"You're teasing me again, Mr. Rogers," she said, but at least this time she had a very slight smile. The walk took a couple of hours and the road was uneven with the many many footfalls of horse hooves and carriage wheels. By the time they reached the large summer estate of Jane Smith's distant great aunt who had only come to know of her niece by letter, it was nearly supper.
"Good gracious!" the old woman said. "Come along child. We will get you out of your dreadful clothes and into something fresh for supper. The butler will show your man to his quarters. My, my, you never told me you had a giant in your employ. Where on Earth did you find him?"
It started like that. And it was, as Jane warned, dreadfully boring. It might have been hardest on Jane, except she didn't know any better. Her life was strictly regimented and overseen by her chaperone who had taken it upon herself to work as Jane's matchmaker as well. Jane had a cousin for company, about her age, who's fortunes were in direct opposition; excellent breeding but almost no dowery to attract a high born husband.
Occasionally neighbors from other country homes came by to visit. Jane spent her days reading. Whenever the neighbors came, particularly when they were young women also out, they nearly always insisted on taking their tea outside when the weather permitted.
The word Adonis may have been thrown Steve's way on more than one occasion, but never from Jane's mouth. She was far too proper and as his employer could not risk looking like she took advantage of that relationship.
At least Steve had hard labor to keep him busy. Hard for any other man, at least. He made it look easy and the groundskeeper kept him very busy.