Feeling eyes on her, Paisley glanced up to find the dark-haired man – Thomas, was it? – staring at her curiously.
"Ye must be the new hirelin', then," he said casually. "Dominic said he needed someone to replace Astrid, but he's been puttin' it off for a while, I think."
"Astrid? That was her name, then?" Paisley asked, as casually as she could. She still didn't know exactly what Astrid had done to be dismissed so sharply and was keen not to repeat the same mistake. Had she dropped ale over somebody important, perhaps?
"Leave her alone," Dominic said curtly.
Thomas ignored him. "I'm meeting me wife here in an hour or so. Ye ought to meet her."
Paisley blinked. This was unexpected. Was she making friends already?
"She'll have nay time to meet Emma," Dominic snapped, setting down two tankards of ale with twin sharpcracks. "She will be working. Paisley, grab a broom and sweep this floor. Quick as ye like."
"Yes, of course. I'll get started right away." Paisley said, trying not to flinch at his sharp tone – or worse, talk back. She needed to stay bright and energetic. She needed toprovethat she was a good choice to work here.
Paisley allowed herself only one moment of regret for her pretty lavender dress, then snatched up the broom and got to work.
There was something soothing about the regular, rhythmic motion of sweeping a wood floor. The floor ofTheSinnerwasn't trulyfilthy, but certainly needed a good clean. She was as thorough as possible, carefully sweeping around the feet of the drunks in the corner. They eyed her dumbly, and one of them was kind enough to lift his boots to let her sweep underneath.
When Paisley straightened her aching back and rested the broom back up against the wall where she had found it, there was a certain sense of satisfaction in the sight. There was a great deal more to be done to getTheSinnerlooking shipshape again– or would it be pub-shape? – but this was certainly a step in the right direction.
She shook the dust off her apron and turned expectantly towards Dominic.
He was watching her, and she felt the strangest certainty that he hadn'tstoppedlooking at her.
Nonsense,she scolded herself.Don't be so foolish.
When their eyes met, Dominic gave himself a little shake, as if waking up from a reverie. His face was as grim and set as before. Did the man ever smile?
No, he had, she was sure of it – although it had been during their conversation in the middle of the forest last night, when it was too dark to read his expression properly.
She hurried across the floor towards him, smiling hopefully. Mama had always said that asmilewas the most powerful weapon in a lady's arsenal. She almost certainly hadn't meant this particular situation.
She'd probably imagined her daughter seducing some powerful lord or duke, or charming said lord or duke's haughty and disapproving parents. She almostcertainlyhadn't imagined her daughter working as a barmaid in a seedy pub, using her charming smile to ingratiate herself with an employer that did not seem to like her very much at all.
After all, he'd only agreed to hire her in exchange for her not fleecing his patrons out of all their money at cards.
Dominic seemed entirely unmoved by the smile.
"Ye missed a spot," he said bluntly, pointing to a dusty corner near the door.
Paisley's smile wavered but did not drop.
"I beg your pardon," she said smoothly. "I shall remedy that immediately."
She hurried away, snatching up the broom as she went. Behind her, she clearly heard Thomas say, "Ah, give the lass a rest, Dom! She's done a fine job."
"She missed a spot," Dominic insisted. "I'm nae charity."
Paisley bit her lip and set about sweeping the errant line of dust out of her door.
Not averyauspicious start,she thought to herself,but all in all, it could have been worse.
6
"So, anythin' ye care to tell me?" Thomas said conversationally, draining his tankard of ale.
Dominic glared at him. "Naythin' I can think of. And stop drinking like a damn fish, it's barely noon."