Aubrey 49

 Chapter 49

***

She was going to nail him for being the heir to a rich, retarded noble family, but a third wife. Her blood pressure spiked and the back of her neck stiffened.

"I'm sure you're hoping to marry into a good family."

They both knew it. The desirable life for a lady in this part of the world was the elegant, virtuous life of a noblewoman, married to a great nobleman and living lavishly. But neither of them were that. One was a slave who had escaped the island with the intention of surviving, and the other was the second daughter of a family that was desperately poor and had had child after child.

"Oh, my God, what can I do, my lady?"

Normally, Trin would have said she'd see what she could do, but this time she stamped her foot as if she were helpless.

"You knew all along, didn't you? That's why you were so upset. I didn't even know that....... Oh, my God."

Aubrey tried to remain as calm as possible. She'd gotten her emotions under control earlier, and she had a plan. A great plan that would get them through this terrible time.

"It's okay, Trin. I'm not going to marry him."

"How? There's nothing you can do if the master wants you to."

"I have a way."

"How?"

"Ways." 

"Ways like ......."

Aubrey shrugged her shoulders and laughed.

***

And the next day. Sure enough, Murfrio came to Aubrey's room early, as if he'd been waiting for this day. He brought her a meal, fed her, and led her out of the hotel. The Square, which had seen so many people coming and going until late at night, was now bathed in morning sunlight. Aubrey walked down the street and stopped at a clothing store.

"I thought you might need some clothes suitable for a lady."

Murfrio smiled at her, saying she could pick out anything she liked, but she didn't like any of it. Aubrey looked down at her outfit, a cream-colored dress.

"I like this one."

She tried to tell him she also liked the brown leather sash Trin had tied around her waist, but it didn't work.

"I understand that, but shouldn't you be wearing something that fits rather than something you like?"

His thick hand slipped around Aubrey's back and pulled her forward. After the clothing store, the shoe store, the general store, and even the hair salon, Aubrey kept telling him she didn’t want anything, but it was no use; he was a master of subtle intimidation, and like a snake, he would not bend to her will.

In the end, she spent the morning and afternoon on the veneer. It was well past noon when she heard her stomach growling. Aubrey arrived at the restaurant looking nothing like her. Corset and camisole, crinoline and petticoat with lots of bolstering, tightened her body.

The white dress she layered on top of it made her look like a pale swan. Even the heeled shoes seemed to squeeze her feet. She had to choose a size smaller than her normal size. The tightly braided hair was a bit painful, and the hat that looked like a large seashell on top of it made it hard to turn her head.

"I hope you like what I've prepared."

Murfrio seemed to like the new Aubrey quite a lot. Aubrey turned her head away, as if to avoid him. The awkward reflection in the window was ridiculous. Pathetic bitch. Aubrey's eyes flicked to her refined, aristocratic reflection. She couldn't tell if she'd eaten a thick steak the size of her chin or not. Aubrey didn't make it through three bites of her chopped steak before she left the restaurant.

Later, she and Murfrio stopped by his wine bar. The place, which had been under construction for a while now, was taking shape, but it was just dilapidated. Murfrio talked at length about how this dreary space would change in the future, but Aubrey was busy turning her head away to avoid the dust floating in the air. Around 4 p.m., they found a small theater in the Square. Aubrey's face, which had been grim, brightened slightly.

The Prime Theater, a converted plaza, had no ceiling, allowing the blue sky to shine through. The sloping audience seats overlooked the round stage on which the actors would perform. Although she was disappointed that the seats were huge chunks of marble instead of chairs, it was a picturesque scene with the green grass underneath.

"This is the theater that was closed when Cannon Hall was built."

"It's beautiful. It's like a theater in the mountains."

Aubrey said with a hint of excitement in her voice. True to Murfrio's word, the beautiful theater had been temporarily closed and was now open to the public for free. But Aubrey's interest had waned, and there were only a few people watching. Meanwhile, a group of three or four people were gathered around the stage, chatting, and out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a familiar silhouette.

"I heard you were writing a play."

Aubrey looked back at Murfrio in surprise.

"How do you know that?"

"I know everything about Miss Sandalwood's work. I'm pretty obsessive about mine."

Gross. Murfrio was a man for whom the word gross was apt, but she supposed she should be grateful that he cared enough to mention the use of synecdoche. It got her to see a theater she had never been to in her life.

"I don't know how you got interested in theater scenarios, but that's all I need to know."

Aubrey rolled her eyes at the mocking tone of her dream.

"An innocent young lady caught up in a strange affair, plain as day. That's how the Count of Lavonne seduces women. He uses his eloquence and his handsome face."

"The Count has never seduced me."

Murfrio smirked, as if he knew. Then he put his arm lightly around Aubrey's shoulders and turned her around.

"In any case, Miss Sandalwood has more pressing matters, and I think you should attend to them now."

"I have more pressing matters."

With that, Aubrey shook off Murfrio's hand and stalked out of the theater. 

*** 

One of the remaining questions for Khaled was the future direction of the Prime Theater. With the completion of Cannon Hall, all performances would soon be held there. But that didn't mean tearing down the Prime Theater. Nor did he intend to leave it open for free and turn it into a shelter for people. Beggars flocked to the theater when they heard the news. What to do with this open space, hot in summer and cold in winter?

"Do you have something in mind?"

Khaled asked Lehman, looking at the empty stage. Lehman shook his head.

"I think we should just tear it down and build another hotel."

"We have enough hotels already."

"Or why don't you put up shops?"

This time, Khaled shook his head. It didn't appeal to him. There were plenty of stores to make money. He wondered if there was something more novel, something new, and then he remembered the woman. She might have an interesting story to tell. This woman, here in Lavonne.

"I thought it was a beautiful day, and then I saw that asshole in broad daylight.”

Lehman whispered quietly. Without thinking, Khaled glanced back, his eyes suspicious. A finely dressed lady stood beside Murfrio. She was looking grumpy. Those mismatched outfits must be Murfrio's work. The woman who picked them up and wore them straight away. He was impressed.

His mind raced, and his thoughts quickly came to a bizarre conclusion. The woman who had left in the early morning had reappeared the next afternoon, at the mercy of the man's hand. In the meantime, overnight.

It was a moment of silence and a thousand lights. Without pausing to consider what it was that was rising within him, what this feeling was that was creeping up his spine and shaking his brain, he hastily drew out his cigar, his piercing eyes fixed on the entrance through which the two had disappeared.

***

It had been a tiring day indeed. Her back and feet were sore from all the walking around Lavonne in her ill-fitting clothes and the late night. Aubrey soaked in the warm water and closed her eyes for a long time. Hoping this quiet, relaxing bath would wash away all the messy emotions.

Still, it's only for tonight. Tomorrow she could go home. Aubrey thought she could live with this. It was clear what the Count and Countess of Ravant wanted from her, and she could bide her time by playing along. 

Still, she couldn't think of a new scenario. Khaled had ordered her to write a play that the nobility would pay a fortune to see, but she didn't have the slightest hint of a nobleman's brain. Tap. Tap. There was an urgent knock on the door, followed by Trin's whisper.

"Lady, I think you'll have to come out."

"What's going on?"

It was Murfrio. The man again. She was certain. Aubrey swiped a wet hand across her flushed face.

"Count Lavonne is here."

The words made her jump. A chill blew through her wet, naked body.

"Now, wait."

Aubrey scrambled out of the tub, and Trin, who must have heard the clatter, added a cautionary note.

"Be careful not to fall. He said he'd wait as long as it takes."

For as long as it takes. She could picture him puffing on his cigar, clearly not pleased. Aubrey dried off with a towel. She squeezed the water out of her damp hair like she was twisting laundry. When she hurriedly changed into the dress Trin had laid out for her, she was a little out of breath. Stumbling into the living room, Aubrey was speechless when she saw him sitting on the couch and holding his head tightly.

"You're taking a noisy bath."

***

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