Chapter 5-The Life
"That was many years ago" Satine said to herself as she reflected on the past, and then sighed sadly. Nini had been right. She had ended up sleeping with men, enticed by the gifts they offered her-real rubies, emeralds, money, diamonds...diamonds. She herself had earned the nickname "The Sparkling Diamond" as men found her so attractive, sparkling-and something they all lusted over.
"Poppet?" Zidler said, as he popped his head through the door. "Theres a young gentleman here requesting your...services"
"Now Harold?I really am not in the mood" Satine sighed, and flopped onto the bed. What had happened to the innocent young girl that had travelled from London so many years again, who only dreamt of appearing on stage?She still hadnt appeared in any show or play, acting, , despite Harolds promises. Although, in a way, she was an actress. She pretended to be happy with her life, playing whatever role the man wanted her to-wilting flower, smouldering temptress-she played them all perfectly.
"Please, darling? It'll relax you for your new performance later tonight, when you'll finally meet the Duke!" Zidler pleaded with her.
"Oh...alright then" Satine sighed, and propped herself up on one elbow, waiting.
"Thank you darling!You'll be well rewarded, I promise you!" Zidler said happily, and pulled the door back to reveal a good-looking young man standing nervously, clearing his throat and coughing.
"I'll leave you two to get better acquianted" Zidler winked at Satine, gently pushed the young man inside, and closed the door.
"Well well well" Satine said, turned on her side, then pulled up one side of her dress to reveal more thigh. "Why dont you come and sit by me on the bed?"
The young man coughed viscously, and then croaked "Ok", then sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Oh...a little nervous? Dont worry...I dont bite! Unless you want me to, that is" Satine purred, and gave him a wink. "Come a little closer"
He gave several more coughs, and edged a few inches closer.
"Come now, dont be shy..." Satine said, and moved closer to him. She gently turned his cheek round and leaned in to kiss him, when he let out several more racketing coughs, and Satine turned away.
"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned. "Perhaps you would like some water?" she asked, moving off the bed and reaching for the jug.
"No, no, its alright" he said, and sat up. "Water isnt going to help. I have consumption, you see. I wanted to be with you before I die...a treat, you might say"
"You have consumption?!Do you know how contagious that is?!" Satine said, and backed away from him.
"I dont think it is...I only caught it from my wife" he said, and coughed again.
"Well, you've been misinformed.It is EXTREMELY contagious, and theres no way Im going to sleep with you!" Satine said, and fled out of the room. "Harold!"
He came running from one of the many rooms. "Something wrong, poppet?"
"Yes, Harold! That man in there has consumption!Theres no way Im sleeping with him!"Satine cried.
"Oooo, little miss high-and-mighty" Nini said, and laughed.
"Do be quiet, Nini. Satine darling, chances are you wont catch it!Cant you be a dear and just...risk it?" Zidler asked her, and gave her puppy-dog eyes.
Satine looked at him coldly. "No, Harold! Do you really want to risk passing on something to the Duke?!Can you imagine what he'd do?!"
"Im sure you wont catch it, poppet!" Zidler pleaded with her again. "He's willing to pay alot of money!"
"Send him to someone else then-I refuse to do it!Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll have to go practice the new routine" Satine said, and stormed off.
"Someones getting a little too high-and-mighty" Nini said, and grinned at Harold.
Harold sighed. "Yes, I suppose. Nini darling, theres not a chance that you could...?"
"Alright, but not for long.I dont wanna catch it, you know" Nini said, and disappeared into Satines room.
"That was many years ago" Satine said to herself as she reflected on the past, and then sighed sadly. Nini had been right. She had ended up sleeping with men, enticed by the gifts they offered her-real rubies, emeralds, money, diamonds...diamonds. She herself had earned the nickname "The Sparkling Diamond" as men found her so attractive, sparkling-and something they all lusted over.
"Poppet?" Zidler said, as he popped his head through the door. "Theres a young gentleman here requesting your...services"
"Now Harold?I really am not in the mood" Satine sighed, and flopped onto the bed. What had happened to the innocent young girl that had travelled from London so many years again, who only dreamt of appearing on stage?She still hadnt appeared in any show or play, acting, , despite Harolds promises. Although, in a way, she was an actress. She pretended to be happy with her life, playing whatever role the man wanted her to-wilting flower, smouldering temptress-she played them all perfectly.
"Please, darling? It'll relax you for your new performance later tonight, when you'll finally meet the Duke!" Zidler pleaded with her.
"Oh...alright then" Satine sighed, and propped herself up on one elbow, waiting.
"Thank you darling!You'll be well rewarded, I promise you!" Zidler said happily, and pulled the door back to reveal a good-looking young man standing nervously, clearing his throat and coughing.
"I'll leave you two to get better acquianted" Zidler winked at Satine, gently pushed the young man inside, and closed the door.
"Well well well" Satine said, turned on her side, then pulled up one side of her dress to reveal more thigh. "Why dont you come and sit by me on the bed?"
The young man coughed viscously, and then croaked "Ok", then sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Oh...a little nervous? Dont worry...I dont bite! Unless you want me to, that is" Satine purred, and gave him a wink. "Come a little closer"
He gave several more coughs, and edged a few inches closer.
"Come now, dont be shy..." Satine said, and moved closer to him. She gently turned his cheek round and leaned in to kiss him, when he let out several more racketing coughs, and Satine turned away.
"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned. "Perhaps you would like some water?" she asked, moving off the bed and reaching for the jug.
"No, no, its alright" he said, and sat up. "Water isnt going to help. I have consumption, you see. I wanted to be with you before I die...a treat, you might say"
"You have consumption?!Do you know how contagious that is?!" Satine said, and backed away from him.
"I dont think it is...I only caught it from my wife" he said, and coughed again.
"Well, you've been misinformed.It is EXTREMELY contagious, and theres no way Im going to sleep with you!" Satine said, and fled out of the room. "Harold!"
He came running from one of the many rooms. "Something wrong, poppet?"
"Yes, Harold! That man in there has consumption!Theres no way Im sleeping with him!"Satine cried.
"Oooo, little miss high-and-mighty" Nini said, and laughed.
"Do be quiet, Nini. Satine darling, chances are you wont catch it!Cant you be a dear and just...risk it?" Zidler asked her, and gave her puppy-dog eyes.
Satine looked at him coldly. "No, Harold! Do you really want to risk passing on something to the Duke?!Can you imagine what he'd do?!"
"Im sure you wont catch it, poppet!" Zidler pleaded with her again. "He's willing to pay alot of money!"
"Send him to someone else then-I refuse to do it!Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll have to go practice the new routine" Satine said, and stormed off.
"Someones getting a little too high-and-mighty" Nini said, and grinned at Harold.
Harold sighed. "Yes, I suppose. Nini darling, theres not a chance that you could...?"
"Alright, but not for long.I dont wanna catch it, you know" Nini said, and disappeared into Satines room.