Napoleon's Gift (8 page)

“I had not any notions of that.”
Benjamin returned frowning, and Bartholomew laughed aloud.

“
Pretender, I can distinguish from the look on yer face that ye do and did, however, I shall let it lie for now.” Bartholomew said as he rose to pour himself a glass of port.

Chapter Four…

Haven

Plantation
…

When I walked into Granny’s bedroom, Ms. Millie looked up.

“Thank you so much.” I said as I kissed
Ms. Millie’s cheek as she rose.

“I’
m happy to do it chil, and did you find work?” Ms. Millie asked, and I turned my back as I felt my cheeks flame.

“Not yet, I’ll just have to go out again tomorrow.” I replied, as I busied myself with changing
Granny’s bed sheets.

“You’ll find something my sweet, just pray.
Le seigneur bonne volonté de fournir
.” The lord in his willingness will provide, she said, and I frowned.

If the lord knew what I had promised to do,
he would probably strike me down.

I thought as I kissed my grandmother, then walked Ms. Millie to the door.

“Are you sure I cannot walk with you Ms. Millie?”

“
Yes chil, Isaiah is right outside the door. I told him when he saw you coming to come down.” She said, and sure enough, there was a knock at the door.

I waved as they both walked off, bolted the door with a sigh, then walked to my bedchamber.

What did I know about being a seductress?

I was
hardly absent of the virginal juncture myself, so I truly had no suspicions of what else a man and a woman could do. The one and only interlude I had ever possessed with a man, was with Billy. We were both nineteen, very
pompet,
and he gave no indication as to what he was truly doing. I daresay I have equated sexual favors with fumbling, and immense embarrassments.

As I turned down the bed sheets, I sighed again, then changed into my dressing gown.

I would need knowledge, and quick!

Where on earth would I acquire it?

It was not as if I could just solicit it from someone.

I truly believed it too would be a mess of
awkwardness as well. Equally, I did not know anyone well enough to inquire of, but Granny. Ms. Millie would no doubt have double heart palpitations, I would not at all be comfortable asking Isaiah, and Abel would most certainly ask me why I needed to know.

I sighed again.

Claudette suddenly came to mind.

Yet
, as I deliberated on that design, I could not recall one occasion I had ever seen her with an actual male suitor.

I frowned as I pulled the
coverlet up to my chin, blew out the wick, then willed my exhausted mind to cease its ramblings.

Ciel ici-bas

Plantation…

I was up with the birds the next day. I saw to Granny’s needs, waited for Ms. Millie, then high-tailed it to Ms. Claudette’s. She was in the garden with Miranda, and when she saw me, she waved me back.

“Well hello
chér
, why you up so early thing morning? Did you have any fortune seeking work?” She asked, and my face turned scarlet.

She looked at me for several moments, giggled, then waved Miranda off.

“I see Soleil has gotten her mitts into you?”

“No…I…”

“
Aucune explication n’est nécessaire
chil, I too am one to fight against moral constraints.” She laughed no explanation was needed here, and I looked at her.

Ms Claudette was near to 30 if what people said was correct, and was and had always been her own person.

“I really did not have an abundance of pickings, and she said it would only be for a certain clientele, but Granny can never find this out. Granny still sees me as a child Ms. Claudette!” I wailed, and she nodded as she rose to her feet.

“Just Claudette
is fine
mon petit
, and yes, I have seen this. However, in life we must do what we must. When are you expected?”

“This night.” I replied frowning.

“Really,
le plus chér,
do you have any notions of how to seduce a man? Or a woman for that matter?” She asked, and I felt my cheeks flame again.

“Not a one.” I s
tated grinning slightly, and she threw her head back and laughed.

“Then come,
nous allons vous enseigner
.” We shall teach you, she returned laughing.

I was in awe of
her home.

I had never been any further than the parlor, and
only just noticed the wrought iron staircase spiraling upwards, the intricate design catching the light from the foyer globes.

This was a very beautiful home
, I thought sighing.

I followed her to the study, and was surprised at the rows and rows of books.

Why, she had even more books than Granny did!

I never would have
imagined that possible from one person.

“Now, sit, we shall learn.” She smiled, then took several books from the first lower shelf. I noticed some of the writings on the cover, then took the brown book fingering the letters.

“Kama sutra?” I questioned, and she grinned nodding.

“This
chér
, is
l’art de l’amour
.” She smiled the art of love, picking up the book. I nodded as she turned the page, then placed the book in front of me.

I gasped, then looked up at her shocked.

“My world.” I whispered cheeks brightly pink, and she laughed again.

“Yes
mon amour
, yours is very limited. But we shall rectify that.” She grinned, and I suddenly got an image of her in a man’s embrace.

She must have sensed it, because she shook her head, then pointed to the other page.
If I was shocked before, now I was speechless.

“Truly?” I whispered, and she nodded.

Well now, that explained so much!

I thought, and laughed too.

She taught me for about an hour, then smiled at me as she handed me the glass of port.

“Now, we shall put into practice all that we have learned.” She said, and my eyes widened as I nodded.

The upstairs portion of the house was even more magnificent than the lower portion, and as we entered her bedchamber, I imagined it looked just like the French
chambre à coucher.

That is
French for bedroom.

“Come
chér
, sit.” She said, and I was a bit anxious.

I had never in my life been this familiar
with a woman.

She removed my shawl, laid it on the bed, then commenced to unlace my dress. I looked up at her, and she smiled.

“There is no need to be
nerveux, chéri
; this is a natural process, and who better to teach you the art of love, than a woman.”

She drew her lips to mine, and the soft kiss she gave me, surprised me. She unlaced my hair, shook it, so it flowed down my back, caressed my face, then pulled my body into hers.

She lightly caressed my breast, and my thoughts were disorderly.

This was far from anything I had felt with Billy.

She slipped the dress over my head, and gently tugged me into the bed. When she kissed me, I felt an unexpected heat spread through me, reaching areas I had not thought much about since Billy.  

   She touched my face and I gave in.

She caressed my thighs, and my head went back of its own accord, as her head dipped towards my breast.  As she took my nipple into her mouth, caressing my thighs, I was amazed at the sensations she invoked. I moaned deeply, and it sounded so foreign to me.

Claudette’s head dipped again, and my hips rose of their own accord.  I ran my fingers through her hair, as she traveled the length of my body, then kissed me deeply.

My word, I never knew it could be like this!

***

An hour later, I sat on the bed not only amazed, but completely taken aback as well.

“
Chér
?” She questioned, and I looked at her.

I felt my cheeks tinge a bit, and she smiled.

“
Il n'est pas nécessaire d'être embarrassé mon amour
.” There is no need to be embarrassed my love, she said with a smile; as she came to the bed, sat down, then smoothed the stray strands of hair from my face.

“
Never that, it is just that I never knew two women, could…well you understand.”

“Yes, and was it not glorious.” She grinned, and I laughed despite my slight embarrasement.

“Now, take this.” She commanded, and I frowned as I looked at the banana.

“Wh
atever for?” I questioned, my frown deepening.

“You shall see,
pour vraiment aimer un homme, est tout à fait différente
.” To truly love a man is quite different, she stated with a very naughty grin.

I laughed as I watched her peel the banana.

Haven

Plantation…

“Abel, I need to see Marié this morn.” Benjamin commanded, as Abel walked into the room.

“Yes sir, she lives just down the way a bit, but she’s still
not awake sir.” Abel replied, and Benjamin frowned.

“We shall see to her anyway. As well, I’ll need one of the men to ready
Tobias’ carriage for town.” Benjamin stated, Abel nodded as he led him from the room, then out the front door towards Marié’s home. “I must say, the plantation looks most auspicious.” Benjamin commented as they walked through the tall live oak trees.

He immediately got an image of himself, and Ginny.

On his first summer here, he remembered she had followed him everywhere he went, asking about the books he carried. He could see early on, that she did not have the appearance of a slave, and she most certainly did not act as though she was.

It
was not until years later, that his father told him she was Tobias’ daughter.

He chuckled to himself, as he remembered the chaste kiss
he had given her, because she warded off some stray dogs in their path. She laughed and said he knew nothing about kissing.

The kiss she
gave him surprised him, especially with her being 11 years old. He still remembered it as his first actual kiss, and it affected him even now.

He sighed as he realized
Abel was actually speaking to him.

“She’s in here sir.”
Abel said as he motioned Benjamin towards the door.

As he walked in, Ms. Millie rose from the chair.

“Well hello
chér
, it’s been
de nombreuses lunes
since I last saw you.” Many moons, Millie cried laughing, and Benjamin smiled.

“Yes it has, and I am told that Mari
é isn’t doing very well?” Benjamin asked as Millie motioned him to the chair.

“No,
l est tout simplement terrible
.” It is just terrible Millie wailed, and Benjamin nodded.

“And Geneviève?”Benjamin questioned, and Millie frowned.

“That chil has been out everyday looking for work.”

“But whatever for, has she not been notified that I am here?” Ben
jamin questioned frowning.

“I
n’ai appris que ce matin
, but she was already gone by the time Isaiah came and told me.” Millie replied, and Benjamin sighed.

“Fine, have her sent to me this evening immediately, when she returns.” He
commanded as he rose.

“I will.” Millie said nodding.

“And whatever Marié needs, just inform Abel, and he’ll see to it.
J’ai toujours été très friands de Marié
.” I was always quite found of Marié he smiled; Millie nodded, then smiled back as he and Abel left the room.

“Thank you merciful lord.” Millie whispered as she pulled the blanket up to
Marié’s chin, then sat down to pray.

***

When I reached Granny’s house, it was nearly sunset. I had to make haste, if I were to make it to Madame Soleil’s on time.

As I walked into the house, Isaiah rose from the chair.