It's past midnight by the time you are chauffered back to your mansion. Your husband has been in a foul mood ever since the encounter with Inspector Dean. The amount he's had to drink, you'd hoped he'd be unconscious. No such luck though, as soon as you get in the door he heads to the study for some more whisky whilst you head up to your bedroom.
Your feelings are very mixed. Now that your wedding and reception are over, you find yourself married to a man you despise. On the other hand, tonight you took your first step to obtain the wealth you need to rectify the wrongs done to your family.
Your hated spouse is the root cause of the calamity that has befallen you. Through underhanded and highly illegal means, he drove your father's business to the edge of bankruptcy and framed your father for tax evasion and fraud. Then, he stepped in and offered you a way to save you father from public disgrace and a lengthy prison sentance. If you agreed to marry him, he would keep his carefully concocted evidence under lock and key and take over your father's business in a merger.
Your father knew nothing of this offer, of course. If he'd heard those terms, he would have killed the man with his bare hands. With his business gone, your father returned to England and retired to a small family estate, leaving you in the clutches of a first rate bastard.
Since moving himself into your family home, he's steadily grown more domineering and spiteful. Nearly all your old serveants have been dismissed and replaced by people loyal to your husband. Only Maria, your personal maid and your father's gardener remain who can be relied on. These two faithful retainers are also your accomplices in your new life as a thief.
You strip off in your room, hanging the silk dress over the back of a chair and unzipping your boots. In the morning you know they will be gone. A couple of weeks ago you awoke to find that all your wardrobes and drawers had been emptied, leaving you with no clothing but a couple of thin bathrobes. Your husband or one of his staff will bring you clothing as and when he sees fit to allow you out of the house.
There's a quiet knocking at the door, which you immediately recognize as Maria's. You call out and your maid enters. She's wearing the uniform your husband insists she wears as a condition of her remaining in service. It consists of a flouncy french maid's skirt, so short it barely covers her crotch and black stockings. Above this, she wears only a tiny white apron top, cut so narrow that from the sides her pert little breasts are bare and jiggle enticingly when she moves. On her feet are platform ankle boots.
"Milady you're home," Maria says. "I was so worried."
"Nothing to worry yourself about my dear," you reply. "Did your part in tonight's adventure go according to plan?"
"Yes Milady," Maria nods. "Our friend has your bag and the green eye."
You smile, knowing that your thieving equipment and your ill gotten gains will be safe in the hands of your gardener.
Your smile vanishes abruptly as the door to your bedroom is kicked wide open and your husband enters, obviously half drunk and in a belligerent mood.
"So!" he sneers as he looks at you and Maria. "'s little dyke maid. Come to tuck you in for the night has she?" |