Free His Lordships Daughter by Brian A de'Ville, Stewart Vaughan Page A

“That’s easy. I love to eat.”
    Phyllipa giggled at him as she sipped her champagne. “I wasn’t referring to your food appetite.” She murmured to herself.
    Happy at what she saw, Phyllipa studied herself in the long dress mirror. She had chosen a deep cobalt blue silk evening gown. It was tight, almost stretched, but it showed all she wished to show off to perfection. Adjusting the diamond studs to her ears, she clipped a matching bracelet around her wrist, took one last look in the mirror then nodded her head in satisfaction. Everything looked right!
    From the bedroom she turned into the dining room and smiled at the waiters preparing the table for dinner, she was in her own apartment at the Davenport Hotel. Walking behind the well-stocked bar she splashed soda water on glistening chunks of ice in a tall glass, then sipping it, spoke to the staff and checked the wine.
    Her watch told her that it was ten minutes to eight! Looking around the solid silver cutlery and the spotless white napery, she nodded her head again, agreeably. She wanted everything to be exactly right but, apart from a built in respect plus an almost pathological insistence in support of etiquette, she didn’t really know why she wanted everything to be so perfect, except to show her boss how she did things. It was her treat!
    Lowering the lights, she moved through to the kitchen checking that everything was in order. All the staff had gone now except one waiter and she smiled at him as she returned to the dining room to find her guest, Steven, leaning against the bar. He was gazing around as if not quite sure where he was. Clad in evening dress, his handsome face was full of curiosity.
    “I thought it was just going to be a meal in a hotel restaurant.” He bent his head to kiss her cheek. “I didn’t expect all this.” His grey eyes moved up and down Phyllipa’s body, almost insole ntly, as if inspecting her, nodded his head. “You look absolutely lovely!”
    “You look pretty good yourself.” She retorted, removing the chilled champagne from its bucket. Filling two glasses she handed one to her guest. “Before you say anything….” She explained, indicating the champagne. “This is from my father’s cellar, he pays for it! Who shall we drink to?”
    “To the person who designed your dress.” He said, as their wine glasses met.
    “Are you hungry?”
    , H e pulle d a chair out for her. “starving !”
    Phyllipa smiled and made herself comfortable whilst the hovering waiter place a dish of oysters on the table. Removing one from the dish, she picked up a knife and with a flick of her wrist opened the hinged shell and freed the contents. “The trick is not to spill the natural juices.” She carefully explained, sprinkling black pepper and squeezing lemon juice into the shell.
    “Shouldn’t there be an “R” in the month?” Steven asked, innocently.
    She shook her head “These are Pacific oysters, harvested right throughout the year. I hope you like them?” leaning over the table, she teased Steven’s mouth open with her fingers, then let the oyster slide from its shell down his throat. “Swallow!” she ordered, closing his mouth, and Steven swallowed. Her eyes riveted into his. “Well?”
    Steven closed his eyes, and opened them again. “Wonderful!” he cried drinking his champagne. “Slightly salty but very fresh.” Taking a knife he picked one up, flicked in the blade and watched the lid drop onto the plate. “I can suck them blindfolded, they are one of my favourite foods!”
    Phyllipa laughed as she touched her mouth with her napkin. “At least we have something in common.”
    Her boss nodded and looked around at the sumptuous room. “I suppose all this belongs to you?”
    “It belongs to my family, since I have been working for you, I’ve been staying here.” Shucking another oyster, she topped the shell up with champagne and popped it into Steven’s mouth. “Would you mind if I talked about