The Lady's Maid

Authour's Note:

This 18th century historical romance is my contribution for the Wine and Old Lace event.

In this story, you can expect to find descriptions of lesbian and heterosexual sex, melodrama, a betrothment, and overly romantic language.

Special thanks to the team of people who beta read and edited for me. This story would not be what it is without Bebop3, blackrandl1958, norafares, OneAuthor, and Pixel the Cat.

**

"You will marry him."

"Father, no. Please —"

"Charlotte, you will marry the Digbys' son. That is final."

"But —"

"Final!"

Father's last word was punctuated by a loud thump as he slammed his hand onto the thick oak desk. My brothers stood by him in stony silence. Neither Edmund nor Philip would meet my gaze, though Philip's face betrayed a look of sadness.

My mouth opened and closed, but I did not speak another word. Emotions swirled through me, anger, betrayal and disbelief, all muddied up into a ball of agony that settled deep inside my chest.

I had known something strange was happening when Father called us into his study after dinner. He never allowed me into the study, which of course meant I had stolen my way into the room on multiple occasions without his knowledge. To invite me in there specifically was highly suspect.

Still, the announcement that he had betrothed me to a man I had never met, a man whose name he did not even tell me, was shocking.

Father's last shout hung off the tension in the air. I stared down at the oak desk, looking but not seeing, until Father cleared his throat.

"You are twenty years old. It's time you marry." His voice was softer, but the grumbling firmness was still there. "Another London Season has come and gone. I have bought you all the finest dresses and sent you to all the best events. You have never once shown any inclination towards a man. So, I have found one for you. The Digbys are well-respected. Despite your tendency to frolic around the woods like a boy, they have agreed to marry you to him, and so you will marry him. They will arrive in a few days' time so you may meet him before the wedding."

"I do not want to marry anyone, Father. Please..."

"You will marry him, or you will be sent to a convent."

My jaw trembled as I finally looked into Father's eyes.

"Mother would have never let you do this to me." My voice came out in a hiss, and I was unable to keep the anger from boiling over as I whirled around to leave.

"I did not dismiss you!" he roared, but by the time he finished speaking, I had slammed the study door behind me.

Father had not remarried after Mother had died a few years earlier, leaving me to assume the responsibilities as lady of the house. I had done so begrudgingly, a fact well known to everyone except Edith Hathaway. Father was now courting Edith, and it was common knowledge that she was bitter that I ran the household. I was absolutely certain that Father's sudden willingness to hoist me off on the first man who would take me was a result of her interference. I would be taken to my new husband's household leaving Edith to marry my father and take over as lady of his house.

It did not bode well for any woman who would eventually marry Edmund, as he would be the eventual heir to the family estate. Perhaps that is why Edmund had not yet married, either. Edith was an ambitious woman. Her face was pretty for her years, likely why my father sought after her, but all the beauty in the world could not mask the toad-like nefariousness that lay inside her soul.

If she would have simply married my father, I would have handed the reins to her gladly. I did not want to be the lady of the house. Not my father's house, not anyone's house. I wanted to work in the stables, hunt with the men, run through the woods and find mushrooms and berries and all manner of earthly treasure. I did not want to manage the household, or embroider hoops of flowers, or change my dress three times a day.

The one and only benefit to being the lady of the house was my lady's maid, Alice.

Alice was the daughter of Mrs. Clayton, our housekeeper. She had been my dearest friend and closest confidante since we were children. A condition of my assuming the position of lady of the house was that Alice continue to be my companion. Father insisted she was not of high enough birth to be a lady's companion, but that she could be my lady's maid. Alice accepted the role gladly, as the title was of no importance to her. We only wished to be with each other day in and day out, as it had always been.

She was there after I stormed through the house and into my room, struggling to keep the tears from falling.

"Charlotte!" She rushed across the room and tried to embrace me, but I struggled away. "What's wrong?"

The tears spilled from my eyes as I threw myself onto the bed, burying my face against the pillow. The bed sank under Alice's weight as she perched beside me. She touched my back tentatively, her soft hand a comforting weight against my spine.

"Charlotte?"

Her voice was quiet, gravely concerned. I tried to speak through my tears, but the words were stuttered, unintelligible with anger. She patted my back softly, making gentle circles with her fingers until the sobs subsided and I could draw in a breath.

"He's forcing me to marry."

The words were muffled against my pillow, but Alice heard them. I did not need to see her face to know what she felt. Her hand stopped moving, resting heavily against my back, and her breath caught in her throat.

We sat that way for some time. Once it became difficult for me to breathe against the pillow, I shifted, and Alice helped me sit back up. She got up and crossed the room, dampening a cloth for me to press against my tear-swollen eyes, before sitting back next to me on the edge of the bed.

"Tell me what happened," she asked softly.

As I dabbed the cloth against my face, I told her what my father had done, and about my suspicions that Edith was behind it. Alice listened thoughtfully, holding my hand as I choked out the story. I grew angrier with each moment, and more despairing with each breath.

"He didn't tell me his name.'" I looked at Alice, her brown eyes reflecting the sadness of my own. "How can I marry him without even a name?"

"I wish I had some comfort for you." She shook her head sadly. "I am sorry, Charlotte. I never wanted this day to come."

She took my hand and brought me to the vanity, directing me to sit so she could unpin my hair. I watched in the mirror as her fingers worked through the tangles, brushing out the kinks and knots as she went.

"He'll be here in a few days," I said. "What do you suppose he will be like?"

"Handsome, I hope."

"I imagine he will think he is."

Despite the hanging sadness, we both giggled.

"Have you ever met the Digbys?" Alice asked.

"No. Or at least, not that I recall."

"The name seems familiar. Perhaps in London?"

Alice had a point. If the Digbys had a son of my age, it seemed unusual I would not have met him during the Season, though I had not put much effort into meeting manageable suitors, as my father had pointed out.

"Perhaps," I said. "I have heard of them, but if I have met their son, I do not remember it. They live quite a distance south from here."

"And you'll go live there, then. After the wedding." It was not a question.

Another small crack appeared on my precariously shattering heart, and I did not respond.

Alice finished handling my hair and had me stand to help remove the corset I had donned for dinner. Relief flowed through me as blood rushed back through my body. My chemise hung loosely around my body as I sighed.

"I think he'll be delicate," I declared as she put my clothing away and I removed my stockings and garters.

"Delicate?"

"Yes. Very fashionable and proper."

"Wearing his very best all the time?"

"Of course. He'll own a stable full of horses and all the best hunting gear, but will never use it."

"Afraid to get his hands dirty, you think?" Alice laughed softly as she returned to where I was standing.

I nodded in response, trying to find laughter in myself but failing.

"You will get through this." She reached forward and took my hand again.

"It feels like a lifetime of unhappiness is coming for me, and there is nothing I can do to stop it."

Alice began removing my chemise and I shivered as the cool air replaced it. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't want to marry." The chemise dropped to the floor as I looked at her. "I don't like men, Alice. Why would he be any different?"

Her fingers trailed up from the hand she was holding to my shoulder, then traced a waving pattern down my breast.

"You certainly exaggerate. Do you forget that I have known you for our entire lives?"

"I do not like how men act."

"You like how they look. Have you forgotten William?"

I could not help but smile. William, the stable boy who had been just a few years older than myself and Alice, had a penchant for removing his shirt on particularly warm days. Perhaps he had known Alice and I were hiding in the hayloft of the stables, and perhaps not, but we had spied on him numerous times while he had worked for my father.

Alice's other hand moved to my chest as well. "See, you do remember him."

"I will admit, he was handsome."

"And he was always kind to you. Remember? He would take us riding all the time."

"Well, yes, he was certainly kind."

"See? Men aren't so bad," she whispered.

My response was to kiss her as her fingers began to glide across my breast, her fingertips skimming my hardening nipples. Her lips were soft and warm, tasting vaguely of the wine she had with her dinner.

For years, Alice and I had found comfort in each other's arms, hunger in each other's lips, and pleasure in each other's bodies. Now we were finding solace, sharing the devastation of loss that came with knowing our lives were about to change.

Her tongue touched my lips and I parted them, my own tongue meeting hers in a gentle battle. Both of her hands were on my breasts and she circled my nipples with her thumbs. My body was responding in a way only Alice could make it, trickles of desire dancing across my skin and down to the moistening junction between my legs.

"Let me undress you," I murmured.

Alice was far more proficient at dressing and undressing me than I was undressing her, though I could certainly manage it. But by the time I had revealed her pale body, I had lost my patience. I pulled her to the bed urgently, bringing her down on top of me as we fell onto the blankets.

My hands moved up Alice's shapely waist as she pressed against me. Her breasts pushed against mine, her nipples hard points on the otherwise tender skin above me. We kissed again, and again, and again, urgently fierce and achingly desperate. Alice nudged my legs apart and nestled one of her legs between them. I knew she could feel the wetness between my legs against her thigh. It mirrored her own, scorching and slick against my skin.

She rolled her hips against me, that tantalizing moisture helping her glide along my leg. My swollen bud brushed against her thigh and I stifled the small cry that threatened to burst past my lips. Alice sensed it and knelt over me, her hands leaving my breasts.

"Is this what you want?" she asked, moving her hand between my legs.

"I want you," I said. "Just you, completely."

She leaned down to kiss me as she slipped one of her fingers into the mouth of my arousal, and that time I could not stop myself from moaning. I felt the smile cross her lips as she heard me, and her finger curled delightfully inside me. She removed her finger and pushed it back in, making me writhe beneath her.

With a final kiss on my lips, she pulled away and removed her fingers from inside me. I sighed softly, trying to mask my disappointment, but she lowered her head to my breasts to distract me. Alice kissed my breasts completely, ensuring her lips touched every inch of me, before sucking on my nipple. She ran her tongue back and forth across it, making me squirm beneath her again.

The faint giggle she made vibrated against my nipple, muffled by my breasts as she continued her teasing.

"Alice, please... I can't stand to wait right now."

"I'm certain you can," she said, but began directing her mouth lower and lower down my body. She kissed my stomach, inch by inch getting closer to my mound. By the time she reached her destination, I was begging for her mouth to work its magic.

Alice's magic started with her putting her mouth everywhere but where I wanted it. She kissed the inside of my thighs, tickled the sensitive spot where my legs met my abdomen, and licked the slick juices from my lower lips. My legs tensed as her tongue pushed its way into my inner lips, teasing the dripping hole, before finally flicking across the sensitive bud just above it.

I urged her on softly, my hands moving to entangle in her soft brown hair as she started to suck the little nub between my legs. She moved fluidly, using her tongue to make intricate circles and patterns around my nub before using the tip to bring me the pleasure I desired so strongly.

It did not take long for Alice to bring me to a place of unimaginable bliss, a crushing wave of happiness filling my body and spilling out as I tried not to scream. There was no controlling my body as the wave hit me, my limbs numbing as every part of me reacted to the feeling of the earth shattering beneath me.

When I stilled, Alice withdrew her face from my loins. Slickness coated her chin as she looked up at me, driving me wild with renewed desire. I sat up and pushed her down, kissing her hard and tasting the juices I had left on her face. She touched my body wherever she could, hands everywhere, as I pinned her against the pillow.

I was straddling Alice's hips when I caught her wrists and gripped them tight, holding Alice in place as I began kissing her body. She squealed as I teased her rosy nipples, her legs kicking slightly beneath me as I circled my tongue around them. I kissed along the underside of her breasts, pushing my face against them and tasting every inch of her that I could.

Her breasts were not my destination, however, just a stop along the way. When I was certain she'd had enough, I moved my attention down to her crevice.

"Give me a kiss, Charlotte," she whispered. "Bring me there."

I did not tease Alice the way she had teased me. I wanted her too much and loved her too greatly. My tongue found the tender bud between her folds easily, the pathway burned into my memory after years of practice. Alice's thighs trembled slightly as I licked her, filling my mouth with the juices of her arousal.

As I rolled my tongue against the button of her pleasure, I brought my fingers to Alice's entrance and pushed my finger just slightly inside. She made another soft squeal as I pushed it in further, feeling the tightness of her walls bearing down on my digit. I moved my hand in tandem with my tongue, giving her my love both inside and outside of her.

Alice's breath began to quicken, and she squirmed beneath me. Her thighs pressed against the sides of my face as her hands came to my hair, stroking it softly. I knew she was close to bliss and that the moment it was achieved, she would shove my face against her mound so strongly that I could not breathe. Eager for that moment, I licked and sucked and fingered her, listening as she grew closer and closer to the moment of pleasure.

When she arrived there, it was magic. Alice arched her back, her breasts thrust in the air as she hugged my head against her. Her thighs were tight against my ears, and her cries of pleasure were muffled. I did not stop licking her, nor remove my fingers from inside her, until a final shudder moved through her body and her legs collapsed onto the bed.

I moved back up to the pillow and pulled one of the blankets across our bodies. My eyes were set on Alice as she recovered, her breasts heaving as she took in breath, her eyes closed as she basked in the afterglow of our lovemaking. In the light of the room, she was an angel. Golden light glowed around her, highlighting each mussed hair on her head as her silhouette cut a shadow into the glow.

We had been in that moment a thousand times before, but that time was different. Instead of the swelling of love and joy that usually filled me, my stomach instead had knotted. Trepidation and sadness raised their dismal heads and the pain of the ever-cracking heart in my chest grew.

When Alice opened her eyes, she saw tears in mine. No words were necessary, and she wrapped her arms around me as my spirit broke all over again. I cried in her arms as she stroked my hair, and felt her own tears drop against my skin.

"I don't want to marry."

"I know. I know you don't."

"I want you. I only want you."

"You will always have me."

"But not like this."

"No, not like this. But I am thankful we had as long as we did. And you know I will always love you as my dearest friend."

She kissed the top of my head and we lay in silence, our naked bodies pressed together as though time stood still. If we moved, it would break the spell, and in the morning, I would be somebody's betrothed.

"Perhaps it will be a blessing if he is delicate and proper," Alice said suddenly.

"Why?"

"If he is small and soft and has smooth hands, you can pretend he is me."

I choked on a laugh, and soon we were giggling. Alice spoke in hushed and soothing tones, and despite the tears on my face, I fell asleep with her comforting arms around me.

**

Alice left sometime during the night as she usually did, and came to my room to wake me the next morning. By the time I was dressed and downstairs, word of my betrothment had spread to the entirety of the house staff. Likely under penalty of dismissal by my father, each person congratulated me, though their anxiety was thinly veiled. My marriage meant the lady of the house would change, and the stories that preceded Edith Hathaway were not pleasant.

Edmund came to me shortly after breakfast, followed closely by Phillip.

My brothers were lovely. We had grown up together, and Mother had always encouraged a closeness between us. While I was the eldest, I was also the daughter, which meant Edmund felt the need to offer me some protection. As children, he would defend me to anyone, until I one day managed to knock him down while play-fighting in the woods.

On our return to the house, Mrs. Clayton had fretted over my torn dress, mud-splattered on every hem, threads sticking out from the embroidery. Though it was Edmund that I had knocked down, he took full responsibility. Mother was amused, but Father gave Edmund a lashing that he would not soon forget. As for Edmund, he still protected me, in a way. He made sure I knew how to properly fight, taught me to use a hunting bow, and glowered over any child or stable boy who so much as raised an eyebrow at the lack of propriety in my activities.

He glanced around the room to ensure none of the other servants were listening before leaning towards Alice and me.

"Charlotte, Alice, would you like to come down to the stables with Philip and me? We would like to go riding along the creek today."

My heart was still stony, and while riding sounded lovely, I did not know if I wanted to be around Edmund and Philip. My plan had been to eat breakfast, then retire to the sitting room under the pretense of reading while I moped about my upcoming nuptials.

I opened my mouth to decline, but Alice spoke before I could even shake my head.

"That sounds lovely, Edmund. Give us a moment so I may help Charlotte change her dress and we will meet you by the stables in half an hour."

Edmund's face lit with a smile. "Wonderful. We will meet you there."