by Amy Lignor
Faith stepped away from the door and moved closer to Liz, who’d backed into the corner for safety. Charles sent his bowl crashing to the floor; the spoon clanging on the tile.
“What’s going on in here? My guests are starving and the waiters are walking around with empty trays and confused looks on their faces. When, exactly, is the main course going to be served? I mean, really! Of all the incompetent…”
The woman’s face went white as a corpse when she spotted Charles by the fire. He threw his shoulders back meeting the woman’s glare head on.
“Hi, Mom.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Charles…you’re here.”
Mrs. Faire’s hand fluttered to her throat as her eyes, buried under heavy silver makeup, grew wide.
Liz took in the tall woman. She looked young, except for the frown lines etched deeply into her alabaster skin. Powder filled in the cracks, making her face look like a bone-chilling mask of death. She stood almost as tall as her son. Her spine was as straight and unyielding as the columns that graced the front of her house. Her body seemed to be covered with diamonds; her silver gown sparkled like a star-encrusted sky. Liz noticed the expensive jewels that hung from her earlobes were most likely worth more than she would earn in a lifetime. She exuded good breeding. Not a blonde hair was out of place, but her face was pinched with anxiety.
She stared at the strangers in her kitchen. Her thin lips drew into a rigid, angry line. Mrs. Faire shot a look of pure disgust at her son. “How dare you come here and bring these filthy…creatures into my house! Why do you always have to embarrass me?”
“You’d know about filth!” Jason shouted back.
Charles quickly placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder urging him to keep silent.
“Of course,” she sneered. “Brought him back as well, I see. For the life of me, I’ll never understand why you continue to keep company with this…peasant.”
“Because after careful consideration, Mother, I’ve come to the conclusion that his filthy thumb is worth more than all the diamonds around your decrepit neck.” Charles grinned. “Besides, isn’t this where my family lives? Is this not the charming home that sheltered me in my youth? I see no reason for me not to stop in and say hello to the people who gave me such a warm and caring upbringing.”
“You mean the servants?” Mrs. Faire asked as she frowned at Martha. “Haven’t changed a bit, I see. You’re still holding court with the riffraff.”
Charles offered his mother a glare that would’ve turned a normal human being into ash, yet her frosty body remained intact.
“For all that’s decent, Charles, go upstairs and change your clothes. Use the back staircase so that no one will see what you’ve become, and please try not to ruin your father’s big night.”
“What’s so big about tonight, Mother?” Charles continued, as he pulled off his mud-covered boots throwing them at her feet. “Are we buying or selling tonight? Coveting thy neighbor, yet again?”
“I will not stand here and be ridiculed by the likes of you, Charles!” she shouted back. “The honor thy mother and father commandment takes precedence tonight.”
Charles snickered. “If there existed such a noble couple in this house, I would surely honor them.”
She kicked his boots back across the floor. “You will go upstairs right now and take your…people…with you. And please have the dignity to bathe and dress in a manner befitting your station.” She flicked an angry gaze at Liz and Faith. “I’m sure you can find something suitable for these two…ladies…out of my closet. But you’ll pay for whatever the little demons steal.”
Charles laughed, not taking the bait. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to comply with your request unless your invitation includes Jason. I remember Father quite liked him once. He’s such a good, strong, handsome boy. Look closely, Mother. Under the dirt he’s still just as pretty as he ever was.”
Jason shot him an angry look. “Don’t, Charles. It’s not worth it.”
“Anything to say, Mother?”
Jason spoke again; his voice louder, “Charles, I mean it. Stop this right now or I’ll take the girls away from here and you can attend this party by yourself!”
“No,” Faith said quickly; her strong, firm voice made the hateful woman squirm. “We stay together. Charles, let’s go upstairs and you can show us around the old homestead.”
The woman stared at Faith with a look of pure revulsion. “You don’t belong here. You’re just his new toy, and he’ll soon tire of you. Eventually, he’ll come to his senses and marry one of his own kind.”
“He’s not vile enough to marry someone of your class,” Faith replied simply.
The matriarch of the house turned to her son. “Perhaps you should teach your plaything how to act in polite society.”
Charles opened his mouth to announce their marriage, but Faith cut him off. “Show me someone polite, and I’ll be more than happy to watch my tongue.”
“Upstairs! Make yourselves into something presentable, or I will bury you!”
“Now, how could we turn down such a kind invitation,” Charles replied. He turned to Jason. “Mind your manners, boy. Say thank you and let us take our fallen women upstairs and dress them like proper Irish girls.”
Jason’s face turned red with anger, as he stared across the room at Liz. So far, she hadn’t said a word.
She stood tall, and her gaze never wavered from the woman who took pleasure in insulting her and her friends.
“Come along,” Charles said, as he took Faith’s hand to lead her from the room. “Let me show you the rest of this pretentious house.”
“But Charles, you never properly introduced me,” Faith replied, eyeing the lady of the house.
Charles winked. “Forgive me, my love. You’ve been enjoying the pleasant hospitality of Helen Faire.” His green eyes twinkled. “However, she’s taken such a shine to you already that you may want to call her Mom.”
Bellowing with laughter, he turned quickly to Martha giving her a hug.
“Be careful,” Martha whispered. “If a fight is what you came for, you might just get it.”
“I’m always careful, love.”
Liz watched the scene play out as Faith gave her mother-in-law a look of steely determination as she gripped Charles’ hand.
When they’d disappeared up the red carpeted staircase, Helen turned her attention to Jason. “You’ve made a horrible mistake coming back here. If you try to take him from us again by filling his head with more of your lies, I promise you—you will not make it out of this house alive.”
“It was you who brought me here in the first place,” Jason said as he took Liz’s hand. “You have only yourself and your dear husband to blame.”
Liz took a step toward the woman.
Helen literally shrank back when Liz stretched out her hand. The woman looked as though a skunk had crawled into her kitchen and was about to release its stench into the room.
“Take my hand,” Liz said quietly.
“How dare you presume to address me!”
“Take it!”
The woman visibly shuddered as she took Liz’s hand. She held it as if it were the paw of a dead animal lying on the side of the road.
Liz squeezed with all her strength. “I assure you that Jason and I will be on our best behavior. We’ll go upstairs and bathe and dress as you requested. But I’ll be watching you every minute of the evening. I’ll be waiting for the moment when you wish to carry out your threat against Jason, and then I’ll watch you burn.”
“You horrid little creature!”
“You’ve been warned,” Liz said before curtsying to the pale-faced woman, watching the beads of sweat glisten on her forehead.
Jason smiled at the intense exchange and pulled Liz to his side. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
Helen Faire flung open the kitchen door shouting back over her shoulder, “Be quick, Martha. My real guests are hungry!”
Liz
attempted to stifle the giggle that grew in her throat. Patting Jason on the shoulder, she offered Martha a warm smile and disappeared up the staircase.
“God bless her,” Martha whispered.
Jason stared up the dark stairwell. “As good as you, Mum?”
“Better,” Martha replied. “Hold on tight to her. Even with all her strength, I have a feeling this wretched family will be waiting to tear her apart. And you—you be careful, too, boy. We don’t belong here. We never have.”
“That’s true. We belong in a much better place surrounded by much better people—we always have.” He smiled. “And we’ll get there. I promise you that.”
As he climbed the stairs, Jason could feel the pressure building in his chest. He hated Charles’ mother with a passion. He hated the way she’d pranced around him when he was just a boy, making him feel inferior to her son in every way.
Then as time passed and Jason grew into a handsome young man, the prancing became much worse. She was a disgusting creature, just like her husband. Jason still couldn’t believe that Charles turned out as well as he did with parents like that.
A picture of Anthony suddenly crept into his brain. Yet another man Jason never wanted to see again. In his black tails and crisp white shirt, the old man was the poster boy for slavery. By staying, by choosing this life, Anthony had become one of them. And because of her undying love for her husband, Martha, too, was trapped in this net of pain. Anthony was a sellout and Martha stood by him because of the vows she’d made before God. Jason shook his head, wishing they could all just disappear from his mind. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even realize that he’d reached the landing, and standing beside him was the woman whose image he’d willingly allow to fill his head for all eternity.
“You’re so unbelievably handsome,” Liz whispered. “I hear there’s a party going on downstairs. Can I be so bold…to ask you to be my escort?”
He focused on her onyx eyes. “I’m in love with you.”
Reaching out, Jason took her hand bringing her soft, warm skin to his lips. He breathed in the heady scent of lavender that always seemed to surround Liz wherever she went. Her scent…the feel of her…the rapid pulse racing in her smooth, graceful neck—overwhelmed him. The patience he’d shown for so long had come to an end.
He didn’t want to scare her, but he needed to make her his wife more than anything in the world. An avalanche of emotions coursed through him as he leaned into to her. Her slender fingers rested on his chest, and Jason’s heart beat so fast that he thought he might faint from her careful touch. He’d never felt more alive in his life.
As her mouth met his, the sudden touch of her warm tongue against his was the end of all reason. Jason gripped her shoulders, released her beautiful lips, tasting the soft skin of her neck. A gasp escaped her mouth, and her breath felt like fire on his skin.
Jason longed to release the passion that he’d always kept in check in order to respect her wishes. With all his heart, Jason wanted Liz to feel comfortable with him—to know instinctively that no harm would ever come to her when she was cradled in his arms.
“Where in blazes are you?” Charles’ voice rang out down the hall, slicing through the perfect moment like a warrior’s sword.
Jason leaned his fevered head against Liz’s neck and groaned, “Please…not now.”
“Jason? Come on, let’s go, man! The agony awaits.”
“Do you think they’re okay?” Faith’s small voice came closer to the dark corner where the breathless couple hid.
Jason felt Liz shudder against him. She took quick, deep breaths as she gently pushed him away. He dropped his head into the bend of his elbow before thumping it against the wall.
“Jason?” Liz whispered. “Jason…they’re looking for us.”
“They can wait,” he said, his voice desperate.
A smile pulled at the corners of Liz’s mouth, and she reached out to cradle his chin in her hands.
As Jason moved closer to steal one last kiss from her inviting mouth, Charles turned the corner.
“There you are! We thought the demons below had already torn you limb from limb.” He shouted over his shoulder, “It’s okay, Faith. They’re here.” He patted Jason on the shoulder. “Need a minute?”
Jason glared at Charles; he could feel the frustration rising in his soul. He watched understanding slowly dawn in his best friend’s eyes.
“Oh, man…I’m sorry,” he stuttered as his skin flushed bright red. “You have no idea…just how sorry…I’ll just be going…I’m going…I’m gone.” He turned around quickly and bumped into Faith.
She ran head first into his chest. “There you are. You gave us quite a scare. I thought the dragon lady had…”
Charles picked Faith up and threw her over his shoulder.
She yelped. “Charles! What are you doing?”
“We have to go.”
“It’s okay,” Liz spoke loudly enough to stop them. She turned to Jason. “Let’s get dressed and get this over with.”
“I’d rather undress,” Jason muttered.
“I’d like to see that,” Faith said, with a laugh.
Charles turned to face his wife. “Excuse me?”
“What?” She offered a mischievous grin. “Oh, I’m just kidding. Let’s show Liz the room. Liz, you have to see this.” Faith grabbed her friend’s hand pulling her away from Jason. “Let’s go, you spirited little nymph.”
Liz snarled through clenched teeth, “I could kill you with my bare hands right now.”
“Now, now, that’s no way for a lady to talk. Besides, having seen that boy’s determined expression first hand, I will tell you—as a friend—that you should save your strength. Don’t waste it to bring about my early demise.”
Liz could hear Jason’s voice behind them, snapping at Charles.
Faith called over her shoulder, “Don’t blame him. You’ve had plenty of time. Now come on kids, let’s get ready for our high society debut.”
“High is right,” Charles laughed. Shoving Jason on the back, he pushed him down the grand hall. “She must be something for you to give me this kind of reprimand. Come on, the sooner we get started—the sooner you can get restarted.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Jason took a deep breath. A feeling of revulsion suddenly swept through him, as Faith turned the polished brass doorknob and entered a room that was almost as big as the burned-out pub.
White and beige chairs decorated the room. They were over-sized and stuffed with millions of feathers. Mere mortals could lose themselves in their heavenly softness. The centerpiece of the great chamber was a large canopy bed. Constructed of unfinished wood, it smelled like a field of cherry trees had blossomed in the room. Brass boards rested at the head and foot of the immaculate piece, while a tower of pillows, cushions and velvet blankets almost guaranteed a night of peaceful sleep.
Jason watched Liz walk to the bed and caress the plush fabric. His breath came in short, quick gasps when she reached out her delicate hand and caressed the emerald silk. Desire flooded his soul, as the urge to curl up beside her hit him like a raging inferno. He wondered if the same thoughts were running through her head, when she suddenly turned to him. Electricity soared across the room hitting him straight in the heart. Her midnight eyes were filled with a longing, he’d never seen before.
He offered her a look that he hoped conveyed what he was thinking. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, as she turned away and stared into a full-length mirror by the window. Beside it was a golden vanity piled high with sterling silver objects—brushes, combs, hand mirrors, canisters and perfume bottles.
Faith let out a gasp from the other side of the room. She was looking through an open door by the fireplace. Liz crossed the plush carpet to take a look at whatever it was that had elicited such a reaction. As Faith opened the door wider, a long line of gowns and slippers appeared. Row after row of every color and fabric imaginable hung before them—just waiting for young
ladies, like themselves, to pick one out and take it for a twirl. There were shelves upon shelves of fancy accessories. Hats, bows, ribbons, feathers—everything a female could possibly need to play dress-up.
“Do you like the costumes?” Charles asked.
Faith was speechless, so Liz replied, “They’re stunning.”
“Of course, they are. Nothing but the best,” Charles scoffed. “We do have our standards, you know. No expense is spared in making the women of slave traders and drug dealers beautiful.”
“All beauty and no substance, hmm?” Liz asked as she smiled at him.
Faith began to take the dresses down one by one and spread them out on the large green bed. “Well, if the snots in this house can wear this stuff and pull it off, we certainly can.”
Charles laughed. “Amen. It’ll be nice to see them worn by women who can actually outshine the dresses themselves. We’ll leave you to it, my lady. Show them how it’s done. Make fools of them all. Surely the good Lord knows no more stunning creature than you, Faith. I’ll be looking forward to your choice with much excitement.” He winked, and kissed her goodbye.
Charles turned to Jason. “Time to get cleaned up, old man. Let’s show them how well we clean up.”
“I really don’t want to do this,” Jason sighed.
“Oh, come on. Won’t it be fun to make them all jealous again? And this time, the beauties we bring with us will bring them to tears. I, for one, look forward to giving them a dose of reality.”
Jason kept his attention on the beautiful auburn-haired girl who was staring at the silver trinkets on the vanity. “We’re lucky,” he whispered. Liz seemed immune to the luxury surrounding her. She simply nodded and smiled at Faith’s joyful tone.
She was like an island, Jason thought. She had the ability to be safe in her own skin, yet remained distant enough so that nothing could ever tempt her. She was just willing to play dress-up in a castle to make her friend happy.
He raised his eyes to the heavens in gratitude. “Very lucky.”