Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.
You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.
Click here"Rosemary! What's been going on?"
Rosemary said nothing but stared at the joined hands.
Stacia's companion noticed first and tried to disengage but Stacia was having none of it.
"Oh, for God's sake, Judes! We're as good as engaged and this woman will understand!"
Rosemary gave her a wry smile and quirked her eyebrows at Judy, who frowned charmingly. She waved a hand to indicate that they should sit and then brought them up to speed.
"Giles drugged Naomi!" Stacia said, aghast.
Judy exploded. "Oh, for God's sake, Stacia, have you had your eyes closed all this time? Did you never wonder where Steph Grange and Nat Burleigh disappeared to?"
She shook her head.
Stacia's mouth was partly open as the gap between employer and employee was laid bare in all its awful abusive potential to her for the first time.
Judy's eyes met Rosemary's and with a little shock she realised that Rosemary understood very well indeed.
"Don't be too hard on her, Judy. Do fish see the water they swim through? You'll have to keep her feet on the ground, yes?"
The redhead looked at their joined hands and at her girlfriend who was still processing Giles' behaviour. Then she tugged Stacia's hand hard. Startled the other woman came back to herself and looked questioningly at her partner.
"Yes, I accept. If only to keep you on the straight and narrow."
Stacia flung her arms about Judy and hugged her.
Rosemary waited patiently and then, "Now, this is all very lovely, but about Naomi."
Stacia blinked. "What about her?"
"She needs a role."
***
Naomi jumped when Rosemary slinked round a tentpole next to her. She'd been doing her best to avoid the woman all evening. Anastacia and Judy Finch were with her and, were they holding hands?
"Hello, Naomi."
"Mrs Piper," she responded formally. "Stacia, Judy."
"Oh, come now, we don't need to do that. You're embarrassed to see me, I know, but there's no need. Nothing of that evening will ever be public. I had to tell a couple of people, but I think we can trust them to be discreet."
Naomi's eyes flicked to Stacia and Judy, and she groaned. Their expressions were a terrible mixture of sympathy and pity.
Rosemary was speaking. "One of the waiters had a word with me after we confronted Giles."
She briefly inspected the knuckles on her right hand.
"Do you know the phrase 'date rape' Naomi? It seems that Giles made a habit of spiking peoples drinks."
Naomi stared at her and sank into a chair. "It was just a bit of E."
"You sure about that? And did you ask him to? The thing is, Naomi, for Charles and your sister, the estate and its people are things to be cared for, whereas for Giles they're things to be played with."
"Oh, Naomi!" Stacia said and reached out, but the other woman shrugged her off.
"Did you know your mum has never called me that? Whenever she acknowledges that I actually exist, I'm 'that girl'. I'm the ghost in the house."
"But Naomi-" Stacia started.
"But nothing!" Naomi snapped. "I'm not family, am I? I'm just Dad's bastard daughter that he had to take in after Mum overdosed. And he's no bloody use, holed up in his precious library. He's never there when I need him, I'm not his fucking golden girl, am I? And now I'll have this business hung round my neck for evermore!"
Naomi's face crumpled and she put her head in her hands.
Judy glared at Stacia, putting her hands to her temples like a horse's blinkers, before turning to put her arm round the sobbing woman.
Rosemary acknowledged this with a tilt of her head and a purse of her lips.
"Yes, you will but it doesn't have to define you. What's done is done is a cliché because it's true. What matters is what you do now. Which, not entirely coincidentally, is what we're here to talk to you about."
Confused by the abrupt change in subject, Naomi looked up.
"I've taken care of Giles. Everything else is settling into place and that just leaves you."
Naomi stared at her. "What are you going to do?"
"Me? Nothing, I hope. Just cast an eye over Stacia's shoulder from time to time to make sure she's not squandering my investment. She's in charge now."
"Anastacia!" She stared at her step-sister who grinned.
"The very same. Fancy a job, Naomi?"
"Me? What would I do?"
"You're artistic. Don't think I haven't seen you sneaking into Gran's sewing room. Do you think you could do web design? PR?"
Naomi looked uncertainly between Judy's fierce expression, Stacia's hopeful one and Rosemary's alarming self-possession.
Then a little kernel of certainty formed inside her. If Rosemary said it was so, then it was so.
"Yes!"
***
Rosemary found herself next to David.
"Y'know, I seem to be quite good at this rescue business."
"You did say that you needed to find something to do after the parties. Seems you've found it."
Suddenly brimming over with good cheer, she grabbed him, hugged him as hard as she could and kissed him firmly on the lips.
"Oof! What's this in aid of?"
"I love you, David Piper and I'm so glad I met you!" she whispered into his ear.
"I seem to remember you threatened me and then you blackmailed me," he murmured in return.
She held him at arm's length and adopted a serious expression. "What have we said about living in the past?"
David laughed out loud and gathered her back in for another embrace.
"Should I be worried?" said a voice they both knew well.
"Darling!" they said as one.
***
Dramatis Personae
Pipers
David. Our initial protagonist. Appears first in David and Jen
Jen (Jennifer). David's 'first' wife. Appears first in David and Jen
Tilly. David and Jen's daughter. Appears first in David and Jen
Josh. David and Jen's son. Appears first in David and Jen
Rosemary. Jen's wife - formerly Desai and then Ogilive. Appears first in David and Jen
Em (Marjorie). David's 'second' wife - formerly Barrett. Appears first in David and Jen
Jason. Rosemary's son.
Martin. Em's son.
Mollicas
Federico (Fred). Jen and Anna's father. Appears first in Piper Plus
Jean. Jen and Anna's mother. Appears first in David and Jen
Anna. Jen's older sister. Appears first in David and Jen
Dearborn (Stanforths)
Charles. Eldest son. David's senior at Cross and Anna's fiancé. Appears first in Piper Plus
Giles. Second born. Charles' brother and Heir to Dearborn. Appears first in Piper Plus
Naomi. Charles' half-sister. Appears first in Piper Plus
Anastacia (Stacia). Charles's sister.
Byron. Charles' youngest brother and Anastacia's twin.
Monica. Charles' mother and Master of Dearborn.
Paul. Charles' father .
Dearborn (Others)
Edna Took. Cook (the rhyme was not intentional) .
Judy Finch. Assistant housekeeper.
Mike Harper. Gardener.
Valerie Cane. Housekeeper.
Perry Mason. Estate manager.
Eleanor Price. Deputy estate manager.
Kimberley (Kim) Wallace. Consultant obstetrician.
Wayne Thompson. Wine maker.
- COMMENTS
WhiteTailDarkTip10 months agoAuthorOkay, so someone gave this story a 1 star rating which is to say they hated it(!) For a writer this is a little bit chastening but, hey, not everyone’s going to like what you do and set against the positive reviews I can take it (*sob*)
But people, please, please, please, tell us hapless authors, toiling away by candlelight in our lonely garrets, why you hate/love what we do!
Purplefizzabout 1 year agoHi WTDT, thank you for your prompt and candid reply, please don’t feel as if I was complaining and that you need to rewrite what was a good story, fwiw I rated it as a 5⭐️, you might be better taking any lessons learned and applying them to your new story.
From my perspective as a reader you might benefit from an independent editor with a brief, their job primarily being to prune excess characters and events to allow your original storyline to flourish, although as a writer it’s sometimes hard to see the people who develop lives and personalities under your “pen” get cast into the void of the recycle bin.
I hope I’ve been constructive in my criticism and urge you to continue writing, I really did enjoy reading the greater story of how Dearborn came to be saved. Regards, Ppfzz.
WhiteTailDarkTipabout 1 year agoAuthorMany thanks for your kind words and your percipient comments. You’re quite right that the story got away from Charles and Anna and I kept getting tied up in side characters. I’m still learning how to write a coherent story so bear with me! Ultimately I plan on rewriting the whole Piper-Dearborn saga as a better integrated tale but that’s going to be a labour of love.
I’m in the throes of writing a sequel, possibly two, but probably not to be released until next year.
Purplefizzabout 1 year agoCan’t believe there are no comments (or none I can see) for this story, yes, it gets a bit involved and it extends and then extends again with it’s cast of players, most of which we love dearly, but one or two we desperately want to see get their comeuppance, I was all for Monica getting thrown into that basket along with Giles until the scene with the storm, well played WTDT, you redeemed her with a symbolic “washing away” of the load Dearborn had placed upon her, that, for me was the pivotal moment in the story.
So many good things in this story, however Charles & Anna get lost in the general hubbub, I’m guessing their story was intended as the core tale, if so, really you should build the story around them, not have them appear from time to time when it suits the plot, that said, I did like the rest of the extended family, an epilogue including a host of the families kids involved at the grape harvest would have shown the estate was on a safe course for the future and given the readers closure.
Many thanks for writing and posting, cheers Ppfzz. 5⭐️
