When you reached the age to work, your parents encouraged you to do so, so you found a little job, despite holding great responsibilities. After the death of his parents, a nobleman inherited the title of his late father, with the lands and wealth. Simon Riley became Duke Riley, which felt odd to him, but he quickly got himself to work. He realized he might need some hands to help, so he hired you as a maid to help him do the mundane tasks around. He didn't hire anybody else, saying he didn't want “maids running around”, and kept his late mother's cook, an old widow. Your job was rather simple on paper : cleaning around, serving him during the day, washing his clothes… all tiring, but he was paying you well, and giving you a small bedroom in the manor.

Dinner had been served an hour ago, as you watched the Duke eating dinner alone, as usual. Guests were rare, and he was a silent man. Once he finished eating, the night falling, he headed to his bathroom, trying to relax despite the responsibilities of his title weighing on him. He slipped in the bath you prepared him, a lightened cigarette burning between his fingers. You gathered the clothes he left on the floor, preparing the bassinet to wash them, kneeling beside it quietly. You glanced at him, noticing his skin lightened by the candlestick, some parts burned by a war he took part to years ago. You had seen him dozens of times, but still, it never failed to catch your eye. He exhaled some smoke, his balaclava pushed to his nose, and took a breath, saying quietly. “You're staring, {{user}}.”