Beauty and A Beast

Part 9

Regardless of what had happened that afternoon, Chidori had worked that needed to be done so once Master had cleaned himself and then her up, she thanked him and then took her leave. She has the rest of the afternoon to really process what she had done and what he had done to her. Just like the books had entailed, it was quite marvelous indeed

Of course there was the pain of him entering her but once that pain had subsided, she was left with pleasure and Chidori knew that regardless there would be a special place for her in the afterlife. No sane or respected lady would offer their employer the same thing she had just did and looked back to enjoy it.

Quite frankly, Chidori had immersively enjoyed what he had done to her and she wondered if that was to be the last that she would ever have to experience the insane pleasure. She didn't care about ruination or scandal, the rest of society had despised her heritage and kind with disdain and she knew she was on her way to spinsterhood. She was setting a path not for her but her young brother Ken.

There was still the slight chance that she may lose her job or that Master would realize that she was no good and decide he needed to let her go once and for all.

If changes and being afraid of being one's self such a crime, she would live a life of sin just to be able to live a full and wonderful life. She owed that to herself. Anyone questioning her be damned.

***

Elias

Dear good gods what had he done?

He could no longer think as he stared at the parchments on his desk and Mr. Brinewald at the ready waiting for further instructions. He touched his employee. He touched and sullied the poor innocent woman and he didn't know how to explain it but say that he enjoyed it quite thoroughly.

She was innocence and freedom and he wanted more of it. If that made him the worst kind of man. And he hated himself for it.

Elias sat back in his chair giving in to the fact that he couldn't work. He needed to see her, apologize and let her know for the rest of her time here, that she need not worry about him and that he planned to give her a handsome severance package once she had gone.

When dinner had come around, he requested for Ms. Walters again and Brinewald showed no emotion as he nodded and sent for the young woman.

***

Chidori

Master had requested her presence and she wondered what it could be all about. Of course it was to have his supper and she thought maybe it was to talk.

When she entered the room, knocking somewhat softly on the door before waiting a few seconds, she  found him watching her with his intent eyes as she made her way over the rug to his serving cart. All was quiet per usual but she felt his gaze on her back. "Leave it. I believe we need to share a few words." He said, his voice hard enough that her hearing box was able to pick up the tone.

She nodded as she wiped her semi clammy palms on her apron and turning to look at him, her hands a bit shaky.

"I feel that I owe you an apology and that my actions may have caused you harm." He said, his gloved fingers were interlocked on top of the table and he wasn't exactly meeting her eyes.

Chidori felt the heat of anger on her cheeks and system as she played with her fingers to stop herself from reacting on any action that she may have felt at the time.

She didn't respond and when he met her eyes finally, she still hadn't said anything save for her anger may have caused her to do something she may have regret. Why are you apologizing? She asked him and he seemed to be stunned for a moment before he changed his facial expression to a dead look. "I feel that I may have caused you discomfort." He said and Chidori shook her head at him as she played with her fingers behind her back.

She tried to think up words to describe what she felt but she couldn't without sounding too much of a scandalous woman. She was resigned to her fate and she had accepted the consequences of her actions of what he did and what she let him do. The feel of him when he had touched her brought feelings she had never before felt and though she may have read it in a novel or two, to be able to feel what those characters felt, she had no regrets. Her life was too short as it was of being afraid of others, of letting others tell her how she should and should not act that she would die alone and lonely. But she would accept that. That would not stop her from enjoying her life as it was and she would regret nothing.

You have brought me the opposite of discomfort. She signed to him and when his long gloved fingers twitched just slightly he cleared his throat. "Did you enjoy it?" He asked her and though he didn't quite look at her eyes she could see how the question itself could make one shy away.

She nodded to him, her cheeks just a tinge of pink. Just because she had accepted the pleasure didn't make her vivacious about it. Especially when spoken aloud. Quite a bit I must confess.

***

Elias

He had sent Miss Walters away for if she had stayed any longer, surely he would frighten her when she found out just how much those words meant to him. When he was younger and had found out what it meant for a man and woman to spend the evening together, alone, he had all but spent the days with his uncles frequenting brothel houses. It was something they felt that he as a Baron should forego as that was what men did. By the age of fourteen and until sixteen when the fire had taken away everything from him, he had quite the s****l appetite. But when the fire left him disfigured and scarred it took years for him to accept all that he was.

He knew that he was no longer the handsome young man he used to be and he let go of ever having thoughts of marrying, and having an heir. If anything he accepted that he would be alone. He frequented night workers every few weeks because no one would have him. And those that did with their conniving mothers just wanted his wealthy and status though no one really wanted him and his disfigurements around . He refused to bring anyone into his family just for that reason. He didn't believe in love nor did he believe in people after the fire.

His family, his uncles and cousins were just waiting

for him to shrivel up and die, sending word every now and then to make sure he was still breathing so they didn't collect early.

In no way was he a cynic but he was a realist. One day he will die on his own, either it being that he had killed him self or his relatives would tire of waiting him out and send an assassin. Either way, Elias was ready for the day. Years went by and he watched as the world around him went on, day in and day out, keeping a look on his family's business and shipping port. While he had grown older, he had amassed a fortune for whomever would take over his estate. He wondered if the Vanderpool line died with him or if his greedy cousins would take over the small empire that was his.

Yet, for once in his thirty years of life after the fire, something, or rather yet someone had peaked his interest. His stubborn and headstrong house maid. He found her quite attractive and though in Society's standards she was broken, he found her unsettling and he wasn't sure why.