Obscene Passion (Sample)

Chapter Six

"All ready, Lorraine." Said the maid as she ran her fingers gently through Lorraine's pinned hair and adjusted some parts of her gown. She came around and stood by her side, staring at her through the mirror. They both stared at the mirror, pleased that they had the room to themselves since the girls had gotten bored of seeing nothing fun and had exited the room and also because Lorraine would shed no more tears having resigned to her fate. "You look beautiful." The maid finally said with a sigh, breaking the long silence.

"I don't want to look beautiful for him... I'd rather have my hair in a mess and my makeup in a smear so I'll look repulsive and he will just give up the thought about marrying me." Lorraine mused.

The maid smiled. "I understand how you feel, Lorraine but there's nothing any of us can do about this, complying with such would only make me lose my job and I can't afford such..." She started nudging Lorraine off the chair to her feet. "C'mon now, we must hurry to meet your suitor at the foyer before lady Veronica gets real mad at both of us for delaying."

Lorraine got up, glanced at herself in the mirror again then exited the room with a downcast spirit and with the maid behind her. The maid was right, as soon as they descended the stairs, a buggy pulled up in front of the house. The maid went to stand in a corner while Lorraine joined the girls in the anteroom who had filed according to their ages and waited, facing the door that led from the foyer to receive their guests. Lorraine quietly stood beside Louise without looking at the girls. "You look almost beautiful.' Louise whispered to her but Lorraine didn't reply. "It's such a shame that you will be leaving us soon."

Lorraine deciding to get sarcastic, replied. "You should eventually be married in a short while after I have." She faked a smile.

Louise smiled. "Yes, very soon enough. I shall invite you and perhaps, you will be with child then."

Lorraine cringed. "I do hope a better man calls. I shall be no hindrance no more and I'm sure when I'm gone, all the men who pretend to come calling on you and your sisters will eventually stop their pretence in being interested in any of you when actually, I'm the one they really wanted to see."

Louise turned red in the face. "How dare you-" She started to say when they heard merry voices of pleasantries and their mother, the Marquess and lady Kristine finally appeared in the doorway. Louise quickly composed herself, although determined to make Lorraine pay for her words later.

The trio strolled into the room. Lady Kristine was dressed in a colourful gown now, obviously, she had ended the mourning of her husband after the appropriate several months required of her to do so. She was beautiful quite alright but there was a certain hidden hostility in her countenance. She hovered behind her brother, fluttering her fan before her face as she looked around with a displeased look. Lord Lansbury was rather not interested in examining the house like his sister, his interest was already caught by the girls. "And who might all the lovelies be?" He asked.

Aunt Veronica smiled proudly and stepped forward and Lord Lansbury followed suit. "This is Madeline, my youngest daughter, meet my second daughter, Elizabeth and the first, Louise."

Lord Lansbury's smile widened and he kissed each of the girls' hands, lingering a bit on Elizabeth's because she was the most appealing of her sisters. "Lovely! All lovely! They shall make handsome brides and make some men happy, that I can vouch for!" He said and the girls smiled. He turned his attention to Lorraine now, realizing that Lady Veronica had not mentioned her. "And she?" He gestured towards Lorraine whose face was unsmiling but his bold eyes lingered on her beautiful face anyway.

Aunt Veronica smiled tightly and replied. "My niece..." She gestured at Lorraine and introduced, "Lorraine, Lord Lansbury."

Lorraine curtsied and he approached her with full interest now. "I must say I have never seen any maiden more handsome than you are, my dear." Aunt Veronica and her daughters tried to hide their displeasure at his compliments while he took Lorraine's hand and kissed it, brushing his lips an extra moment on her knuckles but in a way that wouldn't look too obvious nor rude, she forced her hand out of his which he reluctantly let go of.