry. She was pregnant not an invalid for goodness sake.
'Okease do not be cross with them. They refused to allow me do anything and in truth, I didn't do much but I felt lonely and I just wanted to be around the people working here and familiarize myself with them. I can only do that if I come out of my quarters and socialize and while doing that, I could help put the coffee pot on fire couldn't I? If I were still living in my house, would I not have cooked for myself and washed and done other domestic chores? I am pregnant sir but not sick and I need the exercise to help me remain strong and aid blood flow for the health of my baby'. she said trying not to show her annoyance.
'I realise that you need to be around people especially when you are not at work but I am concerned for your health. You have not been taking good care of yourself till date and I want both you and your baby to be healthy but if you must, do not over exert yourself and yes, you are free to come in here to chat with them and I could chat with you as well if I am home and not busy'. he said relenting. 'Thank you very much. I shan't over do it. Just the basics'. Nancy said smiling at him happily.
Jason had not really looked at Nancy this closely before and with her casuals, she really looked good and naturally beautiful and that smile was something else. How had he missed such an alluring smile? He caught himself. He had been staring as surprised as he felt. Nancy really looked transformed and he just wondered why he was just noticing it.
He looked away, reminding himself that she was in his care for protection and she was pregnant with another man's child. He was not supposed to get close to her that way or even allow himself to think along those lines about her.
He became abrupt to cover his confusion.
'Okay. You can leave now. I'd like to have my breakfast now'.
Nancy was surprised as his almost harsh tone but shrugged and left for the kitchen where she ate her meal with Mrs. Potts who scolded her for not taking her food back to her quarters.
Jason was not happy at the way he had spoken to Nancy but that was just what he could do at that time. He had wanted to invite her to join him at the table but the thoughts that had cropped into his mind that instant had been frightening.
He could not allow those thoughts. He had to squash them before they took root.