Chapter 28 Chapter 28: At Your Disposal

Chapter 28 Chapter 28: At Your Disposal
Sebastian Silverow's POV:

I then turned back around to look over at my cook, Tawny, and I made sure to give her a stern look. At first, she wasn't looking at me at all. Instead, she was looking directly at the young woman I had my arm wrapped around at that precise moment.

When I looked down at her, I noticed she wasn't paying any attention to what was happening around the room. Instead, she was eyeing the various apples I had set down on the counter in front of her. That's when I looked back up at Tawny and clicked my tongue, regaining her attention.

"Don't you have something better to do than just stand there?" I asked her, causing her expression to change as her eyes widened when she looked at me.

"Bu... but, sir?" Tawny started to stammer over her words when the young woman beside me looked up to see what was going on.

Just as I was about to say something, I saw Edwin walk into the room and stand right inside the doorway. He was waiting for me to call upon him when I took a quick glance at him before returning my gaze to Tawny and narrowing my eyes.

That's when I first spoke to her directly, saying in a low tone, "We will certainly finish this later."

Then I turned to look at Edwin when he spoke up next.

"Greetings, Master Silverow, I have news for you," Edwin said as we all turned to face him.

That is, all except Tawny. I'm not entirely sure what is causing her issue with me making a selection in choosing more than one apple, if that is even the issue at hand. She did ask an open question that I had yet to respond to. She needs to know that I will respond when I deem it necessary, not before.

"The room is ready to go just as you had requested it to be done, sir," Edwin continued when he spoke, and bowed his head once he had finished speaking.

"Very good, Edwin," I said with a pleasing tone, taking that moment to look down at the young woman and giving her a gentle squeeze. However, before looking back up at him to speak next, I thought, at least this was some good news considering all that happened today. "I will see to it that she is settled after we are finished here."

"Very good, sir," Edwin said in his response, bowing his head to me once more. Then, before he turned to leave the room, he asked, "Is there anything else, sir?"

"No, not right now," I responded.

That's when he turned to look over at Tawny and lightly cleared his throat. By this point, the young woman was again looking down at the apple selection, trying to decide which one to choose, when I watched Edwin give Tawny a hand motion that she needed to follow him out of the room.

It was his job to run my house and oversee all staff that I had employed here. As she turned to look at him, he was no longer looking at me but directly at her. I narrowed my eyes when I heard her make a light scoff remark, all before shoving herself back away from the side of the counter. I proceeded to watch her just as she followed Edwin out of the kitchen and out of sight.

I knew no matter what, Tawny wasn't going to want to be a willing participant in what Edwin was going to have to say about this little interaction. I left a lot on his shoulders. He seemed to serve me well for as long as he has worked for me. And knowing that, he came highly recommended when the time came for me to look for someone to step up and fulfill his position. No matter, I am sure I would soon hear about it in due time.

"Now that it is just the two of us, have you had a chance to make a selection as to which one you would like to eat? I will cut it up for you once you make your choice," I mentioned as I reached around and turned a few of the apples over, as she had yet to touch anything I had set there before her.

There's one thing I didn't quite understand. How hard can it be just to make a simple selection in the choice of apples that are presented before her? What all happened to her, in order for her to be this timid?!

"I... I don't...," she started to fumble about her words when she attempted to speak.

When I looked down at her, her hands had yet to move from their previous position, which was folded up in her chest.

"You can have anything you want," I said again as I reached forward and, this time, picked up a Granny Smith apple. "You can have this green one." Then I brought it closer, turning it over in my hand before setting it down. Then I grabbed a Honeycrisp and did the same thing with it, showing it to her before setting it back down as well.

"This one is crisp with a hint of sweetness throughout," I said as I looked back down at her. "Pick one, and I will take care of the rest."

With that statement, she simply broke eye contact with me and the items I had placed there in front of her and looked down in front of her instead. She even lowered her hands, and that's when I noticed she started fiddling with her fingers in front of her.

I couldn't help it as I raised my chin, seeing this. I remained silent as I watched her carefully, still holding her close to my side. This behavior was showing signs of nervousness and uncertainty. I didn't know what had changed, but something certainly did. Maybe if I knew all that had previously happened to her, I could have a better understanding of how to proceed with her. To show her I am not here to hurt her and that she won't be going hungry anymore.

I wanted nothing more than to show her she didn't have to worry about such things, like not being able to eat properly. There was always to be a meal for her while she was staying with me. When I recalled what Doctor Meriket had said about her being starved, I recall her saying there were no contents of anything left in her stomach.

On a separate note, I also remember her saying that she would need to be on steady fluids for the next 24 hours. I will be sure to have her monitored as well. That's something else I needed to do. I will have to call my personal, private physician. He would know what to do in her case. That would have to be the first call I make when I get to my office.

Suddenly, she jumped slightly at hearing something from a different part of the house.

"Nothing is going to happen to you here, alright?"