Cora sat in front of her vanity, waiting for she did not know who, Baxter had fallen ill she knew that but it was unknown to her who would take her place and tend to her tonight. She knew who she hoped it would be of course, but surely not.

So expecting Anna by this point she was surprised and delighted to hear that beautiful Scottish accent coming round the door. 'Milady?'

'Yes Mrs. Hughes, come in, how is Baxter doing?'

'Baxter is fine Milady, well, she is baring up, the fever has gone down and she is sleeping now.'

'Good, that's good, has Dr. Clarkson left?'

'Yes Milady.' Mrs. Hughes answered moving forward into the room.

Standing behind Cora Mrs. Hughes started to take the pins for her hair, gathering the loose locks in one hand, with the other she searched for remaining pieces of metal. When she had undone them all she leant forward beside her Lady and placed them on her vanity, she was a bit out of practice and had not kept enough distance between them causing her chest to graze past Cora's shoulder.

'I apologise Milady.' She said hastily.

'No matter.' Cora said gracefully but when Mrs. Hughes caught her reflection in the mirror she saw her blush ever so slightly, but still clearly visible due to her beautiful pale skin.

Taking the brush in hand, she stood a little further back from Cora and started to, ever so gently, brush her dark wavy hair.

Cora moved her hands to the pins on her vanity and put them in the little box they had come from, she needed to keep her hands busy, her mind occupied as not to get lost in the sensation of Mrs. Hughes handling her hair with such gentle hands, ghosting over the skin at the back of her neck every now and then, sending goosebumps over her skin.

Really Cora, she told herself sternly, but despite of herself she thought about the fact that Robert was in London and they had her bedroom al to themselves, no one would call on her now and they were very much alone. It was late and she couldn't help but let her weary mind wander.

Mrs. Hughes reached the end of the braid she was making and needing a ribbon to tie of the end she leant forwards again, this time careful not to touch her Lady with any part of her body.

When she was finished Cora did not move. Wasn't she suppose to help her undress, she would have gotten up by now, the routine was set and Mrs. Hughes couldn't understand her Lady sitting frozen before her.

'Is anything the matter Milady?'

'What?' Cora said confused.

Mrs. Hughes gestured to her to get up so she could continue her duties.

'Right, so sorry Mrs. Hughes, I was miles away.'

Cora stood up and Mrs. Hughes moved her hands to the top of her right glove and slid it of, draping it over her arm to be able to remove the other. Cora very much hoping she wouldn't notice the little bumps on her skin. Mrs. Hughes's hand then moved to the top of her gown and started to undo the hooks that fastened it.

Cora closed her eyes and imagined Mrs. Hughes taking of her dress with different purposes, how she herself would step behind her employee next and undo her dress. Intensely curious to find out if the freckles on her face and neck would travel further down, to see how big her breasts really were beneath that dark dress that covered her so completely.

Shaking herself mentally Cora stepped out of her gown and sat down again. Bending over to hide her face she undid her shoes. She would be almost the same height as Mrs. Hughes without her heels which would be perfect if she were to kiss her lips, only needing to bend down ever so slightly to cup the woman's pretty freckled face and press her lips to hers.

To kiss an other woman, a woman who had entered her dreams ever more frequently of late.

Having hung her Ladyship's gown Mrs. Hughes returned to where Cora was sitting and wondered why she was looking so, so, she couldn't actually read the expression on her face.

'I am sure Miss Baxter will be perfectly fine in a few days Milady, no need to worry.'

Cora smiled at her.

'And in the mean time I am perfectly happy to tend to you myself.'

'Thank you Mrs. Hughes, that will be all, I'll say good night.'

'Good night Milady.'

And with that Mrs. Hughes turned and walked out the room. Closing the door behind herself she leant against it for a moment and shook her hands violently. Really Elsie you have to control yourself. She had been so nervous to be this close to Cora that she couldn't quite keep her hands steady.

Thinking hard she decided that Cora had not noticed anything and was her gracious self, if not a bit distracted. But then her Ladyship had to entertain their company herself this evening Robert being suddenly called away to London. And then the news of her beloved ladies maid falling ill. She was sure it had nothing to do with her and her shaking hands.

Walking into her pantry she resolved she would do a better job the following morning. Images of Cora in bed wearing nothing but a thin white night dress flashed in her mind. How she would want to lift up the covers and get in bed with her. Now Elsie is that going to help you any, she scolded herself.

There was a knock at her door and Mr. Carson came walking into her sitting room.

'I trust everything went OK with her Ladyship.'

'Naturally Mr. Carson.' She replied, keeping her face from displaying the thoughts still floating around in her mind.

At breakfast the following day Elsie tried her best not to piece together the shattered imagines of her dream. There had been an elegant dark haired woman between her thighs, a gentle small hand ghosting over her breasts, a soft voice with the remnants of an American accent whispering in her ear.

Oh dear her dreams were too good to ever come true, Elsie knew this but did not want them to stop, she wanted to see it all happen in her minds eye as clearly as watching it happen on the big screen, going to the pictures and seeing American actresses behaving in a way that Elsie never thought a woman could or indeed should behave. Those nights she would find herself lying awake in bed, a hand sneaking down her body.

Hope sprung up at the thought that Cora was an American and therefor she would maybe be more open, more modern and maybe the thought of being with another woman wouldn't be so strange to her. Maybe it would be a possible...maybe.

'That's her Ladyship ringing Mrs. Hughes.'

Mr. Carson's voice brought her back to reality and she jumped up. Taking the breakfast tray up to her room Elsie made herself more and more nervous. Standing outside her room she took a couple of deep breaths and knocked.

The sight that met her eyes was awful, awful in the sense that it was wonderful, there she was just as Elsie had imagined in her dream. Dark hair come undone slightly from her braid during the night dancing about her pretty face and long neck in little wispy curls. Her white nightgown a bit askew which made her look so sexy, her cleavage covered but almost visible. She shouldn't be looking down there but when placing the breakfast tray over her lady's lap she couldn't help herself to steal a glance.

'Is there anything else you might need Milady?' Mrs. Hughes asked while she deposited her morning magazine on her bedside table.

'I was wondering, if it's no too much trouble, if you could run me a bath.'

Mrs. Hughes trembled.

Cora continued quickly, 'It was a long night last night and felt too tired to take a bath but now...' She left her sentence hanging.

'Of course Milady, no trouble at all.' Mrs. Hughes tried to sound as business like as she could. Inside her head she was overcome by images of Cora sitting in her tub, shiny wet skin, soapsuds running down in between her breasts.

She turned quickly and made for the en suite. Try and do this as fast as you can and then get out, she told herself.