Chapter 36 – Finding Sia
“Look at this!” Anna danced around the couch in her little maid outfit. “I’m a maaaaaid.”
Gray and Lyla watched her in fascination. It was a nice to be a kid. There was nothing called social pressure in your head.
“It’s nice to know you have at least a shred of sympathy towards kids,” Lyla said, not looking at him.
“I have a sympathy towards the poor,” Gray replied. “I have a very tender heart. Her sister saw how tender I was. Now,” he gave Lyla a pouch of silver. “Buy the kid some new clothes, new food, and teach her everything about…the usual maid things you maids do. Once her sister completes her first job we’ll send her to a proper school.”
“I can do that. But Gray, I’ll be doing less and less work in the house. And I cannot push the limits and give a child to manage this entire house. So…”
“…we’ll need another maid. I know, I’ll put up a hiring notice.”
“Thank you, and please try not to impregnate her too.”
Anna came skipping towards them. “What’s imregnate?”
“No, need for that Anna,” Lyla shuffled her hair and grabbed her by the hand. “Come on, I’ll show you around the house,” she eyed Gray. “Hopefully there won’t be anything inappropriate.”
Gray shrugged. “Right now, every man and woman in this house is fully clothed.”
Lyla nodded, and beckoned the little girl, who trotted along with her, humming a tune. A short while later Atena came downstairs, now completely dressed in black pants, and a white shirt, with a nice harness to put her weapons in. Andria had given them to Gray before she left to see her parents. Apparently Julius had an old personal guard who had died from a fatal wound.
Atena didn’t want to know that.
“Ah! My masochist commander!” Gray spread his hands. “Glad to see the new clothes fit you so well.”
Atena remained mute.
“So, we’re going with the silent treatment now?”
“I’m waiting for orders, sir.”
Gray smiled. When a guard was bound to serve their master, speaking against them was forbidden. It was natural she would be silent. If their contract wasn’t in place Atena would have greeted him with a dozen of curses.
“Fine, let’s get to the point. You saw the maid Lyla?”
Atena nodded.
“Six months ago, she had a daughter. Had the same hair color, eye color, a little less on the breast size and other fleshy parts, but very identical to her in other aspects. She went missing. And I want her found. All the expenses for the trip will be borne by me. You just have to search this entire kingdom and bring her to me. Ask nicely, and if she refuses, don’t ask nicely…..” Gray stopped. Perhaps that was a bad choice. If Sia knew he sent someone after her then it was possible she would run away again. “You know what? Don’t ask her anything. As soon as you see her, and confirm her whereabouts, you send an errand boy to this house and call me.”
“So my first mission is a….scouting mission?”
“Yes, complete that job and your sister will have a nice education and a good accent with proper pronunciation.”
“There are thousands of brown haired women in the streets, and the kingdom is a vastly large place. How should I-”
“Be the detective. Search for clues, ask around, interrogate any carriage drivers because those fuckers know when and where everyone goes. Before you leave, walk back to my office. There is a file with a poster of her and some evidence I’ve gathered. The local military has been finding her for six months with no results. But I hope you’ll do better.”
Atena cocked her eyebrows. “And why is that, sir?”
“Because I searched around. Ruthcroft wasn’t my only source of information. I know you tracked those goons you attacked in the street all by yourself. And it took you two months to do it. You are good, and less cocky. I like that. So can you do it or not?”
Atena fixed her eyes on him. “I can, sir.”
“Good girl, now leave as soon as you can and bring me the woman I’ve been searching for six months.”
*
Atena left before the evening, and Gray took the time to clean his office. It was quite a mess, and he was glad Aisha helped him.
“Tonight, choke me too!” she whispered in his ear, and left.
That woman was too damn jealous. When he was fucking Atena he had spared a moment to glance at her, and Aisha was watching him with large eyes while clawing her hair. She probably wanted to choke Atena too, but for different reasons. A part of her reminded Gray of Sia.
His thoughts were interrupted when Jones knocked on the door.
“I gave her the message sir,” Jones said, peeking in.
“Nice work Jones. When did she schedule our meeting?”
“Uh…she already came with me sir.”
Gray stared at him. “What?”
He heard footsteps on the staircase.
Oh fuck me!
He adjusted his hair, cleared his throat, and asked Jones to leave.
A moment later Jenna appeared. She was beautiful in her evening gown, but sadly it covered both her legs and her cleavage. She wore a diamond necklace, and had her blond hair tied back in a pony tail.
“Lord Gray,” she gripped bent down lightly, curtsied, and gave the formal greeting. “So nice of you to call me home.”
Gray looked at the slightly ajar door to see if anyone was outside. Then he cleared his throat. “You know, in my house we usually greet by lifting our dresses and showing what’s inside.”
“Oooh,” Jenna pursed her lips. “Can you elaborate?”
Gray closed the door, and did a moment of thought on that. He had no problem showing his dick to the noble’s daughter. But then she could use it against him, the same way he used it against Atena. But then again Jenna seemed nice. It was best to play it safe.
He pulled down his trouser a little, just so she could see his underclothes.
Jenna had her eyes on the thing bulging on his underclothes. “That sure is a nice thing. I can see why many women would want it.”
“And what about the greeting?”
Jenna lifted her dress a little, showing a very long and thick chemise underneath. “I always be careful.”
Little bitch.
“Anyways,” Gray pointed at a seat. “After a certain…uh, encounter, I saw you were right. There might be women claiming my fortune. So tell me, what’s your solution?”
Jenna’s eyes glinted, and her lips curved to a smile. For a moment Gray was almost afraid to approach her. “You should sit down Gray, you’ll want to listen to this carefully.”