Masters of Lavender Hill Mansion Ch. 20

Olivia and Lisa took their turn in front of the people and introduced who they were, getting surprised by the applause and warm welcome they received. They didn't know it yet, but the two young women in the front row cheering the loudest, were Jess and Lou, the lesbian couple they were wanting to hire.

They gave them the plans for the bed and breakfast and who it was for. Olivia avoided mentioning anything sexual in nature, keeping it focused on the love Victoria wanted to bring about and how women had a place for them to go. They were happy seeing heads nodding at the ideas presented and received another hearty round of applause when she finished.

The room took a silence and not a word was mumbled, as Olivia began introducing Victoria, telling them who she was and why she was back from beyond. By the time she was done her introduction, everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting for the curtain to open and finally see her for themselves.

"And now it gives me the greatest of pleasures to introduce, Ms. Victoria Masters."

The curtains parted and Victoria was escorted by Skylar and Chelsea, both wearing their best dresses for the occasion. They led her to the podium and explained how to talk towards the microphone so they could all hear. Victoria stood for a couple minutes looking at the people, going through them one by one as they clapped. When she finished, she smiled at them warmly.

"A lovely welcome, thank you. I see so many of you I've met before. It makes me so happy to see you again, thank you for coming. I feel so many of your thoughts and yes, it was me that touched you all those years ago. I know from how you feel, it was something that made you feel wonderful for many years after. You wondered to yourselves why you felt such a love and it was I that helped you see it, but you that wanted to enjoy it. I so happy that many of you took a chance to experience that love."

That made heads turn to look at the women, men wondering what their woman had done without their knowledge. The blush of embarrassment told the truth for some, while others kept their composure to remain unknown in what they did. As suspicion flew about, Victoria continued and took the focus of it away and back on herself.

"Dear menfolk, please, if your wife has had a chance at this love, has it made her a good woman or a bad one? Can any of you honestly say that knowing about it now will change how you feel about her? Has she not been good to you and raised families for you and kept a good home? Have they not shown you love to make you happy? Knowing they shared in a love that is unfamiliar, one most would scorn, does that make them lesser in your eyes for knowing that love?"

Victoria let her words have a chance to sink in to the men and eased many women who were on edge of feeling defensive of rebuttal.

"Ask yourselves how any love can be wrong or bad. Why must we all be forced to choose who our hearts must find happiness with, when those hearts don't hold the love like the ones we want? Those hearts belong to someone we aren't supposed to find love in and I ask why. We never really know why we love who we do, we just feel it in our hearts to want to be with them. That's what love is, that want of each other and to make them happy. I have seen many loves in my time here and after and none are as beautiful, as those that are based on a true love of each other. There is too much hate and anger towards people, I have seen it in wars and those against differences in who they are. I want nothing but love for you all to enjoy and feel it in your hearts. The love I want to share, won't take away from what you have now, it will only make it better, for both of you will be satisfied in all the ways you've truly wanted. I can sense the change in my dear friend Marlene and her lovely husband, Victor. I know their love has deepened and become stronger for them. Has it not?"

Marlene stood up and smiled at everyone confidently.

"It is true. Vic and I have learned the love that Victoria wants to share with us and it has made our relationship stronger and more loving. Both of us are happier now than we've ever been and I don't think Vic would disagree, would you, baby?"

"Nope, I totally have to agree with that. Without going into anything, Mar enjoys everything she likes and I enjoy everything I like and more. I don't feel threatened by it in any way and Mar is happier than she's ever been. I learned that there was more to her than I could possibly have imagined, yet I would never have known, if it wasn't for her learning about the love Victoria is wanting you all to know about and understand, so I'm all for it."

They took Vic's words to heart, trusting him as their town leader that he would remain the straight shooter he was and remain true to his word at all times. Joe nodded, as did Bert and Fred Bervaugh, who was the last member of the council. The financial gains that would come from voting yes were clear, but it was what their financial gains would be based on, that made them sceptical about whether it was a viable thing to allow. Rights and freedoms under the law were brought out much earlier, taking the rejection based on bias out of the equation. It was a matter of how they felt in their hearts about it that mattered.

Victoria shared her thoughts on feminine loving between themselves, using examples of women who were lifelong friends and reminding them of how the town stuck by their own and made things work, as it was still done that day. People were gaining more of a sense of pride in their town and themselves, being reminded of the things they had done in the past and those of their parents and grandparents. Victoria tried to make as many know of their ancestors and the role they played in making Markton the place that it was. The pride was obvious in them and it was harder for them to distance themselves from her. She endeared them with the strength of their love for one another and what that love meant to everyone, then refined it so it was directed solely towards the women.

The men were asked to leave then and none refused the room to Victoria. Once they had left and the doors closed, Victoria asked them all to stand and face the one beside them and hold their hands together. She had them introduce themselves, even if they knew each other, then had them hug as friends.

"Whether we are mothers, sisters, daughters, cousins or friends, we are all women and share a common bond of love for one another. It is we who sew the fabric of love into everyone from the very earliest of days and continue to do so until the day we part this earth. I feel I was blessed to have this new life with you, so that I can help you see how important it is that we must all love one another. Whatever love we share, its all good, for it promotes that love within us to share. I can sense several who are couples in this room, please raise your hands so we can see who is enjoying a deeper love together."

Jess and Lou were first to raise their hands proudly, then Olivia and Lisa raised their together as they held them, then Marlene rose and went to Chelsea, taking her hand in hers to raise it. Eyes were cast about the hall looking for others, when Annabelle from the library rose her hand and looked beside her at the other elderly lady. She nudged her and quietly chided her and she eventually put her hand up.

Olivia and Lisa were pleasantly surprised to see that and smiled broadly when Annabelle winked at them.

"Who is the lady beside you, Annabelle?"

"She's been my lifelong partner for decades, my Dolores. Haven't you my love?"

Dolores blushed and smiled as she stood in embarrassment at coming out, then caressed Annabelle's cheek and kissed it lovingly, then held hands together above their heads. So many were surprised to know such loving existed right under their noses and never suspected.

"Do you see, my darlings? Do you see the love these women have for each other? Is it wrong of them to love one another that way, when you can see in each of them, the happiness they share? My own daughter Livy has pledged her heart to her eternal friend Josie and she to her. They are the happiest of young women and that does my heart a world of good to see it. How can we look at any love as being wrong, when it makes two hearts come together that way and the greatest of loves is shared? I don't ask that we all engage in such loving, but we should appreciate and promote the love we have together in every way we can."

Everything Victoria said resonated in them. She wasn't asking them to become lesbians, but to accept every form of love between women. There could be no denying the openness of their love, as each couple hugged and kissed to show how they felt about it. For many, just holding hands with the woman next to her, brought a unification of them all, as an acceptance of who they were, no matter what the differences among them were. They were all women and shared a common love that only they could know.

Victoria came away from the podium and went to each woman in the hall and greeted each one individually, some she shared a quick memory of when they met. All of them were eager to know her and feel the wonderment of knowing she was real. She stopped at Annabelle and Dolores and took a hand in each of hers and smiled affectionately at them.

"My sweet loves, I remember the day you both came to me so long ago. You both felt me and didn't run away, but stayed and enjoyed what you felt instead. I knew you both would become lovers and I'm so happy to see you still are."

Dolores leaned in closer to speak quieter.

"We are too. We've made an awful lot of quilts together."

Annabelle and Dolores tittered together, knowing what went on when they did. Victoria hugged them both together and they kissed her cheeks together, thanking her for bringing them together over sixty years ago. Both had outlived their husbands and moved in together, no one the wiser they shared the same bed. They just thought of them as best friends, nothing more, now finding they had enjoyed a relationship longer than most in the room had been alive.

Victoria returned to the podium and looked at them all with a loving smile.

"Ladies, do you agree we should have a place here in Markton where women can openly love one another?"

There was a hush as thoughts were made, many looking around for someone to start it off. Lou and Jess, screamed out yes and cheered loudly, then the other couples joined and soon the room was clapping and hugging, some kissing cheeks and some taking a kiss on the lips for the first time. As everyone made it unanimous, their cheers quietened to a hush, as eyes turned to the stage. Olivia saw the fading happening and had turned the bullet on. Even on low, it was enough to bring Victoria to a higher arousal than she needed. She began to glow in her lavender aura, holding her arms open to them all.

"Anyone who wishes to, please come and join with me in a hug of friendship. My glow is only that of my love I feel and nothing to fear. I wish to meet you all in an embrace of love. Who will come first?"

Lou and Jess were up immediately and came up on the stage, standing in wait anxiously. They weren't scared, but shaking with nervous expectation to what it would be like. Victoria beckoned Lou to her and saw her take baby steps the few feet between them and opened her arms. Victoria took the final step and embraced her, folding her into her arms. Lou held her tight and let the feelings of Victoria's love sweep through her. Everyone watched intently, as they saw Lou enveloped in the lavender glow and begin to cry.

No one had to wonder why the tears were there, most feeling it in their hearts to know why. Lou was released and stood back, then Jess moved in and was crying happily at the feelings she was enjoying in a minute. She stood back and Victoria looked at them both, smiling warmly.

"I love you both. Be good to one another always and cherish your love."

They related their words of love to her and Olivia motioned for them to come back stage with her. One by one, the women lined up and received a hug from Victoria and was told she was loved. Not a one hesitated to say they loved her in return. Olivia turned off the bullet just in case, then introduced herself and Lisa personally, quickly explaining her need for their services and to come to the house to go over everything they wanted done. The girls hugged Olivia and Lisa excitedly, getting to know another lesbian couple and landing the best contract they had to date.

As the women took their turn hugging Victoria, they went outside and found their husbands and boyfriends, loving on them to show how happy they were. The news that they had accepted Victoria's proposal reached them quickly and spread through the crowd. They all went back in and Victoria had stopped glowing, but many women were stilling hugging and some kissing. The atmosphere was one of love and happiness, big smiles worn and laughter easy to come out. Victoria couldn't see an eye cast at her in disdain or despising feeling, each one filled with a happiness in them. Cheers were given, as they climbed in the cars and drove away, waving at new friends who waved back.

The mansion became alive with celebration, when they all arrived home again and shared the news with Livy and Josie. Music was put on and dancing started between them. Olivia took Victoria's hands and showed her how to dance to the new style of music. She laughed trying to get the steps right, but they didn't stop having fun. Dresses became difficult to move in and were quickly shed and hung again, so they could continue dancing. They were having the time of their lives, when Chelsea heard the door being knocked and went down to see.

As the song ended and the dancing stopped, Chelsea came back and stood at the door and held her hand to the side. The girls watched as a hand took it and Chelsea pulled the person to her and they saw it was Marlene and she was already naked.

"Hope you don't mind me coming to celebrate with you?"

"No, no, come in, of course it's okay to celebrate with us. Isn't it wonderful? The whole town wants this to happen."

"Well, not the whole town. There were quite a few who didn't come and Vic is already hearing it from them and what they think. I asked if it was okay if I came and he kissed me and told me to have fun while he handled them, so, here I am. Let's have fun!"

Marlene came in to hugs and kisses and the dancing started up again, Chelsea doing some dirty dancing on her thigh as they kissed. It got all of them trying to outdo the others in how dirty they could get and that was all they needed to take it from dancing to making love. The sun was just casting a glow to the eastern sky, a lavender hue to it and the wispy clouds, when lovers and friends lay together and slept.

Love was taking hold throughout Markton and every heart was being touched by it. Men were disarmed by the affection they received, but never denied where it originated from in their wives. If this was what women truly needed to be happy, then who were they to deny it? It took many night's at Reggie's bar for many of them to understand and come to terms with the changes, but none could deny the pleasure they enjoyed as a result.

Many of the women banded together and arrived at the mansion, armed with everything to finish the detailed cleaning and prepping for the transformation. Joe spent two days of solid mowing and finally cleared the grounds of the growth that had taken over. Bert finished the railing and installed it, while Vic began running new water lines for the extra uses the spa and rooms would need.

Sebastian had most of the wiring finished and was constantly being interrupted by Livy and Josie who had developed crushes on him. He knew that they were lovers, but he couldn't deny his own attraction to them. With the arrival of men on the property, clothing was worn, but the girls never missed a chance to tease him with more showing of skin than they should, by just wearing the bras and panties the girls bought for them. They were curious about the love of a man and they were adamant about bringing out Sebastian's feelings for them. Once he admitted it, it was only a matter of time before they seduced him to make love with them. Olivia told them very strictly, that Sebastian had to choose to want to do it and not be forced into it, but the girls pushed all the limits and left him little choice.

He had finished the wiring and fixtures and asked Olivia if he could use the shower to clean up after crawling on his back and belly in the dirt outside. Olivia was coming out of her room, when she saw him being led by Livy and Josie into their room. He only had a towel wrapped around him and he turned briefly when he saw Olivia looking at him, then shot a quick smile, before he was pulled into the room and the door closed. Olivia shrugged her shoulders and smiled to herself, wondering what he would be like when they were through with him.

Two hours later, Sebastian came down dressed and smiling far too happily. Olivia and Lisa were in the living room and came out to him as he picked up all his tools. They saw the girls at the top by the railing, both only wearing panties, grinning down at them and no words were needed to know if it was okay for them all. Olivia and Lisa didn't say anything to Sebastian, his eyes held all the answers for them. The girls said they'd see him soon and Sebastian blushed as he looked at Olivia and Lisa, knowing he'd be coming back to service the girls and not the house.

Bit by bit, each part of the plan was coming together and the summer lent its way into fall. Lou and Jess had completely renovated every bedroom and bathroom to plan, keeping with the period and Victoria's guidance. They were beyond thrilled that they had someone teaching them how to do it perfectly, no questioning the experience it came from. Joe had spent the last of the summer season prepping the fields for the planting of lavender the following spring.

Millie wasn't to be left out in the transformation and restored the carriage back to its former glory, now painted white and lavender, trimmed in gold leaf accents. To complete it, she and Chelsea bought a white mare to pull it. A small carriage house and barn was being erected by the local farmers, keeping to the traditional style and look of the mansion. Chelsea helped Millie up into the carriage, then sat in the driver's seat and took the reins. Her new position at the mansion would be outdoor entertainment coordinator and she was in charge of the carriage rides and other activities planned.

She pulled to turn the mare and coax it to go down the driveway on her first run to the mansion.

"Come on, Walter, let's go. Giddy up."

"Chelsea dear, it's a female horse, why did you name it Walter?"

"She likes it, don't you, Walter?"

The mare nodded its head several times and trotted down the driveway and turned easy with a pull to head down the road.

"I guess she does. Good girl, Walter, you're a lovely carriage horse, so you are."

Millie smiled happily at the thought Walter's spirit came back and would continue to serve her and make her happy. Everyone who passed or saw them waved happily, knowing all the talk of what it would be like, was becoming a reality. Chelsea pulled into the driveway and stopped in front of the door. She helped Millie down and went inside to let everyone know they were there.

"Where's Ollie and Lisa?"

"Just pulling in now."

Skylar pointed and they turned to see Olivia driving in and stopping behind the carriage. They got out and looked amazed by how beautiful it all looked.

"Where were you guys?"

"We spent the night at Bert's and just got back."

"Cool. So how's that going?"

"Honestly, I don't think the man stops smiling, at least we haven't seen him. I'm pretty sure he likes the arrangements. So, this is gorgeous. I can't believe how pretty it looks. And a white mare to pull it. What did you name her?"