The Nobleman's Masterpiece ✔

12 HOMES

The twins departed early; the other one came to walk Midge out. Those monetary credits—though ill-begotten—were Lydia's salvation. It had worked out.

As Lydia fixed a button on yet another new outfit from Joshua, she asked herself why she didn't feel relieved. Maybe it was the fact she'd had a strange and shameful sexual encounter earlier that day, one so strong she'd stayed hidden in that bed until Midge left.

Watching her own reflection, she tried to focus on the fact that Joshua had good taste. Never mind that they were nearly married at this point. With this money, she didn't need to consider Joshua. She'd clear the air just as soon as they were back home and the money was in her family funds.

"Midge...." Lydia brushed herself off and wondered what the E was wearing. Maybe he hadn't found any proper clothes and was strutting around the tunnel bare and naked for everyone to see.

Lydia's chest heaved up and down with each second she stood there thinking about that encounter. Each time, her memory would skew just enough for her to focus on the good parts. The way they'd squirmed together.

"I wonder if you still have my lipstick on you." To her left, the diskettes lay on the table where Midge had put them.

A full-body mirror was in the vanity area between the bedroom and bathroom. She thought to utilize it but her eyes settled on those diskettes again. Till now she'd left the diskettes on the table, as if she was being noble about not taking blood money.

She snorted out a laugh this time and snatched them up. "You two darlings are coming with me," she said, tucking them under her arm as she worked at doing up her buttons. "Damn it. Damn this E."

Once the bathroom door closed, paranoia drove her to lock it. Leaning back against the wall, she closed her eyes.

"I guess the memory of our weird encounter will have to keep me. I won't be seeing you again." Midge's teasing red lips came to mind. "Damn."

Her body pulsed even now.

That weird memory? What an awful thing to say. That wasn't how Lydia pictured sex. She'd never been the active one seeking out anything for her own gratification—there wasn't much she wanted, anyone she wanted. This was not her proudest moment, and definitely not something to fantasize about so she wondered...why couldn't she let it go? Why did she miss him—what he did—what they did...was terrible.

A part of her still wished it was a proper encounter; those were few and far between.

Much like countless other wishes and hopes, she put that E out of her mind and decided to figure out how to get home—with a fortune tucked under her arm—maybe with one less claim to shame.

A loud thud from behind the door gave Lydia pause. Someone was in her room. At first her heart fluttered at the prospect of Midge coming back.

"Why, hello Mr. Osbourne," Lydia muttered to herself with a grin. The pitch of the muffled voice told her that wasn't the case though. Midge's tone was rich and smooth. This one sounded fervent.

The words were hard to make out, but the hurried chatter and banging of objects meant it wasn't a servant cleaning the room.

It might have been Joshua, but it seemed unlike him to make such a ruckus.

Lydia's heart pounded when she realized she was basically defenseless, holding a fortune under her arm, holed up in a room with no second exit.

"Oh. My. Gosh," she whispered. If someone was searching, she hoped they'd stop at the room and not come toward the bathroom. She wasn't sure how long she should stay there.