The Wheels of Fortune (closed for DarkWarrioress)

[Tio_Narratore]

“What is pleasure?” Arthur repeated. “That’s simple. Even the dictionary is clear on that. Pleasure is happy satisfaction, enjoyment.”

“Now,” he continued, “What is anyone’s pleasure? What is my pleasure? What is your pleasure? That’s where things become complicated. The are things that may be expected to give pleasure to many people, but never to all. There are some things more common than others, but in the end, it’s very much an individual thing.”

He sipped his coffee.

“It was probably impolite of me to ask you about your pleasures - or hoped-for pleasures - without telling you anything about what gives me pleasure. Well, there are many things that gave me pleasure. Reading and writing, music, art, food and drink, conversation, travel, sex. There was much. My greatest pleasure, though, was sharing these things, sharing them with my wife.”

“Most of my pleasures gradually disappeared in the years after she died, though I do get some pleasure from things still. You’ve mentioned sex, and that was one of my - our - highest pleasures. Rough or gentle, light or dark, we both enjoyed it, even the sexual arousal that could come from pain. But I couldn’t enjoy any of it if Emily hadn’t found pleasure in it too. It sounds to me that Brad had his pleasure with no regard for how you felt. That’s the mark of sociopaths and psychopaths.”

“I did enjoy sex with other women after I lost Emily, but it was never quite the same, the conjunction of spirits just wasn’t there. I gave up on it about two years ago, but I still miss it. I know what I would have wanted these past years; I guess that’s why I asked you about what pleasures you wished for.”

As he sat back and drank his coffee, he wondered again why it was so easy to talk to this woman he had just met, and wondered also if she wondered the same about talking to him. Did fate bring their fortunes together? Were the coincidences signs that they were destined to meet?

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“I’m finding it hard to believe that anyone could derive pleasure from pain. I suppose it is possible. There is so much that is possible in this world. For me personally, I don’t believe I can do that, not after what I’ve been through. Bradly had little interest in anything except his own gratification. So now, I find myself in a state of quandary where sex is concerned. I want to believe that I can find pleasure again, but my body keeps saying otherwise or maybe it’s my mind. I don’t know. I’m so lost and confused. So, I have decided to focus on working. Once I get established there, maybe I can settle in to thinking about other things.”

Once again, she wondered at how easily she spoke with a virtual stranger. She marveled at how at ease she felt around him even though they had met just earlier today. Her mind and her body were at war with each other. Her body was saying it enjoyed his touch. Her mind was reminding her otherwise. It was exhausting to be sure. Arthur did bring something to the fore of her mind. What would she find pleasurable? She would have to delve into that area when she had time to think and ponder.

And what had happened earlier on the staircase? She had felt this…. sexual energy, there was no other way to describe it, coming from him. As if he was, all of a sudden very aware of her as a woman. It had triggered something in her too, but nothing she wanted to contemplate for now. It was hard not to; he was sitting right there across from her. They had walked down the stairs together and they probably would come in contact with each more now that she was going to be working for him as well. She did wonder if she was crazy. Maybe it had been all her mind. Maybe it was just her. She studied him over the rim of her mug. He sat there so quietly, drinking his coffee as if nothing had happened and maybe it hadn’t. Maybe it was just all in her mind and why would her mind be doing that sort of thing? Sex had never been in the forefront of her mind since Brad. To be honest, sex scared the hell out of her. She didn’t understand the way her body was reacting to Arthur and she couldn’t ask him about it either. She had just met him. He was also technically her employer.

They both sat there, who knew how long, each lost in thought as they enjoyed their coffee in companionable silence for the moment.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

It felt good, Arthur thought as he sat drinking his coffee. Good to be able to sit silently with someone, silently and yet comfortable. But why was it so easy with this woman, he wondered. Why did it feel as if he’d known her for years? Perhaps it was fate and fortune, he concluded, but, no matter what, it felt good to sit with her.

His thoughts turned to his question and her comments, and he thought about it a while, looking for the words to discuss the conjunction of pain and pleasure.

“Tess.” he said at length. “The reaction to pain is very individual, and the nature of pain can be very varied. Most people do like some pain, the pain of aching muscles after a satisfying job or gym workout, for example. For some people, it heightens the response to the other senses. In it’s extreme, it can be pleasure in itself. Consider long distance runners and their efforts to ‘hit the wall,’ to reach that point of pain where the body releases a flood of endorphins giving the ‘runner’s high. Some people look for that in sex. Whipping is a common outlet for that.”

“But there’s more to it as well, I think. There’s the feelings of fear, excitement, anticipation, and apprehension, not unlike what some people find pleasurable in horror movies . . .”

He trailed off at that point.

“There’s much to think about, and maybe much to feel in the subject, but now it’s getting a bit late. We have work to do tomorrow, and tonight to prepare for it. You have to update your resumé and print some copies, and I need to do some writing.”

He stood up and collected the their mugs, bringing them into the kitchen.

“You can use the office; that’s the only printer in the house. Remember to add your current job - Part-Time Head of House at the Lodge. You’ll find the civic address on the letterhead in the top desk drawer. You should make at least two dozen copies, I would think. Make as many as you wish.”

“I’ll be working in the study. Don’t hesitate to come in if you need anything or have any questions. If I don’t see you, have a good night. You know the way to your room.”

He headed upstairs first, collecting the portrait of Emily and bringing it down to the study. He gazed fondly on her image as he hung it back in its place.

“I do like this woman, Tess,” he said aloud to the image, “and I still do miss you.”

To his desk, then, to open the story files and read them over as he thought of the solution to his problems that arose in his dinner conversation with Tess. A quick scan, and his fingers began flying over the keyboard. He was writing again, and feeling positive about it this time.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

He was right. It was getting later and as he said, they had some work to do. Arthur went upstairs before her and Tess watched him a moment before making her way to the office. Closing the door behind her, she looked around and saw the printer. Moving over to the desk, she pulled out the chair and sat down, staring at her laptop. Two dozen copies? Did she really need that many? Opening the laptop she brought up her word-processing program and found her resumé. She started to type in her newest job with Arthur under current job. Tess got the printer to work with her laptop and hit the print button.She printed out a dozen. She didn’t feel quite right about using so much of his printing paper, but she vowed to replace it. In the meantime as the printer went to work, Tess’ mind wandered back over their earlier conmversation, especially about the part of the feelings when watching a horror movie. It was a bit of a stretch, she admitted to herself, but she could understand that. Although, she kind of understood that already. She often wondered when Brad’s next strike would come and where. However, linking it to pleasure, again, a bit of a stretch. Briefly, tess wondered what kind of lover was Arthur. Was it possible for him to make pain pleasureable? And would she like to understand it better?

Tess abruptly stood up from the desk and marched over to retrieve the small stack of her resumés. What was she thinking? She needed a warm bath, her bed and some sleep. That this wasn’t the first time she thought about Arthur in this fashion came as no surprise, but she had to wonder what was wrong with her. Gathering up her papers and her laptop, Tess stepped out of the office and noticed the door to the study was closed.

Good luck, Arthur and Good Night, she wished him silently and climbed the stairs to her room, closing the door behind her. Setting aside her work-related stuff, Tess pinned her hair up and headed into the bathroom, turning on the taps to fill the tub generously with heated water. She slipped out of her clothes and into the tub, sliding down into the welcoming warmth. It was strange how things had happened today. She thanked the Universe for its intervention on her behalf OR, she had to ponder, was it the Universe’s plan all along? Fate, one might say. A soft sound of amusement filled the air. Who knew? Right now, she was simply happy to be somewhere safe.

Languidly Tess’ hands started to trail over her body, causing her nipples and areolas to tighten and a tingle to slide down her spine as her legs moved a bit restlessly in the water. With her eyes closed, Tess began to imagine masculine hands on her body instead of her own, tweaking and pulling on her nipples. Her body automatically arched up from the water. The area between her legs demanded attention. One hand left a nipple and slid below the surface of the water to find her needful clit and began rubbing and tugging on it. Tess’ legs braced against the sides of the tub, opening as wide as they could. Her fingers slipped from her clit to the split lips of her femininity and diving inward. Her palm pressed against her swollen clit as she fingered herself.

“Oh god, yes…” her voice whispered as her fingers worked harder and faster.

Her fingers worked like a cock, though a poor man’s excuse for one, plunging in and out of her craving pussy. Her body would rise and fall accordingly. Arthur’s image came to mind, making her groan, whether in rapture or embarrassment, she didn’t know. His imagery didn’t really surprise her. He is the first person in a long time that she had held a conversational intimacy with.

Brad had taught her pleasure early on, before he taught her about pain. However, the two never mixed and she now wondered if they could. That was a path of exploration she couldn’t do to herself. Well… maybe she could but it wouldn’t be as good as exploring it with someone else. For now, that would have to wait. Tess wasn’t sure that what she was doing was simply about release or about pleasure and release. Something else to explore another day. For now, she’d settle for a release. Her hands and body worked in tandem, bringing her to a fever pitch until the world whirled and lights flashed. Her body went taut as she released her energy into the universeal air with a small soft squeal.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

The first half-hour of writing was incredibly exhilarating. Arthur hadn’t felt that way in years; the six pieces he had came with a struggle for the words, for the scenes, for the characters. But now his mind flew into the tales, committing ideas and images to the monitor at first, and then focusing, finding what each tale needed to tell to become one story. Editing. Rewriting. Call it what you will, each story took on a new life in his head and each new life flowed through his fingers to the screen before him. A jumble, perhaps, to anyone looking over his shoulder, but to him each story was clear in it’s unexpected new direction, clear as to how they would all come together.

The Moirai! The Fates. Three sisters each twining myriad threads, the threads of destiny of myriad souls. But how would the threads of his characters come together? Who would weave a new life into them when the gods had no interest in the lives of mortals? Who would have the will to do what the gods disdained? Arthur knew, and he paused, rising from his desk for a tumbler of Redbreast. As he drank, his mind wandered over his tale, or, perhaps more so, the tale wandered over his mind.

Back to the keyboard, his fingers renewed in their frenzy. It was nearly two in the morning when he stopped. A deep breath, and, satisfied and satiated, he went to his room. A shower, and his mind still roamed, this time over his own life, the thread of his fate, and over Tess and her destiny.

The coincidences again, and he wondered was it fate or fortune that brought them together. And the thoughts of her stirred in him, arousing his desires. Unconsciously, his hands caressed his cock as he lathered, and soon he became aware of his burgeoning erection. He’d been there before, almost every night, in fact, and always to Emily’s portrait and his memories, but now it was Tess’s face that appeared before him. Her clothes gradually evaporated into a fog, exposing the blurred outline of a naked body he’d never seen, a body, though, whose shape was that of this new woman.

She was on the bed, then, and he lay between her open legs. His eyes were on her face, on her expression as he varied his pace and angle. He saw ecstacy there, and he erupted in his hand, a stream of semen crashing against the shower wall. He was long in recovering from his orgasm, and thought about himself and Tess and what was - what might - come in the days ahead. Was this his - their - destiny? Was it simply good fortune, a lucky coincidence that would, perhaps, bring them each some brief pleasures?

He finished his shower and slipped into his bed, drifting to sleep in a tangle of his life and the story that was telling itself through him.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

For someone who had landed softly, Tess slept rather fitfully. There were just too many things on her mind. Still, morning came and she was up early, dressed and in the kitchen. Coffee was already being done and she was simply waiting for Arthur to join her so she could fix them some breakfast.

Arthur. She smiled inwardly as she sat at the island drinking her coffee. She sincerely hoped he had been productive last night with his writing. It made her wish to give writing a try again. She missed being a Wordsmith. A good place to start, she thought, might be with a journal. A journal could possibly help her in many other ways as well. When they went to town, she mentally added to her list of things to do, buy a journal. The man was having a big impact on her for a relative stranger. He gave her a new way of looking at certain things. Still, she wasn’t sure she was quite ready for that, even though, she had to admit, she was drawn to him, like a powerful magnet, he was pulling her in. She knew she wasn’t powerless to stop it but she was a bit frightened of letting it simply happen.

Thinking of the man, she could hear him on the staircase, coming down to join her. She needed to see how it felt around him today. Yesterday, given what he told her, she also needed to feel how he was doing. Too many things had happened that it felt like more than coincidence. There had been times in her life when she felt like some other major force in her life was pushing and pulling her. The Moirai.

Greek mythology had always fascinated her. Did she truly believe in The Fates? There were times in her life she felt like the three sisters were at work with her. Clotho and Lachesis, she could handle but she certainly wasn’t ready for Atropos just yet. She could just keep her sharp scissors to herself, thank you very much. They may very well just be symbols for the Universe, but whatever they truly were, she hoped they would remain kind to her. However, the gods never cared what mere mortals thought, the thread of her life was already being measured and spun, regardless of her thoughts and feelings. If such three truly existed, Tess knew they dealt both the Divine and mortals alike. She rather liked the idea. It put things into a prospective of simplicity unlike all the feuding amongst religions of today.

Tess looked toward the entrance of the kitchen as she heard footsteps approach. Her day soon to start in his employ. Whatever the case may be or whatever, whoever, had guided her here yesterday, she was grateful. So far, it had all been simple and easy. Well, without the minor interference of Brad. Bradley. That man had some nerve. Then again, his ego and arrogance had always been bigger than his head. The jackass.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Not unexpectedly, Arthur’s sleep was punctuated with dreams, and it was a dream which roused him from sleep with a laugh in the morning. A dream of Tess, he imagined, it opened with a woman in late Victorian attire sitting at a desk typing. Arthur was there, standing some distance behind her, but still able to read the lines as they scrolled up from the carriage of the old Remington.

Annabel took her place at the circular table, the tale began, and joined hands with the participants on either side. When all hands were firmly held, the lights were dimmed, and the medium began her invocations. The room was silent, quiet enough that Annabel could hear her own quickening heartbeats.

"I sense a force in the room,” the medium announced, “a being, a spirit, a presence of great emotion.”

Annabel gasped as she, too, felt the presence, powerful and intimidating. All hands surely were held, she knew; they could be discerned in the dim light, yet she felt hands - broad, strong, long-fingered hands - clasp on her sides and slowly slide around to her front. Her breath grew heavy as she felt the hands begin undoing her bodice.

She looked speechlessly to her fellows, but none seemed aware of her predicament. She looked down, but could see no hands. Yet she felt them, felt them opening her bodice and drawing it back. Then, as the hands continued to draw the garment away from her bosom, the material dissipated into the ether.

At that point in the dream, the writer transformed into Annabel, sitting at the table, hands joined and bodice gone. The tale continued as a spoken narrative, then, with a description of the removal of garment after garment, right down to Annabel’s decency skirt and drawers. The unseen hands had come from behind and left the poor girl naked, save for her garters and stockings.

Arthur sprang awake with a start and a laugh; he realized he was the presence behind the girl; it was his hands undressing her.

‘What a corny story,’ he thought, and swung his legs around to rise from the bed.

Apparently not all of him thought the tale trite: his morning wood was no bendable maple sapling, but as hard as a mature oak, though there was a bit of sap at its crown. As he tried to rise, his organ caught the sheet and left him struggling to untangle himself. Freed at last, he washed up, dressed, and headed down stairs.

He expected to follow his usual routine and start a pot of coffee, and now would be making enough for two, but as soon as he reached the staircase, the aroma of fresh brew filled his nostrils. He hurried to the kitchen and greeted Tess.

“Good morning,” he said, smiling broadly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve come down to a pot already made.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“Good morning. It’s been a long time since I’ve come down to a pot already made.”

Arthur’s cheerful voice made her forget about Brad. His smile was so infectious, she found herself smiling back at him as she got up from her chair and waved him over to one.

“Good Morning, Arthur. It sounds like you slept well.”

Tess went to the cupboard and drew out another mug and filled it with the freshly brewed coffee before turning to pass it to him.

“How do you take your coffee and is there anything I can make you for breakfast before we get our day underway?”

She wanted to ask him how his writing went last night but didn’t want to pry. Some writers, she knew were picky about such things. Well, maybe picky wasn’t the right word. Superstitious. That was more like it. So, Tess reined in her curiosity for the time being. Picking up her own coffee cup, she turned back to refill it before turning to lean against the counter and studying Arthur.

Today she was dressed in a pair of beige slacks topped by a button-down blouse in emerald green. Her feet were encased in a pair of flat beige shoes to accommodate the walking intended for the day. She also wore a silver medallion showing the representation of the Tree of Life, which hung around her neck by a delicate silver chain. In her earlobes were small silver loops.

On the counter, in corner, rested her soft briefcase that held her old cellphone and the folder with her resumés in it. Tess was ready for the day and whatever Fortune had planned for her….she hoped.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“Yes, I did, Tess. Thank you,” he replied. “I hope you had a good night, too. The room hasn’t been used in years, but I have had it cleaned every month.”

“Nothing troublesome for breakfast,” Arthur added. “There’s some bagels. I’ll have one buttered.”

He retrieved the bagels, two knives, two plates, and the butter.

“If you’d like something else,” he offered, “feel free.”

Arthur sat to eat.

“No need to get out too early, Tess,” he advised. “It’s vacation time and things don’t really get started until ten.”

His mind ran quickly over a number of things, including the story he was writing, where they’d go, the appointment he asked for at the bank - he’d have to check his emails to confirm that, how nice it felt to have company at breakfast, how attractive Tess was, his morning dream, and more.

“That’s a nice medallion,” he said as he ate. “Is there a story behind it?”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Tess fixed them both a bagel and sat down across from him to eat.

“That’s a nice medallion,” he said as he ate. “Is there a story behind it?”

She shook her head before taking a sip of coffee.

“Not really. I found it in a quaint little shop at a Ren Faire one year. It was pretty and I liked it. It also reminded me of Life and how strong or how vulnerable everything is.

So, how did your writing go last night? Make any progress?”

After her bath last night, Tess was amazed she could sit across from him without blushing. It disturbed her that she found herself attracted to this man. She wasn’t ready to get involved in any way with anyone. Yet, her hormones were telling her different. She’d just have to get her hormones to chill. That made her recall an offer Arthur had made her about going with him to see his publisher and editor. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Tess supposed that it would all depend on if she had found part-time work by then. Starting a new job, she was sure her new boss wouldn’t take kindly to having to give her time off so soon. Another matter for the Fates, she supposed. Her eyes glanced at a wall clock Arthur had nearby. Was it still so early?

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“I’ve a bit of work to attend to, Tess,” he said as they finished breakfast. “Would you be so kind as to take care of the kitchen.”

He paused a moment before heading to the office. A few emails, a few notes for his novel, and he was back within the hour.

“We can leave shortly,” he proposed. “It’s over a half-hour’s drive, and I can show you around the village before you hit the pavement.”

The drive, more relaxed than yesterday, allowed Arthur the opportunity to show off the scenery and sights along the way. Once in town, he drove the short length of Main Street to point out the places Tess might want to leave her resumé.

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up, though,” he advised; “they've pretty much hired their summer help.”

The shops were just opening as he parked half-way down the street.

“I’ll wait for you here,” he said. “I know it’s something you need to do on your own. I’ll meet you back here when you’re done.”

Arthur thought about Tess the whole time he waited. Yes, he found her attractive, easy to talk to, somebody he would definitely liked to have dated. But she had her history, her baggage from her marriage. He liked her enough that he surely didn’t want to cause her any more distress. Again he resolved to leave what might happen to her, though he definitely felt like helping her along.

When she returned, a couple of copies of her resumé still in hand, he drove just beyond the village center to a small, rustic restaurant.

“A bit of lunch is in order,” he declared. “My treat, and you can tell me all about your efforts.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

He had warned her, but Tess was ever the optimist. She trudged back to Arthur’s car and got in, leaning her head back against the seat. She was a little discouraged and hot. It was a good thing it was still morning by the time she had finished. If they had waited until afternoon, no doubt she would have felt fried.

“A bit of lunch is in order. My treat, and you can tell me all about your efforts.”

He drove them to a small rustic looking place, making Tess sigh softly. It looked welcoming and comfortable. She got out of the car after Arthur parked and stood waiting for him to join her so they both could go inside together.

Once inside and sitting in a comfortable booth, she glanced at Arthur.

“Well, you did warn me. I left a lot of resumés around town. I did get a nibble from the bookstore. It looks like one of her employees is leaving at the end of the month. So, she might have something for me then.”

The waitress brought their drinks and Tess practically gulped down her iced tea.

“Oh, that tastes so good.”

It looked like Tess was destined to have Arthur for her only employer, at least for the time being. She didn’t mind. They seemed to get along well enough. She had noticed he didn’t address her question about how his writing went last night but then, she just chalked it up to writer’s superstition. She would take the hint and just leave the matter alone no matter how much her curiosity was chafing her. The man had been good to her by offering her a place to live and giving her a job.

"I guess that means I can go with you to see your publisher."

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“I’m sorry your efforts weren’t more productive, but I’m not surprised. It sounds positive for the bookstore, though.”

He paused as he ate a bit.

“I’m very pleased, though, to hear you’ll come with me to the City; I’d really love to have some company, and I couldn’t think of any better than yours.”

Another few bites.

“My writing seemed to go very well last night, but I have to read it over tonight and see what I think. If I think it’s telling itself well, I’ll tell you about it. We’ll be having dinner Friday and Saturday with the publisher and editor, and I wouldn’t want you not to know anything about the story.”

They finished their lunch with a cup of coffee and headed to the car.

“We have a stop to make at the bank. We have some work to do there. I think you should drop off a resumé with them as well.”

It was only a few minutes to the bank, and as they entered a middle-aged woman greeted them.

“Hello Arthur,” she said cheerfully. “And this must be Ms. Montgomery.”

“Call me Betsy, please,” she said as she offered Tess her hand.

“Mr. Carson will see you right away,” and she led the pair to the manager’s office.

“Mr. Hawthorne and Ms. Montgomery to see you, Sir,” she said.

The manager rose from his desk to greet them and then addressed his assistant.

“Betsy, please take Ms. Montgomery to deal with the paperwork.”

“I’m sorry,” Arthur stammered to Tess. “I should have explained. You’ll need signing authority, a debit card, a credit card, and checks to manage the household. Please go with Betsy to take care of it all.”

“I’m afraid it’ll take a while, Ms. Montgomery.” Betsy said. “We have a new banking platform from head office. It was supposed to merge seamlessly with our input programs, but we’re having to take ten or twelve steps extra to get it to work.”

As they left, Arthur wondered if Tess’s computer skills would help her figure out what was going on with the new program.

“Don’t forget.” Arthur said to Tess, pointing to her folder with her resumés.

“Is it serious?” asked the manager as he invited Arthur to sit.

“I just met her yesterday, John,” he replied. “I’m not sure, but I am fond of her.”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Arthur seemed very chatty while they ate, but then, Tess didn’t mind one bit. He also told her something about his writing from last night and she totally understood. He would show her his work when he wanted to and she was content with that. They finished their meal and headed for the car once more. She was about to remind him about her phone when he mentioned the bank. She went in with him and that’s when the whirlwind hit her. She met someone named Betsy and a Mr. Carson as well, who, if she got it right, was the bank manager. Why was she meeting the bank manager?

“Betsy, please take Ms. Montgomery to deal with the paperwork.”

Tess looked from confused as her eyes went from Mr. Carson to Arthur. Paperwork? What paperwork? And why? Her confusion must have showed in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I should have explained. You’ll need signing authority, a debit card, a credit card, and checks to manage the household. Please go with Betsy to take care of it all.”

Her mouth opened to say something to him, but Betsy got there first.

“I’m afraid it’ll take a while, Ms. Montgomery. We have a new banking platform from head office. It was supposed to merge seamlessly with our input programs, but we’re having to take ten or twelve steps extra to get it to work.”

Tess found herself being herded back toward Betsy’s desk. She managed to toss Arthur a look of confusion as they retreated from the manager’s office. She didn’t miss Arthur’s hint about her resumé. The office manager’s door closed behind her. She turned her attention to Betsy and smiled slightly.

“Maybe I could help with that? I’m pretty good with computer programs. That is, if you think Mr. Carson wouldn’t mind.”

“Really? Well, let’s get back to my desk and I’ll give him a quick call.”

As they settled at Betsy’s desk, Betsy got on the phone with Mr. Carson and Tess pulled out one of her resumés, laying it on Betsy’s desk.

“Yes Sir. In fact, Ms. Mongomery just gave me a copy of her resumé. Yes Sir. I’ll see to it right away.”

Betsy hung up the phone and looked at Tess.

“Ms. Montgomery, Mr. Carson said if you can fix this, let you. His IT guys have been working on it for days now and no closer to fixing the problem. I’ll just take your resumé and go make a few calls. If you’ll excuse me?”

Tess waited until the woman left her alone at the computer before she got down to work. It took her about a half hour to locate the problem. There was one tiny character wrong in one string of the programming. Tess changed it and then rebooted the terminal. Betsy came back and Tess asked her to the main program.

“Ms. Montgomery, whatever you did, you’re a lifesaver. I’ll make sure Mr. Carson hears about this. Okay, now let’s get down to taking care of the issue for Arthur.”

They got to work and about 15 minutes later they were done. Tess got to her feet, gathering up all the paperwork from the bank. She shook Betsy’s hand and thanked her.

“No. No. We should be thanking you.”

They left the bank and Tess heaved a big sigh.

“Arthur,” she said as they walked back to his car and got in, “I need a drink after all that.”

Tess wasn’t used to this small-town attitude. She had lived most of her life in a big city. Giving her access to the local bank’s computer was completely unexpected and she had a feeling that Arthur was somehow behind that. For now, though, she was simply going to let that matter drop.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

John poured a drink for Arthur and one for himself.

“Just yesterday,” he asked, “and you’re giving her signing authority?”

“I know it seems strange, but I really feel I can trust her. There’s just something about her that feels so familiar and so comfortable.”

“You’re an artist, Arthur, are you sure you not just being romantic?”

“It’s really okay. She’s just taking on household management for me. I trust her.”

“Still, you’re a friend and my best client; I have to be concerned. I’m going to keep an eye on your accounts anyway.”

“If you insist. It’s your bank.”

“But now, tell me. Do you think it could be serious?”

“I’m not sure,” Arthur answered, and then told John more about him and Tess.

“It does sound as if you’d like a closer relationship with her. Keep me posted.”

Betsy knocked and let them know Tess was finished. A handshake and parting words, and Arthur was on his way to the car with Tess.

“Okay,” he said with a bit of a laugh, “there’s a nice pub just at the edge of town. And did it really go that badly with Betsy? You can tell me all about it over a drink.”

They took a table for four in the nearly-empty pub, sitting at one corner so they could be closer together to talk.

“I’m afraid I’m not really sorry for not telling you about the banking. I wanted to surprise you.”

In truth, he was afraid she’d reject the job if she fully realized the responsibilities, so he set it up so it would be nearly impossible for her to refuse.

“I’m looking forward to having you take over the management; I’ve been finding it more and more onerous. And now, since I’m writing again, it’ll give me more time on my story.”

The bartender shouted to them for their order; it was the slowest time for business and there were no servers on duty. Arthur ordered a double Bourbon for Tess and a ginger ale for himself.

“I had a double with John at the bank,” he explained. “I prefer not to drive on more than a drink.”

“John was concerned that I was acting rashly in giving signing authority to someone I just met. I did tell him that I trusted you completely, and that you felt familiar to me, as if we’d known each other a long time.”

Their drinks came.

“And I told him I was very fond of you.”

As he spoke, he reached over and placed his hand on hers, squeezing gently. He left it there, waiting to see if she’d reject it.

“Now, tell me why you needed a drink.”

He smiled as he looked into her eyes waiting to hear what she had to say.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Tess wasn’t clearly sure what she felt at the moment. So much had gone down so quickly. However, she took it all in stride and took care of what needed to be taken care of plus a bit extra and now, she was sitting in some little cozy pub and she sank back against the cushions.

After Arthur finished talking, Tess had to smile and shake her head a little bit.

“Now, tell me why you needed a drink.”

“Well, let’s see. You sprang the household management thing on me and that was a surprise. Then I fixed that little glitch for the bank. That was simple. It was such a small error I can see how they missed it. I just happen to be good at finding things. Well, maybe everything else but myself, that is. Anyway, thank you for the trust you put in me. I won’t let you down.”

He had reached out and placed his hand over the one she had left resting on the table. Surprisingly, it felt comforting and warm and she didn’t pull away this time. She was glad to hear he was starting to write again. She wasn’t familiar with his writing but she was going to look in the Study sometime to see if she could find copies of his books. Tess was curious about this generous man who sat here with her. What made him tick? What more to his personality was there? For whatever reason there was, she felt comfortable with him. They just seemed to click. That, in and of itself, made her still a wee bit cautious. However, she was willing to move right along and see where it would take them, if anywhere. Time would tell she supposed.

“So, did you have any other business with the bank? Or was I the only reason for going there? And when do we leave for the big city?”

Tess wasn’t that enthused about going to the city. She was always worried that she would run into Brad or someone who knew him. He wasn’t about to give up on hunting her down. In his eyes, she belonged to him and he was going to make sure she knew it. Still, what were the odds he would find her? She sure wasn’t taking up any odds on it. She had already run into the law here because he was still trying to find her and still calling her his wife, but she couldn’t let Brad’s shadow overpower her life. She needed to move along. Maybe find happiness again.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“I did,” Arthur replied. “I had to set up payroll instructions for your salary. You can email the bank your account information for deposit or you can drop in sometime and open an account there. The bank will take care of deductions and all. You’ll get paid every two weeks.”

“I also wanted to drop in on John,” he continued. “I haven’t seen him in quite a while. We’re a bit of friends, not just business.”

He was pleased that Tess left his hand on hers, and he kept it there as they talked. Her drink finished, he suggested they head home. On the way they stopped at the garage to see how things were going.

“I just got news that the parts are on their way,” Gus told them. “I expect I’ll have them by Monday. Then it’ll only be a couple of days until you have it back, Miss.”

“Oh,” he added as they were about to continue on their way. “I heard from the DOT. They’re accepting responsibility for the accident and have approved the repairs. They’ve notified your insurance company. I expect you’ll hear from them in a day or two.”

Arthur stopped at the mailbox where his driveway met the main road. As he got back in the car he handed a few letters to Tess.

“There’s work for you already. Here’s some bills that need to be paid.”

Once in the lodge, Arthur told Tess he was going to be in the Study if she needed anything. He was going to see about writing some more, but she needn’t worry about disturbing him.

“Your time’s your own,” he reminded her. “If you want to take care of the bills, open them and see what was done before with them. The files should be there somewhere.”

“I’ll be finished around five,” he said as he turned to go. “We’ll figure out dinner then.”

He poured himself a drink and sat down at his desk. A bit of writing, and his mind began to wander. He sat back then, thinking about Tess to begin with. The same questions he had before. He was attracted to her; in fact, he’d really like to have sex with her. But was he right for her? Was she right for him? She’d had a hard time with a man; would his pleasures turn her off? Could he adapt to her notions of intimacy? What were her notions of intimacy? How could he find out?

He poured another drink and looked over to the portrait of Emily. He closed his eyes, and he imagined her there. “My Scheherazade,” he called her, always full of stories to entertain him. And herself. Stories to act out. Erotic tales played out in their rooms as well as in public. All the classic sexual games, but with her there were often odd twists. He wrote stories for them as well. Not actually stories, but ideas that one or the other would think of and then they’d improvise as they played. They used all the rooms in the town house and the lodge, and at the lodge, the play rooms she had designed.

A sip of his drink and he came back to the present, to the questions again. Would Tess like to play out stories? Could he adjust to domestic sex? What about bondage? And more? Perhaps the long drive to the City would let them talk more intimately about themselves. Yes, the City. The townhouse. He hoped she’d like it; he’d like to be able to spend more time there. He imagined going out with her. Fine dinners, concerts, opera and ballet, the museums, the plays. Yes, he hoped: she felt like an old friend; perhaps she’d be at least a companion who let him enjoy these things he loved once again.

Back to his writing, and a bit of wondering how she was doing with the office.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

After Arthur excused himself to his Study, Tess headed straight for the office and sat down at the desk there. She slit open the bills, one at a time before taking the first one out of its envelope. Setting it aside, she took the other one out, read it and put it on top of the first. Next, she opened the desk drawers, looking for the household checkbook. Opening it, she immediately noticed Arthur’s name on the checks, which wasn’t going to be a problem. It would take a couple of weeks before the new checks with her name on them would be delivered along with her bank card. In the meantime, she would write out the checks and leave them on the desk in the Study for Arthur to sign. It didn’t take long for her to pen the checks for the two invoices. Setting them off to one side, Tess spent the next hour looking through the desk to familiarize herself with its contents.

For the time being, she left the checks on the desk, returned the checkbook to its drawer and stood up, glancing at the time. Leaving the office, Tess headed for the kitchen and rummaged around in the refrigerator. In the freezer she found some chicken breasts and set about defrosting them while she extracted the ingredients for a green salad. Locating everything she needed, whipping up a green salad was quick and easy. Next, she tackled the main course. Chicken Parmesan sounded good, quick and easy enough. Another quick glance at the wall clock and Tess started breading and cooking the chicken. In the pantry, just off from the kitchen, she located food stores and quickly gathered pasta and pasta sauce. From the refrigerator, she took out a couple blocks of cheese, namely, parmesan and mozzarella. Once the chicken was done, she continued fixing the dish and set the chicken in the oven to melt the cheese. Pasta was cooking in the pot. Tess rummaged through the cupboards and found the plates and glasses. A drawer held the silverware. She set the table and went back to drain the pasta and loaded their plates. It was about five and Arthur should be in to join her. Their food was in the warmer as she went in search of a bottle of wine and wineglasses.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

It was just before five when Arthur emerged from the study. It had been a productive afternoon, he felt; the story seemed to flow from his mind of its own accord, and he thought it went pretty well. A bit of editing tonight or tomorrow, and it would be perfect.

He had a small portfolio stuffed with pages as he walked down the hall. A quick side trip into the living room to leave it on the coffee table before to the kitchen. He stopped and inhaled; there was a tempting aroma wafting his way. Tess was there, with a bottle of soave and two glasses.

“You’ve cooked!” he exclaimed. “It smells delicious!”

And it was. After the first bite he complemented her again.

“This is excellent, Tess,” he said. “I’d hire you as a chef too, but I like to cook. We can share the kitchen.”

They chatted over dinner about many things - the day, his writing, how it went with the office - and continued after eating as they finished sipping their wine. The glasses emptied, they cleaned up together, loading everything into the dishwasher. Arthur was a bit amazed at how comfortably domestic it all was. They’d just met the day before, and now it seemed as if they’d been together for a long time. Comfortable enough that he put his arm around her waist and went with her to the living room. There he guided her o the couch for a seat.

“The usual?” he asked as he opened the liquor cabinet.

He poured the drinks and brought them to the coffee table. A moment’s pause and he sat, not opposite her, but next to her on the couch, with about a foot between them.

“I think the story’s going well,” he said. “I had eight chapters about a half a dozen people who had lost love. The stories were unrelated, and each ended up nowhere. I had given up on them until I had an idea while talking to you at dinner last night. Now I have something I can bring to my poor, distressed publisher to cheer him up.”

He picked up the portfolio and handed it to Tess.

“Here’s those chapters,” he said. “I’d like you to read them over - feel free to just scan; there won’t be a test - and when you’re finished, I’ll give you what I’ve written since. Whether or not you like it, you’ll at least know what we’re talking about at dinner on Saturday. I’ll be giving the publisher and the editor hard copies when we arrive on Friday. I don’t send files on line, it’s too easy to lose them or be hacked or just be read by the email provider’s server.”

He sipped his tumbler of Redbreast.

“Now,” he said as he leaned back in his seat, still half-turned towards Tess, “what shall we do tomorrow?”

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Dinner went very well and Tess was pleased. She was starting to get to know Arthur and more she learned, her estimation of him grew better and better. They found out they saw a lot of thing alike and there were things they didn’t see eye to eye on, but they got into friendly debating over the latter things and laughed in the process. The adjourned to living room and had drinks. When they settled in Arthur gave her an update on his writing. It made her feel good that he had found his muse again.

“Here’s those chapters. I’d like you to read them over - feel free to just scan; there won’t be a test - and when you’re finished, I’ll give you what I’ve written since. Whether or not you like it, you’ll at least know what we’re talking about at dinner on Saturday. I’ll be giving the publisher and the editor hard copies when we arrive on Friday. I don’t send files on line, it’s too easy to lose them or be hacked or just be read by the email provider’s server.”

Tess accepted the portfolio he handed her. As tempted as she was to dive right in, now was not the time. She would probably start reading when she went to bed for the night. She set it beside her and picked up her drink again.

“Now, what shall we do tomorrow?”

That made Tess smile a little.

“Well, we could go outside and you can give me a tour? I’m looking forward to puttering around in your gardens. After that? I don’t know.”

She took a sip of her drink.

“How about a picnic lunch by a lake? You do have a lake around here somewhere, don’t you?”

The idea of spending more time with Arthur was extremely appealing to her. It made her feel a little nervous, no maybe, anxious, as well. She wasn’t use to spending time with a man. She had found it particularly comforting when he had slipped his arm around her waist as they retreated to the living room. Once again, she wondered what it was about Arthur that made her feel so comfortable with him. Maybe it was because he wasn’t threatening, but then, she had met other men who didn’t feel threatening also but she didn’t feel about them the way she did about Arthur. Of course, she hadn’t allowed those men to even get close to her. Strange as it may seem, she was affording Arthur that privilege and she was pretty confident he wasn’t going to take advantage of it either.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

“By, or even on, the lake would be great,” he said enthusiastically. “Yes, there is a lake nearby. You can see it from your window. It was very foggy this morning, so you wouldn’t have noticed it. You can see it over the trees. The sun’s not down yet; let’s go upstairs for a look.”

He rose from his seat next to Tess and took her hand as she got up. As they headed towards the staircase, he slipped his arm around her waist again. Up the stairs and into the guest room, then, where he rew the curtains on the back window.

“There it is,” he declared, “Silver Lake.”

An expanse of blue water was visible through and above the trees.

“There’s a thousand feet of shoreline that belongs to the Lodge, and almost three hundred feet of that is my private beach. We can picnic there, if you’d like; it does boast a nice table and benches. Or we can take out the rowboat and have a luncheon on the water. The walk down the path is only about ten minutes.”

He stood quietly next to her, his arm still lightly around her, as they enjoyed the view.

“If you have a swim suit, we could take a dip; it’s supposed to be sunny and warm tomorrow. It’s very private here. There’s only one other property on the lake, and that’s out of sight on a cove about a mile further on, The rest of the land is part of Adirondack Park and can’t be developed.

He thought for a moment about all the times he and Emily skinny dipped and more at the lake, and unconsciously gave Tess a little squeeze.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he realized what he had done. He took his arm away from her waist,

Arthur definitely didn’t want to upset her, and now he found himself getting aroused again.

“I think I should go and write some more,” he said, “Feel free to enjoy the view or do anything you’d like. Let me know if you want to go outside, though; it’s getting towards twilight, and the bears are more active.”

He took her hand and pressed it gently. “See you later, maybe,” he said as he left for the Study.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“Silver Lake,” she repeated softly.

She could see how it got its name. The view was beautiful.

“It’s lovely, Arthur and lunch on the lake sounds wonderful or on the beach. I could easily do either.”

She smiled and tensed slightly as Arthur gave her waist a little squeeze. She didn’t, however, pull away from him, realizing he wasn’t going to harm her. It was still small gestures like these that she needed to get use to.

“I’m sorry.”

Arthur apologized and removed his arm. He must have felt her tense up slightly. Before she could say anything though….

“I think I should go and write some more. Feel free to enjoy the view or do anything you’d like. Let me know if you want to go outside, though; it’s getting towards twilight, and the bears are more active.”

Bears?! Maybe it was simply a good idea to wander down to the kitchen and see what they had in the freezer for supper.

“See you later, maybe.”

She watched him leave her bedroom and whispered as the door closed…

“I certainly hope so, Arthur. I really do.”

Turning back around, she resumed looking out over the lake. How had she missed this from her window? With a soft sigh and one more lingering look at the placid lake, Tess went and sat down on the side of the bed, drawing out her new phone, turning it over and over in her hands. Well, at least now Brad couldn’t call her anymore. It was a small thing but eased her mind. These days, her mind seemed occupied with her new boss.

Okay Tess, she told herself sternly, this is simply not going to do. He’s your boss and even if he has shown interest in you, it just won’t do. The two just don’t mix. At least, that’s what she had always believed.

Shaking her head, she stood up, tucked her phone into her pocket and went downstairs. There was still plenty of time before dinner. Tess decided to do some dusting in the office. In the pantry she found rags and polish. Just what she needed. Armed with determination, she beelined for the office and rigorously started dusting and polishing.

Her fingertips brushed over the books she found there. Interesting man, Arthur Hawthorn. She found many business books but several books on the Arts as well. The books got a good dusting while she explored. Now she wondered what kind of books she’d find in the study. That needed to be the next room she saw to, but she’d have to pick a day when Arthur was out of the house.

A quick glance at the wall clock told her that it was time to finish up in there and head down to the kitchen. She needed to explore the pantry. She had a lunch to plan, after all.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur was a bit torn as he headed to the Study; he wanted to write, but he also wanted to stay with Tess. But it was his desire for Tess’s company that made up his mind: he was worried that he’d end up overstepping her bounds, and he didn’t want to loose her.

Once in the Study, though, his attention immediately focused on his story. He laughed to himself as he thought about picking up the thread of his tale; after all, the threads were the essence of the story. He jumped in at William Johnston’s sad, or almost sad, fate.

The introductory chapter had ended with Johnston in his office on the twenty-first floor of the old Urban Bank building on Wall Street. It was the day before his fiftieth birthday, and the man was reflecting on his life. He had devoted himself to investing, and was quite good at it, currently being worth over a billion dollars. He felt good about that, at first, but further reflection brought him to what that wealth had cost him. His friends were only friends because he was successful; there was no one who actually cared for him as a person. The cost of his wealth: love.

Despair filled him, and he stepped up to his window. A good view of the East River from his corner office, and a good long drop to the street below. He opened the window, closed his eyes, and leapt over the sill.

Two seconds into the fall he opened his eyes. Beneath him was an expanse of blue sea, a broad cove at the base of a cliff. He turned in mid-fall to look up. There it was, for sure, the Urban Bank Building, Art Deco architecture and all, including his open window. He was still looking up, luckily, as he hit the warm waters of the cove. He was indeed lucky; looking up had left him hitting the water feet first, rather than in a likely fatal belly-flop.

There was even more luck to come. As he surfaced, a perplexed kayaker pulled alongside him and hoisted him over the bow.

“What the hell are you doing here?” the paddler asked in a language the man in a soaking wet business suit couldn’t understand.

Johnston responded in a language just as unintelligible to the man in the kayak, a man who had only a few moments before been paddling on the open sea a few kilometers away.

Johnston’s rescuer paddled to the beach, where a very surprised woman found herself out for an early morning walk with a dog she had never seen before. The kayaker left the wet businessman with the woman and started paddling back to where he thought he should have been. The woman, in turn, was equally unable to communicate with Johnston, though she realized he spoke English. She brought him to her apartment to dry off. While he undressed, she called the local hotel, the only one in this little village on the Mediterranean, to see if they had any English-speaking guests. Indeed, they had one, just one, a middle-aged woman from Waterford, a woman who was wondering why she had ended up in this hotel when she had booked a flight to Lisbon.

It must have been luck; it surely wasn’t an act of any god. Heavens knows gods aren’t interested in the sufferings of mere mortals. The Fates must have been involved somehow, but how? Would they really tangle things up like that?

It was neither god nor fate that created this chain of events. It was Arachne herself who spun a line from her spinneret and dropped in on the Moirai, passing by Clotho and stopping in mid-air between Lachesis and Atropos to rescue Johnston, and perhaps even Irene Silva from Waterford. Johnston was most in need of immediate assistance, and Arachne grasped his thread from between the blades of Atropos’s scissors. But what to do next? The goddess-and-god-defying spider plucked other threads with her many legs and wove them together in a jury-rigged tapestry of what could be salvation.

Arthur lifted his fingers from the keyboard to read the outline he had penned, or at least, inputted, with an eye towards editing and expanding, but while his eyes may have been on the screen, his mind was on Tess. He checked his watch; it was getting on towards dinner time. He poured another tumbler of Red Breast and sat back to muse on his new employee and house mate.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Tess had been rummaging around in the pantry and dug up a picnic basket, which she placed on a corner of the island. She wished she had asked Arthur if he wanted to cook tonight but, she forgot to. So, glancing at the time, she took out the steaks she had left in the refrigerator the night before. She pulled them out to reach room temp and seasoned them well. She’d ask him to grill the steaks while she fixed everything else. That was a fair compromise, she thought.

Humming softly to herself, she dug out a bottle of red wine and two glasses to go with their dinner and she was packing small things in the picnic basket for their picnic tomorrow. Idly she wondered if Arthur liked to fish and if there were any fish in that lake. It was highly possible, she knew. Maybe they could go out on the lake and fish as well. It had been a while since she had had a grilled bass or even trout for supper. A mental note was made to ask Arthur when he joined her.

Back at the stove, she was just finishing up wrapping two potatoes to bake in the oven and was washing up some fresh vegetables to steam for their meal that night. Her body was gently swaying to the tune that was popular on today’s radio. She hoped Arthur would be done soon. She actually missed his company and while that admission surprised her some, it also didn’t. She found herself liking Arthur more and more and she knew she was starting to let her guard down around him.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Arthur’s first thought of Tess as he took his first sip of the Redbreast was a hope that she would have a swimsuit to wear to the beach for their picnic. And then he laughed at himself for feeling like a teenager again. A swimsuit! And him a mature man with a long history of much more than swimsuits hoping his “date” would be in a bikini.

His thoughts grew more serious, then. She obviously was drawn to rough and exciting sex; that would explain her marriage. But she wasn’t interested in abuse. And rightly so, in Arthur’s view of things. A woman who likes it rough, who likes to please, should be cherished, not abused. She was reticent because of the abuse, he figured, and he knew he’d have to be patient. And he wanted to be; he felt so naturally comfortable with her that he didn’t want to frighten her away. He’d try to push her boundaries, but gently and carefully. And, in the end, he’d respect her boundaries.

As he savored his whiskey, his thoughts wandered further. He’d kept the playrooms - Emily’s playrooms - locked these past years, and he wondered how Tess might feel about them. Was she one who would enjoy playing out fantasies, fantasies of all shades? Would she like to write her own to play with him. He stopped in mid-thought, or, perhaps more accurately, mid-fantasy. It’s premature, he chided himself; you haven’t even kissed her yet, let alone make love with her.

He finished his drink and headed to the kitchen. Tess was there, preparing some food.

“Anything I can do?” he asked cheerfully.