Dara
awoke to the smell of fresh Belgian waffles – her favorite breakfast dish.She stretched and moaned appreciatively.“Mmm…”
“Ahem.”
The
dry cough jarred Dara from her sleepiness and her eyes fluttered open to see an
expressionless older woman standing beside her bed bearing a tray laden with
breakfast food.For just a moment
the young woman was disoriented.
“Who?…”
Dara shot upright as awareness of her surroundings dawned.“Good morning,” she greeted the waiting woman hesitantly.This must be the housekeeper Stefan Cassadine spoke about, Mrs.
Landsbury.
The
idea that the other woman had unrestricted access to both the room and her
belongings was a bit unsettling to Dara.She
briefly scanned Mrs. Landsbury’s face and wondered just what opinion of her
the housekeeper might have formed after handling the contents of Dara’s
‘private’ drawer.
“Good
morning, Miss.I trust that you
slept well.”The housekeeper
placed the tray across Dara’s lap.“Master
Stefan left instructions regarding your morning schedule.”
“Has
Master Ste-” Dara shook her head and began again.“Has Mister
Cassadine gone somewhere?”
Mrs.
Landsbury tapped the white envelope on the tray.“Master Stefan’s instructions are all in here, Miss.”She resumed her unyielding stance.“Now,
I will return in exactly one hour and forty-five minutes to collect your
breakfast dishes.”
The
former Assistant District Attorney doubted that the timetable Mrs. Landsbury
quoted was just a random figure drawn from the other woman’s head.The housekeeper appeared to run a tight household.And that was not surprising, based upon the identity of her employer.
Dara
also clearly understood the implications.She
was to be finished with breakfast by the time cited or she would have to answer
to the stone-faced woman standing before her.
“One
hour and forty-five minutes,” she nodded.
She
waited until Mrs. Landsbury left the room to begin eating.Out of the corner of her eye Dara took note of the time before examining
with interest the contents of the various containers upon her tray.Beside the oversized Belgian waffles, the tray held a glass container of
whipped cream and fresh fruit – blueberries, mango, bananas and sliced
strawberries.A crystal decanter of
warm maple syrup sat upon the tray as well.
Dara
closed her eyes and inhaled the various scents.She had never smelled anything so heavenly.The young woman was almost afraid to taste it.Surely there was no way the food on the tray could equal its amazing
aroma.
“Oh,
my…” she sighed as she placed the first forkful of whipped cream-covered
waffle in her mouth.“I have died
and gone to heaven.”
Stefan’s
white envelope was put aside as Dara concentrated on enjoying her meal.
