In a Lawless Love

Charlotte was sitting at the end of the stairs in Jason’s hidden house. An easel with a fresh canvas was positioned in front of her, and she held a brush in her hand. Jason sat on the steps, looking towards a window. She painted the blue of his eyes onto her canvas.

She could see the sorrow and the fear in his face. The sorrow that their love couldn’t be and the fear that her husband would find out that it was. He’d lived a thousand lives it seemed by the way he sat there now looking out into the fall air. The leaves were changing and the winds were colder and Charlotte knew things could never be as they should.

She ran the brush over the canvas again, enjoying the soft scratching sound it made as it ran across. Jason sighed softly and she looked toward him. “Would you like to take a moment?” she asked. He looked down at her and frowned before nodding and standing to stretch his body. She admired him. He was dressed as usual in his black suit and tie, black polished shoes. It was a uniform all the security men in Matthew Hayes’ home wore. The male servants wore a similar uniform but their suits were grey like the dresses the maids wore.

His hair was dark and cut short. It set off the blue of his eyes very well. His eyes were blue as the sky. He was tall and muscular and she felt like she could stare at him for days and never feel badly about it. He caught her staring and she turned her eyes away quickly. He came around the easel and looked at her painting. It was nearly finished, just in need of some more definition.

“You are talented,” he said.

“My mother used to tell me a girl with no talent was a girl with no worth. She always knew I’d end up married to somebody, sold away for a cow or another hog. But I didn’t believe her. I didn’t think she’d really let father send me away. Just the same she taught me to read and write and I found a talent in paint. I never had so much time to perfect it as I do now…” Charlotte said and thought. Her painting had been decent before her marriage. But her life at home had been busy and she’d never really had more than an hour or two to practice. Since she’d married Matt she’d spent hours and hours each day practicing and become a great painter.

“How long is your hair?” Jason asked as he examined her tight pinned braids. She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his, and she thought for a moment.

“Why do you ask?” she said. He smiled a slight smile.

“I’ve never seen it down. That must be a treat only Mr. Hayes has enjoyed,” Jason said and ran his hand down her cheek. She shuttered slightly, a tremble of excitement at his touch. She knew it was dangerous to love Jason. But her heart seemed to beat faster at the feeling of his touch, the warmth of his skin against hers. She’d never loved anybody before but she was sure that was what it felt like.

“It is quite long,” she said.

“Someday I’d like to see it,” he said casually. She looked up at him with longing. She was willing him to take out the pins, to loosen her braids and let them fall. Her chocolate hair would fall past her waist in waves.

“You can see it anytime you’d like,” she said after some minutes. She nearly cried out when he pulled the first pin from her hair. Her heart was beating fast, pounding against her chest hard enough for her to see it slamming under her breast and hear it beating in her ears. She watched as he dropped the pins, one by one, onto the ground. She felt the first braid fall and then the second and she unwound her hair quickly with both hands. He watched as it fell in smooth cascades down her shoulders. She ran her fingers through it and she stood up. It was long, past her bottom.

“It’s beautiful,” he said and cautiously he ran his fingers through the strands at the front. She trembled weakly at the feeling as his hand slipped around her neck and he pulled her towards him, kissing her mouth softly. She melted into the kiss, her body heating up from its core. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and she ran her hands up into his hair, pulling him harder into the kiss.

She pulled away then suddenly. Her eyes were wide and her heart still racing. “We can’t, Jason,” she said. “We can’t do this. If Matt finds out we’ll both be in danger. You don’t know what he can do.” She pulled out of his embrace.

“Oh Charlotte, don’t fight me, please,” Jason said. His voice was sad and sincere. Sorrow laced each word and bubbled out. “I love you.” She looked down at the ground and then back towards the portrait.

“We had better get the painting finished before Mr. Hayes is missing me,” she said, her voice laced with tears. “I would very much like to continue on, Jason. But if Matt finds out…we are as good as dead.” Jason frowned before returning to the stairs and this time when he sat and looked out the window his heart filled with the grey of clouds and the storm made it to his eyes.

Matt was sitting in his office chair looking at the painting of the ocean Charlotte had given him. He was leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together forming a pyramid. His suit jacket hung on the back of his chair and his tie was loosened. He could remember the day spent at the beach with her and how happy she had seemed.

He sat up then and looked over a calendar he had on his desk. He looked over his appointments and smiled when he came across a block of three days with no work. He picked up the phone he had in the office and dialed a familiar number.

“Hector! Hello!” he said in a delighted voice.

“Hello, Mr. Hayes, what can we do for you?”

“I’d like you to ready the establishment for a three day visit two weeks from this day. I plan to take my wife for a time away from home.”

“Of course, sir, it will be ready for you,” Hector said on the other end of the line.

“It must be everything a young girl could enjoy. Romantic, Hector, I am expecting fresh roses and clean linens,” Matt said. He was feeling in high spirits. He was sure maybe if Charlotte was taken away from the stresses of his home she’d be able to produce the child he longed for. A child was something important, something he was determined to get from the marriage. “Also, you’ll need to appoint her a maid. She likes to take hot baths in the mornings so be sure the master bathroom is supplied with salts and bubbles for her. Thank you, Hector that is all I will be needing. Oh yes, and I will be sending up a pair of horses. Be sure there is enough grain to feed them fully.” He hung up the phone then and stood before stretching his body out and checking an old clock. The clock was nearly 300 years old and it hung on the wall delicately. It read 6:00. He straightened his tie and put his suit jacket back on before leaving the office.

The kitchens smelled of garlic and herbs. He walked into the kitchen to see what his servants had planned for the meal this evening. The head cook was an old woman. She’d been the head cook for his father and it saddened him to think she couldn’t be there when his son was in charge. But her only daughter worked in the kitchen too. Matt had played with her as a child. She was only a year older than himself.

“Well, good evening, Mr. Hayes,” the old woman said as she stirred a sauce with a wooden spoon. “I haven’t seen you in a long while.”

“Why, Miss Millie, you know I’m a busy man,” he said in a charming voice. The woman’s full name was Mildred and she was short and thick with grey hair she kept pinned in a tight bun at all times. She’d taken care of him when he was sick as a young boy, making him homemade soups with hidden medications so he wouldn’t fight them. She’d saved his life once when he was just under ten.

“Always too busy, Mr. Hayes. Too busy for your old Miss Millie,” Millie said.

“I’m sorry, Miss Millie, I’ll be sure to get back up here more often,” Matt said his voice still full of charm. He’d taken her to be like a mother. Margret had never been much of a mother. “What are you making for dinner?”

“Your favorite, Mr. Hayes. Prawns in lemon garlic sauce with a side of pasta. Caroline is baking fresh bread rolls. Can’t you smell them?” Millie asked. Matt took a deep breath through his nose and held in.

“My, they do smell divine,” he said.

“That wife of yours had just come back from her adventure. She seemed much brighter today, her eyes were smiling with her. She must have spent some time on the beach,” Millie said. “Maybe she’s finally got it.”

“Now, Millie, how is it that you know all my business?”

“A woman been here as long as I have knows things, Matthew.” Matt grinned and gave the woman a loving peck on the cheek. He slipped his fingers towards the pan with the hot prawns and Millie smacked the top of his hand with her wooden spoon. “Don’t get cute, Matthew.”

“But I’m simply starving to death,” he said in a childish voice still laced with charm. She rolled her eyes and picked up a bread roll, still hot from the oven and filled it with prawns. She gave it to him rolled in a napkin.

“Now out with you, you are invading my space,” she said cheerfully as she shooed him out of the kitchen. He laughed lightly before leaving the kitchen and going up the stairs to his bedroom, eating his treat from the kitchen.

Charlotte was sitting in front of the vanity mirror when he walked in. She looked at him through the mirror and she forced a smile so not to seem too upset with his presence. Her hair was still loose, hanging down her back. She was looking at her make-up. “How pleasant to see you, wife,” Matt said and wiped his mouth with the napkin that had held the sandwich.

“Yes, you too,” Charlotte said. He came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist before kissing her neck. She closed her eyes, trying to will him to stop. She hated his attempts at affection.

“You’re hair is so soft, my darling,” he said and ran his nose throw it. It carried a soft scent of roses. She looked down at her fingers.

“I was about to put back in its braids.”

“Leave it down tonight,” he said. “Millie has made a beautiful dinner. And maybe put on a nicer dress. Tonight we are going to enjoy each other. My mother has taken ill. She will not be joining us.”

“That is too bad,” Charlotte said.

“I don’t think so,” Matt said and laughed lightly. He loved her more than he’d imagined he would. Love was a powerful emotion, one he had never really had the privilege of knowing. Now it was there and it was foreign and in ways it was frightening. His entire life he’d had control over everything around him. This new emotion took away that control.

“I’m not very hungry tonight, husband,” Charlotte said. His face fell into a frown and he looked at her.

“You will join me for dinner, Charlotte,” he snapped. “It is the only time of day you are here. Meal times are the only times I have the privilege of seeing my wife! You will come to dinner, with your hair left down. Wear the red dress. It fits you well. Dinner will be served in 15 minutes,” he said and straightened. “I try, Charlotte. To be kind and gentle with you. But then you make it so difficult when it’s like you’ve skin made of ice.” He stormed out of the room then and she looked after him.

“My skin is only of ice to you my dear,” she said in a soft whisper. Amber entered the room then and looked at her friend.

“Shall we get you dressed for this evening, Miss Charlotte?” she asked in her usual saddened voice. “Mr. Hayes had instructed me in what you should wear.”

The dress was velvet, with a transparent mesh neckline, leaving her breasts highly exposed. The sleeves were long velvet and along the deep V of the neck were crystal beads. It was beautiful and expensive and Charlotte felt uncomfortable in it. Its heavy velvet skirt went to the floor with a long slit up one side. Amber painted her lips a deep red to match the gown and brushed through Charlotte’s dark chocolate hair.

“You are beautiful, Miss,” Amber said in a soft voice. Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror. Amber had brushed her hair up in the front, giving it volume and a perfect frame around her face. Looking at her in the mirror was the woman that had been there on her wedding day. A grown woman, not a child of 17.

“I thank you,” Charlotte said quietly. She stood from her seat and looked at the small clock on the night table. “I will be late if I don’t go down now.” She gave Amber a tight hug then and forced away tears. She was a slave to him. Just like all his employees. She was a slave to Matthew Hayes.

When she got to the dinner table Matt smiled brightly. His smile was sincere but she never could trust him. There was always a look in his eyes that reminded her he was a business man and nothing more.

“I have arranged for us to go away for some time in a couple weeks. We will be visiting my vacation home for three days. Amber will pack for you so no need to worry about being sure you have warm clothes,” he said.

“That will be lovely,” Charlotte said and put a prawn into her mouth. The strong taste of lemon with garlic filled her mouth and she savored it excitedly. She bit into a roll next. She didn’t want to talk. She wanted very much for the exploitation to end. Though she knew it would only end with the vile love making Matt insisted on near every night.

“Not as lovely as you, my love,” he said. She swallowed her mouthful with a drink of bittersweet wine. “Slow down, Charlotte. You will make yourself sick.”

“I won’t,” she insisted and put in another bite of her dinner. Matt frowned.

“Why are you in a rush, darling? Has something happened?”

“No,” she said. “Matt, I’ve run low on paints. Could you somehow arrange to get me some more? I do love to paint in the garden, and soon the leaves will be changing.” She took another swallow of wine and gave him a soft smile.

“Of course I will arrange you more paints. Do you need canvas?” he asked. The thought for a moment.

“No,” she said. “I believe I’ve enough canvas to last me some time. Just paints.” She tried her best to give him a loving glance. If she could convince him she loved him too evenings were less aggressive.

“You will love the vacation home, Charlotte. It is beautiful this time of year. The air is cool and the leaves are beautiful colors. Yes, It is a beautiful place.”

“Have you dogs there?” Charlotte asked. Matt thought.

“Yes, a Shepherd and a Labrador. Both of them are wonderful dogs. A few of my employees have children and they play with the dogs, just as they do the dogs here. Our horses will be there too when we arrive. It is the perfect area for a horse ride. It will be three days just you and myself. There will be no work. Just you and I and all the time we need to be close.”

“Oh Matt, it sounds beautiful,” she said in as cheerful a voice as she could manage.

“My darling, it is,” he said.