DESIRE & DUTY
by MEL

INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
TBC

DESIRE & DUTY

Chapter Three

Bella Crawford sat in front of her looking glass. She had been dressed and her hair was now being attended to. She had chosen her best dress for the occasion, a beautiful creation of red silk which had been an expensive gift from her husband from one of his excursions into Europe with the late Charles Starling. The deep red made her look even more pale than usual, and she reached for a brush and some rouge. A hand reached out and caught the brush midway to her cheek.
"You have no need of such contrivances Bella."
She smiled weakly, thankfully at her husband.
"I want to look well for Mrs. Starling. It has been some years since we have met. I hear she looks extremely well."
"And where did you hear that?" The maid attending Bella slunk away into the shadows.
"And we have other guests too, as you know." She studiously avoided meeting his eye, but there was a strain to her voice. He sat down next to her at her vanity. Taking her by the shoulders he turned her gently towards him.
"Bella you are my wife. I love you. Your sickness is not anybody's fault, it is definitely not yours."
"I hear what people say," she responded. "And I wouldn't be surprised if you if you." She seemed unable to finish the sentence.
"My dear, you have no need for concern. You are the only woman for me. Mrs. Starling is.well she is an old friend of sorts. She is almost our family - I was best friends with her husband."
Bella sighed, but it was a relaxed sigh. She did worry so that she was not a good wife, but Jack did seem determined to stand beside her both in public and in private. She understood this was more than many wives enjoyed.
"And I don't need to remind you how important this meeting is." He continued, seeing she was now at ease. "Somebody must be appointed head of the company here in England now Charles is not around to see everything."
Bella took a deep breath.
"Alright," she said. "When are the guests arriving?"
"Not until 6. I must meet with Mrs. Starling now."

***

The meeting with John (please, call me Jack) Crawford went as well as Clarice could have expected. She saw his face whiten at the first hint that he was not being promoted to overseer of English operations. She kept a pleasant, if tight, smile on her face, but stood her ground. He looked nonplussed at first, as she explained that her husband had entailed everything on her, with full powers. She explained that she had appointed a manager in New York.
"And I have decided that for the foreseeable future I will remain in England and take care of this branch myself. The organization will stand as my husband left it."
There, she had said it. Jack was out his promotion and she, well, her position was still up for debate, she could see. Jack's face betrayed a myriad of emotions and thoughts as he processed the information. She could guess at his thoughts. Out of respect for her husband he would not challenge her, but that did not mean he had to like it. It went against everything he knew about the way things were, but still he would not speak up. Clarice saw, then, why he had remained in his slightly lesser position in her husband's business. He would perform his duty as best he could, but had not the intestinal fortitude to challenge anything. His job would be done immaculately, so long as it did not require him to venture outside the lines. As such he had become a very wealthy and very uninfluencial man. She sighed with relief as she realized she had made the correct decision, and scolded herself inwardly for doubting her own mind so much.
"Jack?" The name felt strange on her tongue. She had not addressed a man other than her husband by his Christian name for many years. He looked up from his shoes.
"The job you do now is invaluable to me. I need you where you are."
He nodded, and strangely enough appeared placated.
"You are right, of course," he said. "Who would do my job, after all?" Before she could answer he offered her his arm, "We have a number of dinner guests who are due within the hour. A few friends and associates from the area. Perhaps we should repair to the drawing room? You can have a cocktail, and meet Bella before our other guests arrive."


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