Kissing Cousins Ch. 13: Conclusion

So, as we each sipped a cup of tea, laden with some honey that I had found, I knew that there would need to be some discussion over money. All that we had, laid in a chest, well hidden in Scotland; left behind after our abduction. There was still the income that Sarah received from my former estate. Then it came to mind that Sarah had sold the very house we were in to the bank. We were trespassing. In all our hurry to escape Eloise, we had completely forgotten this fact. Sarah was in no shape to travel, and Gansebraigh was in some state of disrepair.

"It is quite fortunate that we have that old box of yours, cousin. How much money are we left with?" Sarah asked.

"Nearly one hundred pounds." I grumbled. "We must leave here as soon as possible, Sarah, for I am quite certain that the bank will not be pleased with our being here. I am actually quite surprised that they have not yet sold the property." I began to gather the few cases that I could find in the cellar, from when I had first arrived, filling them with as much as we could carry.

After two days, Sarah insisted that she was strong enough to travel. We hired a carriage, and made for the trains. Staying any longer would surely have risked our discovery. Sarah was quite worried that her chest might very well have been found out. I prayed that this was not the case. She traveled poorly, and we found that it was necessary to take our rest in Carlisle, before making the final leg of our journey by carriage.

Gansebraigh looked much the same as it had when we had been taken, from a distance. As the carriage drew closer however, we could see that a great many improvements had been made.

"McLaren!" She spouted, looking at the place as she exited the carriage. "He must have carried on with the work, even in our absence."

"Without any payment?" I questioned.

"Oh, he had a sizable down payment towards what needed to be done." The air was chilly, and I was anxious to gain access.

"I have no key, Elizabeth." We walked about the perimeter of the old mansion, but every window that was once broken or missing had been replaced. Eventually, she lost patience and chose a kitchen window to break a pane. Reaching through she released the latch, allowing the window to open on its hinges. "I shall meet you at the front."

I walked past the barn where I had been taken prisoner, the old board still laying in the passage, outside the stall where I hid. I shuddered. The chilly air, smelt of the sea, as it had every day when we were there. The moss and grass under my feet felt like a carpet as I made my way around. I wondered to what extent, the place had been improved. The hired carriage had since left, our cases piled on the lawn.

"Welcome to Gansebraigh, cousin." She smiled. As I walked through the entryway, I was shocked by what my eyes beheld. The wooden panels in the great hall had been replaced, and there was some furniture scattered about. A large crest hung above a reworked mantle, and it put me in mind of a castle of old. We wandered about, smiling like monkeys, admiring the craftsmanship of the workers, whom had obviously taken some pride in their undertakings.

The kitchens were completely refurbished, and a brand-new stove sat at the center. The cupboards that were so broken down before had all been rebuilt. We both looked at each other with the same thought. Sarah was not strong enough to manage the stairs, sending me to check on what could surely be our ruination, or our joy. Above stairs had apparently not been touched, save for the ceiling and roof, which had obviously been repaired.

My heart stopped cold, as I noticed how neatly made up our room was, and I immediately thought that we would be so very disappointed. I pressed the lever on the inside edge of the armoire, releasing the lower panel, which open stubbornly. I reached inside, and to my relief, found the small chest, undisturbed. I carried it down to Sarah, who released the hasp with a combination of numbers. We held our breath, but were delighted to find that it was full to the brim with money. "Thank god." I sighed.

There was a loud knock on the door, which brought our attention away from the chest. "Hide this where you found it, and then return, quickly." By the time I had returned from our bedrooms, the knocking had become banging, and we both feared that we had been pursued. "Who is it, then? Sarah yelled through the door.

"It's me, ya silly twit!" McLaren. Sarah opened the door, the scruffy man standing with his arms crossed before him. "And, where in hell did the two of you, get off to?" He pushed inside, his attention obviously drawn by something other than us. "Where the hell is that wench?"

"Wench?" I asked. He smelled of scotch, and was obviously a little inebriated.

"Yea, that Sassenach filly I took on fer ya, afore ya left in such a harry." It was no wonder that the place was in such good order.

"There was no one here when we arrived, Mr. McLaren." I offered.

"Yea, I see it, the way ya already broke in the panes." He seemed annoyed. "Lose yer key, did ya then?" I looked at Sarah, who simply shrugged, fighting to keep from laughing. Suddenly there was a young woman struggling with several of the cases, as she dragged them through the front doors. "There y'are, ya useless lil' whore." He bit.

"Mr. McLaren, please." Sarah objected. "And, who might you be?" The young girl curtsied to us both in succession.

"Anna, ma'am, Anna Wilcot, if it please your ladyships." She was obviously from the north country, but not Scotland. Yorkshire perhaps.

"I am Elizabeth Pendleton and this is Sarah Penshire, the lady of this estate." Sarah immediately looked over to me, smiling at my compliment to her. It was indeed her estate, and she was indeed it's lady. "You may carry those cases to our bedroom, after which, we should like some lunch." Again, she curtsied, and took her leave.

"So, you carried on without us?" She approached McLaren.

"Course I did, but the workins is all but stopped up, money bein' the issue." He had his hands in his pockets, and seemed to be asking.

"You will excuse us, McLaren, but we were taken against our will." His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "We only just escaped our captors a few days ago." He kicked at his heel, not sure how to act.

"I 'sumed yer just gitten' outta the way, so ter speak." He motioned outside. "I been usin' the buggy, but I would jist leave it, fer ya then?" After we had paid Mr. McLaren a handsome sum, he took his leave, saying that the balance of the work would be completed within a fortnight.

Before very long, we were fed, and there were fires burning in both hearths below stairs. As the place began to warm, Sarah began looking all but worn down. "You, my dear cousin, need to rest." I helped her up the stairs, putting her to bed, whilst I set about inspecting the rest of the place.

I found that the collapsed stairway that I had used in my attempt to escape had been repaired, leading to a small room, that overlooked the entire estate. The height of the thing made me queasy, so I soon descended, making my way back through the bedroom. Sarah was already asleep, and I leaned down, planting a kiss on her cheek, which elicited a small moan, her lips parted. The angry hole that was so evident in her septum had begun to heal, and I was pleased to see it.

Although the upstairs section of the house was largely intact before, some improvements had been made, aside from the ceiling. The floor had been polished and shone with the luster it must have had when it was new. As I made my way down, I came across Anna, who was busy cleaning. More furniture would have to be ordered for the great hall, as the place seemed nearly empty.

Anna was a pretty thing, with long strawberry hair which she wore in a plait, bundled at the base of her neck. She seemed quite fit and had the body of a young girl, although I could see she was well into her twenties. She was startled by my presence, offering a curtsy before continuing her duties.

"So, Anna, from where do you hail?" I asked. She turned, surprised by my interest in her.

"Pickering, ma'am." So, my assumption of her being from Yorkshire was correct. Much of the lower level was in such poor condition before, that I barely recognized it now. There were several rooms off the great hall, one of which was a library which was yet to be stocked with books. That would have to be remedied. The nearly derelict mansion was now quite attractive, in a medieval sort of way.

Making my way outside, I found that nothing whatsoever had been done with the outbuildings such as the barn, although I found two horses, and a smart looking box carriage housed within. I made my way back up the hill, thinking of how we had done that the day before our abduction. Reaching the top, the sea breeze struck me soundly, nearly forcing me backwards. The view was every bit as handsome as I remembered it, but it was too cold to remain there for long.

Making my way back to the house, I slipped inside through the kitchen, noticing the stove warm enough to boil a kettle. After the cold of the wind, I very much needed something to warm me. Not thinking, I removed my wig, setting it on the countertop. In short order I was confronted by a meek voice. "Is the mistress unwell?" Anna stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her eyes as wide as saucers. I looked over at my wig, where it sat limply, seeing no point in donning it now. She was going to see this eventually.

"It is not as it appears, Anna. I am not unwell. I simply have no hair." She smiled, realizing that it was not due to any illness. I did not know if I would ever have hair again, and thought that I would probably not. "You may as well see me now, for it is normally only for company that I would wear it." I admitted.

"I think you are still lovely, mistress, even without your hair." She entered, finishing my tea for me as I sat at the large solid hewn table that still sat in the same spot as it had, perhaps too heavy to shift. The tea was wonderful, and I encouraged Anna to have one for herself, and join me. At first, she declined, but then decided that she might well do with a cup. Her company was welcome, and we soon were speaking on quite informal terms.

I insisted that she not call me mistress, instead referring to me as Elizabeth, or Lizzy. She smiled at this request but soon was obliging me. I could not speak for Sarah, but for me, I did not enjoy the superiority of rank, not anymore. I had all but given up on ever seeing the inside of Pendleton again, Diana being firmly ensconced as it's mistress. It made me sad to think of it, and her betrayal. Gansebraigh, as cold as it was here, was now my home. Matters could certainly be worse.

I made my way back to our bedroom, finding Sarah staring out the windows, the bed sheet wrapped about her naked body. I had not removed her clothing upon putting her down, but there she was. It was the first time, in so very long, that my desire for her came to life.

"You're up, cousin." She turned, dropping the sheet as she did, her body lit from behind appeared as luscious as it had ever been. In reality, her once full breasts and rounded hips were anything but. Her features were angular, and her breasts, emptied from starvation, laid flat against her chest.

"Do not look on me, Lizzy." She sobbed, turning away to face the window once again.

"Do not be so harsh upon yourself Sarah. You are so very beautiful to me, and is there anyone else that you should like to impress?" I moved to wrap my arms about her, my hands cupping her breasts, lifting them in my hands and caressing their soft languid skin. I pinched her nipples between my thumb and finger, and she moaned with pleasure, pressing her until she lay against the edge of the bed.

My gown was shed quickly, as I looked at her, my body yearning for contact. "Where is your wig, cousin?" She breathed, our bodies finally naked against the other's.

"In the kitchens, I'm afraid." Her hands caressing my glassy scalp.

"Do you think it will ever return?" I shook my head, and nothing more was said on the subject. Sarah's own hair had begun to regrow, and was well over an inch long, sprouting unevenly from her head. At least it would grow, and she may well enjoy her chestnut tresses again, as they brushed her shoulders. I feared that I would never know that pleasure again.

My hand wandered to her sex, her soft thin curls wet with her anticipation. As I caressed her there, she opened up to me, allowing me to penetrate her with my fingers. She moaned as she laid back onto the bed, our lips finding the others, tongues battling from my mouth and into hers and then back to mine again. How I missed this closeness. Her scent was just as I remembered it, and I knew that my own juices were flowing copiously as her hand found my parted lips. She pinched my nubbin firmly between her fingers, causing me to tighten in her grasp, just as I did the same to her.

Working my way down her body, I brought my mouth to her, engulfing her within my lips, my teeth teasing her, my tongue penetrating her. Her hands worked over my head, rubbing it as Eloise had done so many times, and it was not unpleasant. "I think I will not dislike you being my hairless minx, Lizzy." I did not break in my ministrations, but rather intensified my attentions, until she reached her peak, her spicy sweet juice invading my mouth.

"It is good that you find my hairless state appealing, my love, for you are quite stuck with it." She in turn, began to lash my quim with her tongue, my eyes narrowing their vision as the pleasure began to build within me. I felt as though I might melt into the bed as she suckled my nubbin, her teeth firmly clamped about it's base.

We held each other in a relaxed embrace, bathing in the afterglow of a wonderful afternoon. It was only then that we both noticed Anna, standing at the door to our rooms. What a strange sight it must be for her, to see two grown women so wrapped about the other, naked.

"I beg your pardon, Lizzy, but an express come for you, but a moment ago." I beckoned her to bring it to me. She bashfully approached, and we made no effort to untangle ourselves. As she handed me the note, a wistful grin formed on her face before she took her leave, rather hastily.

"She's going to find out." I said. "It's only a matter of time before she knows all our little secrets." I giggled, slipping a finger under the wax seal. Elizabeth Pendleton Gansebraigh Estate Dumfries, Scotland My Dearest Elizabeth,

It is with some great pleasure that I learned that you are safe and well installed in Scotland, when I was led to believe that you and your cousin had come to some harm. If you can find your way clear to return to Exeter, there is some business which needs your attention concerning your estate. It is nothing of any great urgency, but it should best be dealt with within the week. Sincerely, John Albemarle, Esquire

I passed the letter to Sarah, who was every bit as surprised as I. Perhaps I had given up on Pendleton far to easily. I wondered if there was some new development. "I suppose I should make the journey, cousin." I resigned. There was no way she would allow me to travel alone, and now that we had ourselves established at Gansebraigh, Sarah insisted that she would accompany me.

The workers arrived the next morning in any event, so with some minor instructions to both Anna, and Mr. McLaren, we set off for Carlisle, and the train south. As a safeguard against anything untoward occurring, we safely deposited our money in the Bank of England, their small office in Carlisle most pleased to accept the deposit.

We were able to secure a private compartment for the journey, and made several comments to the trip being far more comfortable and less exposed than our last. We both shuddered at the thought of that insidious cage we were moved in, and then what followed. For me, the time at Markworth was nearly bearable, but for Sarah it had been a time of unspeakable horror. We did not speak of it.

Upon our arrival in Exeter, the town seemed no worse for the loss of Madam Eloise, although there was a certain foreboding concerning my involvement in her death. I half expected the local constabulary to collar me for questioning concerning the incident at Markworth Hall. Each time we would see a bobby I would get this nervous twitch.

"She was gored by her own pigs, Lizzy, relax." Sarah smiled, her blonde wig cascading about her shoulders. My own was piled high on my head, the fashion of late. As we entered the offices of Mr. Albemarle, we were forced to wait while he finished with a client that had preceded us. Only a brief time later, we were directed into his well furbished office.

"Ladies, I am so very pleased to see you." We all bowed accordingly, Mr. Albemarle kissing each of our hands. "Won't you please be seated." We looked at each other, and wondered what could possibly have occurred to warrant us being summoned. So little was said in his letter, that we were left to speculate, and speculation often leads to delusion. I tried to calm myself, for if the news was noteworthy, surely, he would have said so in the letter.

"So, Mr. Albemarle, what is the news from Pendleton?" I asked, settling myself in the less than comfortable chairs we were afforded.

"Pendleton, no, this matter has nothing to do with that estate, and things remain steady on that front. No, this meeting is concerning something completely unrelated to that affair." He shuffled through some papers. "No, this meeting is to do with Markworth Hall, and the recent death of its benefactor, Madame Eloise Markworth." My heart immediately was in my throat and I feared that there was to be an inquiry. "This is most likely not known to you, but your father was a second cousin to Eloise Markworth, but as he is deceased it is my duty to inform you that the entire estate passes along to his only living heir." He smiled over the paper he held. "That, my dear Elizabeth, would be you."

Sarah and I stared at each other, our eyes wide and my heart racing. Could this possibly be true? How ironic, I thought. "How can this possibly be, for I never knew my family related in any way to that great estate?" He smiled.

"As I had stated, your father was only second cousins to the Markworths, and estranged cousins if my records are clear. So, I am not surprised at all to find that you are ignorant of the relation." He handed me a paper, and it was obviously a note granting my acceptance of the fortune. "All you need do is sign this document; Markworth Hall, the title, and all of it's assets will then be yours." I looked at Sarah who had the most ridiculous grin on her face, the quill in hand. If I signed, it would surely change my life, our life, forever.

Shaking ever so slightly, I penned my mark, at which Mr. Albemarle slipped the document from under my pen, and stood. "Congratulations, Lady Markworth." I nearly retched at the mention of that name, but now, it was indeed my title. He bowed deeply, as was the custom when greeting someone of rank. I felt silly, really, insisting that I was still quite the same person that had walked through his door only moments before. "Not to put too fine a point on it, but you are an extremely wealthy woman, m'Lady."

"How wealthy?" Sarah finally spoke, something she had been quite unable to do since the mention of Markworth Hall.

"The value of the entire estate and all it's assets are in excess of twelve million pounds." I very nearly fell out of my chair.

"Twelve million pounds!" I gasped. "This cannot be real."

"Oh, I assure you, it is quite real, and it is my great pleasure to have imparted this news, m'Lady." He sat once again, and shuffled through some more papers. "Now, as it concerns the staff..."