Savannah 11

'Why do I give in so easily' Amanda asked herself as the waves of want and sexual desire washed over her?

*

Jayne Essington had moved to Charleston in the neighbouring State to Georgia, South Carolina. Strand had organised the move and had ordered her to relocate there. He had rented a house in a discreet area near Market Hall, which was in the heart of the commercial centre of the growing city. Knowing that South Carolina was likely to leave the Union in the near future, Strand needed to know everything that was going on there. Having one of his whore spies in situ was one of the means by which he expected to achieve that.

"No please don't make me move from Charlotte" Jayne pleaded as she lay naked on her bed in the house Strand provided for her in North Carolina. She had settled in the town, had made friends and was at last, some three awful years after Henry's death, creating a comfortable way of living and now the bastard Strand wanted her to move.

"Do not challenge me madam, you know that is not part of our arrangement."

"I am sorry sir" she replied contritely for she recognised the signs of Strand's mood and knew that often that would result in her enduring pain and injuries. She, perhaps more than any other woman, recognised that Strand was a sadist and gained pleasure from hurting people in general, but women in particular. Many were the times she had gone home from being with him with severe wheals on her ample ass where he had whipped her or marks on her breasts, thighs and stomach where he had sucked or bitten her.

"Madam, just remember your place and that I own you lock, stock and barrel."

"Yes Oliver" Jayne whimpered opening her mouth to accept the proffered cock that he roughly shoved past her lips. Holding her head tightly he began to fuck her face. But in his mind it wasn't her lips wrapped round his stubby member, it was Amanda's. Just as in Jayne's mind they were not making love, but she was being tortured by this dreadful man who she hated more than anything in the world.

Jayne moved in the heat and humidity of July. The house that one of Strand's aides had rented on a two year lease was pleasant and well-appointed with a view of the sea and the river; it really was a very pleasant place she had to admit. Jayne brought her own maid Emily with her and the same aide had hired a local footman cum groom, Richard who was not only a hard and loyal worker, but was also dashing and handsome. Both of them, of course, were paid by Strand and Jayne knew full well that they reported everything that went on back to him. She knew that he would be informed of any guests she entertained, visits she made and, of course, the men who shared her bed, both for business, Strand's, and pleasure, hers, although that was rare. Jayne didn't find this at all unusual for she had now become used to working for the Deputy Lieutenant Governor.

"So madam" Strand said sharply as Jayne stood before him naked and tied his cravat. "You will have a visitor tomorrow. He is important to us and that is why I have invited him to experience your pleasures."

"Thank you Oliver" Jayne replied hiding carefully the distaste she felt as he roughly forced his hand between her slightly chubby thighs and slid his fingers into her unlubricated vagina.

*

Strand and Fairfax met at a conference in Charleston. To the governments of both South Carolina and Georgia it was announced as a meeting to discuss how greater cooperation could be brought about between the North and the State of South Carolina. In reality it was a meeting to agree a massive loan effectively being brokered by Lennon from a group of wealthy northerners, including Astor, Fish and Isherwood, and the British and Prussian governments to the State. In return Strand and his counterparts would guarantee that secession would not take place. As an aside the fate of Irving Sanders and the three imprisoned parliamentarians who had produced and signed the secession papers for the State of South Carolina would be decided. Both parties, the Federal government and the militia were looking at the meeting as a 'last chance' to avoid secession and hence, war.

The first day's meeting had gone well although neither Strand nor Lennon sat in the main meeting. That was handled by the professional civil servants from South Carolina and the representatives of the 'northern consortium' who the two more senior men joined in the informal discussions during breaks and at lunch.

"So General" Strand said as he and Lennon sipped a glass of wine after lunch. The formal meeting had started again in the historic Joseph Manigault House and they were in the bar of the Grafton Hotel.

"Yes Lieutenant Governor."

"Let's us leave the proceedings of the loan and the Parliamentarians to our esteemed colleagues shall we?"

"By all means sir" Fairfax replied rather tersely.

"So tell me General how are things between you and the admirable Missus Williams."

"Things sir, what do you mean?" Lennon replied lighting a cigar.

"You and her sir, you and her. After all she accompanied you to the White House didn't she?"

"Indeed she did."

"So does that not imply a certain let's say closeness shall we?"

"Yes we are close we have known each other a very long time, as I am sure you are aware."

Strand desperately wanted to establish just how close Amanda and Lennon were. It was important to him as he wanted to trust her and knew that was impossible if she and the General were, for instance, likely to be married. Lennon was equally interested to establish just how much Strand knew about his circumstances and of Amanda's position with the portly slug of a man. At the same time he didn't want Strand to realise just how close he and Missus Williams were. He certainly had no intention of telling him that he was planning to ask her to marry him when the future was a little more settled and clearer.

"I see sir, so nothing more than that General."

"Mister Strand, I hardly think that is your business or a topic we need to discuss."

"True in part sir, but I ask for a specific reason,"

"And that Mister Strand is what?"

Strand had done his homework well and was very aware that the General had several mistresses and on his travels he often used brothels or had whores brought to where he was staying. His information was that amongst his colleagues and the minions who travelled with him, the General was considered to be almost a satyr. Strand somewhat envied him his looks and his obvious sexual prowess.

"A delicate matter sir."

"Pray Strand we are both men of the world" Lennon asked having a strong inkling what was coming next. His spies had informed him that Strand had a network of ladies whose delights he provided to colleagues and business and political contacts.

"Yes Lennon indeed we are. As you may be aware I am particularly well-connected in this part of the South."

"Of course."

"And that I have many contacts and acquaintances who are eager to please me and grant me favours."

"So I imagine" Lennon replied trying not to show his interest. He had not had sex for a week or so and was beginning to feel very agitated.

"Very eager you might say to the point of providing er, um company to my friends."

"Is that what we are Strand."

"Well let's use the term loosely or replace it with contacts shall we."

"Yes that would be preferable we would not like your contacts to be under any misapprehensions would we?"

"Indeed not sir."

"So where is this leading may I ask?"

"Well to ascertain if the General would enjoy some company later this evening"

"The company of one of your contacts Mister Strand?"

"Precisely and they are of both genders if you get my drift sir."

Smiling Lennon puffed on his cigar and replied. "Well I am sure your informants Mister Lieutenant Governor have advised you of my preferences in that area."

"As indeed they have sir. Shall we say you will call on my er contact this evening sir?"

"When did you have in mind Mister Strand?"

"Perhaps nine o'clock would suit?"

"We will see sir, we will see."

"How is that General?"

"I will dine when the meetings are finished and then decide if I feel the need for, how shall I put it, company."

"That would be perfect here is her card."

"Her name sir?"

"She is Jayne Essington, a widow of excellent breeding but impoverished means I regret to say."

By nature and training Lennon was loath to give anyone any information about him that they didn't need to have. Also he was averse to being beholden to anyone particularly an adversary such as Strand and thus, he naturally avoided giving the Lieutenant Governor the pleasure of knowing his intentions. Lennon knew that Strand was well connected and had an excellent network of informants. He was acutely aware that he would know of his mistresses, his use of whores and his visits to brothels, but then that was how most men took their pleasures. So adding Missus Essington to the file that Strand undoubtedly kept on him would hardly incriminate him any more than he and most men in his position would be incriminated. In most of America as indeed in Europe too, incrimination never really arose, for having whores and mistresses for sex and wives to have children was the well-established way of life.

Lennon thought that part of Strand's plan was for him to arrange events so that Lennon had sex with Jayne who would then tell Amanda, thus causing problems for the couple. Although that was part of Strand's thinking there was more than that to his manipulations.

The first day's meeting ended with an impasse that Strand and Lennon as the arbitrators were unable to break.

"Nine in the morning then" Strand announced at just after seven that evening?

Lennon's attention had been diverted during the last session. His mind was more on whether to visit Missus Essington than on the dreary summing up of the representatives from both parties. As he journeyed to his hotel, ate dinner with his colleagues and then dealt with a raft of telegraphs he was still undecided what to do. His libido was roaring away and he felt an enormously strong need to have sex. He had decided that he had to have sex, but untypically for him he was struggling to reach a decision. He had two clear choices go to a bawdhouse or visit Jayne Essington.