Joy V. Sheridan writes

Charity Amour

CHAPTER SIXTEEN part 1

So intoxicating were the combined novelties of Madame d’Esprit’s tantalising personality and the rare concoction which she had brewed that, to the outside viewer, it might seem that Charity had become like a small child. For there was disclosed now in her nature a deeply-buried longing to become once more the petted and adored only daughter of a doting parent. She was overjoyed with the abundance of material delights heaped upon her, cooing over the costly, precocious attire which now formed her wardrobe. 

Madame Natalie had added slippers, jewels and lingerie to this set of provocatively fashionable raiments, so that when she surveyed the clothes - which she did quite regularly - it seemed to Charity that she was in possession of the rainbow treasure grotto of some feminine Aladdin.

Add to this that Madame had designated a small suite of rooms, albeit on the top floor of the sumptuous and spacious house, then perhaps it is viewable to even the most casual of observers that Charity appeared to be complete in her pleasures. That there were elaborate whorled bars outside these windows seemed only to add to the comic euphoria which Charity appeared to be ensconced in. She had gingerly fingered them, giggling somewhat imbecilically when she had first been shown into the rooms and Madame, in that honeyed and coaxing tone of hers, had said: “Good to keep those foul intruders out, my little love. Do not forget that I have my instructions to guard you. And I shall guard you well!” 

Time seemed to have no meaning for Charity Cottrell in this wonderful wonderland. Madame visited her regularly, though, to be sure, she never appeared after nine o’clock of night, when Charity was retired to bed. This was the only time which Charity truly looked forward to with absolute relish. For then she would be administered copious servings of the golden-coloured nectar which she craved so much. 

Madame was considerate however, in that she did not refuse the young woman's request for the liquid, even if it be first thing of a morning. Indeed, Charity often awoke with the craving for just a minute tumblerful of the potent concoction. As for exercise, why Madame devised that they stroll about the confines of a cloistered garden, both during the late morning - when, admittedly, no one much seemed to be about - and sometimes of an early evening. 

Two Amazon type women acted as guards during the course of these perambulations. Madame Natalie had reassured Charity that it was simply to ensure that they were protected. Although Charity had often heard the sounds of merriment and feminine chatter rising from other parts of the mansion, she had not, as yet, seen any of the other inmates, bar the servants who waited upon her, the two female guards and Madame herself. But it did not perturb her sedated curiosity overall. 

Why, she had Madame to distract her and it seemed to offer Madame Natalie the greatest of pleasure to instruct Charity in various of the womanly arts: how to apply make-up; to fix hair-pieces; how to walk with the hint of seduction about the breasts and hips. How to sit, how to laugh, curtsey: oh, so many things. Charity was delighted that she could afford Madame Natalie so much pleasure. 

Once, whilst Madame d’Esprit had been with her, there had come an urgent knocking upon the closed and locked door and Madame had hurried away. Then, Charity had become aware of men’s voices, urgent and loud-pitched, speaking from the hazy corridors of her perceptions. She knew that there were often visitors of an even tide to the house, but her barred windows were too high to enable her to look down into the courtyard below when she did perchance feel curiosity coursing through her. 

Perhaps there were many gentlemen callers: Charity did not bother herself too deeply with the implications. She was too bound up in her growing passion for Madame Natalie. Once, she had tried broaching the subject with Madame and Madame had jokingly cast aside her probings. Charity would find out in due course! 

Charity had to remain alone for only a little time longer. Charity was reprimanded gently: she must remain a good ‘bonne fille’ and not ask too many questions of her chère amie Natalie. 

How sweet Madame Natalie was, mused Charity one late afternoon – as she lounged back upon a day chair of saffron velvet, the flames in the fire before her shaping themselves into fiery tableaux with nymphs, shepherds, shepherdesses and strange, exotic beasts gambolling within the glow. If Charity had ever felt the need for the succour of an elder sister, or a caring young aunt, then Madame Natalie was just the sort of person she would have chosen. 

Why, she was so tender! She was not loathe to hold Charity in her arms, the meanwhile crooning delightful tunes to her, even as the fine, slim fingers wandered over the Brussels lace at Charity’s neck as the young woman lay abed waiting for sleep to claim her. 

So often Charity dozed off so that she was not able to hear the completion of the lullaby. Charity lifted her head fractionally, concentrating hard on her thoughts. Sometimes she thought she felt hot lips burning upon her own and then some other things and then ... she rose to such peaks of sheer passionate delight she barely knew whether she was asleep, awake or what. 

Where, she pondered, was Madame Natalie this afternoon? Usually she had come to see her ‘Bonne Amie’ before this time, for the sun was setting. It had not escaped Charity's somewhat befuddled attention however, that of late, Madame d’Esprit had become somewhat tetchy. Although she herself never felt the brunt of Madame’s bad humour, she had heard her be sharp with the servants. She had also instructed that one of the Amazon type women act as a guard outside of Charity’s chambers. 

Now, what had Madame Natalie confided in her recently, during one of their morning strolls? Oh! yes! She had said that soon, she, Charity, would become transformed and that she would be required to take part in a small entertainment, a mechanised tableau, which Madame herself was in the process then of devising.