Camellia Read Free

powder—right, this stuff was done with powder, not normal tea. Which was kind of gross as far as Danny was concerned, but it was the only option. She picked up the bamboo scoop and dipped it into the powder, then dumped that into the bowl of water. Hmm … probably not enough. Danny added a second scoop, then a third. The tea clumped awkwardly, and Danny knew she should mix it in, but the whisk wasn't long enough to reach the bottom of the bowl with this much water in it; when she'd tried to use the whisk her fingertips were scalded. So Danny used the scoop instead, mixing the powder in as best she could. The tea stayed clumpy, and Danny knew that she had screwed this process up royally. She put the scoop back down on the tray, wincing at the trail of sludgy green it left in its wake, and finally looked over at Lucy.
    Lucy met her gaze with a steady derision that made Danny flinch before hastily looking away. "I realize that you are inexperienced in many things here, but I don't suppose I need to tell you that you didn't do well, correct?"
    Pursing her lips, Danny nodded and tilted her head back, cracking her shoulders to release some of her frustration. "Yeah. I got that."
    "Good. Dalton, please escort Miss Breaker out," Lucy said softly.
    Turning, Danny looked at her. "Wait. I need another chance. That was just the practice round. Right?" A nervous laugh escaped her lips, and she quickly pressed a hand over her mouth to cut off any more sounds that might come out of it on their own.
    One of Lucy's perfectly trimmed brows lifted as she raised her hand, halting Dalton's approach. "If I permitted you to do this ceremony again, what would that accomplish?"
    Flushing, Danny forced herself to meet Lucy's stony gaze, despite how much she wanted to look away. "I'd get it right."
    Lucy smiled tightly. "Are you so sure of yourself? You have a very long way to go from what you just performed to the kind of competence I expect. It seems to be a nearly impossible task."
    Danny swallowed thickly. She'd known she had screwed it up, of course, it would be difficult not to realize that. But the way Lucy said it made it seem like Danny would have done better to just stay home. She knew that she was out of her element here, but she really wanted the job. "I can do it," she replied, cringing when her voice shook. She'd never been this nervous in an interview. And she'd never done this horribly before, either. Admittedly, she'd never been asked to do much besides walk around a room, twirl to show off all her angles, and smolder with her eyes, but Danny despised the thought that she was failing badly enough to be asked to leave. She didn't want to leave.
    Nodding, Lucy slowly got to her feet, the heels of her boots clicking on the hardwood floor as she rose. "Is that so?"
    "Yes." Danny watched as she went over to an antique looking dresser that hugged the wall closest to the doorway Dalton was currently filling.
    Lucy had her back to her but spoke anyway as she opened a drawer and pulled something out. "Do you believe that you deserve another chance? Or will you simply be wasting my time again?" When Lucy turned around, Danny's mouth fell open at the sight of the leather-handled riding crop held between her hands. She remembered Lucy mentioning she would be lightly correcting her, but she hadn't thought it would start so soon.
    "I ..." Danny licked her lips. "I do. I'll do it right this time. I promise."
    The corners of Lucy's mouth turned up into a faint smile, and she tilted her head to look at Dalton over her shoulder. "We require a bit of privacy. Please close the door behind you and make sure that we aren't disturbed."
    As Danny sat staring at them both, Dalton nodded and did as he was told, leaving her alone with Lucy, who only stepped away from the dresser when the door had closed behind him. "The tea ceremony is immensely important. It is dignified. It is grace incarnate. Do you understand?"
    Danny wanted to say that sure, of course she