In a Lawless Love

Charlotte woke in the morning with her body sore and tired. Her wedding night had been less than ideal and finally she’d cried herself to sleep. Matt had stayed beside her the entire night sleeping mostly soundly. Her sleep had been fitful and interrupted.

She didn’t dare move back the blankets or the sheets, though she could no longer feel Matt’s presence behind her. He’s left their bed some hours before to ready himself for his day. But she was scared if she moved he would return more violent than he’d been the night before. As the memories filled her mind she could feel tears filling her eyes again.

She’d always been told to hold her tongue and lock her thoughts in her mind. Her father had taught that to all his girls. Daughters with open mouths never got husbands. James loved his daughters, but he wanted for them to have a future brighter than living on a small dirty farm. That dream had come true with Charlotte. She was now the wife of Matt Hayes, and she knew that James was pleased with that idea. He didn’t know that Matt had taken everything from her and controlled every part of her life. He would never know, but Charlotte would forever blame him for what had happened the night before.

She let out a shaking breath and was suddenly startled into silence at the sound of her husband’s voice. “No more tears, darling,” he said softly. She bit on her lip and closed her eyes for a moment. “Please, look at me,” he said. She was still for a moment. “Please,” he said again. She cautiously sat up then, holding the blankets over her chest tightly. “Charlotte,” he said in a low voice. “I apologize for my behavior last night. It was below my breeding to treat a woman the way I treated you last night. I will not let it happen again.”

She looked down at the blankets and thought, her mind racing and her head hurting. She didn’t know what to say to him. “I was afraid,” she said. He looked at the ground for a moment. He was already dressed in his business suit and shoes. As she looked at him she could see his lost thoughts. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“As I mentioned, I apologize for my behavior. It was inappropriate and not the way I was raised,” he said. His voice was sincere and Charlotte looked at his face for a short moment. His eyes matched his tone and she thought back over her raising. She’d been taught not to express her opinions to her husband until she was well into her marriage. She wasn’t sure how to respond to this.

“Matthew, how were you raised?” she asked carefully. He looked up at her with his eyebrows raised. It was as if he’d never heard the question before and did not know how to answer it. He looked at her for a long time.

“I was raised to be a gentleman, Charlotte. But in all given honesty I’ve never had to deal with a woman full time and so you’ll forgive me for having all the correct skills for the job. You are my wife now, Charlotte. You are welcome to any and all things within the home, and you have access to a driver and car at any time. You are free to enjoy any and all shopping in town, do not worry about payments. I own every place you will be visiting,” he said and with that he left the room. She looked after him for some moments, wondering what she would do with her time. Spending any amount of hours in a crumbling mall was less than appealing. For a long moment she found herself wondering what women with her newly acquired status did in their spare time. She could sew and cook but she found that Matt had servants for everything. Matt had cooks and maids and drivers and security. She felt useless and lost.

She slowly got out of bed and examined her body in the mirror. The remains of her sheer night gown hung from her shoulders, leaving her completely exposed. She was surprised to see she had no visible marks from the night before. She’d felt very attacked. She looked down at her hands, looked at the raised tattoo on her ring finger. “MH” in perfect elegance stained the once white skin. She couldn’t go to anybody about what had happened the night before. She couldn’t talk about it with any person. Everybody in the house would report back to Matt and her fear of him had only grown with the events of their wedding night.

She decided to have a bath so she could relax away some of her painful tension. As she turned back towards the bed to retrieve a satin cream colored robe, her breath caught in her throat when she noticed the stain of blood on the once perfect sheets. The door opened suddenly and she was torn from her thoughts and immediately attempted to cover her body. She could feel blood rushing into her cheeks as she watched the maid come into the room cheerfully. It was the same maid from the night before.

She was a short woman, and plump around the waste. Her uniform fit her tightly and her feet obviously pained her as she waddled around the room. She looked up to see Charlotte holding her robe tightly around her naked body and she frowned. “Miss Charlotte, has breakfast been brought to you?” she asked.

“No, I was thinking to have a bath,” Charlotte said. The maid looked her over and sighed.

“You should have called for me, Miss Charlotte. I’d have been happy to draw a bath for you my dear,” she said and waddled cheerfully into the bathroom. Charlotte looked at the ground with embarrassment and discomfort. It would take a great deal of time for her to get used to the idea of having a servant draw her bath. Her childhood had been lived in a small setting with little money. She’d been responsible to bath herself and her father couldn’t afford hot water. It was miracle enough that he had running water.

She walked into the bathroom a few minutes later to see the bath tub filled with steaming water. The only time she ever enjoyed hot bath’s before moving into Matt’s house was if she heated the water first. The maid was laying out dry fluffy towels and there was a row of expensive soaps and shampoos waiting for Charlotte.

“If you need anything else just let me know, Miss Charlotte,” she said. “I’ll just be in the bedroom cleaning up.”

“Thank you,” Charlotte said politely and waited until the maid was out of sight to drop her robe and step carefully into the hot water. She was unhappy at the unexpected sting between her legs and she frowned as she lowered herself into the water. The steam had a slight smell of roses and she tried hard to relax.

She was careful to keep her left hand out of the water. It was one condition of her marital tattoo she hated most. It couldn’t be submerged in water for weeks. She wanted little more than to remove the mark and go back to her life before. She sank herself further into the pleasantly hot water and enjoyed the smell of roses.

When she came out of the bathroom in a warm bath robe and her long dark hair rolled tightly in a towel she was surprised at the beautiful breakfast set up on the small table in the corner of the room. She looked at the table and noticed two chairs and she questioned if Matt had had breakfast with other women in this room before.

There was a new maid in the room now, this one tall and younger. Her waist was narrow but her features less cheerful than the short plump maid. “Good morning Miss Charlotte. Mr. Hayes has requested I help you dress for breakfast. He will be in shortly to eat with you.”

“What is for breakfast?” Charlotte asked, taking in a deep breath through her nose. She was less than excited about her apparent company during her morning meal, but she found that she was starving.

“There is sausage and pancakes, Miss Charlotte. As well as fresh bread with butter.”

“Fresh bread?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes, Miss,” said the young maid. “Our chef’s bake bread every morning and afternoon for breakfast and dinner.”

“And what then happens to the left over?”

“There usually isn’t much left over. Whatever Mr. Hayes and Mrs. Hayes don’t finish goes to the workers. What is left of that, if any, goes to the birds.”

Charlotte was quiet and thoughtful for a moment. She was pleased to know that Matt was not a supporter of wasted food. “Mr. Hayes will be here shortly?”

“Yes, Miss. We must get you dressed for breakfast. Mr. Hayes won’t like it if you are wearing a towel ma’am.”

“Then we should get me dressed,” Charlotte said as she looked again at the table set for two. She followed the maid into a large walk in closet and was surprised to see all of her clothing had been moved from the room she’d been staying in before her wedding. She’d hardly looked at most of the clothes Matt had provided for her. Only a few of the items had been custom built to her body and her sizing had been recorded so the rest of the clothing could be found or made. Matt even had people to make clothing.

“What would you like to wear today, Miss?” the maid asked. Charlotte looked at her briefly before looking around the closet with wide eyes. This seemed a task she couldn’t complete.

“Something simple,” she said after a long moment. She’d grown up in simple clothes her mother had made or passed down to her. It was difficult to obtain material anymore. With the ability to go into a clothing store and take what you wished many fabric shops had either gone into private business or out of business completely. Charlotte had never enjoyed the act of stealing. She felt like people had been working to make those things and they would get nothing in return. Besides the nearest clothing store was 20 miles from where her father kept his farm and he rarely took his truck into the city.

“There are sun dresses,” the maid said and started to move through the racks. She pulled out many sundresses and displayed them. Charlotte looked over the dresses in awe. She’d never owned anything beautiful. She had one nice dress that fit her well and she was only to wear it on special occasions. As she grew older and taller her mother had altered the dress. She was sure now it belonged to her first younger sister.

“This one,” she said as she chose a light pink colored dress. The maid nodded.

“This one is beautiful,” she said. “Now for under garments.” Charlotte felt herself blush.

“What is your name?” she asked cautiously, hoping to take away the attention of what she’d have on under her clothes.

“My name is Amber,” the maid said quietly. “Mr. Hayes doesn’t usually remember though. There are many of us maids, and Mr. Hayes is a busy man.”

“Is Mr. Hayes good to you?”

“Very! He has given us all a home and food in our bellies, Miss Charlotte. I had no place to live at all until I came to work for Mr. Hayes. Both of my parents died in a fire in our small apartment.”

“I’m so sorry,” Charlotte said with shock. Amber looked down at her feet.

“It’s not your burden, Miss Charlotte,” she said. “Now let’s finish finding your clothes,” she continued and went back to finding undergarments for Charlotte. She brought a bra and a pair of underwear that matched exactly out of a drawer in the closet and gave them to Charlotte to put on. “If you’d like I’ll look away, Miss.” With that Amber turned away from her and Charlotte got into the set. “Will you need assistance with the dress, Miss Charlotte?”

“No, I think I can manage it on my own, Amber,” Charlotte said kindly and pulled the dress over her head. It fell nicely over her body. It was sleeveless, with a cross over neck line and a narrow waist. It fell loosely over her hips and down to her knees. “You can face me again,” she said when she was dressed. Amber turned and smiled.

“You are very pretty, Miss Charlotte,” Amber said. “We must hurry and get you at the breakfast table now. Mr. Hayes is very busy and does not like to wait.” Together both young women walked out of the closet and back to where the table was set up for breakfast. Amber assisted Charlotte in sitting and placing her napkin over her lap carefully. Just as Charlotte was situated in her seat Matt walked into the room with a charming smile on his lips. His teeth were bright and in a perfect straight row. Charlotte looked at the table. She still was uncomfortable with him.

“Good morning my dear,” he said as he took his seat. “I hope you’ll enjoy breakfast here with me. I would like to have meals with you often as I can.”

“Of course,” Charlotte said. She only looked up slightly when a butler pulled the cover off the plate that was in front of her, revealing a stack of perfect pancakes and sausage links. She looked at the food with wide eyes. She had been living in the house for two months and she’d gotten used to better meals than she’d had at home. But none were as impressive.

“Is there a problem?” Matt asked as he lifted his fork.

“I’ve never had a meal so big,” she said. “Even at Christmas time my father would only kill one chicken and we’d all eat off it. All seven of us,” she said. Matt looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“Your father killed a chicken for Christmas dinners?” he asked. She looked at the floor. “His chickens are precious to him, correct?”

“Very,” Charlotte said quietly. “It was always a great deal to kill a chicken for only one meal. Mostly if he killed one mother would make large amounts of soup out of it. We ate mostly off the produce my father grew or sometimes if he was able to hunt something.” Matt continued to stare at her for a moment. He then snapped his fingers and his butler appeared at his side.

“Victor, be sure that Mrs. Hayes’ father receives a turkey each year for holidays from here on,” he said. “And that he receive a rooster.” Charlotte looked to her husband with her mouth open.

“Matt, that isn’t…”

“I want to make it clear that I apologize for last night,” he said when Victor was out of the room. “Besides, your father deserves a great gift for creating such a beautiful daughter.” Charlotte’s cheeks flushed crimson red. “Look, Charlotte, I don’t expect you to love me. I am fully aware this was a marriage made out of…convenience…for personal gain on my part and your father’s. But I do hope you will be happy here with me. I don’t need much from you. I have cooks and cleaners. I don’t need you to sew my clothing. I only request from you your company each night and during meals.”

“My company?” she said. Her question was in no need of an answer.

“I promised there will not be another incident like the one which took place last night. But I do ask that you help me to keep that promise by not fighting me. We are legally wed, Charlotte.” His words were kind but his eyes held an edge that made her uncomfortable.

“I understand,” she said. She was sure she never wanted to have an experience in sex again. “I won’t fight you again.”

“The last thing I request from you, dear, is children. I have a full staff that will be here to care for the child once it is born. The only thing you will be responsible for is carrying it to its birth.”

Charlotte felt out of place having this conversation with him. Her husband was talking to her like a business man and the negotiation was children. She was well aware that most marriages to wealthy men were like a business affair that involved sex. But she’d grown up in a house of poverty. Her parents had been married under similar circumstances in the way of arrangement. Elaine’s parents had given her to James because he owned a farm and would be able to provide for their daughter. But they had lived a simple life never negotiating what was expected of her nor him. They’d had six children and would have had more if not for Elaine’s last pregnancy nearly killing her. Elaine had had only one son who died a week after birth. James Moore Jr. was the child before Charlotte’s youngest sister. He was buried under a tree on their farm.

“Children,” she said in a near whisper.

“Yes. I will need an heir to my fortune. I am only 27 years old at this time but my life will not outlive my wealth. I ask only for one child so long as it is a son.”

“A son,” Charlotte said to herself. She was half way through her breakfast and found that she was no longer hungry. “I cannot promise you a son, Matt.”

“I know that. But if you give me a daughter then we will simply have to try again,” he said. “Sex can be pleasurable, Mrs. Hayes. You only have to learn how to enjoy it.” Charlotte was quiet for a long moment. She was overwhelmed by this sudden list of what was expected of her. There were not many things that he wanted from her. Really he’d only asked for her body to be used for his pleasure and to carry his children. “Regardless of the amount of children we have sex is an expectation of you as my wife.”

“I understand,” she said and placed her fork on the table. “I think I’ve had enough to eat.”

“That’s fine,” he said and snapped his fingers again. Victor appeared next to him. “Victor, see that the remainder of Mrs. Hayes’ breakfast goes to the dogs.”

“Of course sir,” Victor said and left the room again. Charlotte looked after him. She figured he must be standing right outside of the room. The short plump maid hurried back into the room and cleared Charlotte’s plate of food.

“Charlotte, we have everything we need here. You are free to do what you please in your free time. The only thing that is not permissible is unsupervised visitation with your family. If you try and leave our marriage I will unfortunately be forced to claim my loan on your father’s farm. I don’t want that useless piece of land. However, if you leave our marriage I will take it. I do not give loans without some form of payment.”

“I will not leave our marriage, Matthew.”

“I didn’t think you would. I promise Charlotte, you will be happy here once you are used to it. I have two swimming pools, one indoors and one out. Can you swim?”

“Yes,” she said. “My father taught me. He used to fish in a river not far from his land. He taught me and my sisters to swim because my mother could not and he didn’t want us to be as helpless as she was in the water.”

“Smart man,” Matt said. “Feel free to use the pools whenever you’d like. Everything in this house is your now. Just promise you won’t spend money on things not for yourself and not in the malls. I own those, all that money will only come back to me anyways.”

“Why do you own the malls, Matt? They are crumbling.”

“I see no reason to renovate them when the only people who go into them are people without the moral to pay for their items. I paid a visit to one recently. It’s roof was leaking, but the largest store in their was being torn apart.” He wiped his mouth and took a sip from a coffee cup. “Hundreds of people going through the stock and taking what they pleased.” He shook his head. “The only thing that keeps those places running is the few good and wealthy people. They pay for things they haven’t bought.”

“Then don’t you feel they deserve a respectable place to shop? They keep your malls running, Matt,” Charlotte said. Matt put his hand to his chin in thoughtful silence then. She was afraid that he would then be upset with her for attempting to interfere with his business.

“I never thought of it that way,” he said. “You are a smart girl, Charlotte. Did you attend school?” She looked at him and her cheeks again flushed. She for the first time realized her husband was highly educated.

“No,” she said honestly. “My parents didn’t put any of us into school, they couldn’t afford it.” School for children at her level of poverty was virtually not an option. When they were small they were of little use to the farm but James had given them chores such as feeding chickens grain and cleaning weeds away from the house. When they’d gotten older they’d been needed to assist in harvesting and because they were all girls they’d been taught how to cook and clean and sew. Charlotte could read and write well and she could do most maths. She was smart and when she spoke she sounded educated enough. But the truth was Charlotte had never attended school. School was expensive and her parents were poor.

“My great grandfather used to speak of a time when all children were educated. It was mandatory and free for children to be educated. He said that was before all the education funds fell apart. It’s not been an issue for myself, my parents were wealthy and I was educated highly. But it is sickening to think of the amount of people who can’t read nor write.”

“I can read,” Charlotte said as she looked down at the table. “My mother’s mother was a school teacher so my mother educated my sisters and me. But I’ve not been to college or anything.”

“It is good enough you can read and write. I don’t need a scholar for a wife,” he said and again took a sip from a coffee cup. His plate was clear and the short maid waddled in to remove it, leaving only two coffee cups and two glasses of water with a bowl of fine fruit. Matt pulled a small vine of grapes out of the bowl and pulled the purple fruit off before placing it into his mouth. “Charlotte, you’ve given me things to think about this morning. I’d like you to visit the malls close to the house today and this evening over dinner you can tell me what areas need the most work.” He finished his coffee then and stood up. “I’ll see you then dear,” he said and leaned down to kiss her mouth.

She watched him walk out and she frowned. She didn’t like that he’d given her a chore to do. She looked down at her clothes and sighed. It would take a long time to be used to being a wealthy woman.

***
Some hours later she found herself standing at the entrance of what was once a beautiful shopping mall. It was large and its paint was faded. Lettering on the department stores outer walls was fallen. There was a security guard with her, walking with her. She was still dressed in the pink dress with matching sandals. She was finally comfortable in heels and she walked gracefully. But now she was standing at the entrance with her mind lost in thought.

She was afraid to walk inside the store. Malls were always full of people fighting over things they wanted. They were chaos and Charlotte hated them. Her security guard looked at her without emotion. “Ma’am, will we enter now?”

“Give me a moment to prepare myself,” she said and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and nodded. She walked into the store once her guard opened the door for her. She took off the sun hat she’d been wearing and was surprised when the guard took it. Amber had come in after breakfast and prepared her for her trip. Her hair was pinned up as it had been for the wedding and her make-up was done lightly. “I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten your name,” she said to him.

“It is Jason,” he said. “I will be escorting you on all of your trips, ma’am.”

“Yes, Mr. Hayes mentioned that to me,” Charlotte said. She smiled at him warmly before looking into the store she stood in the entrance of. People were everywhere shoving things into bags, some in a game of tug of war over an item of clothing they wanted for themselves. Charlotte frowned.

It had been this way for nearly 100 years. A revolution of people against the government had torn down laws. The people had formed a militia that even the strength of the armed forces couldn’t defeat. They’d taken over government offices and there had been a long dark period where there were no standing laws at all. People no longer had their homes and strangers would climb into the beds of wives with no consequence.

The man who had started the revolution found soon that he had no control when he abolished the laws and worked hard to try and bring them back. He’d spent his life attempting to reestablish what he’d torn down. Now his great grandson still was trying.

Taxes had been reestablished on land. A person could again own their homes, but poverty was great and only those with great money or the ability to build had homes to own. James Moore had built his home with his own two hands and materials he had stolen from an abandon hardware store. Matt’s home was ridiculous in size and beauty and it was obviously very old. Nobody had the skill the build such a house anymore. It had been in his family since before the revolution, and had been one of few houses that had been held onto by its original owners. Grocery markets had all gone out of business in the revolution. Now the poor all had their own farms they grew their own food on and sold produce when they had good harvests.

As Charlotte thought about that she wondered where Matt got his food from. He always had everything. He had produce and meats and grain to make bread every morning and night. She turned to Jason and looked him over for a moment. He was a young man, not more than 25. He was tall and muscle bound. His hair was dark and he was attractive. She could imagine him smile and it made her heart flutter.

“Jason,” she said as she walked into the store, ignoring the noise and chaos, “where does Mr. Hayes get his food?”

“Mr. Hayes owns a great deal of land, ma’am. He has employees to raise his meat and produce on his land. He gets seafood flown in.” Charlotte nodded. She was pleased to hear her husband was not one to steal food from the poor farmers who spent their lives hardly able to provide for themselves. As she walked she felt a tile crack under her feet and she stumbled. Jason caught her at once. His grip was strong and she felt very safe. “Careful ma’am, this place is very run down.”

“Yes, I’m fine,” Charlotte said as she straightened her stance. “Does he pay the employees with money?”

“They are provided everything they need. All of his help is provided with all things necessary,” Jason said. “We are all fed well, given homes to live in, clothes to wear, and money for spending. Though as you know money is not worth much in this world if your home is paid for. The security team of course lives within the Hayes residence. The farm workers live on the farm but they are provided small apartments for themselves and their families. Mr. Hayes is a generous employer.”

“What do employees spend their earnings on?”

“I wouldn’t know much ma’am. They are free to spend it on what they please. Sometimes the young men save it to employ jewelers in the attempt to gift young women.” Charlotte nodded. She knew she would forever have any jewels she pleased.

“Have you been marries, Jason?” she asked.

“No,” he said. “I’ve not married. There was a young girl I loved many years ago. She and I had a relationship and a daughter was born. Her father killed the child and I never saw her again,” Jason said. Charlotte looked at him with wide eyes. “Forgive me ma’am, I shouldn’t have spoken openly.”

“Its okay, Jason,” Charlotte said and returned to her task of finding the highest problems with the shopping malls. She felt like she’d learned something about her security guard that she shouldn’t know. Something that made him vulnerable. She didn’t like having his truths. Twice today a story had been told that she didn’t enjoy.

When the legality of marriage had been reestablished it had been made clear that a woman and man belonged to one another. It was nearly like owning a cow. But marriage could only be legal if a woman did not have children from other relationships. A woman whose husband died was the only exception. A woman was supposed to be a virgin when she was married, but often that was over looked so long as there was no proof of a previous relationship other than widows. There was no divorce anymore. A person was married for life with no option to end a marriage. Many men murdered their wives to be rid of their marriages.

It had taken many years but finally murder was a crime above all others again. When it was proven somebody had committed murder, the murderer was instantly sentenced to death. It had become difficult to reestablish prisons and people who were imprisoned worked as builders and farmers. They lived in poor conditions, and slept each night in hardly big enough to hold them. For this reason murderers where not allowed to live a life of imprisonment. They couldn’t be trusted in the criminal population to not murder again. So they were tried and convicted and put to death all at once. Because of this the men who murdered their wives often did it with poisons to bring on heart attacks so it might appear a woman died naturally.

Charlotte shuttered at the thought. Any man who wanted to be out of a marriage could murder his wife and move on without questioning so long as the woman appeared dead of natural causes. Doctors only practiced privately anymore. They didn’t perform autopsies. There wasn’t enough money. Women who were poor had their children in their homes with only the assistance of their families. Elaine had had 6 children in her own bed in the small farm house with her sister at her side.

Charlotte would have a doctor with her when she had her children. Matt could easily afford a private doctor visit. Charlotte had already been seen by a doctor before her marriage to be sure she wasn’t sick. She’d been seen by a dentist also and had her teeth filled. That was not an experience she ever wanted to have again.

She spent hours walking around the mall taking note of leaks and broken tiles. Most of the large building was boarded up as the smaller stores had gone out of business during the revolution. When finally she left the building she was tired and asked to be taken home rather than to another mall. Jason nodded and returned her to Matt’s large mansion. Charlotte took a long nap and she decided on a bath before dinner. For dinner she dressed in a red dress with long sleeves. Amber returned to pin her hair back into place and she took Charlotte down the stairs to the dining room. Matt was already at the table.

“My mother has taken ill and will not be joining us this evening,” he said. Charlotte nodded. “She is an old woman.”

“Yes,” Charlotte said. “Do you have many siblings?”

“I have no siblings living. My younger brother and sister, twins, both died very young. My father died when I was 17 and I inherited everything.”

“That is very sad,” Charlotte said as she sipped water. Matt nodded.

“My mother was heartbroken when her younger children died. I was 6 when they were born and 12 when the boy died. He was very sick. No doctor could help him. He had an ear infection that later became pneumonia. I was 14 when my sister died. She fell from a horse, her neck was broken. My mother never really recovered.”

“What were their names?” Charlotte asked.

“My sister was Helene. My brother was Robert.” Charlotte looked down at her bowl of soup. She put a spoon into it cautiously before putting it into her mouth. A rich flavor of cheese burst on her tongue and she was suddenly starving. She couldn’t help but think about her mother-in-law.

Margret Hayes was an old woman. She was shrewd and bitter and she never spoke to Charlotte with respect. But Charlotte now wondered if the loss of her children had made her that way. She had only really spent time with the woman a few times in the months that she’d lived in the house. Margret lived in the home in a private wing. She scarcely came out of her private area to socialize, and when she did she always looked upon Charlotte like she was some type of servant. Like she was beneath her and her son.

“So tell me, dear, what did you find at the malls this afternoon?”

“I only visited one,” she said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to more. I was incredibly tired.” Matt nodded in understanding. “I found that the one I visited needs a great deal of work. The roofs are leaking and the restrooms are nearly broken down to nothing but cement rocks. They resemble caves in a way,” she said. He nodded. “I think it would be better to demolish the building and only leave the operating stores standing and renovated.”

“That would cost a great deal of money, Charlotte.”

“Indeed it would. But what is money these days? After all, this is a lawless world.”