Chapter 25 -
Sidi ran home clutching her cloak as if it were a shield. She ran into the mansion without stopping for pleasantries and with her head down ran right up the stairs directly into James causing her to fall backward.
"Good God daughter. What on earth happened?" James inquired as she found herself wrapped in his arms. It was all he could do to keep her from tumbling down the marble staircase. Unable to speak she shook her head and freed herself from his protection. "I need to lay down." She sobbed and continued her flight upstairs.
Sidi threw herself on her bed sobbing. She was going to hell. Intercourse or not, it couldn't be possible that a married woman who lay naked in the arms of another man could be spared the flames of damnation. She had wanted him badly. She couldn't deny it. She called for a slave to draw a bath.
Charles watched her flee into the distance. He called to her but she refused to answer him. Frustrated, he finished the job himself, dressed and started on his way home. Damn, he had pushed it too far, too fast. He almost had her. How exquisite! She came to him! She kissed him! She was in his arms begging for him! It was too good to be true! His spirits soared as he arrived home. He laughed to himself as he threw the reigns to an awaiting slave and entered the house demanding a tray be brought to him as he jogged up the stairs. His room was lit as he entered the smoke from a pipe assaulted his lungs. Charles drew a breath as he realized his father was sitting at the window looking out over the bay.
(Oh God. She told him. What did she accuse me of?)
Charles stood before his father. "Sir?"
"Charles."
Pause.
James leaned back in the chair. "Your evening was enjoyable I suspect?"
"Yes Sir. It was."
James pursed his lips, brought his palms together and touched his fingers to his chin. Finally he said "Sidi arrived home quite upset tonight, just before you did as a matter of fact. Quite interesting don't you think?"
"I hope she is well sir. She's a fine woman."
"Agreed. Then I am sure you also would agree there should be severe consequences for anyone using her as a sacrificial lamb to the god of agenda.. James face showed no emotion as he stood and walked to the door. He leaned forward, his face inches from his son's. "Damn it Charles if you love he or want her fine. But do not destroy her in your ridiculous war with Jonathan. I won't stand for it. I will not allow it.
"I won't Sir. I've done nothing wrong. It was she who approached me Sir."
Displeased that something had indeed happened between the two, James let out an irritated sigh.
"I hope so for your own sake. It would be most difficult to awaken one morning in a nethersken with not a penny to your name. Do not test me Charles."
"I understand Sir. Excuse me Sir, but what did she tell you?"
"She told me nothing. Never said a word." James left the room abruptly.
She lay soaking in the bath. The tears had stopped. The guilt diminished just a bit. Her hands traveled down her face and neck, and to all the places he had touched her. She drew deeper breaths and felt her heart beating faster as she relived the experience again and again.
His body. Everything was so, so - big, so hard. She had grown up with six sisters. She had no idea what a man's body looked like before she met Jonathan. His body was the only male body she had ever seen. Jonathan's body was beautiful but so very different from Charles', so very, very different. The guilt returned in abundance. She was comparing her husband to another man. Sidi started to cry. She didn't want to be a whore. She promised herself that she would never to think about him again. She loved her husband and wished he were home so she could tell him so. She did miss him. It was awful that Adam had gotten so sick. Jonathan had gone to visit him and she could not fault him for that. She loved Adam and was glad he was coming home. She was proud of Jonathan for valuing his family so much and vowed to be a better wife. She stepped out of the tub and into a robe, sat at her dressing table and started to brush her hair.
"Just like 'is father that one is!" Sidi saw the reflection of a woman she'd never met before in the glass. The ghost got closer and stood behind her putting her hands on Sidi's shoulders. Sidi felt the familiar energy surge but did not protest. The woman smoothed the black curls, took the brush and continued brushing Sidi's hair.
(Had they met before?)
"Yes he is.." Sidi said not knowing if she meant Jonathan or Charles. She looked at the woman, trying to remember where she had met her before. She was beautiful. Her dark brown hair and brown eyes accented her fair complexion. She was tall and slender and wore luxurious clothes that hinted at her unsavory profession. Sidi stood and faced her new guest.
"I don't know your name."
The ghost smiled. Victoria, and I know all about you young woman. Miss Lillianna.
Sidi's eyes grew wide and mouth hung open. "You know my name!"
Victoria kissed her forehead. Sweet Sidi. Don't you go getting yourself in a state about the brothers luv. Learn to enjoy them. Not necessarily at the same time but it could be quite an experience. " She winked.
"Victoria! Sidi gasped. Surely you do not mean."
Victoria laughed. "Poor Darling, a hard lesson you are going to learn.. Men are a curse. Learn to work it luv, before it is your undoing. You love your husband and he loves you. But he will never be faithful to you. You can let it control your life or you can let it enhance your life. You can let it control you or you can control it. Its your choice luv." She stroked Sidi's hair.
Sidi turned and held Victoria's hands. "I do not understand what you are telling me."
Victoria smiled. Darling, Two men want you. One of them loves you dearly. I am telling you to love your husband and enjoy your life. I see no reason for tears. Never, never allow anyone to lead you into a life of loneliness or tears my dear.
"Oh my God." Sidi gasped. "I know who you are!" She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Victoria smiled and disappeared.
Sidi opened the door and was met by eyes as blue as Caribbean waters.
Sidi ran home clutching her cloak as if it were a shield. She ran into the mansion without stopping for pleasantries and with her head down ran right up the stairs directly into James causing her to fall backward.
"Good God daughter. What on earth happened?" James inquired as she found herself wrapped in his arms. It was all he could do to keep her from tumbling down the marble staircase. Unable to speak she shook her head and freed herself from his protection. "I need to lay down." She sobbed and continued her flight upstairs.
Sidi threw herself on her bed sobbing. She was going to hell. Intercourse or not, it couldn't be possible that a married woman who lay naked in the arms of another man could be spared the flames of damnation. She had wanted him badly. She couldn't deny it. She called for a slave to draw a bath.
Charles watched her flee into the distance. He called to her but she refused to answer him. Frustrated, he finished the job himself, dressed and started on his way home. Damn, he had pushed it too far, too fast. He almost had her. How exquisite! She came to him! She kissed him! She was in his arms begging for him! It was too good to be true! His spirits soared as he arrived home. He laughed to himself as he threw the reigns to an awaiting slave and entered the house demanding a tray be brought to him as he jogged up the stairs. His room was lit as he entered the smoke from a pipe assaulted his lungs. Charles drew a breath as he realized his father was sitting at the window looking out over the bay.
(Oh God. She told him. What did she accuse me of?)
Charles stood before his father. "Sir?"
"Charles."
Pause.
James leaned back in the chair. "Your evening was enjoyable I suspect?"
"Yes Sir. It was."
James pursed his lips, brought his palms together and touched his fingers to his chin. Finally he said "Sidi arrived home quite upset tonight, just before you did as a matter of fact. Quite interesting don't you think?"
"I hope she is well sir. She's a fine woman."
"Agreed. Then I am sure you also would agree there should be severe consequences for anyone using her as a sacrificial lamb to the god of agenda.. James face showed no emotion as he stood and walked to the door. He leaned forward, his face inches from his son's. "Damn it Charles if you love he or want her fine. But do not destroy her in your ridiculous war with Jonathan. I won't stand for it. I will not allow it.
"I won't Sir. I've done nothing wrong. It was she who approached me Sir."
Displeased that something had indeed happened between the two, James let out an irritated sigh.
"I hope so for your own sake. It would be most difficult to awaken one morning in a nethersken with not a penny to your name. Do not test me Charles."
"I understand Sir. Excuse me Sir, but what did she tell you?"
"She told me nothing. Never said a word." James left the room abruptly.
She lay soaking in the bath. The tears had stopped. The guilt diminished just a bit. Her hands traveled down her face and neck, and to all the places he had touched her. She drew deeper breaths and felt her heart beating faster as she relived the experience again and again.
His body. Everything was so, so - big, so hard. She had grown up with six sisters. She had no idea what a man's body looked like before she met Jonathan. His body was the only male body she had ever seen. Jonathan's body was beautiful but so very different from Charles', so very, very different. The guilt returned in abundance. She was comparing her husband to another man. Sidi started to cry. She didn't want to be a whore. She promised herself that she would never to think about him again. She loved her husband and wished he were home so she could tell him so. She did miss him. It was awful that Adam had gotten so sick. Jonathan had gone to visit him and she could not fault him for that. She loved Adam and was glad he was coming home. She was proud of Jonathan for valuing his family so much and vowed to be a better wife. She stepped out of the tub and into a robe, sat at her dressing table and started to brush her hair.
"Just like 'is father that one is!" Sidi saw the reflection of a woman she'd never met before in the glass. The ghost got closer and stood behind her putting her hands on Sidi's shoulders. Sidi felt the familiar energy surge but did not protest. The woman smoothed the black curls, took the brush and continued brushing Sidi's hair.
(Had they met before?)
"Yes he is.." Sidi said not knowing if she meant Jonathan or Charles. She looked at the woman, trying to remember where she had met her before. She was beautiful. Her dark brown hair and brown eyes accented her fair complexion. She was tall and slender and wore luxurious clothes that hinted at her unsavory profession. Sidi stood and faced her new guest.
"I don't know your name."
The ghost smiled. Victoria, and I know all about you young woman. Miss Lillianna.
Sidi's eyes grew wide and mouth hung open. "You know my name!"
Victoria kissed her forehead. Sweet Sidi. Don't you go getting yourself in a state about the brothers luv. Learn to enjoy them. Not necessarily at the same time but it could be quite an experience. " She winked.
"Victoria! Sidi gasped. Surely you do not mean."
Victoria laughed. "Poor Darling, a hard lesson you are going to learn.. Men are a curse. Learn to work it luv, before it is your undoing. You love your husband and he loves you. But he will never be faithful to you. You can let it control your life or you can let it enhance your life. You can let it control you or you can control it. Its your choice luv." She stroked Sidi's hair.
Sidi turned and held Victoria's hands. "I do not understand what you are telling me."
Victoria smiled. Darling, Two men want you. One of them loves you dearly. I am telling you to love your husband and enjoy your life. I see no reason for tears. Never, never allow anyone to lead you into a life of loneliness or tears my dear.
"Oh my God." Sidi gasped. "I know who you are!" She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Victoria smiled and disappeared.
Sidi opened the door and was met by eyes as blue as Caribbean waters.