It was summer in the city. Someone under stress met someone looking pretty. There was trouble in the air, you could smell it.
And Alexander was by himself. We let him tell it. Not I. Not Miss Maria Reynolds telling the story of how I was forced to partake in this amorous connection by my abusive husband and to get enough money to send my daughter to school - to get her a better life than mine.
Alexander hadn't slept in a week, he was weak. He was awake. You'd never seen a bastard orphan more in need of a break. He was longing for Angelica, missing his wife. When I walked into his life.
I knocked on the door. He answered. I introduced myself as Miss Maria Reynolds and told my story.
"I know you are a man of honour. I'm so sorry to bother you at home. But I don't know where to go and I came here all alone." I state with urgency and plead with him.
"My husband's doing me wrong, beating me, cheating me, mistreating me. Suddenly, he's up and gone. I don't have the means to go on." I tell, not exactly lying. James was out when I left, without telling me. I also really don't have the means to go on.
So he offered me a loan, he offered to walk me home.
"You're too kind, sir." He was too kind, I had never known this kindness towards me. He gave me thirty bucks that he must have socked away. I lived a block away so he wished to walk me home - I was in no place to refuse or stop my husband's plan. I had to allow it and allow myself to be used.
We walked down the block and onto my street. I stopped at my house.
"This one's mine, sir." I tell him as I walk towards the door.
He said, "Well I should head back home."
I turned red, and knew I couldn't miss my shot at this - for my daughter. I grabbed his arm and lead him to my bed. I sat on my bed, let my legs spread and said, "Stay?"
"Hey." He replied awkwardly. He was faithful, I must admit. It might be challenging.
"Hey?" I question back, never faltering with the seductive act.
It must've worked because he began to pray.
Lord show me how to say no to this. I don't know how to say no to this. But my God, she looks so helpless. And her body's saying hell yes.
He must not have realised he was singing aloud. I kept up this act.
"Woah." I join in.
Lord show me how to say no to this. I don't know how to say no to this. In my mind, I'm tryna go.
He's trying to leave. I can't let that happen - this is all for my daughter.
So I force my mouth on his in a rough kiss. Like I predicted, he kissed back.
And I don't say no. No. No. Say no to this. No. No. Say no to this. No. No. Say no to this. No. No. Say no to this.
It led on from there.
I wish we could both say that was the last time. We agreed that last time. It became a pass time - I was his hobby.
I sent a letter warning him about James' plan, two days before my husband sent one. I told him that I regret being born - which I do - so I would not have caused all this pain.
However, a month into this endeavour, he received a letter from a Mr James Reynolds, my husband. Even better, it said:
Dear Sir,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and in a prosperous enough position to put wealth in the pockets of people me, down on their luck. You see that was my wife who you decided to fuck. Uh-Oh! You made the wrong sucker a cuckhold. So time to pay the piper for the pants you unbuckled. And hey, you can keep seeing my whore wife, if the price is right. If not, I'm telling your wife.
Sincerely,
Mr J. Reynolds.
He hid the letter and he raced to my place. He screamed, "How could you?!" in my face.
I replied, "No, Sir!"
I was half-dressed, apologetic, a mess. I looked pathetic.
I cried, "Please don't go, Sir!"
He questions me, "So was this a whole story you set up?!"
"I don't know about any letter!" I exclaim, contradicting myself.
I knew, but I wish I didn't. It was my husband who told me to do this and I did this for my daughter.
I really am apologetic towards Mr Hamilton - for all the pain I caused.
"Stop crying, goddamnit. Get up!" He yells.
I stay on the floor, tears streaming down my face - it was pitiful.
"I didn't know any better!" I plead. This was true.
"I am ruined!" He yells.
"Please don't leave me, I am helpless!" I plead further.
"Oh, how could I do this?!" He yells at himself.
"Just give him what he wants and you can have me!" I plead - silently hoping someone would choose me for once.
"I don't want you!" He yells at me, paying attention to me now.
"Whatever you want - if you pay, you can stay!" I plead, I have to do this - for my sweet daughter.
Lord, show me how to say no to this. I don't know how to say no to this. But the situation's helpless.
I smile and sing, "Helpless."
And her body's screaming hell yes.
"Woah."
Show me how to say no to this. How can I say no to this? There is nowhere I can go.
Then my body is on his.
I do not say no.
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Yes."
Say no to this. I don't say no to this.
"Don't say no to this."
There is nowhere I can go.
"So?" My husband asks.
"Nobody needs to know..." Alexander admits dejectedly and hands over a few dollar bills he had handy.
James was ecstatic of course. I was just another thing of blackmail purpose to him.
I was three and twenty at the time of this affair. I was thirteen when I was married off to the greedy and abusive politician, James Reynolds.
This is the story all of you never cared to hear and the one that is rarely told to you all. This is the story of an innocent, vulnerable child forced into something larger than she could manage but she survived alone.
This is Maria Reynolds story. This is the reason you all should not hate on Maria. This is the reason Maria should be appreciated and respected and sympathised. As she was rejected and turned down and used and abused at every corner and she only wanted to give her daughter the best life; she deserved better and you all need to realise that before you insult her or hate on her, almost mindlessly.
A/N: This has been a brief fantasy and wish of mine for a while to write so here it is. Not as great as I would've hoped but I tried and I wanted to get this out there. I haven't fact-checked the ages and dates stated here but they are approximately correct.
Thanks for reading.
Originally published on Wattpad under the account of : @English-Reine.
Part of my own Protect Maria Reynolds Project.
Written to change the fandom's views on Maria Lewis without fact-checking first about her story and to raise awareness of her story and so many others like it, even in modern day this can still occur or something similar. Written to also disprove the Hamilton's Mixtape, 'Say Yes To This', which disregards the fact that Maria was forced into the affair by an abusive husband.