Frigid Waters (Ladies of Loomcroft) (10 page)

Chapter 7

Belladonna woke the next morning before daylight to a soft tapping on the window.  She crawled out from under the warm covers and opened the window to find her husband—her real husband—h
anging from the terrace outside her window.

“What are you doing?”  She hissed and grabbed him and started pulling him in the window.

He climbed in quietly and kissed her quickly.  “I had to get you.”  He whispered.

“I...”  She started before another attack of stomach upset hit her.  She just made it to her chamber pot before emptying her stomach.  George patiently held her hair as the sickness passed.

“It is making you ill being here.  Let me take you home.  We can be on a ship home within the hour.”  He pleaded.

“No, we have to do this right, George.  If we do not, then we will never be able to step foot in London again.”  She said firmly.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, as if he could shield her from the world.  “Bella, what if he lays hands on you?  I would never be able to bear it.”

“He will not.  I have taken steps to ensure it.”  She said quietly.

He raised his eyebrows.  “Steps?  What steps can keep a man's hands off a woman as beautiful as you.”

“Chasteberry.”

“What the hell is chasteberry?”  He whispered.

Belladonna blushed down to her toes.  “It is known to...umm...prevent the male anatomy from...standing straight?”

“You've made the man impotent?”  George fought back laughter as he asked.

“Close enough.”  She said with a sly smile. “Plus, he has given me permission to go to the modiste today.”

Understanding dawned on George's face.  “You are are going to drain his purse dry.”

She smiled seductively a her husband and kissed his cheek.  “Of course not, George.  I'm going to drain it far more than that.”

“When all of this is over, remind me to never make you angry, Bella.”  He kissed her soundly despite the sour smell and taste of her breath.

“I will, but you need to go now.  Our plans will be destroyed if you do not go.”  She pushed him towards the window.

George went, but he stopped and looked back at Belladonna.  “Another week, wife, no more.  Past that we flee to our island home and forget London.  I can not live without you longer than that.”

“Alright, just go!” 

Belladonna closed the drapes as soon as George was thru the window.  She let out a sigh of relief as she   dressed and walked to the door.  A week.  Belladonna hoped that she didn't have to wait that long to be free of Carl, but she could survive another week.

Belladonna squared her shoulders and walked down the stairs.  “Good morning, husband.”

“You will be going to the dressmaker directly, Belladonna.”  Carl scowled as he made the statement.

“I will try not to be long, husband.”  Belladonna responded.

Carl rubbed his brow.  “Did George enjoy your frigid disposition, wife?”

Belladonna's eyebrows raised in surprise at the question.  “George did not have the same desires as you do in a wife, husband.  He had no need of manners or my dowry's blunt.  I daresay he was not the same quality of husband as you are, Carl.” 

Belladonna didn't elaborate that she felt Carl was of such a low quality of person in comparison to George that she could walk thru a well used pig sty and feel cleaner.  Let him think it a compliment.  It would soon be clear to him that it was anything but.

Carl smiled at her words.  “Feel free to spend the afternoon shopping, Belladonna.  Just remember, your father has not released your dowry as of yet.  Spend blunt sparingly.”

“Of course, husband.”  She smiled.  “I would also like leave to wander the shops.  I wish to buy you a gift, husband.”

Carl smiled widely.  “Of course, Belladonna.  I look forward to seeing what you buy me.”

She curtsied and walked out to the carriage.  Upon climbing in she could not help but laugh.  The bloke had no idea what was coming.  Somehow that would make it all the sweeter when he finally realized the true folly of his actions.

###

George arrived at his lumberyards around mid-morning.  He had every intent of shutting production down and making it clear to his workers that they could thank the House of Lords for their loss of honest work.  He wasn't happy about the idea, but he was prepared to do it.

He couldn't help but smile when his carriage rolled up to the gates of the yard.  No less than seven Lords had carriages waiting upon him.  Only one stood out waiting for him.

Lord Camden looked positively livid as he waited outside the entrance to the busy lumberyard.  He did not wait for George to greet him.  “Here is your bloody annulment.”  He shoved the paper into George's face.

George looked it over and smiled at him.  “Thank you, Lord Camden.  Do I have these other titled gentlemen to thank.”

“Yes.”  He huffed.  “I take it that the lumber supply will not be interrupted to the railroads...not that I have anything to do with the railroads.”

“I will be sure it arrives early this month.”  George said softly.

Lord Camden pulled another sheet of paper out of his pocket and started to hand it to George.  George eyed it as he held it tight.  “I take it if I give you this I will also see a ten percent discount on my order.”

George eyed the sheet and made out only the first world and a few of the second in the title:  SPECIAL LI.  George didn't need more.  He nodded and Lord Camden released the paper.  “Twenty-five percent off.”  He choked out.

Lord Camden nodded.  “Good.  Do not ever consider pulling such a trick again, Mr. Livery.  We will not be played the fool a second time, especially over a woman.”

George shook his head.  “You have not been played the fool.  Quite the contrary.  I owe every man here a favor.  I do not give out my favors lightly and I honor my word.  You have no idea what you have given me.”

Lord Camden abruptly turned.  “Get it right, Livery.  There has been far too much trouble caused over this matter as it is.”

George quickly got in his carriage and ordered his man to drive it to the most expensive dressmaker in town.  He knew that was where he would find Belladonna.  True to form, his father's carriage was parked out front.

He got out of his carriage and walked into the shop.  A young seamstress immediately came over to help him.  “May I help you, gov'ner?”

He nodded.  “I need to see my...Mrs. Livery.”

“Of course, sir.  I will go tell her you are here.”

He waited only until the girl was out of the room until he followed her quietly.  The door was left ajar to one of the small fitting rooms. 

Mrs. Murdock could be heard tutting.  “First, you have me come all the way here just so you can pay more money for dresses than what they're worth.  Now, you tell me not to make the style I choose.  Miss Belladonna, I daresay you know better.”

“I do not need that style Mrs. Murdock, I assure you.  My husband and I were very careful to avoid such a thing.”  Bella chided.

“You have lost your crumpets twice since you have been here.  If you are not with child, then you are seriously ill.  I should know, I have had my fair share of children.  Belladonna, you should know!  You have had your fair share of sisters.”

He did not hear an answer from Belladonna.  A child.  George knew she did not want one, but he could not help but be filled with joy over the prospect.  Quietly he slipped into the room and shut the door.

Both women's gazes immediately locked on to him.  “George!  You can not be here.”

“Bella, I have the annulment and a special license.  Just leave with me now.”  He said softly.

“No.”  She said as she smoothed the dress.

“No?”  Both George and Mrs. Murdock echoed.

“Your brother has not learned his lesson yet.  You may pick me up at his home this evening at five o'clock.”  She said matter of factually.

“Belladonna, be reasonable.”  He chided.

“I am being perfectly reasonable.  He meant to steal my life away.  I will merely steal his pride away.  He deserves no less.” 

Turning to Mrs. Murdock she said.  “I bid you to make the most expensive wardrobe you ever have and bill it to Mr. Carl Livery.”  Then she eyed George with a soft smile.  “If you will go now, George.  I still have to buy my husband a parting gift.”

George gave her a soft kiss before he turned to leave.  “Bella, you are going to be my death one of these days.  Now that I have the legal standing if you are not at the front door at five o'clock I will storm the thing without delay.”

He walked back to his carriage in a sour mood.  He wanted his wife now, not later.  He most certainly did not want her going back in that house if she may be with child, but he knew she would not tolerate him coddling her.  George did the only thing he could do in the circumstances; he went to go talk to her father.

###

Belladonna stepped down from the fitting stand and after thanking Mrs. Murdock went outside to the waiting carriage.  She didn't get in.  Instead she walked up to the driver. 

“Do you normally drive my husband, sir?”  She asked him as sweetly as possible.

“That I do, mum.”  He answered gruffly.

She batted her eyelashes at the man.  “I wish to get my husband a gift.  I fear my husband lusts after a...”  She lowered her voice and tried to look as sad as possible.  “...slimmer womanly form.  I can think of no better gift than one he has already enjoyed.  Do you think you can find such a woman?”

The driver chuckled.  “Most men would pay their weight in gold for a woman as agreeable as you, mum.  I do know where I could find such a madam.”

“Then take me there, sir.”  Belladonna smiled sweetly.  He nodded and she climbed in the carriage.

When they arrived she started to step out, but the driver hurried down and held up his hand.  “No, you do not, my lady.  I will got get the chit and be back soon.  A lady of your class is not safe in such establishments.”

Belladonna settled back down in her seat.  “I will defer to your sound judgment, sir.”

The driver took all of twenty minutes to bring the girl down.  A tall, thin woman with fine blond hair and blue eyes climbed up into the carriage across from her.

“It is not my fault if you can not please your husband.”  The woman spat.

Belladonna laughed.  “You misunderstand, my dear, you are welcome to him.”

Allana's eyes narrowed.  “What do you want then?”

Belladonna smiled.  “I mean to give my husband a gift.  I thought you might do.  I will pay you handsomely because I have some very specific requirements.”

“He left me without paying the last time.”  Allana hedged.

“You will have twenty-five pounds up front.”  Belladonna stated.

Allana perked up.  “For twenty-five pounds I will do anything you want.”

Belladonna held out her hand.  “Then we have a deal?”

“We have a deal.”  Allana said firmly.

“Now, here's what you are to do...”  Belladonna began.

###

George arrived promptly at five in the afternoon to his father's home in London.  Already waiting was a legion of Lords and Ladies.  As he got out into the crowd her glanced around nervously.