"Adam and Nicoletta" - Chapter 5 - "The Auction"
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Almost two weeks prior - Late afternoon, Tuesday, May 7, 1872
Samantha Painswick and Dexter Barrow (Nicoletta Ambrosetti's occasional church escort) have brought the widow to a dress shop for a fitting. They are insisting on buying her a gift. Nicoletta thinks that it is a random outfit made by the dressmaker. But it actually was commissioned by Samantha a month ago.
"When I saw this dress, I knew it was for you Nico," said Samantha. "It doesn't require you to wear any sort of cage - no hoops or a bustle, plus it doesn't even have a train. I know how you prefer function over fashion."
"Sammie, if you ever catch me wearing those ridiculous imprisoning garments, then you know that it's time to commit me to a lunatic asylum."
"Yes yes, I've heard your protests before. Don't make us wait that long to commit you," Samantha joked. "But, seriously be sure to wear your pleated petticoats to give the skirt some volume and shape. And you'll need to wear a full-length corset to avoid lines instead of those half-stays you insist on wearing. This isn't 1820."
While turning and looking into a three-way mirror, Nicoletta said, "Hmm, yes, you're right. But, I'll wear one that's all cording so that I can at least sit down and get back up from the picnic blanket by myself."
"Well ok," Samantha acquiesced. "You are blessed with a small waist and flat enough stomach so that you don't have to cinch."
"Technically my waist isn't small, my other parts are too big," Nicoletta responded.
Samantha just shook her head at Nicoletta's continued cluelessness regarding the attractiveness of her body. Nicoletta's first husband brainwashed her into thinking that her curvy, yet physically fit body was unattractive. The scoundrel had been dead for well over a decade, but he was still living inside her head.
"This dress is very pretty and my eyes do look best in this color. However, I can't wear something with a décolleté before three o'clock and especially not to church. You can see my bubbies."
"Hold on ..." Samantha went back to the dressing room and returned. "It comes with a matching pelerine or you can wear a chemisette to hide your décolletage."
Nicoletta said, "Ok, but I don't see why I need to wear this fancy dress when it's just going to be Dexter."
Dexter put down the book he was reading and said with a huff, "You do know that I'm sitting right over here!"
"Sorry Dex-dear. You know that you are my favorite picnic companion," Nicoletta said as she walked over to him. She then crouched down and kissed him on the cheek.
He replied, "If we are going to picnic together, then I want to see you wearing it instead of one of your homemade abominations."
Nicoletta rolled her eyes at that catty remark. "You mean 'when' and not 'if.' Just like at the last two stupid auctions, no one, other than a couple of old men looking for a nursemaid, is going to bid on my picnic basket ... except you - my knight in shining armor always coming to my rescue," the latter part said with a mix of mock romanticism and genuine self-pity.
Nicoletta then glanced down at the dress, affording Dexter and Samantha the opportunity to exchange knowing looks and smiles.
Dexter responded, "In that brightly colored charmeuse dress, you will have plenty of worthy bids. I'll bet you good money."
"Ok. I bet you one dollar that you are the best person bidding on me," she offered.
"One dollar is child's play. Let's make it ten dollars," he countered.
"Ok, easy money for me." Nicoletta reached out her right hand.
Dexter took her hand and while shaking it said, "Then it's a bet. Ten dollars that there will be at least one worthwhile man, other than me, bidding on your picnic basket. Plus you have to pay me back the cost of the basket contents and the beverages . . . Hmm, now about those boots ..."
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12:36 p.m., Sunday, May 19, 1872
Nicoletta walked up the five steps located on the side of the stage in the church hall of Saint Sabina. The charity event's auctioneer grasped the double handles of her picnic basket with one hand and immediately had to lean over due to the weight.
He said to the crowd, "This is a hefty one. I'll just leave it on the floor."
Some people chuckled in response. Nicoletta turned away from the crowd so that they wouldn't see her smug smile. Then, using one arm, Nicoletta seemingly effortlessly lifted the basket and placed it on the display table. Some of the young women that were off to the side whispered scoffing remarks to each other implying it was unladylike behavior.
It was a larger than the usual sized picnic basket and it was overflowing. It also was snugly covered with a large tea towel and tied down with thin rope in order to conceal and contain it's contents. When the auctioneer tried to remove the towel, Nicoletta gestured for him not to. She also put on the table a large mesh tote bag that had a few objects in it, each of them also wrapped in towels.
Nicoletta stood there trying to look charming while underneath she wanted to crawl out of her skin. Being offended by the auction was what she publicly stated as her objection. But Nicoletta primarily was against participating because she disliked being the focus of attention.
Since she was going to be on display anyways, Nicoletta decided to go all-in by making a silent protest. She usually wore a one-inch suffrage button everyday (except when she was at work of course). Instead, just before going on stage, Nicoletta put on a four-inch rosette with six-inch ribbon tails that stated in the circle "VOTES FOR WOMEN".
Despite her propensity to speak her mind, Nicoletta actually had an inclination to keep a low profile and stay in the shadows. She preferred to instigate others into action rather than being a leader, such as being an éminence grise with the Cook County Suffrage Association. She also liked her privacy which caused many people to think she was secretive.
Adding to Nicoletta's self-consciousness today was that new dress. It was form-fitting, which was something that she usually didn't wear because she didn't like unwanted attention (especially in the neighborhoods that she had to walk through to get to work and church). Because it was a warm day, Nicoletta wore the dress with a chemisette instead of the pelerine (which would have obscured her bust). Plus her new boots weren't broken in yet and they pinched her feet.
All that added up to Nicoletta feeling quite ill at ease despite all the measures she took to try to counteract her jitters. To partially obscure herself, she wore her wide brim hat tilted slightly forward and she styled her hair to have more tendrils framing her face. Earlier, while she was waiting her turn, she went to the women's lounge in order to take a second dose that morning of the indica extract that her doctor recommended for her panophobia. And just now she took off her glasses so that she couldn't see anyone's faces.
Nicoletta just wanted this 'stupid' auction to be over with so that she could spend a relaxed and worry free afternoon with Dexter. Plus be able to take off her boots and soak her aching feet in the cold water of the park's lagoon.
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Adam sat halfway back from the stage wearing his best suit that his housekeeper just got back from the cleaners so that all cigar and brothel odors were removed. He had been sitting with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, plus with his right arm outstretched onto the chair next to him. But when Nicoletta Ambrosetti stepped onto the stage, he sat up straight.
Adam thought her wearing a gigantic suffrage ribbon was commendable. While some of the men around him murmured and scoffed, Adam gave a quiet congratulatory chuckle when he saw it, thinking, "Good for you! That's showing it to them."
Even from that far back, he could see that the widow's fetching royal blue dress complemented her pale skin and dark hair. He loved how it hugged her hourglass figure with its white lace trim that highlighted her curves. He could now see why she usually wore dresses that disguised her figure - her Cupid's kettledrums were quite distracting. When Adam caught a glimpse of her during church services, he had unholy thoughts.
As the widow stood there in full view, he finally realized that the bodice of her dress looked very similar to the corset that Ethel the whore wears at Painswick's brothel. Exact same color and lace trim. Adam thought, "Just how much is that Miss Samantha orchestrating this romance and manipulating me?"
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The auctioneer announced, "Ok, we have a mystery basket that is very heavy and you have the chance to spend two hours with the illustrious Widow Nicoletta Ambrosetti."
That blowhard Henry Strallon was sitting behind Adam. He said, loud enough for Adam to hear, "More like infamous," which caused chuckles from the other men in earshot. Then he added, "I would bet good money that there is a viper in that basket." That was met with even more laughter.
Adam found those comments quite ungentlemanly and he had to suppress the urge to ask Henry to step outside. He needed to focus on his goal of obtaining the winning bid for the widow's basket. Not to mention that Henry was also a client of his employer and alienating him wouldn't go over well. So, instead, he settled for glancing back with a scolding "what-the-fuck-is-wrong-with-you?" look on his face.
Adam always had been a perceptive man, but since being in the army, those skills were heightened. He could tell that behind Mrs. Ambrosetti's smile and calm demeanor that she was uneasy being on stage with everyone staring at her.
The bidding started for the widow's picnic basket at one dollar. Adam didn't want to create any drama which could potentially make the widow even more nervous. He therefore decided to wait for the other men to ramp up their bids for Mrs. Ambrosetti before he made his bid. He then sat leaning forward in his seat so that his elbows were resting on his knees.
After awhile, the auctioneer said, "I have three dollars from Mr. Dexter Barrow. Do I hear three twenty-five? ... ... Anyone? ... ..."
That was a long enough pause to let Adam know that it was time for him to make his move. He wanted this to end quickly and he wanted to impress the widow. So Adam raised his hand, with all his fingers spread and called out, "Five dollars!"
There was a few gasps from the crowd. Everyone turned to look at him.
Dexter Barrow had a very pleased look on his face. Adam wondered "Why would he be so happy to be outbid?".
Most of the young women started to pout and that hussy Edna Buring gave out an audible whine. The highest bid so far that day was $3.50 and here was the most eligible bachelor making a large bid on this "old" lady.
Nicoletta's smiling face turned to surprise. Before she had taken off her glasses, she had seen where Adam was sitting. But, she put on her glasses just to be sure.
Her mind was flooded with thoughts, "Why is Mr. Cartwright bidding on me when he could have his pick of anyone here? And why is he overbidding?"
Nicoletta looked over at Dexter once he turned back around. He had a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin on his face. Then he gave her a wink and air kiss. Nicoletta then got a smirk on her face realizing she had been fooled. "That scamp set me up! How did he know? ... Hmm, that's why he recommended that I take that extra dose of indica today . . . Damn it, now I owe Dex a lot of money ... Why didn't he just tell me so that I could prepare myself? Probably because I would have worked myself up into being a nervous wreck."
The auctioneer asked for higher bids and was met with silence and shaking heads. He eventually said, "Sold for five dollars to Mr. Adam Cartwright!" which was followed by some polite applause.
Adam stood up and buttoned his suit jacket closed. As he twisted back to pickup his hat that was sitting on the chair next to him, Henry Strallon made a vain attempt to be a gentleman by standing up and shaking Adam's hand.
Henry said, "Congratulations. If anyone can tame that mustang, it would be a cowboy like you."
Usually Adam didn't correct city slickers with their misuse of rural terminology, but Henry was really getting on Adam's nerves. He put his right hand on his leaning hip and responded with impatient irritation, "First of all, I was a rancher, not a lowly cowhand ..." Henry was pissing off Adam so much that he uncharacteristically disparaged the low paid, hard working men that the Cartwrights depended upon and respected.
"... But more importantly, she's a woman, not a horse."
"Yes, of course. Anyone can see that she is with her lovely ... bodice. But seriously, be careful. She has a temper and can throw quite a punch," said Henry as he involuntarily rubbed his left cheek. "Plus she carries a knife."
Adam furrowed one eyebrow and responded with a mixture of puzzlement and disdain, "I'm sure that you deserved it Henry. I, on the other hand, know how to speak and behave like a gentleman."
Henry nodded in reluctant agreement. As he sat down he called out, perhaps loud enough for the widow to hear, "Good luck. We'll be praying for you," which brought out another set of laughter.
Adam glanced at the stage to see Mrs. Ambrosetti's reaction, but she had her body turned to the side. Adam turned back to the men. He gave an intimidating hazel glare that quickly shut them up. At that moment he was thankful for the army training which enhanced his emotional discipline. Ten years ago, Adam would have already punched the cad.
He started to wonder if there was any truth to the comments made by that lout. "Is pursuing Mrs. Ambrosetti going to be worth it? Unconventional is one thing, but a knife-wielding woman with violent tendencies is another." Adam was known to enjoy a good fist fight when necessary. But, despite being for equal rights, he also believed in some double standards regarding the behavior of ladies. Adam wanted a tigress, not a hellcat.
Adam discarded his anger and approached the stage with a triumphant, yet charming smile on his face. He gave five dollars to the auctioneer and was met at the top of the stairs by the widow who was holding the picnic basket.
As Adam started to take the widow's picnic basket from her in his right hand, his eyes widened and he thought, "It actually is heavy. How strong is this woman?"
The widow could see his eyes and she felt the almost imperceptible falter of his grip. She therefore, held onto the basket handles a moment longer so that Adam could brace himself to take it without seeming like he was struggling. He gave her a soft wink to show his appreciation.
Adam then donned his hat and offered his left hand to help guide her down the stairs. Nicoletta could feel through her white mesh glove that his hand was calloused. Not as much as a laborer, but more than one would expect for a man wearing a 50 dollar suit. Adam's hand also felt very warm, but Nicoletta surmised that perception was more due to her nervousness making her extremities cold.
Once off the stage, she put her right hand in the crook of the left arm he proffered. They then walked out of the church hall, towards the park next door.
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As Adam and Nicoletta walked away from the church hall, she said "Hold on a minute, please." She then removed her hand from Adam's arm and proceeded to shake and rub her right elbow. She chuckled, "When I lifted that thing onto the table, I had forgotten that I had strained my elbow last weekend."
Adam took the opportunity to set the basket down on the ground. "I was amazed that you lifted that with ease. Is it hurt bad?"
"No, it should be ok if I just remember to rest it. It wasn't that easy. It took me quite a bit of effort to hide my struggle."
"That was quite the illusion Mrs. Ambrosetti."
"I don't think I'll try that again anytime soon ... Oh, and I don't care for formality. So, please call me Nicoletta."
He responded "I would love to. Nicoletta is such a beautiful name which befits you. Please call me Adam."
She smiled and blushed slightly at that comment. However, the real reason for that request was that Nicoletta disliked being called "Mrs." It reminded her that her that both her marriages left much to be desired. The second marriage was a sham. Her first marriage was with a toxic man who routinely disparaged and verbally abused her. In the last few months, that marriage got ugly - memories of which continue to cause her to have fits of terror.
Adam asked her "Nicoletta, I see that you didn't bring a blanket, shall we sit at one of those tables?"
She said "I actually did bring a blanket and I already staked us out a spot at a bench on the far side of the lagoon. I also have the beverages cooling in the water." Or at least Nicoletta hoped they were. Dexter was in charge of doing that.
Then she offered, "Since there are two handles, let's take one each."
He started to protest but she had already crouched down (making Adam wish that she wasn't hiding her cleavage with a chemisette) and picked up one of the handles with her left hand, then looked at him expectantly. Adam found it intriguing that she wanted to help carry the basket. Most women he had known would have expected the man to do all the heavy lifting.
Adam took the other handle and they proceeded across the lawn.
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CHAPTER NOTES:
For those of you who do not want to do the math, in today's dollars: Adam's winning bid was $125. Dexter's bid was $75. Nicoletta owes Dexter $250 for the bet, plus more money for the picnic contents (you'll find out in the next chapter).
STORY NOTES:
A) Thank you to everyone who have written kind and encouraging words in the reviews. I truly appreciate it! It has helped give me the courage to create and publish more chapters.
B) If you are reading this before I have posted Chapter 6, "The Picnic":
I am having a lot of trouble writing dialogue for their first date that doesn't sound cheesy or corny; e.g. Adam is sounding more like he is spreading BS instead of oozing charm. Plus, since they will be sharing some of their life stories with each other, I need to make some huge and somewhat difficult decisions regarding future plot lines (primarily: How dark and uncomfortable do I want to make Nicoletta's backstory?).
Therefore, I don't anticipate Chapter 6 will be posted before February. Thank you in advance for your patience. Please see my profile/bio for progress updates. Please feel free to private message me.