He shifted to put another piece of the broken chair on the fire. “The only fairy tale I can remember is Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Lady Georgina gave him a pitying look. “Can’t you do better than that?”

“I’m afraid not.” The other tales he knew weren’t exactly fit for a lady’s ears.

“Well, I heard a rather interesting one recently. From my cook’s aunt when she came to visit Cook in London. Would you like me to tell it to you?”

No. The last thing he needed was to become any more intimate with his employer than the situation had already forced him to be. “Yes, my lady.”

“Once upon a time, there was a great king and he had an enchanted leopard to serve him.” She wiggled her rump on the chair. “I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not how it goes.”

Harry blinked. “My lady?”

“No. The king dies right away, so he’s not the hero.” She looked expectantly at him.

“Ah.” He couldn’t think of anything else to say.

It seemed to do.

Lady Georgina nodded. “The leopard wore a sort of gold chain around its neck. It was enslaved, you see, but I don’t know how that came about. Cook’s aunt didn’t say. Anyway, when the king was dying, he made the leopard promise to serve the next king, his son.” She frowned. “Which doesn’t seem very fair, somehow, does it? I mean, usually they free the faithful servant at that point.” She shifted again on the wooden chair.

Harry cleared his throat. “Perhaps you would be more comfortable on the floor. Your cloak is drier. I could make a pallet.”

She smiled blindingly at him. “What a good idea.”

He spread out the cloak and rolled his own clothes to form a pillow.

Lady Georgina shuffled over in her robes and plopped down on the crude bed. “That’s better. You might as well come lie down as well; we’ll be here until morning, most likely.”

Christ. “I don’t think it advisable.”

She looked down her narrow nose at him. “Mr. Pye, those chairs are hard. Please come lie on the rugs at least. I promise not to bite.”

His jaw clenched, but he really had no choice. It was a veiled order. “Thank you, my lady.”

Harry gingerly sat beside her—he’d be damned if he would lie down next to this woman, order or no—and left a space between their bodies. He wrapped his arms around his bent knees and tried not to notice her scent.

“You are stubborn, aren’t you?” she muttered.

He looked at her.