by A. R. Rend
Looking back to Lenore, he found her exactly as he’d seen her last. Her lips slightly parted, her face a deep red color, and her eyes looking very heavy.
“Not-not fair,” grumbled Lenore, her arm slowly tightening around his shoulders.
In that moment, he was reminded that he was certainly playing with fire. Even being a bit younger than him, Lenore was stronger than him.
Feeling somewhat annoyed at his gender’s general lack of muscle, Phillip smiled instead. He didn’t mind feeling like Lenore wanted to possess him.
In fact, he liked it.
I wonder if that really does make me a cad.
Probably.
I’m shameless.
“Now, what’s up?” Phillip asked, tilting his head as he watched her.
“Report from Madeline, wanted to go over it,” Lenore said, her voice thick and with a hint of a growl to it.
Seems like I stoked a fire.
How fun.
***
Walking Lenore to the door, Phillip ushered her out, then closed it behind her.
By the time he returned back to the table, he was there to witness Alice slowly opening her eyes.
“Good evening,” Phillip said neutrally. Returning to the sofa, he sat himself back down and folded his hands in his lap.
“Evening,” mumbled Alice with what sounded like a thick and dry tongue.
“Tea’s cold, but I did set it up wonderfully when I made it. I imagine it might have lost some flavor, but not enough that it’s undrinkable,” Phillip said, gesturing to the teacup in front of her. “It’d take some time but I could make a fresh pot if you like instead?”
“No, no. Cold tea actually sounds just fine,” Alice murmured, sitting up straight.
The movement caused her robe to fall open, exposing herself from her privates to her breasts.
Looking down at herself, it was obvious Alice felt incredibly flustered. Then she seemingly gave up on it.
“Not as if you haven’t seen me in the nude,” she said instead, reaching forward to pick up her teacup. “You’re my husband, and while we’re not in a good place, it’s still your right to look upon me.”
Phillip wasn’t going to argue. He was actually quite physically attracted to her. There was no denying she was more pretty than he’d originally thought. That she was more than just cute and had gone to some lengths to take care of her body.
A good body, no less.
“Did… I… did anything happen while I was asleep? Mother said she would send for me,” Alice asked, holding the teacup and taking a long sip from it.
“No. You passed out while we talked. I decided to let you sleep right where you were,” Phillip said. “I briefly considered moving you to my bed but I’m… not that strong. That and I had the impression you weren’t uncomfortable. No one came and nothing changed. Though Lenore did stop by briefly.”
“Ah. Yes. Well. The seat… it’s actually a rather soft and well-filled chair. My hip hurts but I think that’s just a knot from not moving,” Alice replied, taking another sip of her quite-cold tea. “Even cold it’s still very good, Phillip. Thank you.”
“I-of course, Alice. I’m glad you like it,” said Phillip, not quite sure how to handle a complimentary and conversational Alice.
“Is that… orange?” she asked, inhaling over her cup.
“It is! I find that with certain teas I can add a few quick zips of strained orange juice to add some sweetness to it without sugar that doesn’t disrupt the flavor,” Phillip said with a smile. He was always glad when people noticed. “I don’t recommend much of it of course as it can really overpower the tea.”
“I’ll have to remember that. Though I’ve never been any good at making tea,” Alice said with a strained smile. “I was never any good at most domestic things. Father tried to teach me some of it but… I just don’t seem to have the mind for it.”
Phillip could certainly agree there.
“Phillip, Phil, I erred. I erred terribly,” Alice said, echoing her earlier sentiment. Turning to him fully, she set the teacup down and put her hands on her bare knees, squaring up toward him. “I treated you as I would a business partner. A trade-deal. I did my best to… to get the best position and leverage what I could. I took all I was given as if it were my due and left nothing behind.
“I erred and treated you callously. I promise you, I swear, it wasn’t out of vengeful spite. It was… it was ignorance. Ignorance and not understanding what love is or-or marriage, or a true partner. Or anything. I was… entirely unprepared for this. I’m not excusing myself from my actions mind you, I’m just trying to explain myself to you. I accept what I did and I’ll be doing my best to earn my way back into your heart. But I have to at least explain where I came from.”
Sitting there, Phillip really didn’t know how to respond.
He truly wanted to be angry at her.
To be mad. To hold her accountable.
To make her suffer.
But that wasn’t a good answer.
It was a satisfying one. One that would stoke the dark parts of his heart, but it wasn’t a good answer in the least. Nothing but negativity would come from it.
She’s not asking me to love her. Or to go back to what I’d been doing at the start.
She’s just asking for a chance, not that-
“I just want a chance, Phil. That’s all,” Alice said with a sad smile. “I don’t think we’re too far gone that I can’t make this right. I’ve been stupid, but I haven’t been unfaithful. Not in the smallest possible way. You’re the only man who’s ever known me in any fashion or way you could phrase it. You were legitimately my first kiss. First in everything. And last.”
Phillip certainly believed that. Alice had been as awkward and ignorant as a rat would be if you tried to explain what math was to it.
Nor did he actually question her statement to her fidelity.
“As I said earlier, I’m willing to give you that chance. But at this time I believe I would be happier with Lenore, Mim, or Milly,” Phillip said honestly and shrugged his shoulders.
“I-I know. And I accept that. I am suffering for my actions. Rightfully so. But… thank you for the chance,” said Alice, nodding her head.
Phillip wasn’t sure why she’d felt the need to bring it back up, but he did find it endearing in a way.
“Is… there anything I can help with? I know you, Lenore, and So-Mim are working on something. I’m not asking you to let me in on whatever you’re working on, but I’m sure I could help. I know it,” said Alice with some conviction. As if satisfied that she’d conveyed her point to him, she turned partially and picked up her teacup again.
Phillip was unfortunately having a hard time not staring at her body that was on display for him.
“I-well, actually,” said Phillip realizing that she might be able to help after all. “We’re going to end up running into a lot of the crafting and labor guilds shortly. They’re not someone I honestly want to deal with. Nor do I have contacts to facilitate it very well. Neither does Lenore or Mim.”
“Ah,” Alice said, turning her face back to him with a smile, her robe slipping down and exposing her completely. “Err, one… one second.”
Setting her teacup down she pulled the robe back up and settled it over her shoulders.
“Or… I’m sorry, should I have left it down?” Alice asked, her hands still on the neck of her robe.
“I won’t deny I was enjoying the view but I would rather you be comfortable. The sun is setting and the temperature dropping,” Phillip murmured.
Alice smiled at that, a smile that reached her eyes and gave her a rather lovely look. Slowly her cheeks took on a dark-red color as if she was considering pulling her robe down.
In the end, she didn’t. Though he had definitely seen where she’d considered doing it.
“Then… please let me know when you’d like to enjoy your view, Phillip Rias, my husband. Because it’s your view and yours alone. As to the g
uilds,” Alice continued, picking up her teacup once more. “I actually have a great many contacts with them. What is it you’re trying to do? How can I help?”
Fighting down the impulse to tell her to give him the offered view, Phillip considered what to tell her.
And just as quickly decided to tell her everything. It would be a good opportunity to test her willingness to earn back his favor.
“We’re going to be selling a new product. A cart, of sorts, with only one wheel. It’ll change the way many labor and craft guilds transport goods in short distances,” Phillip said. “New product, no known market, but I think it’ll be a big seller.”
Alice nodded her head slowly at that, her head slowly tilting to the side as her eyes slid up to the ceiling.
After a minute she sighed and looked back to him.
“They won’t deal with you as you’re a man. The guilds that is. They likely won’t want to work with Lenore or Mim either as they’re relatively unknown in their circles,” said Alice with a nod of their head. “You could always ignore them outright and try to sell to the individuals but… I think the reason you bring up the guild is because you think you can sell them all off at a better price. Let the guilds sell them off individually.”
“Exactly,” Phillip agreed. He’d come to the same conclusion. He didn’t want them to deal with selling his one-wheeled carts to people. They would already be doing that with the spinning wheel.
He wanted the carts to be off the property and sold so they could make more, or reinvest further.
“I’m not in the cart-selling business. I helped design it, get it ready, and to put it to market, but I don’t want to sell them,” Phillip finished.
“Fine. Sell them to me. I’ll buy them at whatever price you state, and then I’ll take care of the guilders. I’ll get my own mark-up from them. You’re removed from the problem, you get your money, and I can use my contacts. They’re not the best type of people to begin with. Mother and I have had to be quite careful in dealing with them,” Alice offered. “I don’t doubt I’ll make my own money back and then some on this, however . But I’d say I’m worth it for my guild relations and handling alone.”
Realistically, Phillip couldn’t argue that.
As she said, there was the distinct possibility that there were those in the guilds who wouldn’t want to work with him because of his gender.
There would be others who would be rather insulted at him not being part of the guild in any way. Or that he didn’t have the network for it.
In all of these things, Alice was right.
Doubly so that she believed she was worth allowing her the inventory and letting her sell it.
“Agreed then,” Phillip said with a nod of his head.
Alice raised her eyebrows slowly, then gave him a strange smile.
“Lenore and Mim aren’t consulted?” she asked, curious.
He realized in that moment that in dealing with Alice in the way he’d had, he had definitely revealed that he was leading Lenore and Mim in their efforts.
“No, they’re not,” replied Phillip with a smile.
Nodding her head slowly, Alice ran her tongue along her teeth.
“I understand. Well! I’m… I’m actually really hungry. Could I trouble you to have a private dinner with me?” Alice asked.
“I already promised Lenore I would have dinner with her. You’re welcome to ask her if you can join but… I don’t think she’ll agree,” Phillip admitted. “However… I’d be willing to have breakfast with you tomorrow morning.”
Truth be told he didn’t want to have dinner with Alice. He was honestly having a hard time not staring at her smooth skin or thinking about what she’d shown him earlier.
“Ah, I’ll not trouble her. But I will most definitely accept your counter-offer of breakfast,” Alice said. “Would… would you mind if I brought some papers from work in? I don’t want to include business in what we’re doing but… I would genuinely like your opinion on a few things. Even if it’s only as a sounding board. I want to include you as you’re my husband, but also because I value your thoughts.”
Huh.
I… alright.
“That’d be fine,” Phillip agreed with a nod of his head. “Breakfast, tomorrow morning, a little business as well.”
“Would… would you make breakfast?” Alice asked, her hands having wrapped into one another, her fingers clutching together. “Like… you used to?”
Unable to help himself, Phillip felt his heart flutter.
“I’ll make breakfast. I’ll serve it in your room, if you don’t mind,” Phillip requested.
“My room is your room, Phil. I’ll include you in everything and give you everything. I won’t make the same mistake,” promised Alice. “Ever.”
Yes. But did you already make too many.
Mim is infinitely more interesting than you, and Lenore far more entertaining.
And then there’s Milly. My stalwart… ever loving… dependable… Milly.
If this were a race… did you already lose?
“And, uhm, this may be me just being brazenly forward like a sex-minded woman but-” Alice stopped and cleared her throat. Then she reached down to the pile of clothes she’d left nearby and started digging through her pockets. In the act of doing so she once more fell out of her robe. “I’m… feeling very randy. And I was hopping you’d be willing to visit my bed. Or let me visit yours. I’d really like to enjoy one another as woman and husband. Ah, there it is.”
Sitting back up, Alice didn’t bother to adjust her robe, allowing herself to simply be on display. In her hand was a small polished metal case.
“I picked up some pregnancy nullifiers from… some of your mother’s soldiers. So long as I take one every day we have sex I won’t get pregnant. I can get more here in the city but I wanted them on hand. Just… just in case,” Alice said then frowned and shrugged her shoulders. “My mother said they work but… I’ve never taken them and I’ve only had sex twice so… I can only assume they work. Would… you lay with me? I can take the medicine right before so you know I’m being true. I wouldn’t want you to feel trapped into this by putting a child in me but I’d… really like to have sex. I’ve been feeling incredibly randy for you and very lonely. Very, very randy for you, husband.”
Phillip only thought about that for a few seconds.
He didn’t think it was quite fair to Lenore, Mim, or Mildred, but technically he was Alice’s husband. She was asking him for services. For him to perform his husbandly duties. He was going to do his duty regardless of anything else.
On top of that, he was eternally flattered at her picking up said medicine just to make sure she didn’t get pregnant and make it harder for him later.
“Yes. You can come to my bed tonight or I can go to yours,” he said assuredly. There was no shame in performing his husbandly duties. That and he did enjoy it. “I trust that you’ll take the medicine. There’s no need to do it in front of me and we’ll enjoy one another.”
He didn’t have to worry about her getting pregnant if he was honest. Mim had already stated she’d take him regardless.
And maybe you’re not out of the race after all, Alice.
Suddenly… you’re not so terrible.
Eighteen
Waiting quietly outside of Mim’s front door, Phillip felt rather odd.
He’d had dinner with Lenore just as he’d stated he would the night previous. While it pained him to do so, fearing the worst, he had told her of the change with Alice.
That he was once more servicing her as per his husbandly duties.
Lenore not only dismissed it as if it weren’t worth discussing, but she laughed about it.
Then she’d taken him out to a rather special eatery that catered to the wealthy and noble. Beyond that, Lenore had taken a number of steps to insure it was a very private thing. Along with a number of touches that had brought out a rather sweet sense of romance from her. A poetic view of romance that include
d her presenting him a rather charming belt buckle and pair of boots.
Only to go home and have sex with Alice. Then again when she crept into his room in the middle of the night. And again in the morning just before they had breakfast at her own request.
In the span of less than twelve hours he’d had as much sex and more with her, as he had with her up to that point.
I never would have thought of her as so… sexually charged.
Adjusting his tunic, Phillip turned his head and looked to Mildred. She was the only one accompanying him up to Mim’s door. Frankie, Vinnie, Bobbie, and Tonie were all at the gate. Two were engaged in a discussion while the other two were clearly on duty.
Mildred had chosen to go by herself with him this time.
I wonder if she’s hoping Mim will try to convince her again to let me get in her bed.
That assumes though that I’d say yes.
And after I tell Mim about Alice, it’s possible she may not want to see me at all.
“You won’t,” Mildred said, catching his eyes with her own. Then she gave him a small smile. “It’s just easier for Mim and yourself to talk more freely with just me in the room.
“I’m afraid my… feelings are apparently known for what they are. Despite my best intentions, I seemingly am not very good at hiding my emotions.”
“It’s alright, Milly. I feel the same way,” Phillip said with a shrug of his shoulders. “And who knows. Maybe all you and I need is each other, and our honor and duty.”
One corner of Mildred’s mouth quirked up.
“You’re stringing me along,” declared the tall, stalwart, soldier.
“No. You’re in an equal running with everyone,” Phillip said, deciding to dive straight into a conversation he hadn’t expected to have.
Least of all in front of Mim’s front door.
Frowning, Mildred turned and looked at him directly.
“What?” she asked.
“I told Alice that I wouldn’t say no if you put a marriage contract for me in front of her. That I was falling in love with you,” Phillip admitted.
Blinking rapidly, Mildred began to blush heavily. Then she started to breathe a bit hard and fast.