A Mother Returned Pt. 08

"It does smell good." Theodore strolled in, aiming the compliment toward Winifred.

"Oh, yummy!" Victoria sat at the bar and sipped the iced drink that waited for her. "Minty and tangy. I love it."

Theodore sat beside her and took a gulp of his drink.

"You're a wonderful AI, Freddie. I wish we had someone like you at school." She sighed and sipped her drink again. Her eyelids fluttered as perfect flavors played on her tongue.

"Your school doesn't have an AI?" Penelope stirred the sauce.

"We have rudimentary AIs. Nothing like Freddie. It's a public school. The gods provide, but they don't splurge." She leaned forward. "Although, there's talk we might get an Alternate physics professor on loan next semester. Wouldn't that be a sight?"

"They look human. It wouldn't be a sight at all." Theodore frowned.

"Teddy, I take it from your gruff disposition that luck did not favor your investigations today?" Winifred waited for him to shake his head. "Well, I'm proud of your efforts. And you too, Ms. Benington."

Victoria nodded her head and smiled in acknowledgement.

"We're never going to find the ruffians." Theodore's frown deepened.

"Cheer up, Teddy." Winifred's dark lips curved into a half-smile. "I figured it out seventeen minutes ago."

"You ... what?" Theodore gaped at her.

"The courier service that returned Cora was paid by a shell company." Winifred seemed to be enjoying the stunned looks around the room. She paused for effect. "It took some work to pierce the veil, but once through, I found the company was operated by the Saarela Corporation. Mr. Cassius Gelling is on the board of that business."

"That's good. But we'll need more evidence than that, Freddie. We need to pin them down." Theodore gripped the glass tighter. The heat of his rage filled his chest. Reginald Gelling had done this. That was no way for a gentleman to behave after losing a duel.

"I badgered the Gelling house AI for a good while. She seems exasperated with her humans. She didn't incriminate them directly. But she let slip information that led to more evidence." Winifred moved around the bar and removed the drink from Theodore's hand before he crushed it in an explosion. She set it on the bar in front of him. "Reginald bought the dye that was used on Cora. I have the store receipt and a verified video of him making the purchase with several friends. My guess is that those were his accomplices."

"What are we waiting for? Let's fucking get Reginald. Maybe write bitch across his forehead." Theodore stood.

Victoria, looking queasy, put a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

Penelope stood by the stove, her eyes shining with delight at the thought of her son destroying the Gellings.

"Cora is safe, and the Gellings aren't going anywhere. It is my opinion that justice can be had at our leisure. In fact, the longer we wait, the more they'll think they've gotten away with it." Winifred could see that her mistress's pulse had accelerated dramatically. She put a hand on Penelope's shoulder to calm her.

"That's positively ruthless, Winnie!" Victoria's eyes were wide with shock.

"Yes, I agree. I look after my family. Cora's a Nisha too, after all. Probably the least worrisome to care for if I'm honest. Isn't that right, Cora?"

Cora looked up from her dog bed and wagged her tail.

"Supper is ready." Winifred began moving the food into serving bowls. "We can decide on what to do about the Gellings after talking to Felix and sleeping on it. There's no rush." But she could see that both Penelope and Theodore were eager to mete out punishment.

~~

Supper went well. Afterward, Victoria and Theodore retired to the library to play cards. When Penelope tried to join them, her son exploded at her. He marched out of the room, and his mother followed him.

Winifred caught Penelope just before her mistress ascended the stairs. "You don't have to be firm with him this time. It's getting to be a bit much."

"Yes." Penelope nodded and squeezed her friend's hand, glove to glove. "A good mother picks her battles."

"She does at that," Winifred agreed.

When Penelope arrived in her son's room, she closed the door behind her. Her son stood in the center of the room, his brow furrowed with rage. She held up her hand in a plea for peace. "Wait ... wait ... I thought about what you said about your father. I -"

"My father? My father? If he were here, he'd throw you out of the house. He'd throw us both out! You're insane. You fucking dry-humped me today." He looked around for something to throw, didn't find it, and clenched his fists. "You're a fucking ... insane ... horny ... bitch. I just want you to leave me alone. I don't want to spend time playing cards ... with the person that humped my leg. Not even Cora does that ... you fucking ... travesty of a mother." He waited for her to charge.

"I ... um ... this is very difficult." Penelope strained so hard against her inclinations that she was afraid she might pull a muscle. "You're right ... about your father. It was silly of me ... to think he would have a solution to this. We have to stop. You're right. I'm listening. But I have a favor to ask you. Please ... take all your ... energy ..." She nodded to the obvious erection in his trousers. "... and ravage your girlfriend. That's a healthy thing for a young man to do. I think." She opened the door. "I'm having ... a very hard time ... being a good wife and mother. But I'm trying." Penelope wondered where the willpower had come from. She suspected that having had such a splendid orgasm earlier in the day had lowered her internal pressure. And Winifred's entreaty had helped. Whatever it was, she exited quickly before her body took over, and she tackled him again. She ran out of the room and up the stairs. She would spend some time relieving more pressure.

"Really?" Theodore stared at the open door. That hadn't gone as expected. This is good. I love Victoria. It was painful that he needed to remind himself. He adjusted his straining cock and ran downstairs to fetch his girlfriend. He would do as his mother asked. And he might even leave the door open a crack like he had the last time.