Anthony Edward Stark
“Eva!”
She came back slowly, at first unsure where she was. She saw Robert, and after a moment, she started licking her lips; her throat was very dry. She sat up, and her hair was a mess, but she was delighted to see Robert.
“What time is it?” she mumbled, waving her hands to get some life back into her wrists that felt sore and stiff.
“It’s almost eight darling,” Robert said softly, moving her hair out of her face and feeling her temperature by placing his hand on her forehead. “You have a bit of a temperature. How do you feel?”
“Very tired she mumbled, trying to suppress a yawn. And a bit stiff.” She stretched her arms out, and Robert pulled her up gently and hugged her, holding her for a long time. He released her and looked at her. “You are even more beautiful when you are sleepy” he teased her. She stood on her toes, and he lowered himself and kissed her.
“Long day?” she asked.
“I need a drink” he replied.
“How about all these people working here?”
Robert looked surprised. “Believe me, mother never hired enough hands, she always overworked everyone. It’s a frightful job to run a house like this without hands."
"Don’t you just love old Langford?”
“I’m quite famished,” Robert said, swallowing his whiskey and biting the ice cube in two. “Are you going to dress for dinner, or do you want Mrs. Jones to send you some dinner upstairs?”
Eva brushed her fingers through her hair, seemingly inspecting hands full of it. “Give me a few minutes.