In a Lawless Love

In her first two months of marriage Charlotte adjusted slowly to the idea of being spoken to like an employee by her husband. But he’d started to hold resentment towards her already as she’d yet to conceive an heir. Evenings were more often than not aggressive. She managed to get through her days without much confrontation though he still insisted on having all meals together.

Matt tried to be polite with her. He tried to be kind and understand the way a woman worked. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t understand her. She was something far beyond anything he was used to dealing with. All his life he’d dealt with business and money and possessions. He didn’t know how to deal with a woman who was of such little value yet of so much. Charlotte was educated to a low degree, but she spoke well. She was quiet and reserved and she only spoke when spoken to. He very often felt like he was married to a child.

He was 27 years old, ten years older than his wife. But he didn’t take the age difference into account. She was only his wife, her only purpose was to gratify his sexual needs and produce a son. But so far she’d only accomplished one of her purposes and it irritated him immensely. He knew she couldn’t love him; he’d been savage and cruel to her the first night of their marriage. But he wanted her to love him, he wanted her to love him and devote herself to him. Instead he found she devoted her time to sitting in the gardens outside his house reading books. She was educating herself and he didn’t like it.

He didn’t want a stupid wife, nor did he want a particularly ignorant wife. But he did not want a wife that could defend herself educationally. There were few laws, and a man could demand his wife’s body when he felt the need or the desire and there was little a wife could do about the situation. But she could deny it only on certain grounds. A woman had the right to deny sexual acts if she was having her monthly period or if she was sick. Even if a woman was pregnant she could not deny her husband sex.

A woman could however demand a man meet her sexual needs as well as she would be required to meet hers. And Matt was aware that since the first night Charlotte was not comfortable sharing a bed with him.

He was in his office now looking down at his desk. The door opened and Jason came into the room formally. He looked at his employer and let out a soft breath. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hayes. You called for me?”

“Yes! Jason correct?” Matt said, his voice venomously friendly.

“That is correct sir,” Jason answered.

“You drive for my wife, Mrs. Hayes, and you provide her with security correct?”

“That is correct, sir,” Jason said uncomfortably. He found that he enjoyed Charlotte’s company more than he thought he should and he had a fear of Mr. Hayes that was not like Charlotte’s. But it was unlikely that Jason would be able to purchase a piece of land with what and build a house with the money he had. If for any reason Matt fired him his livelihood would be ruined.

“Tell me, Jason, how is she when she’s not with me,” Matt asked.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, sir,” Jason said with confusion.

“See, I’m trying hard to see the things she enjoys so that I might make her more comfortable here, Jason. She spends such a great deal of time away from me and I want to see how I can make her more comfortable and happier.”

“Well I’m afraid I wouldn’t know the things she enjoys, sir. I’m only her security,” Jason said.

“Then I’m giving you the task of finding out, Jason. You’ve been an employee here for some time, I’d hate to see that period end.”

“Of course, sir,” Jason said and looked at the ground.

“Find the things that Charlotte enjoys most, I’m giving you two weeks time to do so, and then return to me and report them.”

“Of course, sir,” Jason said.

“You may go.” Jason left the room then with his mind racing. How could he find a way to find the things that Charlotte enjoyed? Charlotte didn’t talk much to anybody but her dress maid Amber. The one time Jason had attempted to talk to Amber she’d nearly had a heart attack she was so full with fear. He couldn’t understand why she’d feared him. He was a tall man with a strong body and build. But his face was not intimidating. He’d been told before he was an attractive man. The reason he’d yet to take a wife was the presumed death of the girl he’d conceived a daughter with. He had loved her and he’d felt a strong guilt after she’d disappeared. He’d always felt responsible for her death and he couldn’t let himself find a woman to marry.

Charlotte was still lying in bed. The morning was still early and she wasn’t ready to get out and be Matt’s wife. She wanted to lie in bed and be Charlotte Moore a little while. The 17 year old daughter of James and Elaine. The girl who woke up in the mornings and fed chickens before cleaning the small house and eating a simple breakfast of eggs and bread that was days old.

The door opened and Amber came into the room and examined her superior lying in bed and she smiled lightly to herself. “Miss Charlotte, you must get out of bed.”

“Amber, how many weeks have I been in this room?”

“Eight, Miss Charlotte,” Amber said as she pulled back the blankets and assisted Charlotte in sitting up.

“And I’ve not worn a single thing in my closet twice nor have I made a dent in the amount of clothing there is,” Charlotte said.

“You don’t have to, Miss Charlotte.”

“I used to have to wear the same dress twice in a week,” Charlotte said. “I have more shoes than I can stand to look at. I know people who would give their children for a fraction of the amount of shoes I own.”

“You are a wealthy woman, now, Miss Charlotte.”

“But you see, Amber, I’ve been a wealthy woman for eight weeks, and I still have not become accustom to it. I eat each morning with my husband and each evening with him as well. There are people I knew before that were lucky to have two meals a day, and mostly only got one if any a day. My family always had food because my father was a great farmer. My father could grow food for us at all times of the year. My mother could make a pumpkin soup that was so beautifully delicious we could hardly wait to put it on our tongues. She would always make extra to give to our less fortunate neighbors.”

“My family was poor, Miss Charlotte. We ate if we had the extra money. Mostly food when to my younger sister. She was very sick and needed food to keep up her energy. I ate what was left if there was much, and my parents lived on a very small amount of food. My sister died before the fire. She was sick,” Amber said and took a breath. Charlotte looked at her and then away.

“My youngest sister was sickly as a small child,” she said. “Her name is Maryanne. She is a beautiful girl and she will find a husband that will care for her.”

“My sister was named Ruby. She was one of the most beautiful girls in our area. I loved her,” Amber said. “Anyways, Miss Charlotte, please let us go have your bath and get ready for breakfast.” Charlotte didn’t protest then. She just went into the bathroom with her mind racing. She wanted to give things to people.

She found herself sitting at the small breakfast table with Matt eating sausages and eggs with French toast, dressed in a long sleeved dress with a knee length skirt. The dress was a soft apricot color. “Matt…” she said cautiously.

“Yes, darling,” he said. She looked down at the food on her plate.

“I want to help the poor that live where I grew up,” she said.

“Help them how?” he asked.

“I wish to provide them with clothes and shoes.”

“They can get those things for themselves,” Matt said and took a sip of his coffee. Charlotte sipped her own coffee carefully.

“But they can’t,” she said. “Nobody can afford the drive into the city from out there, Matt. It’s impossible for them to get the things they need. Some of them starve…”

“That is the way of life, Charlotte,” Matt said.

“Their children run barefoot and unclothed and when winter comes they freeze.”

“Charlotte, how do you propose we help these people further? You’ve already got me tearing down the malls and reconstructing the large stores so all the thieves we live among can destroy them. I can’t afford to feed all of the families of the world and maintain my own wealth. I’m sorry Charlotte that is not an option I possess.”

“If we could provide the children with clothes and shoes I would be satisfied. Perhaps some amount of produce?”

“Produce? I suppose you’ll be asking me to give them turkeys for each night’s meal next.”

“No, of course not. But perhaps you could provide my father with a larger piece of land? He can grow the food and the community will grow. We can bring back structure in society.”

“You’ve been reading far too much, Charlotte. I don’t like it,” he said.

“Matt, I’m only trying to help people who are less fortunate than I have become, because I have been there watching them. Look at them Matt, go out to the farm lands…”

“What in the fucking world would I do that?!” Matt shouted then. “I have this house, I have this beautiful piece of land. I own miles of farm land to provide myself and my family with meats and produce and dairy. Why in the world would I waste my time and a good suit going to the farmlands to see the poor?!”

“Because those are my people, Matt! That is where I came from! And if you are expecting an heir from me you will take time out of your life to consider where I came from and you will consider the fact that my people are starving and dying each and every minute of every day!”

“If I am expecting an heir from you, I will get one and there will be nothing you can do to stop me, Charlotte Hayes. You belong to me,” he snapped.

“And you to me, Matt. I own you as much as you do me, and I am putting before you my conditions. If you choose to honor them that will be perfect.”

“Listen to me, Charlotte, I will not be given conditions when it comes to matters of sex. The only reason I bought you off your imbecile of a father was so that I could have a woman to give me sex and children. I have no other purpose for you.”

“I am not a possession, Matt. I am a human, a woman, and I have rights in this marriage too.”

“Fine, you want your people to have shoes? They will be provided with shoes and clothing and further crops on your father’s extended land. At a price, Charlotte.”

“Those people can’t afford anything,” Charlotte said then firmly.

“That’s my business, Charlotte. Here are my conditions. I will provide them with everything they need, food clothes and shoes. You’re father will get the first round of seeds for the extended land and he is responsible for making sure his food continues to grow from then on. Materials will be granted for clothing and shoes will be provided for children. But I will get something in return, Charlotte. And they will have you to thank. Each family will give me their oldest child to work on my private farmlands. They will lose contact with them, and those people will belong to me.”

“You can’t take people away from their families all the time, Matt. It can’t work that way.”

“In addition to their oldest child, they will each donate a fine animal to my farmlands.”

“You can’t take away their animals! Those animals are all those people have for food and milk.”

“Then you will not come to me with ignorant demands again, Charlotte. I’ve made my choice, I will help the people near where you lived. I’ve got approximately 290 billion dollars. I can afford to clothe a group of poor. But that is my price. I get a profit out of everything I do, Charlotte.” She looked at him with wide eyes.

“You can’t do that, Matt…you…”

“I can! And I will! Because I am Matthew Hayes, I can do as I please in this disgusting little town, in this state, in this country. The people who work for me all say I’m a generous employer, that I treat them well. They will all be provided for. And my farm will be able to expand nicely so our food will continue to come to us fresh. I hope you are happy with yourself, Charlotte. You’ve made a huge accomplishment. One more…condition…if you ever attempt to threaten me with sex again you’ll find out what I am honestly capable of when you spend your time locked in an attic.” He stood then and left the room. She sat dumbstruck and guilty. She felt like rather than help the people she’d known as a child she’d condemned them to a life they didn’t want.

She stood and left the bedroom before walking down to the first floor of the enormous house. She went to an intercom and paged Jason. “Miss Charlotte, how may I assist you?”

“I will be requiring an escort, Jason.”

“Where will I be taking you, today?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll let you know when we get there.”

***
Three hours later she was sitting under a tree in a park. The parks were hardly used by children. The playground was a thing of long ago. The few that still stood were rusted and people didn’t dare put their children on the dilapidated equipment for fear they would be injured. But this park was beautiful with its trees and green grasses. The air was fresh smelling and cool. Fall would be coming soon and then winter.

“Jason,” Charlotte said as she sat under the tree. A picnic had been prepared for them and she lazily ate a chicken wing.

“Yes, Miss Charlotte?”

“Tell me about yourself,” she said before leaning back against the tree. “Please, sit down with me, have something to eat.”

“Ma’am that is outside of my job description.”

“I’m your boss aren’t I? If I ask you to sit with me then you must,” she said. He frowned uncomfortably before sitting beside her on a blanket she’d spread over the grass. She offered him the bowl of chicken and he reluctantly took a piece and put it to his mouth. It was peppery and the flavor was brilliant. “Tell me about yourself,” she said again. He looked at her and sighed.

“What is it about me you’d like to know, Miss Charlotte?” he asked. She looked at him and took a breath.

“I want to know everything about you,” she said. “You’re childhood, what you liked to do, how you became a security guard for Mr. Hayes.” He swallowed a bit of the chicken and thought for a few minutes.

“I was poor as a child,” he said.

“It seems everybody that works for my husband grew up poor.”

“He likes to help people who he can take advantage of,” Jason said. “That’s how he runs his business, by taking advantage of people who can’t fight him. I was poor as a child. My father died of pneumonia when I was 5 years old and my mother was left to raise me alone. She couldn’t work, jobs aren’t something a person comes by easily anymore I’m sure you know. She was uneducated and all she could do was sew. But she sewed and that’s how she managed to feed me. She’d sew clothes for people in exchange for food. I was her only child. My father had owned a farm but my mother couldn’t maintain it. She lacked the ability. We had one cow and two chickens and my mother collected eggs and milk each day and we barely survived. She got sick when I was 12. She died when I was 15. From there I took care of myself really. I had clothes and a cow and two chickens and a farm. I managed to grow enough food to feed myself for a long while. Then I met Anna.”

“Who was that?”

“She was a girl…the neighbor’s daughter. She was beautiful. She had long chestnut colored hair. Her eyes were dark brown and her skin was perfect white. She was a beautiful girl. She was 16 when I was 17 and I loved her. I would bring her to my farm and show her my small crop. She loved my cow and she would pet her for hours. Yes, Anna was the perfection of my life. I wanted very much to marry Anna. But I couldn’t,” he said. “She was too young and I couldn’t support her financially. But we loved each other and were both young and ignorant and we engaged in marital acts. When she discovered the baby we both decided we’d run away just as soon as the baby came and we’d live happily together in exile. Though she hid her pregnancy from her father for nearly all of it, she gave birth to a daughter late in the night in her bedroom. The next morning my door was nearly being pounded down and when I opened it her father was standing before me holding her tightly by the arm. He had her baby with a blanket tied around it. He was holding it by the knot and he was screaming…” Jason said, his eyes far away and lost in memories.

“Oh my….”

“Anna was screaming, crying, ‘take the baby Jason, get the baby!’ and I did. I reached for my daughter but before my hands could grasp her, Anna’s father threw the child against the ground. The baby died before she knew what hit her. Anna sobbed and screamed then, screamed the horrible sounds of grief. Her father told me I could count on never seeing Anna again. That I’d ruined her and I would never again know the feelings of her skin. The last time I saw Anna her father was dragging her by the arm and she was wailing and sobbing. She was hysterical. I’m sure she died that day. I never saw Anna again, but her family never left that piece of land near mine. I buried my daughter behind my farmhouse and I said a prayer for her. She wasn’t even given a name so far as I’m aware,” Jason said. Charlotte felt like her heart was caught in her throat.

“How horrible,” she said. Jason was quiet for a long while.

“Mr. Hayes hired me as a security guard not long after that. I couldn’t deal with knowing Anna was dead and the child was dead. I turned to alcohol and I sold my cow. I couldn’t stand the sight of that damned cow it reminded me so much of Anna. I sold the cow to Mr. Hayes and he offered me a job to help me overcome my problems. I took it and I’ve been happy since. That was a very long time ago, Miss Charlotte. I still think about Anna occasionally. But most of the time I’m happy with my job.”

“That was a sad story, Jason,” Charlotte said with tears lining her eyes.

“Someday maybe you’ll tell me yours,” Jason said.

“Someday, I will give you all of my secrets.”