Alfie walked into the dining room as Tess placed his perfectly cooked eggs on the table and left to fetch the coffee she had picked up from the small cafe down the street. (She hadn't been brave enough to attempt preparing it herself.)

Alfie had sat by the time she returned with coffee and he watched with a mischievous grin as she avoided his eye. Picking up his coffee, he took a drink, his eyes filled with humor as he watched her.

First she lectures me and then watches me fuck and wants to pretend it never happened? His grin widened as he remembered seeing her peek around the corner as he pounded into the woman on his sofa. That's what had made him come. He could see the lust in her eyes as she secretly watched.

"You left in a hurry on Friday." Alfie pointed out. "Didn't even put the sheets in the trunk."

Tess paused for a moment and he could see her eyes widen, as if asking herself if he had seen her.

"Problem?" He asked as he took another sip of his coffee, watching her over the rim of the ceramic cup.

"No." Tess responded quickly before clearing her throat and gaining her composure. "I had to take care of things at home."

"And did you?" Alfie was intrigued and inwardly laughing. "Take care of things?"

At his suggestive tone, Tess's worried eyes met his.

She blinked a couple times before responding, "Um, I'm not sure what you are suggesting exactly."

"Oh, I think you do." Alfie raised his eyebrows.

Tess's ears and chest began to redden with embarrassment until she turned away from him and began to walk back into the kitchen, hearing his footsteps behind her.

"I just think it's interesting. Seeing as how you lectured me on propriety and all." Alfie leaned against the entryway of the kitchen as Tess fumbled with the dirty dishes.

"I didn't-" She was flustered and Alfie could see her neck was now as red as her ears. "I apologize Mr. Solomons. I thought you had called for me, and so I went into the sitting room. I didn't know that you were…. Entertaining."

"Listen, lamb. I don't care that you walked in on me having a fuck, or that you watched from around the corner." Tess dropped the pan she had been scrubbing into the dishwater, causing soap and water to splash. "But, don't spill your aristocratic hypocrisy in my dining room. You are on the same streets as everyone else, doing and watching the same improper actions." With a chuckle, Alfie left for the day.

Tess buried her face in her hands when he left. He had seen her watching. Now it was no longer her shameful secret, not that it ever had been apparently, but her employer knew. And he thought her a hypocrite. Dropping her hands, she scoffed audibly and shook her head as she began gathering his dirty washing.

When Alfie returned to the dining room after a long day's work. Tess could sense his dark mood which mixed with her sour feelings toward his calling her a hypocrite. She placed his dinner before him and returned to the kitchen to allow him to eat. When he had finished the simple meal she had prepared for him, she gathered his plate and began cleaning the kitchen.

"Is that all?" She asked, her tone matching her feelings.

Alfie looked up at her from the wingback chair he was seated in and raised his eyebrows. "Problem?"

"No." She responded sharply. "Can I go for the night?"

Alfie'd had a long day. Now his fucking maid was giving him an attitude? "If you have something to say, fucking say it."

"I'm not a hypocrite." She answered.

"What would you call it, then?" He snapped back.

Tess responded without thinking her words through. "I don't know, curious?"

At that, Alfie's demeanor changed. "Curious?"

"No. Not curious. I just-" Tess gave a loud exhale and growl of frustration. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Alfie was now looking at her with interest.

"You take what I say and make it… naughty." She was flustered, again.

Alfie chuckled, "naughty?"

"See? I didn't mean curious, I just meant.." Tess sighed, "I don't know what I meant. Do you need me to do anything else before I go?"

He looked at her defeated expression and nodded, his previous mood returning. Meanwhile, Tess gathered her things and left. Deciding she needed to clear her head, she took a walk by the canal and watched the dirty water splash against the wall of its barrier. Tess walked until she saw the edge of Alfie's territory border that Edna had pointed out to her before turning around and finally walking back to the boarding house she called home.

As she opened the door, she heard a mix of nervous whispers and hushed, excited voices. All noise ceased when she stepped over the threshold and she could feel eyes on her before she turned to see every inhabitant of the building staring at her with wide eyes.

"Is… everything alright?" Tess asked awkwardly.

"You have a visitor." Mrs. Friedberg told her, lips tight with disapproval.

"A visitor?" Tess glanced around the foyer where around ten women were watching her, unblinking.

"In your room." Mrs. Friedberg explained.

Tess's curiosity drove her up the stairs, not without noticing the excited whispers had resumed behind her. She racked her brain, running through the possibilities of her mysterious guest. She thought of Edna but decided Edna would have no reason to visit. Her heart gave a small jump when she thought her visitor could be Mrs. Schwartz. It made sense, she didn't have anyone else.

Rushing to the door, she flung it open. Her excited face fell as she took in the figure sitting on her bed, back propped against the rickety metal headboard, and feet atop the thin ragged quilt.

"Interesting book." Alfie said as he peeked over the top of Maudie.

"That's not mine." Tess said quickly.

"It was in your room." He pointed out, closing the book and putting it to the side.

"Why are you going through my things?" Tess snapped as she grabbed the book from the bed.

Alfie stared at her, reading her. Tess tucked the book in her arms and looked around the room, anywhere but at him, with her lips pursed.

"You know, I'm not supposed to have men in my room." Tess said with a sideways glance at him. "I'm going to be in trouble."

Alfie chuckled, "No you won't."

"Because no one tells Alfie Solomons what to do." Tess mocked, a hint of a smile playing on the corners of her lips.

"Exactly." Alfie smiled.

Tess exhaled and sat on the edge of the bed, placing the book beside her.

"I didn't intend to get this book, you know. In fact, I haven't made it past the first page." She explained, "I asked the woman at the bookshoppe for something enjoyable that I could read in the evenings after work. She suggested this." Tess nodded toward the book.

"Perhaps you should continue beyond the first page. You may actually enjoy it, despite its impropriety." Alfie gave her a suggestive grin. "In fact, that may be the exact reason you do enjoy it. Like so many other women who escaped the harsh restrictions of their aristocratic parents."

Tess's heart gave a small pang, which mirrored on her face. Alfie watched her, reading her expressions as if reading a book. He knew her upbringing had been advantageous, he could tell by the way she carried herself and her speech, but how she had ended up in a boarding house in Camden Town with a thin blanket that won't do much to keep her warm in the winter, thrown on a squeaky, rusted bed frame he didn't know. He quarreled with whether or not he actually cared. She drove him crazy with her posh, uptight mindset.

Alfie stood and proceeded toward the door.

"Did you need something or did you stop only to have a look at my private library?" Tess asked.

"I was out for a walk." he shrugged. "Enjoy your… private reading." He added with a twinkle in his eye as he glanced at the book and back at her now blushing face before leaving.

Tess heard him say, "ladies." in greeting as he walked past them at the bottom of the stairs. Deciding she didn't want scrutiny or the awkward stares of her housemates, Tess closed her door and laid on her bed. She would wait until everyone had gone to bed before taking a shower herself. She picked up Maudie and stared at it for a moment. Perhaps Alfie was right. Her old life was gone. What was the point now of not giving the slightest amount of attention to her curiosity? Plus, Alfie had said it was normal for women to read these novels after leaving home.

Justifying it to herself, and pushing down what guilt she hadn't been able to extinguish, Tess opened the book once more.

Tess struggled with the first few pages of the book before allowing herself to be immersed into the story, though not without a lot of blushing. After a few hours, Tess realized the house had gone quiet. Checking the small clock on her bedside table, she realized how late it was and jumped out of bed to quickly bathe.

As she watched her bath water run, Tess's mind thought about what she had read. The book was graphic and it made her feel awkward. She couldn't help but wonder if people were really the way the book depicted them to be. Alfie was it seems as he's had two different women since Tess had begun working for him. Well, only two that she knew of. She wondered what sort of things he had done with the women, other than what she had witnessed. Did he bury his face between thier thighs like in the story?

Tess felt an abrupt tingle between her legs as she pictured herself laying on the dining room table, his face between her thighs, thanking her for breakfast.

Tess's eyes widened at her thoughts and she shook her head as if she could shake away the visual from her memory. Quickly, she washed and exited the tub, proceeding to bed and putting her fantasy behind her.

—

"You have guests, Sir." Mrs. Schwartz told Phillip when he had returned from whatever he did during the day.

"Guests?" Philip repeated.

"Yes sir. In the drawing room. Two gentlemen who stated they were old friends of yours. Something about meeting when you were in the market for a horse."

Philip froze for a moment and, gaining his composure, said, "Right. Of course. Thank you."

Mrs. Schwartz watched him walk to the drawing room entrance and smooth his hair back shakily before entering. She pursed her lips knowing these gentlemen weren't old friends. Philip didn't have friends. Shaking her head in disapproval, she made her way to the servants kitchen to make herself some tea.

"Good evening." Philip said, his voice less confident than he intended.

"Philip!" One of the men said with a big smile that made Philip nervous. "It's about time you showed up. We thought you'd done a runner."

"Wh-what can I do for you?" Phillip asked.

"You know why we are here. You owe us money, don't you."

"Um- Yes. And I have it. I just don't have it. Um- what I mean to say is, I have a means of getting it. A new means. I just haven't had the opportunity. If I can have just a couple more weeks. I-"

"We have given you plenty of time." The man barked. "We have told you what would happen if you did not have our money, now-"

"Hang on." The second man said from the other side of the room.

Philip looked to see him holding a small gold picture frame.

"Who is this beautiful creature?" The man asked before displaying the photograph Philip's father had kept on his desk.

"My cousin." Philip said sourly.

"Well she looks delightful."

Philip muttered his disagreement under his breath before noticing the lustful look in the man's eyes.

"She will be here in two weeks." Philip said quickly, a wicked idea coming to his mind. "She's away on holiday. But perhaps we could… trade?"

The two men paused and looked at him.

"Trade?" The first man repeated.

"Um-" Philip hesitated.

"You would offer your cousin as recompense for your debts?" The second man asked, intrigued.

"If- if you want her."

The two men looked at each other before their smiles turned wicked.

"She will bring us much more money than we will ever get from you." The first man said.

"Make sure she is ready in two weeks." The second man said, motioning to the picture in his hand, letting Philip know he was taking it with him.

"I will." Philip said as the men left.