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How had nobody seen her? A maid or somebody should have secured her a proper guest room to sleep in.Somebody’s getting fired!Monique had that thought as Helen emerged from the bathroom, her dress not much better, but her face not as flushed and her hair much more manageable. “Thank you for the concern,” she said, sounding like the woman Monique met yesterday. Helen joined her for breakfast, where both a grapefruit and oatmeal awaited her. “You’re quite the hostess… I’m sorry, what was it again?”
“Monique.” Helen didn’t seem the type to call herMadamor anything like that. The patrons preferred that because it helped fulfill their fantasy. Helen, thus far, was devoid of that. “It’s my pleasure to be at your assistance. I don’t like the idea of one of my guests being passed out on a couch all night long.”
“Must be in your nature, huh?’
“Excuse me?”
The woman shook her head. “I mean… well… being subservient… never mind.”
Monique couldn’t help but smile. “You can’t offend me, Ms. Helen. Not unless you mean to offend me.”
“No, I certainly don’t intend to offend you. I find it fascinating, that’s all. How does someone get into this line of business?”
Monique folded up the newspaper and left it on the other side of the table. “Not sure I follow you.”
“Just a bit of curiosity. How does a woman as young as you become the proprietress of a place like this?”
“Young? How young do you think I am?”
“I wouldn’t dare guess your age.”
“You’re wise to not do so.” Monique was hardly old, but she was no spring chicken when it came to love and romance. Or sex. She definitely wasn’t a virgin of any kind. “To answer your question, there were a lot of strange circumstances that led me to this profession. I’ve been into the lifestyle since I was a girl. Things fell into place after that. Well, that’s the short story.”
“One of these days I should like to hear the long story.”
Monique sat back, her eyes never leaving Helen’s watchful ones.She reminds me a lot of Jacqueline.It was that gorgeous look and the smell of old money. Oh, and the way Helen grinned when she thought she was being clever. Jacqueline’s hair was sandier, though. And she didn’t have the strong cheekbones that Helen did. Nor was she as tall. Monique fished for more ways these two women were different… she didn’t need reminders of her ex haunting her hallowed halls.
Not like I get out of the house much as it is. It had always been that way. If there was a service she couldn’t get to come out to the Manoir, she didn’t use it.
“I don’t tell the long story often. Too…” Monique searched for a neutral word. “Long. Much too long.”
Monique was a master at manipulating her expressions. Queen Poker Face, an ex-lover used to call her. Most women didn’t want to know about her emotions. In truth, she didn’t want to share them, either.They are for me alone.The easier itbecame to push them down and put on a straight, pleasant face, the easier life became in turn.
And yet, when she put on that poker face now to not betray the terrible memories flooding her mind, Helen Warner still cocked her head to one side, rested an elbow on the table, and said, “Must be a terribly long story.”
Perhaps Monique should have let it go. After all, most would have interpreted Helen’s words as merely supportive. Small talk. A final word before they let things go.I sense something in those words.An understanding that she hadn’t felt in years. She had just met this woman, and God knew their interactions were limited to her innocent questions and being hungover, but in that short time, Helen came across as more empathetic than the thousands of women Monique had crossed paths with during her life.
I need to get out more.
They didn’t see or hear from Ms. Witherspoon until an hour later when she sauntered down the grand staircase as hungover as the friend she left behind. The two women exchanged curt words, Helen admonishing her colleague for being so self-centered, and Ms. Witherspoon insisting that she thought Helen would have found a companion of her own.
“And who would it have been, hm?” Monique heard Helen ask. “All the women here are spoken for. Unless you count Ms. Grant in the dining room.”
“Who, her?” Although Ms. Witherspoon lowered her voice, Monique could still hear her. “There’s a reason she does so well in this business. She’s untouchable. You never touch the madam, ma'am, especially when the madam is the soiled goods of Jacqueline Love. You know,theJacqueline Love.”
“Jacqueline… wasn’t she the woman bought out of the business she founded?”
“Certainly. The very one. Absolute smarmy bitch, but she was invaluable to a few investments going around and… well… I heard through my driver who heard from his brother who used to work at Love’s estate that Ms. Grant pulled a gun on her before leaving with a good chunk of Love’s money.”
“You don’t say. Well, the woman is certainly gutsier than one assumes.”
“You have to be to run a business like this, wouldn’t you agree?”
Monique retained her poker face as the women entered the dining room, oblivious that she had heard either one of them speak so candidly about her.Everything they say is true. From the smarm, to the investments, to the gun… Monique had never shot a soul, and the day she held that gun between her and Jacqueline was the day she finally freed herself from the tyranny she fronted with compassion.
Ms. Witherspoon stayed for breakfast, although Chelsea never came down to join them. Either her patron had left her to sleep or requested she stay in her room until she departed. Patrons had a habit of showing up in love with their mistress before turning a cheek the next day. As long as they paid for the privilege, and as long as the ladies didn’t come crying to Monique, she didn’t mind.
Before the women left, Ms. Witherspoon pulled Monique aside and requested to leave a gift for Chelsea. Of course, such things were encouraged, and Monique held out her hand to take the check on Chelsea’s behalf.Ten-thousand dollars.Half would go to Chelsea. The other half would be split between Monique and improvements to the Manoir. There was a vase for the dining table she had her eye on. This would help.
