“When we get you corseted it will fit just fine,” Nanny murmured, holding tight to two pins stuck in a precarious spot between her teeth.
Faith gazed at her reflection, noting how the tucks pulled in to a tiny waist. Beneath the velvet lay an off white organza skirt gathered to a high band and bodice with a ruffle across the center that spread over the edges of the velvet. Thank heavens the thin dress had no sleeves for Faith was unsure if it would fit beneath the contoured top. She placed her hands at her waist and turning this way and that. “I will not be able to eat.”
“You gonna eat just enough to satisfy you and drink only enough to make you relax. We got some big rollers coming in, honey. Big rollers mean deep pockets, and you are gonna be the bait that gets us a bit of loose cash.”
Faith turned sideways once more to admire her silhouette. “I am to find a consort,” she murmured, excitement shinning in her eyes, “A man, to mirror my half.” Raising her hands she pulled at the neckline, “Should it be lower?”
Nanny eyed the dress. Pursing her lips, she tilted her head, “No, we want them to buy the milk not just ogle the cow. You just need to be all fitted out in your foundations is all.”
Placing one last pin in the fabric, the housekeeper gave a flutter of her hands toward the screen in the corner. “Go on and take it off. Speaking of foundations, Miss Benedict ordered something new.”
Stepping down from the stool, Faith moved behind the screen in the corner of Nanny’s sewing room and using the greatest care removed the fitted Empire waist creation. Slipping on her robe, she drew the satin closed against her skin, and tightened the sash before stepping around.
“What is it?” she inquired. Her curiosity piqued upon seeing Nanny carrying a box.
“Came all the way from Paris,” she whispered. “You gonna be the first girl to wear it.” She placed the box on the table and backed away as if it were a holy grail. “Go ahead, honey, open it up.”
Faith stepped forward. Beneath the white lid, floating under a sea of lavender tissue paper lay her surprise. Her hands trembled. Smoothing the layers back, she discovered a corset constructed of lace in the same pale hue as the lavender paper. The whale bone stays peaked to a point at the center of the cups resembling small purple mountains.
“Oh my,” Faith whispered holding the delicate material for Nanny to see.
Instead of being rounded at the bottom to fit at her hips, the item appeared scalloped before narrowing to a point in the front. No laces across the back, this foundation was held together with hook and eyes hidden beneath a criss-cross lattice of grosgrain ribbon she could lace herself.
“It is beautiful,” Faith breathed, fingering the dainty undergarment.
“She even purchased a pair of lace drawers and silk garters.” Nanny pointed to the other items still in the box. “Oomph,” she grinned. “I’d sure like to be a fly on your wall when your man gets to undo his prize.”
Faith looked at her and laughed even as the multitude of butterflies erupted inside her belly. “It will be good tonight.”
“It will be good.” Nanny agreed. “Go on take this upstairs. We’ve still got work to do.”
With the fitting done, Faith picked up her box and moved back to her own room. Clean sheets had been applied and a sachet of dried flower petals placed on the each pillow. She ran a hand along the soft linens before moving to her dresser to pick up a bottle of perfume. With a gentle squeeze on the bulb, she sprayed a small breath of fragrance across the bed before turning to her dresser to run the brush through her waist length chestnut hair.
The glint of the sun streaming in from the window gave a fiery shine to her locks. Faith glanced at her reflection noting the contrast from her dark hair, to her pale skin, and deep blue eyes. She recalled her appointment from last night, he had compared her eyes to sugar coated blueberries washed and ready for cream. A pink tinge blessed her cheeks as she brought to mind the intimate amorous kisses shared in the dark of night. She must not think of those as love. Miss Benedict had reminded them often the difference between lust and love. She studied her body as her mind recalled the definition.
“Lust is when your body takes over and gives in to primal needs, but love is when you can overrule your body, think with your heart, and give up your need for repayment of kind.”
She gazed into the deep of the blue eyes staring back at her. Which was it, lust or love? Lust, her heart shouted, nothing but lust. Giving the gleaming locks a twist, Faith pulled them on top of her head fastening the hair with several pins before heading to the tub room on the first floor, next to the kitchen.
Already, the room was warm. Big John had the potbelly stove humming. Just stepping through the door seemed to bring a soft sheen of perspiration to her skin. A movement in the corner caught her eye. Faith could see Nanny stripped down to her chemise and foundation stretching a sheet across the table where she would lay later for a massage.
“Get into that tub and begin to soak,” she ordered. “I’ll be back with the soap in about ten minutes.”
Nodding, Faith moved before a tall brass tub sitting in front of the sunny window. Steam rose from the water. She watched the wisps rise in lazy fashion toward the ceiling. Leaning down, she trailed her fingers along the scented liquid. Pulling a jar from the shelf, she dropped a few grains of salts into the water all ready garnished with petals from a gardenia bush. Then loosening the sash, she let the satin flow down the length of her body and slipped beneath.
Laying her head back against the warmth of the brass, Faith closed her eyes, willing her muscles to relax. She could feel perspiration dot the sacred v between the mounds of her breasts. She shifted in the water and let the softness roll in waves down the sides of her arms. She must concentrate on providing the ultimate pleasure. To do so, her body must be ready. It would be both an object of worship and a vessel of desire. If the door opened, she would become a kept woman, a consort, a lover. Whenever that man came to town or called for her to come, it would be her job and hers alone to please him.
“Lean forward.” Nanny whispered.
Faith did so, placing her cheek against her knees drawn up above the water, and felt the soft rub down her back, followed by the rustle of water as the housekeeper rinsed out her rag. A second swish meant the rinse removing the satin bubbles from her rosy skin. With each stroke of Nanny’s hands, she could feel the worry of the day slide away from her body.
“Lean back.” Came the whisper.
She rested her upper body upon a small hand towel folded beneath her shoulders as the housekeeper began to work on her legs. Long strokes soothed the skin from thigh to ankle. Lifting the leg, Nanny pressed the cloth against the ball of her feet stretching the muscles along her calf. Before long, her body was scrubbed to a warm glow. Opening her eyes, she watched as the water cupped the underside of her breast. Tonight, it would be a man’s hand and the warmth she would feel would be his mouth as he laved each nipple. As the thought registered in her mind, she could feel the pull as her breasts grew heavy and beaded.
“Now, you make sure everything is clean.” Nanny admonished, handing the rag to Faith. “Last thing a man wants to smell is another male.”
Sitting forward, Faith grabbed the fragrant soap, rubbing it into a rich lather drew the cloth over the soft flesh of her thighs, cleansing away her most recent lover. With her knees raised, she cleaned the most intimate part of her body. Once complete, she slid beneath wetting her hair. Breaking the surface, she pushed back her locks to allow Nanny’s strong fingers massaged her scalp as the shampoo filled her hair with fullness.
“Stand up so we can rinse.”
Like Venus arising, Faith rose from the water standing before the window allowing the sun to kiss all parts of her frame. Steam lingered as Nanny pulled a stool across the floor, stepping carefully on top, and poured cooler water to rinse away the suds.
“Turn.”
Faith turned so that her back and bum received the same blessing from the sunlight. A
nother cool bucket slid over her body washing the last of the suds to the tub.
“There we go.”
Nanny’s tone was gentle as she held out a hand and Faith emerged on to the floor. With her arms held wide from her body, the housekeeper wrapped a thick toweling around her. The stool was placed beside the table so she could climb easily onto its surface. Moving beside it, she began to pat dry.
“Never rub,” Miss Benedict had instructed. “It irritates the skin. Pat yourself dry.”
“Up you go,” the housekeeper instructed.
Faith handed her the towel before stepping up to lie belly down. She felt the housekeeper rake her damp hair forward to hang over the table. A scrape of metal against glass heralded the removal of the cap on the oils. Faith knew Nanny would pour a generous amount into her palms then rub them together allowing the friction to give the liquid warmth before she applied it.
“Now, close your eyes and rest,” the housekeeper’s voice lulled Faith with the order and with deliberate strokes, she began to massage the lubricant into her skin lulling Faith into a stupor. First, the back then the front, she felt herself rising to a higher plateau of existence. Her relaxation so deep, she barely recognized Nanny’s hands lift her knees into a bent position and insert the Dutch cap which would prevent the seed from reaching her womb.
“Is that comfortable,” the soft voice inquired.
“Yes, fine.” Faith murmured, cocooned in her luxury.
Nanny drew up the toweling and pulled the drapes closed then left her alone to rest.
Chapter Three
Faith awoke with a gentle nudge to her shoulder. Blinking, she looked into Nanny’s smiling face. The housekeeper now dressed and with her apron, signaled the afternoon was fading to twilight.
“It’s time, honey.”
Rolling over, she drew up the cloth around her body. The oils had left her skin with a soft shimmering glow.
“Slide yourself into this robe. We got to get you fed and dressed.”
Faith’s feet found the steps, and with gentle balance, she lifted her body from the table and stepped down. Dropping the towel, she held out her arms as Nanny slid the silk over her skin.
“Your hair dried soft, won’t take much to get those long curls in place. I got the irons heating up. So while you’re eating your meal, I’m gonna make you even more beautiful.”
Following the housekeeper into the kitchen, Faith sat down to her meal. Before her, Nanny placed a small luncheon plate containing a small satisfying meal of fresh fruit, cheese, and a slice of lean meat. Picking up her fork, she began to eat. Smelling the warmth of the iron being applied to her locks, she sat as still as possible allowing the housekeepers nimble fingers to twist the hair into luscious curls, some of which were placed across the crown of her head while others were allowed to hang long down her back.
“When you’re through, I want you to go upstairs and I’ll help you get ready.”
With a nod, Faith turned her attention to completion of her plate.
Placing the curling iron on the back of the stove, Nanny brushed her hands down her apron. Something crinkled in her pocket. The housekeeper’s fingers stilled.
“Nearly forgot,” she began. “Miss Benedict told me to give you this.”
Reaching into her apron pocket, she with drew a slip of paper and placed it into Faith’s hand.
“The list of preferred drinks,” she murmured, looking over the delicate scroll of Miss Benedict’s pen. “Monsieur Stetson prefers scotch and water.” She looked at Nanny and held up two fingers sideways, “Two neat fingers.”
Nanny grinned. “We have the finest scotch this side of the Mississippi.”
“Monsieur Wilson will drink either a cold beer or tequila and salt.”
Again the housekeeper nodded.
“Last but not least, Monsieur Oakley, beer or whiskey.” Faith looked up. “This we can handle. Since cards are being played perhaps some salted pecans? Salt would make the thirst greater? No?”
“You are learning fast,” Nanny winked, “Now upstairs.”
Climbing the steps back to her room, Faith whispered the gentlemen’s preference again. Opening her door, she found the lamps already lit and the new dress lay across the bed. She fingered the sheer garment, Nanny completed, knowing that it was not quite see though, but opaque enough to allow a glimpse of her undergarments when she moved. The short velveteen jacket would keep some things hidden until the right moment.
Moving to her dresser drawer, she pulled a pair of white silk stockings. Looking down in front of the mirror, she pushed back the carved wooden box that held her jewelry. A necklace and some pearl earrings, nothing gaudy, but something simple to complement her look. She brushed past a few spangles until she found the correct item.
Pulling it out, she held a single tear drop pearl suspended by a small chain. Slipping the post into her ear lobe, she tilted her head feeling the gem slide past the side of her throat. Her lips relaxed, the corners tilting slightly up. Yes, they were perfect. She slipped the second in and shook her head feeling them on both sides of her neck. Then raising her hands, she slipped the necklace on. Breathing deep she watched the pearl nestle to the top of her breast. Even in the neckline of the robe it seemed to draw her attention there.
With this done, she needed to get her foundations on before Nanny appeared. Dropping the robe, Faith bent low and pulled on one stocking then fit the garter at the top of her leg, repeating the process with the other. Stockings done, she slid into the lace pantaloons and secured the waist with the ribbon. Stopping, she caught her reflection in the mirror.
These underlings were sublime. The Chantilly lace was sheer enough she could see her skin and the fine thatch of hair at the apex of her legs. She rubbed her thighs together. The lace seemed to whistle as if calling her lover. A shiver of excitement coursed through her veins for the seam rubbed the most intimate places.
Picking up the corset, she negotiated her arms beneath the ribbon straps and pulled the front closed. Breathing out through her mouth, she fastened the eight hooks and eyes before lifting each breast and placing it inside the demi-cups. The fabric so woven with stays that they came nearly to a point. Reaching to her loose powder, Faith picked the puff to dab each white mound with powder and lavished the same to the top of her thighs. A knock on the door turned her head.
“Enter.”
The door opened admitted Miss Benedict and Nanny.
Faith stood as her benefactress gave her an approving glance.
“You look magnificent. Nanny,” she turned behind her. “I believe our prices will have to go up with such a fine masterpiece as Faith’s gown.”
“Yes ma’am, I think you might be right,” Nanny agreed. “She’s gonna charm some gent right out of their drawers tonight and have his tongue dragging.”
“Come, let us help you with your gown,” Miss Benedict offered.
Holding on to the opaque material, Faith slid beneath and held her arms aloft, letting the fabric descend upon her frame as if it were a cloud. The gown clung to her shoulders and breasts before dropping neatly over her shape. While Nanny fixed the flutter of ruffles flattering the neck line then moved to the back to make sure the fabric lay straight.
“Yes, yes absolutely perfect. Allow me,” Miss Benedict spoke.
Holding up the velveteen coat, she slipped it over Faith’s body and buttoned the front, adjusting the ruffles over the top.
“You are breathtaking my dear, simply breathtaking. No goddess ever equaled the picture.” Miss Benedict smiled.
“You flatter me,” Faith answered.
“I do nothing but tell the truth. Look.”
At her urging, she turned to see her reflection in the mirror. Even Faith blinked at her transformation. The dress, the cut of the fabric reminded her of the bisque figures seen in the great stores along Canal Street or placed prominently on the mantels of the grand houses in New Orleans. Stepping forward, she ran her fingers along the glass transfixed.<
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“Nanny,” Miss Benedict gestured to the lamps. “Make sure my best perfume is wiped around the globe just before Faith returns.”
“Yes ma’am.” The housekeeper replied. “I’m going to put fresh rosewater in the bowl for the gent myself.”
“Come,” Miss Benedict smiled, directing Faith toward the door. “We still have much to do.”
They started to walk from the room, when the head mistress paused. “Oh, I nearly forgot.” Reaching into the pocket of her gown, she pulled out a lace fan. “Here,” she handed it to Faith. “No woman can command a room without the use of a fan.”
Faith smiled. “Thank you.” Her voice showed the measure of her pleasure in the gift.
She glanced up. Miss Benedict produced her own fan and with a crisp snap, opened it. Faith followed her example.
“Remember,” Miss Benedict whispered. “I will be looking for a signal such as touching it to your lips, which will signify a kiss, but to drop it means mere friendship. If you place the fan next to your heart, I will know you are in love.”
Taking care not to lose her fan, Faith nodded and slipped the edge of the ribbon to her dress beneath a cameo pin.
The large clock in the hallway chimed seven. Faith placed the three boxes of cards on the table and stepped back. All gave the impression of readiness for their customers. Faith mentally ran through her list checking the items required. Two bottles of scotch, a crystal pitcher filled with chipped ice from the house down by the spring. As it melted a cool layer of sweet water would form and be used for drinks. A keg of beer, again on ice, stood at the sideboard. A tray of six fine glasses trimmed with a gold ring sat quiet upon the tray ready to fill. Moving to the door, Faith paused as it opened and Big John entered.
He paused running his eye over her figure. “You sure look mighty fine, Miss Faith.”
Sweetbrier Academy:Having Faith Page 2