Part 2:

Orlando was surprised at the man’s presence. When Mrs. Dench had spoken of him,
he had pictured a feeble man in a chair, struggling to sit up. This man was 
older, yes…but he still had a noble presence around him. He stood up straight 
and tall, not wavering in his stance, dark eyes focused on Orlando. The dark 
orbs were surprisingly warm as they locked on him, holding him in their gaze. 

“Are you Lord Lee, sir?” Orlando asked cautiously, he took off his hat just in 
case. He could not think of any other person this man could be. The man smiled 
at his question, chuckling in a low voice. He slowly began to walk down the 
stairs, a hand on the rail to keep balance, his other hand in his pocket. “Yes,
young man, you have caught me. And who might you be? You do not look like any of
the haughty Lords that visit me in my old age. Are you another pretty young 
thing trying to woo me from my money?”

Orlando blushed at his questions, not sure if they were serious or in jest. The
man had a kind of unreadable tone to his voice. He hastily shook his head. 
“Oh…n-no sir…I am a new servant. My name is Orlando…”

“I am sorry if he bothered you, Sir” 

Mrs. Dench was hastily approaching. She took Orlando by the arm and was about to
lead him away. “There was a crisis in the kitchen, and I had to leave the room.
This is your new valet, Orlando Bloom. He is not used to the ways of the house 
yet, I am still showing him around. We shall leave you alone now sir…”

“No need to take him away just yet, I would like to meet him if he is to be my 
valet.” He walked down the stairs to stand next to Orlando. His looked the boy 
over with hardened eyes, the charm that he had exuded earlier wearing off. Lord
Lee seemed to be looking Orlando over in a different way, eyeing Mrs. Dench with
an exhausted, almost irritated gaze. 

Orlando now felt a surge of fear. He hoped that Mrs. Dench would whisk him away
and show him the rest of the massive house, and not make him endure any more of
the man’s piercing gaze. His eyes seemed to strip him, and Orlando flushed over
the feeling of being naked in front of this nobleman. 

“You may return to your other duties, Mrs. Dench. I would like to have a chat 
with my new ‘valet’ in the drawing room.” Lord Lee did not even bat an eye as he
stared at Orlando while speaking to his head servant. Mrs. Dench gave him a
haggard look. She curtsied and left for the kitchen, leaving the two men. Lord 
lee held out a hand to instruct Orlando. “Let us go to the drawing room,” he 
said. Orlando went as he was bid, trying not to waiver in his steps. He did not
know what to expect from this man. The moment Lord Lee had discovered that 
Orlando was to be his servant, he had turned cold against him; his sweet words
upon seeing him forgotten.

They entered the room, and lord Lee took a seat in a large chair, sitting 
carefully, as the old are inclined to do. Orlando dared not move, he stood and 
waited to an order. Lord Lee looked up at him and motioned to the chair. “Have a
seat.”

Orlando sat across from his Lord as he was bid, sitting up straight and folding
his hands in his lap. He tried to not stare, and yet did not know what was the
right course of action. Lord Lee leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers.
“Now, young man, I do not know your motives for coming here. I can see how the 
position would seem like a good option for you; it would provide you with a good
secure life. For this I do not fault you. However, I do not appreciate the means
of my other servants. Providing me with a pretty little distraction that is 
indeed a nursemaid to me as one would to an infant. I do not want a nursemaid, 
if I did, I would hire one. So, Mr. Bloom, are you here to play wet nurse?”

“No” Orlando said honestly. “When I came here, all I knew was that I was to be a
household servant. Honest…if you want me to go I will…I did not mean to offend 
anyone by coming here…”

Lord Lee visibly relaxed in his chair. The pretty little thing looked so 
innocent. He shushed the boy and waved his hand to quiet him. Orlando stopped 
his flow of speech almost instantly, chocolate eyes wide with anticipation and 
worry. Mr. Lee smiled. “Poor old Dench. So meddlesome. Drives me to distraction.
I hope I did not scare you, child, I was a little put off.” He actually leaned 
forward and patted Orlando on the leg. “I suppose you may keep your former 
position, hopefully that will get old Mrs. Dench out of my hair for a time. You
shall have all the normal duties of a valet, and I want you to report only to 
me. You do not need to take orders from Dench or Hill, unless they come from me.
You shall need to be at my beck and call during the day, especially in the weeks
to come. I am having a large party in the next two months, and you shall need to
run messages and errands for me. Is this all understood?”

“Yes sir” Orlando said, nodding vigorously. Lord Lee was then back to business.
“All right, stand up, and get me a glass of sherry, Bloom” 

“Yes sir.”



Orlando took out Lord Lee’s suit that he was to wear to dinner that night. 
Orlando had heard the other servants talking about how an old friend of their
master’s was coming to visit for a few days, and would be arriving in a few 
hours. He grabbed the old suit shirt from the other day that had a small wine 
stain on it that was to be removed. Orlando had been instructed to take it and 
have it cleaned by one of the laundry girls. 

Orlando took the shirt with him downstairs and through the kitchen out to the 
back. He smiled to Ms. Blanchet in the kitchen as he passed her. She had been 
very good to him these past few days. He had really needed someone, and she had
been there his first night, saving him some pear sweets from desert to try and 
cheer him up. 

“Good morning, love” she said to him as he passed, stirring up batter for the 
French bread to be served with dinner.

“Morning” Orlando responded as he passed, carrying the shirt into the back to 
where Madeline was washing the laundry. He could smell the bleach as he neared,
and saw the young woman stirring the large tub of sheets. 

“Cate…” he said, trying to catch her attention. “Morning, Orli. What’s that you
got there?”

“A shirt, could you bleach it for me? It is Lord Lee’s”

“Give it here, I’ll throw it in with the others” she said, extending her hand. 
Orlando handed it over to her and put his hands in his pockets. “Thanks so much,
Cate” he said, offering a smile. She returned it and went back to the laundry. 
She stopped for a moment and looked at the shirt. “Oh, I should not bleach this
with the rest, the color is off. Could you go to the stables and get me the 
rough green soap on the supply bench?” She pointed back to the directions of the
stables. Orlando nodded and turned to go. 

“Hurry” Cate called out. “I have a lot of other work to do today, and I need the
soap!” 

Orlando walked faster to the stables, going inside and looking for the
workbench. He started looking around and could not find any kind of soap at all.
A stamping sound behind him and a snort startled him and he whirled to face the
source. Behind him in a pen was the most glorious white horse he had ever seen.
Orlando’s breath was caught in his throat when he saw it. He loved horses, and 
this was majestic in its beauty. Orlando walked slowly to it and raised a hand.
He horse leaned down and sniffed him, then nibbled his fingers. Orlando gave a 
sort laugh.

“Orlando!”

The sound of Cate’s voice calling him broke the trance and reminded him he had a
job to do. He turned around to look again for the soap he had been sent to 
fetch. It was then that another sight caught his eyes. 

A man with a tall golden body and golden hair was shoveling hay from one pen to
another further down a little. He must have been in a pen when Orlando had first
come inside. His body was strong and well muscled, his shirt parted due to the 
heat and drenched in sweat. His face had a sweaty gleam to it.

Orlando never would have guessed sweat could look so sexy.

He immediately shook his head. He should not be having such thoughts. But his 
eyes were transfixed on those strong arms as they moved…those powerful legs 
encased in trousers, those penetrating eyes…

Those eyes were currently locked on him. Orlando flushed at having been caught 
staring and turned back to the workbench, looking for the green soap. He then 
saw a package wrapped in brown paper, peaking out of which was the mysterious 
green soap to remove the stains from his master’s shirt. He heard the man behind
him continue to toss the hay into the pens and he breathed a long sigh. It was 
not completely of relief, but partly. Orlando had feared that the man would walk
over to him from the way he had looked at him. He did not know what he would say
to such a ominous man or if he would be capable of using his ability of speech 
at all. Orlando hurried from the workbench to the door of the stable, just as 
Miss Winslet called to him again. He tried to look down at he walked to the 
door, but his treacherous eyes wandered back to the sandy haired stranger.

The boy’s chocolate eyes once again rose to the man, lingering on his sweat 
shimmered chest. There was a light spread of blonde hair there, and another 
darker shade of hair that trailed from a few inches above his navel and 
disappeared into his dirty trousers. There was a piece of straw in his hair and
another in between his teeth. Orlando’s gaze rose and he met the smoldering 
emerald eyes again, those hawk-like eyes that saw through him, stripping him. 
The man leaned on his pitchfork idly and stuck a hand in his trousers, a sly 
half smile forming on his lips.

Orlando hurried out the doors and lost sight of the man. He also felt the loss 
of the man’s gaze on him, which almost made him feel more naked. 

He was surprised about how much the man had unnerved him, and yet he could not
help but look back to see that the man was now walking outside. When Orlando 
looked again he saw the man placing a log on a stump to chop it. Orlando glanced
back several times, and from the heat he felt in his face, he knew he was 
blushing. Every time he looked back, he saw that the man was watching him, 
almost teasingly. 

When he made it back to Ms. Winslet, she was so busy cleaning that she did not 
see his blush, which Orlando was extremely grateful of. 

His thoughts kept going back to the stable-hand he encountered. The man was 
incredibly handsome, and looked at Orlando with a raw passion that he had never
felt before. Orlando felt shivers along his spine when he thought of the man’s 
eyes upon him. 

He looked back now to see if the man was still there, but he had left. Orlando 
scanned the area, looking for a sign of where he had gone, but saw none.

When Ms. Winslet was done with the shirt, he took it out to the clothesline to 
hang it so that it could dry. Orlando then turned back to the house to continue
with his duties. He took his Lord’s smoking jacket to be pressed on his way to 
the library, where Lord Lee was enjoying a pipe and a large book of verse. 
Orlando opened the door as quietly as possible, trying not to disturb his 
master, and walked to the glass cabinet to fetch him his usual glass of sherry.
The color made him think of the trousers the man in the stables wore, and his 
mind immediately wandered. He poured in much more sherry than he had meant to, 
and almost dropped the bottle when he tried to re-cork it. 

Orlando handed Lord Lee his drink absent mindedly, and flushed when the man 
asked him in the cultured tone, “Are you trying to intoxicate me, Bloom? I think
you emptied half the bottle in here. Keep your mind on your work, boy.”

“Yes sir” Orlando quickly responded; horrified when he saw the mistake he had 
made. He was supposed to be looking out for the Lord’s well being, not try and 
get him to drink himself into a stupor. “Sorry sir, would you like me to get you
a different glass?”

Lord Lee nodded and handed Orlando back the drink, shaking his hand slightly to
get rid of some sherry left on the glass. Orlando was flushed deep scarlet at 
his mistake, and uttered another stammer of an apology. As his back was turned,
he could not see lord Lee smiling at his bumblings. The older man sat patiently
in his chair, fingers laced atop his crossed knees. “Bloom” he said quietly.
Orlando’s headshot up at the sound of him name. “When you pour a glass of 
sherry, or anything for that matter, only fill the glass a third or so. The 
consumer shall not get intoxicated as quickly, and you are less likely to spill
it.”

Orlando stopped for a moment, realizing that his master was being serious and 
attempting to be kind to him. In the few days he had been working for the Lord,
he had been distant from him, almost cool. He treated Orlando like a child moat
of the time, but this was one of the first times he had shown genuine kindness 
towards the boy in a way that was not meant to be condescending. “Thank you, 
sir.” This time, when Orlando looked at his employer, he had no trouble with 
keeping eye contact. When he poured the new glass sherry, he poured with a 
steady hand, only a third full as was suggested. This time, there were no spills
as he handed the glass to Lord Lee, and the man accepted the glass, raising it
to praise Orlando’s ability. The boy’s whole face lit up at the acknowledgment.
He wanted to badly to do a good job and prove himself to this man. He did not 
know why this was. Perhaps he wanted to prove he was not the person his master 
first took him for, or live up to his old mistresses expectations, or a 
combination. 

“Is there anything else you need, my Lord?” Orlando asked, crossing his hands in
front of him and standing up straight. Lord Lee took a sip of his sherry and
relaxed back in his chair, swirling the glass slightly. “Why don’t you get me a
cigar,” his master said, taking another sip. 

Orlando crossed to the cabinet to get the wooden box containing to Lord’s best 
cigars, taking the box from its shelf and taking it to Lee, holding it open to 
let the old man make his selection. He sniffed the cigar briefly under his nose,
approving of his choice. He then nodded and waved Orlando away. The boy replaced
the box on its shelf and carefully closed the heavy oak doors as not to rattle 
the glass inlaid in them. Orlando then stood by the shelf, awaiting other 
instructions. He watched Lord Lee remove his clip to cut the end of the cigar, 
then light it with a wooden match. Lee inhaled appreciatively and blew out gray
tendrils of smoke. 

“You are aware I am entertaining a few guests tonight, are you not?”

“I am sir” Orlando replied.

“I shall be entertaining them in the piano room tonight. Make sure that there is
a fire going, and that the cards are set out for a game. Bring in a bottle of 
Brandy as well. Be prepared as well to bring tea if required. This means I want
you posted in this room, when you are not required, you shall wait in the back.
Leave only when I instruct you, understand?”

“Yes sir” Orlando said with a small nod. He was a little nervous about having to
serve nobles he did not know, but he was confident he could do his duty, and was
determined to do well for his master. 

“Why don’t you go and ready the piano room for tonight as I instructed you. Make
sure there is enough wood for the fire and everything is in place. I shall ring
for you if I require anything else.”

“Of course, sir” Orlando said, making a slight bow before exiting the room, 
quietly closing the door behind him. Orlando let out a deep sigh as he headed 
towards the piano room. He ran a hand over his very short hair; glad to see it 
was finely starting to grow back in. There had been a lice outbreak a month or 
so back in his family’s apartment area, and his mother had shaved his head, 
along with his sister’s. It had gotten rid of the lice, but it had also gotten 
rid of the silken curls he had loved so much. He loved the feel of them around 
his face and neck; he loved to twirl his fingers around the curls when he was 
idle. His head had itched when it was first shaved, and the little hairs began 
to re-grow. He hoped it would not take too long to get back those curls, his 
head felt so very naked without them. He knew it was vain; to love those curls 
so much. He could not help it though. He had loved it when his mother would 
stroke his curls; it made him feel safe and loved.

Orlando got to the piano room, and began to set it up for the night’s 
activities. He found a deck of cards for he game the Lord wanted to play with 
his visitors. He set the deck out on the table, and arranged five brandy glasses
on a side buffet. In the cabinet there were two bottles of brandy both only part
full. Orlando poured the contents of one of the bottles into the other, making 
the one more than half full. He decided to take the other bottle to the kitchen
and see if they could make any use of it there. 

Orlando went over to the fireplace to see that there were only two logs in the 
canister, not nearly enough to keep a good fire going for several hours. This 
would mean he would have to get more wood…but where? 

The boy left the piano room and headed for the kitchen. He saw Mrs. Dench 
approaching and he hid the bottle slightly behind him, in case it was not his 
place to remove the bottle from the room. She looked at him with her unblinking
gaze and nodded in greeting, the most he could expect from the old housekeeper.
He offered her a bright smile as was his nature, and was delighted to see the 
slightest little twitch at the corner of her mouth. She gave a sort of snort of
amusement and carried on down the hall. Orlando was determined to break that 
chilly disposition yet, and with a few charming smiles and warm greeting, he 
thought he would be able to do it. 

The kitchen was a bustle. Ms. Blanchet was busy de-feathering a chicken at a 
table while Ms. Winslet ground seasonings in a colander, her face and apron 
smudged with flour. The scent of the bread she had obviously just made wafted 
through the hot room, making Orlando’s stomach rumble in interest. Elijah, the 
kitchen boy, turned his sooty face towards Orlando as he entered, his huge blue
eyes lighting up. “Oi, Orli! What you got there?” He motioned a dirty finger to
the bottle Orlando held in his hand. 

“Just an empty bottle from the piano room. Where should I put it, Ms. Blanchet?”
Orlando asked, speaking to the woman at the table. She looked up from the 
chicken she plucked to look at the object Orlando held in his hand. “You did not
have to get that, lovey, you know that Farrell would pick it up when he cleans,
that room is part of his duties.”

“I know” Orlando said, leaning against the table next to the two women. “I just
figured I would get it while I was there. Better one full than two partial 
bottles, less of a hassle for tonight.”

“Probably a good thing, you know how Colin has a tendency to leave a job only 
part done. It is a wonder the master keeps him around” Ms. Winslet said
conspiratorially. Ms. Blanchet nodded in agreement and went back to plucking. 
“Elijah, was it not you that heard him going at it in the pantry with one of the
other servants? Who was it, you have to tell us.”

Elijah grinned and pulled up a chair, sitting on it backwards in a manner that 
made Ms. Blanchet cluck her tongue at him.

Orlando listened as well, leaning on the counter and taking a piece of bread
from the morning meal. Elijah spoke quietly unless the man in question was to 
walk in to the room at any moment. “It was this last winter that I was comin’ in
from dumping the ash from the fireplaces when I hear this noise coming from the
pantry. I listen a little closer and it is the sounds of moaning” Elijah 
promptly begins to moan and gasp like he was in the midst of passion. The women
laughed but hushed him quickly, just in case someone was listening. 

Elijah paid them no mind and continued in his story. “So a few minutes later, 
Ana Maria, the old serving girl comes out, a little more flushed than normal. 
Now…a month later, I am going to the kitchen to replace the coals, when from the
pantry I hear once again the sounds of ‘activities,’ only this time the dashing
Mr. Farrell is accompanied out by some young valet of a visiting lord!” 

The women trilled in amusement, Ms. Winslet getting red in the face from her 
laughter of surprise. “Well, there’s a shock! I never would have guessed that.”

“Why not? It’s not that uncommon, you know. Think of me and Dom…”

“Lij, you and Dom have been going at it for years, ever since you came here to 
work, besides, you both seem the type. For a man as determined to prove he is 
tough, it seems a little strange he would go for that.” Ms. Winslet tried to 
explain. Elijah just rolled his eyes at her words. “Just because he does not 
have my feminine flair does not mean he does not like to play hide the sausage.”

Orlando laughed as the two women looked mockingly scandalized. Elijah looked at
him with an impish grin. “He fancies you, you know,” he said to Orlando, 
watching as the beautiful brunette looked at him disbelievingly. “It is true” 
Elijah insisted. “I heard him talking about how he would like to tear off your 
clothes, throw you down and…”

Elijah was cut off when the door opened and Mrs. Dench walked into the room. 
Everyone was immediately quiet. She looked pointedly at Orlando. “Is everything
ready for tonight?” she asked. 

“Almost” Orlando said. “I just need some logs for the fire.”

“Then I think you should get it.” She said.

“Yes ma’am” Orlando said. He quickly stood from his place on the counter and 
nodded to her as he walked out. He thought he could hear suppressed laughter of
the two girls and Elijah as he and Mrs. Dench exited the kitchen. 

“Mr. Bloom, a moment please” she said, motioning him with a finger. Orlando 
nodded meekly and stepped closer, head down, too nervous to look at her.” Mrs. 
Dench folded her hands in front of her and looked sternly at him. “Mr. Bloom, 
this house manages a smaller staff because of the quality of work dome by all 
employees. Lord Lee has allowed you to remain in servitude here out of the 
goodness of his heart, and you should show your gratitude by keeping to your 
duties and not gossiping with kitchen maids.”

Orlando looked at the ground and nodded his head; worried he was about to get 
sacked. 

Mrs. Dench pursed her lips before continuing. “Now, I shall adhere to the 
master’s wishes and keep you in service, but you must stop being so lax. I do 
not want to catch you loitering again or I shall be obligated to speak to his 
Lordship. Is that understood?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Eye’s up” she quipped.

Orlando raised his head. “Yes ma’am” he repeated. 

“That’s better,” she said, her ice thawing a little. “Now, do continue” she 
said, motioning to the hallways. Orlando nodded. “Wait…Mrs. Dench…where do I 
find logs for the fire?”

She turned to him and motioned with that famous finger to the back of the house
by the servant’s entrance. “You can find the pile of firewood at the back of the
stable. If you have any questions, you can ask Bean, the groundsman.”

“Thank you.” Orlando said before turning to the door, opening it and walking out
into the sunshine. It was so warm outside. Orlando groaned and pulled at the 
tight collar of his shirt. He longed to just take it off and lay naked in the 
sun. Tomorrow was his afternoon off, and he intended to go exploring in the 
woods. Orlando finally forgot regulation and opened the first two buttons of his
shirt, pulling it down to expose thee olive skin of his throat. He saw the 
stable ahead of him and quickened his pace, eager to get his tasks done. He saw
the carrier bag shoved next to the woodpile behind the stables and picket it up,
laying it out on the ground to pile the wood on. Orlando took the first piece of
wood and laid it on the carrier. He kept carrying logs onto the carrier until he
was satisfied that there was enough to last the night. Orlando went to go pick
up his bundle…and it immediately slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

“Bloody hell” Orlando sighed as he looked at the result of his work lay on the 
ground. He fell to his knees and began to pick up the dropped logs, placing them
back in the pouch one at a time. 

A hand reached to grab a log that Orlando reached for. Orlando looked up to see
the crooked face of Dominic. The boy gave him a smile. “How are you, Orli?” he 
asked, placing the log on the pile. “I just saw Lij, and he told me that Mrs. 
Dench was rather hard on you after you were found in the kitchen, are you 
alright?”

“Sure” Orlando said, looking down again at the ground, picking up some of the 
last pieces of wood. “Thank you for asking though, Dom…that was really sweet.” 
Orlando offered the other boy a warm smile. “It did not take you too long to 
find out about that…it was only a few minutes ago that it happened”

Dominic got a look on his face at this and gave Orlando a sly smile. “Well, I 
saw Lij…we had a few moments, and took advantage of them…”

Orlando’s eyes got wide at this. He could not believe Dominic would speak so 
openly about this. Dominic smiled at the look on his face and raised a finger to
his lips conspiratorially. “It is all right, Orli. Almost everyone knows, at 
least the servants do. They do not mind. You would be surprised all that goes 
on, and I do not even think Lord Lee would pay it much mind even if h did know.”

“So you two are…lovers?” Orlando asked innocently. They both crouched on the 
ground by the bag of logs, their hands resting on the ground and pile of logs. 
Dominic nodded and wiped some sun-bleached hair from his face. “Ever since he 
came here three years ago, I liked him. We are about the same age and all, and 
the crush turned into what it is today.”

“Do you love him?” Orlando asked, his voice almost dreamy. He had so longed for
some kind of love in his life when he worked for his old mistress, someone to 
sweep him off his feet and take him away. Dominic smiled with his eyes and 
nodded again, vigorously this time. “Very much. Some day, I hope we can move to
America, where we can get some land and live together.” 

“That sounds lovely” Orlando said softly. Dominic stood and offered Orlando a
hand. The other boy took it and stood, he then reached for the bundle of logs 
and lifted it carefully. Dominic helped him lift it so nothing fell and then 
Orlando cradled it against his chest. “Heavy” he explained as he took a breath.

He looked up and saw the handsome man from the stables watching him in the 
distance. Orlando froze and gazed at him, taking in his handsome physique from 
where he stood. He could not see the green of the man’s eyes from where they
stood, but he could feel them on him. So very intense…

“Orli?” Dominic looked at him with slight worry when he saw Orlando’s expression
go blank, but then he looked to where Orlando’s chocolate eyes were 
concentrated. He smiled. “I see you know Sean. He sure does know you. The 
glorious Mr. Bean has taken quite a fancy to you…”

Sean…as that was his name…moved off to go finish his work, eyeing Orlando one 
last time before he left. Orlando felt the flush back in his cheeks and he 
looked at the ground. 

Dominic gave a surprised laugh as he saw the redness. “Aha! You fancy him…don’t
you?” He gave Orlando a pat on the back. “Sean sure is a mysterious one. He does
his work but is quiet, rarely gathering with the others…body of a Greek god…”

Orlando gasped…scandalized…but he could not stop the smile. “I suppose so,” he 
said. “Thank you Dom, but I must go back to work. See you tonight?”

“Bye Orli” Dom said in parting, putting a piece of grass between his teeth
before walking towards the kitchen, and the boy that awaited him. 

TBC…
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