Day 5 today and we’re nearly half-way through the story. I hope you are all enjoying it so far. Cathy’s plan to seduce Eric seems to be working, but will it be enough to help her endure the ordeal that is Grisham House?

Grisham House Part 5

My mind remained trapped in a thick fog all day and I carried out my duties on autopilot. Delivering Eric’s evening drink did nothing to shift it either.

“Something wrong, Cathy?”

“Eve’s gone. She took off during the night. She was the only one here who spoke to me, a friend, you know?”

“Am I not your friend?”

Eric stood beside me at the fire. His deep brown eyes held my gaze and the heat from his body being so close to mine unnerved me. “I…”

“It’s okay,” he said, rubbing my arm.

A shiver ran through me and not a cold one. It was more a warm comfort and I found myself leaning in closer. It wasn’t as part of my plan either.

“I look forward to our evening talks. You seem to understand me better than anyone else.”

I peeked up at him, my face flushed.

“You do enjoy talking to me too, don’t you?” He lifted my chin and peered deep into my eyes.

“Yes,” I whispered, almost afraid to talk in case nothing came out. I don’t know how it happened or when, but Eric did something to me, something I’d never felt around other boys before. My insides fizzed when he stood near. I was supposed to be seducing him not the other way around.

“Good. Let’s have a game of chess and see if I can’t cheer you up. I wouldn’t want you to leave me.”

I wouldn’t want to leave you either. I’d no idea where that thought came from. All I’d wanted to do since arriving was leave and yet I knew it was the truth. Eric wasn’t the lord of the manor to me anymore. Over the course of the week while I’d been bringing him his evening beverage – tea Monday to Thursday and scotch or beer at the weekend – he’d become a normal guy. He was polite and he didn’t treat me like the hired help. He saw me, Cathy Howard.

***

Chess was fun. I remembered playing it with Dad when I was younger, and it only took two games for me to remember the moves. By game four, I had him, and I beamed as I announced ‘checkmate’. It was the most fun I’d had in ages. I even forgot how angry I was with Mom, Peckham, the world. My worries over Eve seemed to evaporate as well and all that was left was Eric. Me and him in our own little bubble in his study.

***

Peckham must have noticed something, my enthusiasm, mood change, something. The closer I got to Eric, the more I blamed her for the wronging and slavery this house held. The weather hadn’t let up and every night I listened to the wind and rain crashing against my windows. Grisham house had its own creepy noises too – floorboards creaked of their own accord, loud thumps and bangs echoed in the walls, and there was something else. I heard it as I made my way upstairs after a late evening with Eric. We’d moved on from chess to reading and debating and sometimes just watching one another. Eric was well educated, but childlike when it came to matters outside his precious home. I’d wanted to ask him about it, but the look of terror on his face when I mentioned travel stopped me. I didn’t want to ruin the one good thing I had here. Eve hadn’t been found and the new girl, Claire, refused to talk to me. Poised and subservient every moment of the day. I wondered where on earth she’d come from. I didn’t let it bother me though. I had Eric and our bond grew stronger every day. He liked to stand beside me at the fire, our fingers touching. His warmth seeping into my body, awakening strange flutters in my stomach. I spent my days anticipating our time together, how we’d smile and laugh and joke. My determination to escape and return home disappeared. I stayed for Eric, for those stolen moments in his study.

***

“Does the weather ever change?”

“Don’t you like it?” Eric asked wrapping his arms around my waist as I stood by the fire. “I think it’s romantic.” His breath brushed my ear and my body trembled. He’d never been this close before. I wanted to turn, gaze into his soft brown eyes, capture his lips in mine, and tell him I was here only for him. I didn’t get the chance. Peckham outdid herself and her revenge was cruel.

A knock on the door interrupted our moment. Peckham marched inside, her pinched face more sour than usual as she glared at me.

“Ms Peckham, what can I do for you?” Eric asked.

Her expression morphed instantly, and she smiled. “Lady Winthorpe has arrived. Shall I show her in?”

My breath caught in my chest.

“Melissa is here already. Show her in.” Eric had already stepped away from me but as he spoke the gap grew.

#

Below are the links to the previous instalments and if you don’t want to wait until tomorrow, you can pop over to Amazon where you can purchase the complete story on Kindle for 99c/77p.

Grisham House Part 1
Grisham House Part 2
Grisham House Part 3
Grisham House Part 4

Buy Grisham House on Kindle:
Amazon US:
Amazon UK:

Until next time,

Keep reading and writing,

Amanda