A Price Worth Paying - A new short story plus illustration

First things first

I hope this finds you all well under the extremely difficult and challenging circumstances we all now live under.Some countries and communities are having it worse than others and there's not much I can add other than say my thoughts are with you in this time of great uncertainty and for many -sadness.

Below is a small contribution to try to divert your minds for the few minutes it will take you to read it.

I wrote it over the weekend so it's quite short but I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless.

You will notice that the maid is in Victorian dress, the reason is when I started it I wasn't sure if I wanted the story placed in the Victorian era or somewhere between the 30's and 50's. Of course I forgot completely to change it when I finished the text and didn't  have time to alter it before posting. I hope it won't detract too much from the story.

Regarding AVVE I have a large chunk of the next (and hopefully final) chapter. Yes I know you've heard that before but this time I actually think I may achieve it. Unless of course Lady Charlotte decides otherwise but like you and Aubrey I'd like my life back and live in hope.

Take good care of yourselves.

Carrie

A Price Worth Paying

By

CarrieP

A

lthough he had only met her on a few occasions William dreaded the idea of visiting Caroline’s mother. It’s not that she was a complete ogre but she was a little overbearing, single minded and quite demanding. He assumed that these traits were common to extremely wealthy women as the few times they had met her friends displayed similar characteristics.  However on the positive side he had to admit she had wonderful taste, was extremely generous and funded Caroline’s and by extension his own idyllic life style so it would be most unreasonable to be too critical.  His feeling of dread was not helped by the fact that she lived on a small island although it was large enough to accommodate several other mansions owned by her aforementioned friends, all middle aged matrons, and also all immensely rich and powerful. The only thing that would make the visit tolerable was her mother’s  extremely well curated and extensive art collection which he believed included some very valuable pieces. Caroline had promised if her mother was not too busy she may even allow him to view it.

Thankfully this visit was to be brief as Caroline was taking him away for a week to celebrate their engagement. A they approached their destination he considered himself most fortunate, the income Caroline derived from her trust fund was eye watering and multiples of what William earned. Several months prior to the engagement she had persuaded him or perhaps insisted, would be more accurate, to abandon his job and concentrate on assisting her run her mother’s various charitable foundations and art galleries. How could he refuse, there was very little effort required apart from turning up at fundraisers and entertaining her mother’s friends. Of course it was a little boring at times but it did offer many opportunities for access to private art collections and if he was honest he did enjoy the attention of the wealthy middle- aged women owners of these collections. It was no doubt an idyllic lifestyle and one which up to recently he could only dream about.

So meeting her mother to deliver the good news of their engagement was a price worth paying.

The twenty minute ferry ride to the island went smoothly enough and they were met by very serious looking Miss Hargreaves, his future mother in law’s assistant who drove them the short distance to the house.

The house, like Caroline’s mother, had an intimidating effect on him and passing through the large and well appointed vestibule two housemaids curtsied as the trio passed. William always felt as uncomfortable with servants as he did with Caroline’s mother. It  was very hard for him to put his finger on it,  it was not as if they said anything untoward or disrespectable it was just that they always seemed to have a strange look on their faces as if they had a slight contempt for him. He thought it was like an exclusive tailor assessing a client he deemed unworthy of his craft with his eyes before finally taking accurate measurements. Then there was the friendly but almost smirking smile when they curtsied.

I’ll certainly be glad to leave here in a few hours he thought as they were shown into the main drawing room.

“Madam will be here shortly Miss Caroline.” Miss Hargreaves said as she gestured to one of the maids where to position the tea tray before leaving.

“Congratulations Miss Caroline.” the maids said as she carefully placed the willow patterned tea cups on the coffee table in front of them “I’m sure both you and Miss William will be so happy.”

Caroline laughed and slapped her thighs with both hands.

“Oh I’m terribly sorry I meant Master William.” the girl said apologetically and curtsied to William.

“Miss William indeed!” Caroline shrieked as she continued to find this most amusing before finally regaining her composure to reassure the maid “That’s quite all right Alice.”

William shuffled uncomfortably on the sofa and felt his cheeks redden as Caroline continued to struggle with her giggles much to his irritation.

“Miss William is not offended.” she chortled continuing the attempt to suppress her hilarity and after a few moments she eventually calmed herself sufficiently to ask “Are you darling?”

He would have sounded extremely pompous and ill humoured if he had told the truth and decided the best option was to try to laugh it off.

“No not at all.” he lied attempting a laugh and as Caroline turned her attention to the door where her mother had just entered a sly but noticeable smirk came over Alice’s face.

Of course this only reaffirmed his suspicions about the servant girls but as his future mother in law strode across the room he had to dismiss further thoughts on the matter. After receiving a kiss on either cheek from Caroline she turned her attention to William

“William it has been far too long.” she said offer her cheek for his kiss, an undertaking he never relished and always found it childish and perhaps even a little effeminate. “Come kiss Mother like a good boy.”

She pulled him so close to her that he could feel the wire in the bra that contained her ample breasts.

“Lovely to see you again.” he lied again.

“Lovely to see you again…”she said coolly, tilting her head slightly and raising an eyebrow.

This was the part he dreaded most and knew any attempt at avoidance would only lead to further humiliation. He swallowed hard and desperately tried to evade the maid’s prying eyes.

“Lovely to see you again…em…”he struggled before finally steeling himself to add “Mother”

“You really should not need reminding William.” she said in a friendlier tone “You are part of my family now and we should be as close as I am with Caroline. And I believe we soon will be.”

Concluding that any argument he would make would only make matters worse and would only result in Caroline taking her mother’s side. He chose the path of least resistance.

“Yes Mother.” he answered and was rewarded with smiles of satisfaction from Caroline and her mother and another grin from Alice the maid.

As Alice closed the door behind her Caroline’s mother turned to her daughter.

“I do wish you would not laugh in such a loud way in front of the servants Caroline.” she chided her daughter “It is most unbecoming and sets a bad example. Whatever was the cause of so much jollity? I could hear you from several feet outside the door.”

Caroline started giggling again and her mother turned to her soon to be son in law.

“William?”

“It… emm..ah…it was nothing of any consequence.” he stumbled and seeing the irritated look on her face quickly added “… Mother.”

“It certainly doesn’t sound like it was nothing of any consequence, young man.” she said her voice becoming a little vexed “Do I have to call Alice in and question her.”

She fixed him with a steely stare and within a second or two he blurted,

“Alice addressed me as Miss William.”

“Is that all?” she replied “Shame on you Caroline for laughing at the poor boy’s discomfort.”

William felt vindicated but quickly became alarmed as her mother slipped her arm over his shoulder and gently drew his head onto her breast. He had to admit that it was comforting to know that at least someone understood his ego had been bruised.

“Alice mistook him for a girl.” Caroline needlessly explained the joke and began giggling again.

“Yes Caroline I do understand. And if you had not told the poor boy to grow his hair long he would not look so feminine.” her mother upbraided her “But William is a most sensitive soul and even if he does look a little feminine it is no cause for such raucous laughter.”

“We all know William is not the most rugged of men.”Caroline snorted a little peeved by her mother’s criticism and glanced at him before continuing “Even you must admit that, William. It was just the shock of someone, a housemaid, saying it out loud. It was taken by surprise, it was not meant as an insult darling.”

He tried to lift his head to protest but her mother’s strong hand easily prevented him doing so and his face continued to remain snuggled against her soft satin blouse.

“That’s not……”he tried to object but was interrupted immediately.

“Yes dear but it’s nothing to be ashamed about.” Mother consoled him gently stroking his mane “It is a very rare and most attractive quality in a man. There are far too many macho types masquerading as men these days it is so refreshing to find a man who has such delicate features and is in touch with his feminine side.”

“Feminine…” he repeated and once more attempted an objection but to no avail.

“Don’t interrupt darling while Mother is speaking.” Caroline’s mother said softly and pressed his face even tighter to her bosom. “Yes, you are indeed blessed with such soft almost girlish looks and those wonderful dainty hands not to mention your long eyelashes. And of course your thick, lustrous curls. Any girl would envy those features my dear. All my friends think Caroline is a very lucky girl indeed.”

She finally allowed him to raise his head and then looked him in the eyes.

“It was the reason I allowed permission to ask you for your hand in marriage.” she said “And I just have this feeling, call it a mother’s intuition, the dreadful masculine ego that most men have is absent in you.”

“But…”he made another attempt to speak but once again was overruled.

“I just hope I haven’t made a mistake.” she said squeezing his hand gently, her eyes gazing longingly into his as she waited for the correct answer.

He felt the same now as he had done when Caroline asked him to marry her – unable to stand up for himself and say what he really wished to say. Of course the luxurious lifestyle and her mother’s generous allowance were large incentives not to rock the boat.

They probably didn’t mean feminine, maybe they just could not think of another word. he rationalised. It would be a pity to cause any unpleasantness over a minor misunderstanding.

“Oh no Mother I’m not that sort of person” he answered.

“Good I’m so glad to hear that.” she said “I knew I had not misjudged you and now you have accepted Caroline’s proposal as a special reward I will treble your personal allowance.”

“Oh Mother thank you so much.” he squealed and although he suddenly became aware of just how feminine he had sounded he almost instantaneously dismissed any thought of self criticism.

Treble my allowance! he shouted in the privacy of his brain.

However the delight was evident on his face, Caroline looked at her mother and smiled in the way women do at excited children.

“Well it’s almost time for your afternoon nap.” her mother said.

“But Mother…” Caroline protested.

“Now young lady,” her mother cut her short “You know how I feel about proper rest. I have already told the servants to prepare your room.”

“But…we have a long drive ahead of us and as William cannot drive I’d like to get going in a few hours.” Caroline retorted.

“More is the reason why you should rest.” her mother quickly answered. “Don’t you think so William?”

“Oh yes Mother.” he gushed and still overcome by excitement at his good fortune smiled at her adoringly. “I can take a walk while you rest.”

“Oh no darling you need a nap also.” she said and gently patted his lap “I insist.”

“But I…”he began but was not allowed to proceed.

“William!” Caroline’s mother smiled as she spoke softly yet quite firmly “If you are to marry into my family you really must understand that Mother knows best.”

Her smile although sweet conveyed a very clear message – arguing or any form of dissent was strictly verboten and before he could answer she added,

“And perhaps afterwards you would like to see my collection.  I have two of Manet’s mid period inherited from my mother and several German expressionists and I’m sure you would like to see the sketches Picasso gave me when I modelled for him. It only took him five minutes but interesting nonetheless. Of course I’m been hounded to show lend them to New York and London so you will be the first to see them outside this island.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake.” Caroline muttered rolling her eyes in exasperation “What Mother wants Mother gets.”

As if trebling his allowance was not astounding enough the revelation of such an awe-inspiring collection had William’s head reeling and he was barely aware of his surroundings as he climbed the wide ornate staircase between the two women. He was envisaging exactly which of the German Expressionists she had when he realised there was a slight tugging at his arms  and he finally managed to lift him out of his stupor. He was quite surprised to find Miss Hargreaves unbuttoning the last button on his shirt and about to remove it.

“Ahh…what…”he exclaimed as looking down his trousers and underwear had already been removed and folded neatly on a chair together with his jacket.

“Quite all right Master William.” she said in a matter of fact way “Nothing I’ve not seen before. And I should add, nothing to get over excited about.”

“But..I …where…”he spluttered his hands dropping to cover his exposed genitals finally taking in the luxurious surroundings he found himself in.

“The mistress’s bedroom, Master William.” Miss Hargreaves answered the unasked question as she moved to the large bed  and returned with a long sleek garment. “Hands over your head please, I promise I will not look. Not that there’s much to see.”

“But…I…” he continued to struggle for words.

“Madam and Miss Caroline are in Madam’s dressing room and will be with you momentarily. ” she said sharply gesturing to a room off the bedroom before adding  “And I doubt very much if you wish to be presented au natural. Now please comply and place your hands over your head like a good boy.”

He closed his eyes as she placed the multi layered silk night gown over his head and fussed with it until she was satisfied it was hanging properly.

“The mistress was correct as always.” she smiled as she arranged a large and ornate satin bow at the neck placing the two  long ribbons neatly as they fell to knees She then gazed at him intently with what he thought strangely as a look of pride “It fits you perfectly.”

“But this is …”he began before she interjected.

“Yes a most beautiful nightgown. The finest silk, of course.” Miss Hargreaves said adjusting the frills at the shoulder to her satisfaction “One of the mistress’s favourites. You are a very lucky girl… oh I do apologise… a very lucky young man indeed.”

“Is my darling son in law ready for our nap, Miss Hargreaves?” Caroline’s mother said as she swept into the room dressed in a full length pink robe of heavy satin ornamented with ostrich feathers at the cuffs. Caroline accompanied her in ivory satin robe with a long train.

His cheeks turned red and he desperately wanted to leave, he held out the nightgown’s silk material as if to register a protest. He suddenly remembered the promise to treble his allowance and not wishing to jeopardise it felt the best course would be to withdraw without an argument and take his clothes with him.

“Caroline shouldn’t we go to your room.” he pleaded.

“Oh no dear my bed is quite big enough for all three of us. It will be so cosy.” her mother said and moved closer to scrutinise him.

He became quite flustered and fingered the nightgown’s soft material.

“Oh my darling boy, no need to be embarrassed you look exquisite.” Caroline mother beamed and embraced him. “Alice was right of course you do make a much better looking girl.”

He tried to protest but no words would come as she took his hand and led him to the bed that Miss Hargreaves was busy turning down.

“I’ve been looking forward to having an intimate…ah…”she paused “talk with you since I heard of your engagement. Miss Hargreaves you can take away Miss William’s clothes, he won’t be needing them now.”

“Very good, Madam.” Miss Hargreaves replied with a curtsy.

“Really Mother.” Caroline said as she followed them to the bed “You could have at least waited until after the ceremony.