- 2 hours ago
- #mystery
She wears many faces to navigate the treacherous world of the elite. #Mystery
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00:03my half-sister couldn't get pregnant so she asked me to sleep with her husband instead
00:07no i can't i am an unmarried girl and i am very afraid of him the first time he'd come
00:14to stay
00:15at our estate half the maids in the house had found excuses to walk past his door
00:20he's stunning and at his age with that kind of power if a girl could land him as a kept
00:26woman
00:26she'd have made it clara you're pretty enough why not try your luck tonight clara actually did it
00:37it didn't go the way she planned he didn't touch her come someone beat her hard by morning the
00:44blood had soaked through her clothes her screaming had carried through the entire house i thought
00:50about that no i i can't she didn't get angry she just smiled and reached out to stroke my
00:56hair vera i remember your mother's been unwell for a long time she needs those medications every
01:02day just to stay stable what do you think would happen if i asked mother to cut her off you've
01:06always been such a good girl just help me with this one thing your mother will be taken care of
01:10i promise she brought me to callaway manor my sister introduced me smoothly this is my younger
01:17sister vera she's been missing me so i had her come stay for a while
01:24once you've given me a child i'll find you a good match you remember my cousin david he's been
01:29married twice but he's comfortable you're not exactly a prize vera marrying him would be a step up
01:35over the next two days she had me study her mimicking her mannerisms was manageable
01:40her voice was harder i practiced for hours and still didn't quite have it
01:45one evening she slapped me across the face and screamed at me to pitch my voice higher more like
01:51hers when i still didn't get it right she had me kneel outside vera think hard out there if you
01:59can't get it right by morning i'm stopping your mother's medication
02:06it was the first time i'd been close enough to really see his face
02:09he was exactly as beautiful as everyone said in a way that felt almost unfair
02:20he was wearing almost nothing under his coat i pulled out my handkerchief and started blotting
02:25at his chest why were you kneeling out here did she punish you for something i made a mistake
02:32she wanted me to think it over you don't need to explain what happened just go inside if she asks
02:38tell her it was my idea
02:42put that on don't get sick
02:46i'll have it cleaned and returned to you
02:48don't bother keep it or throw it out either's fine
02:55she gave me a book that afternoon it's a book that teaches people how to make love
02:59she sat across from me looking completely unbothered
03:03don't be shy study it you'll need it
03:07when he came back she set a proper dinner they ate together the two of them while i was
03:11stressed to look like her and taken quietly upstairs to wait in his room
03:15she told me she'd put something in his drink
03:21i put something in his drink he wouldn't be able to resist
03:27what happened after that was up to you
03:29i gripped the edge of the covers and waited after about half an hour the door finally opened
03:37i could smell the alcohol before he crossed the threshold he wasn't walking straight i stood and
03:42moved to steady him i'd check the mirror beforehand in this situation even i couldn't tell the difference
03:48between myself and my sisters
03:51why are you in my room
03:54i pitched my voice high and thin the way she drilled me
04:00i missed you he didn't respond just kept watching
04:04i gathered every nerve i had reached out and touched his belt
04:09he inhaled sharply when i pressed my palms to his back
04:12i pressed closer buried my face in his chest
04:15i rose up on my toes and tried to reach his mouth
04:19i had it turned out no idea what i was doing
04:22the book had been theoretical the reality of it was different in every way
04:43he picked me up like i weighed nothing and put me down on the bed
04:49who are you
04:51my heart stopped i ran through everything i'd done
04:54the room was dark there was no way he should know
04:57who else would i be it's me it's rachel
05:01he released my jaw he let me kiss him
05:12his voice had gone soft
05:14did i hurt you
05:16i stared back at him and my mind drifted strangely to the first time i had seen him
05:21it had been a formal occasion and all of us girls had been lined up to greet him
05:25he'd gone past without stopping beautiful and remote the kind of man our stepmother
05:31had made very clear it was not for the likes of me or my other half sisters
05:35i didn't sleep that night when the birds finally started outside that was my sister's signal
05:40i got out as fast as i could
05:42she looked me over
05:44that's a strong dose wouldn't have worked on him otherwise
05:47she told me to stay on my back for an hour pillow under my hips
05:50this will help me get pregnant faster
05:59it was strange i knew but my neck was covered in marks he'd left the night before
06:04you see how he doesn't even look at you now
06:06he only touched you because he thought you were me
06:09don't forget that
06:11i slipped away to one of the unused sitting rooms to apply some ointment to my shoulder
06:15i'd taken off half my dress when the door swung open
06:19he hadn't expected anyone to be there
06:21i watched him go still for just a moment
06:23i'm sorry
06:27that evening my sister sent me back to his room
06:31i arrived and he looked at me for a moment
06:33then said very quietly
06:37you should go get some rest
06:38i have paperwork it'll go late
06:44i should have left
06:46but his room was warm
06:47my room had nothing
06:48it was cold
06:49he wasn't here
06:50i just sit at the small table for a few minutes
06:53get some warmth back into my hands
07:04sleeping at a table
07:05aren't you cold
07:12sleep
07:13sleep
07:13you're exhausted
07:14but i didn't sleep
07:16i remembered what i was here for
07:20if you're not tired
07:21we don't have to sleep yet
07:22after that i stayed every night
07:42it had been about a week and a half
07:43you can go vera
07:45i'll take it from here
07:50my sister and i looked at each other
07:52if he saw us together
07:53every lie would collapse at once
07:55don't make a sound
07:57the door had barely shut when he walked in
07:59the latch didn't catch all the way
08:02i could just make out the room
08:06i closed my eyes
08:07then i heard his voice
08:08i'm tired go to bed
08:13rachel
08:14go to your room
08:20figure it out yourself
08:23i waited for him to fall asleep
08:25he didn't
08:26he turned over twice and gave up
08:27then he stood
08:28crossed to the wardrobe
08:29and started opening doors
08:40i waited for him to haul me out by arm
08:43instead he lifted me out of the wardrobe
08:45and into his arms
08:48i told you to go to bed
08:49why'd you come back
08:50he thought i was my sister
08:54i thought you were tired
08:56not anymore
09:06my sister didn't know what had happened that night
09:08every year around the holidays
09:09they hosted a gathering in the garden
09:11this year my sister managed the whole event
09:15invitations had gone out to everyone in the county
09:22my sister for her part was performing
09:24and called me her most obedient little sister
09:27and said she'd do her best to find me
09:29an equally excellent match someday
09:31i drifted away from the gathering
09:33and found a quiet bench near the water
09:35a neighbor's son found me there
09:37we'd studied with the same tutor as children
09:39he was chatty and warm
09:41and didn't stop for 20 minutes
09:42the whole time i had the strange
09:44and persistent sensation of being watched
09:46not gently
09:47something hot about it
09:49and a little impatient
09:53nick recognized him and greeted him
09:55ethan gave a small nod
09:56then he reached across
09:58and took the cloth parcel
09:59out of nick's hands
10:01good of you to bring these for me
10:02i'll take them
10:02thank you
10:05i've been meaning to speak to you
10:07i'll be back early tonight
10:09i didn't know what he was signaling
10:11presumably a message for my sister
10:13that night i arrived an hour early
10:26i was crying before i knew it
10:28i asked him to stop
10:29he wiped my cheek with his thumb
10:32look at you
10:34so sad
10:36do you love me
10:40yes
10:42he touched my mouth carefully
10:45i've been assigned to a six-week oversight trip
10:47i leave next week
10:50wait for me
10:52when i come back we do this the right way
10:55out in the open
10:56i was half asleep
10:57he was warm
10:58i nodded without quite registering
11:00what i was agreeing to
11:05my period arrived the next morning
11:07my sister yanked open my collar
11:09she looked at everything visible below it
11:13what exactly are you doing there vera
11:16six weeks and nothing
11:18the doctor who'd examined me before any of this began
11:21had said i was healthy
11:22capable of conceiving
11:24he gave her a tonic regimen
11:26and said two months of consistent treatment
11:28should produce the desired result
11:32in the meantime
11:33she started treating me well
11:34my room was heated properly
11:36i had a decent coat
11:38my meals included actual meat
11:42then a letter arrived at our home
11:44she read it
11:45looked at me for a long moment
11:48you lucky thing
11:52congratulations
11:53you're getting married
11:54his name is nick
11:59i was sent home
12:01to prepare
12:01the whole situation
12:03was absurd
12:03nick's grandmother
12:04had fallen seriously ill
12:06doctors had done
12:07everything they could
12:08and run out of options
12:09the family had consulted
12:11a specialist
12:12in folk remedies
12:13and old traditions
12:14and he told them
12:15the only thing
12:16that might help
12:16was a wedding
12:17nick was the only
12:18eligible bachelor
12:19left in the family
12:20he had one condition
12:22he'd pick the girl himself
12:23he picked me up
12:24my father
12:25was thrilled to consent
12:26my mother
12:27who knew about
12:28my sister's arrangement
12:29had no real power
12:30to object
12:30the date was set
12:32for one month out
12:33the dowry that had been
12:35assembled for me
12:35which had been embarrassing
12:36was suddenly multiplied
12:38my mother's health supplies
12:39which had been precarious
12:41arrived in abundance
12:42at night
12:43lying alone
12:44in my old bed
12:45i close my eyes
12:46and find myself
12:47back in a room
12:48with real warmth
12:59the callaway air
13:00was back
13:00the overnight trip
13:02finished early
13:02so ethan was here
13:04i sat there thinking
13:05about what i'd call him
13:06the next time i saw him
13:07he was still my
13:08half-sister's husband
13:09and nick's distant uncle
13:13in the narrow frame
13:15of my veil
13:15i didn't see his face
13:16the hall noise
13:17fell behind me
13:18the bridal room
13:19was quiet
13:20i sat at the edge
13:21of the bed
13:21and waited for nick
13:22to come in
13:23and lift my veil
13:24one hour passed
13:25a maid appeared
13:26and said there had been
13:27a mix-up about which room
13:29and would i please
13:30follow her to a different one
13:31i could tell something
13:32was moving under the bed
13:34in the new room
13:34i couldn't look down
13:36to check
13:36i was still wearing the veil
13:44my mind went blank
13:45i blinked
13:45he was still there
13:46i didn't move
13:47and this was my wedding
13:48day
13:48you promised you'd
13:49wait for me
13:50i came back
13:51and you'd already
13:52married someone else
13:53i hadn't promised him
13:55anything
13:55every word i'd said
13:57in that room
13:57had been said
13:58in my sister's voice
13:59playing my sister's role
14:01i'd never spoken to him
14:02as myself
14:03you knew
14:06since when
14:08the first night
14:10i always knew
14:19where's nick
14:22in the room
14:35are you out of your mind
14:36you tied me up
14:37in my own house
14:39on my wedding night
14:40and now you're going
14:41to sleep with my wife
14:44he's not a good match
14:45he has four women
14:47on the side
14:47and a reputation
14:53that was before
14:55i ended all of it
14:57when i decided
14:57to marry vera
15:01i meant it
15:02it was a strange scene
15:03nick was the groom
15:04he was also
15:05zip tied
15:06on the floor
15:06ethan was sitting
15:07beside me
15:08with one hand
15:08settled on my waist
15:09like it belonged there
15:10i actually like her
15:12i know i wasn't
15:13perfect before
15:14but i wanted
15:15to do this right
15:18reformed
15:19sure
15:20at least i can
15:22marry her properly
15:22you're already
15:24married
15:25to her sister
15:26you're her
15:28brother-in-law
15:31i'm filing
15:32for divorce
15:34you can't
15:35you can't just
15:37undo a favor
15:37you asked for
15:39i was assigned
15:40to that
15:41oversight trip
15:42i volunteered
15:43for it
15:43specifically
15:44so i could
15:44use the
15:44outcome
15:45as leverage
15:46i asked
15:47for one
15:47thing
15:47in return
15:49permission
15:49to divorce
15:50and remarry
15:55why go
15:56through any
15:56of it
15:58a few
15:58nights
15:59together
15:59and you
15:59decided
16:00to blow
16:00up
16:00your
16:01entire
16:01life
16:02it
16:02wasn't
16:03a few
16:03nights
16:03it
16:04was the
16:04moment
16:04before
16:05that
16:05you
16:06were
16:06kneeling
16:06in the
16:07snow
16:07holding
16:07bowl
16:07of
16:07ice
16:08water
16:08and you
16:08looked up
16:08at me
16:09and i
16:09couldn't
16:09stop
16:09thinking
16:10about
16:10it
16:12he told
16:13me
16:13the
16:13rest
16:13of
16:13it
16:16when
16:17my
16:17sister
16:17had
16:17first
16:18approached
16:18him
16:18he'd
16:19been
16:19about
16:19to be
16:19matched
16:20with
16:20a
16:20judge's
16:20daughter
16:21powerful
16:22family
16:22the daughter
16:23herself
16:23was
16:24difficult
16:24spoiled
16:25the kind
16:25of person
16:25who treated
16:26every room
16:26like it
16:27existed
16:27for her
16:27benefit
16:28my
16:28sister
16:28had
16:29offered
16:29him
16:29a
16:29clean
16:29arrangement
16:30she'd
16:31stay
16:31out
16:31of
16:31his
16:31life
16:31he'd
16:32give
16:32her
16:32the
16:33title
16:33and the
16:33stability
16:34she needed
16:36she was a
16:36reasonable
16:37option
16:38so i
16:38agreed
16:39that
16:39explained
16:40why my
16:40sister
16:40had been
16:41so desperate
16:41for a
16:41child
16:42without
16:43one
16:43the
16:43arrangement
16:44had no
16:44long-term
16:44security
16:45for her
16:47so why
16:48me
16:49that
16:49first night
16:50i wanted
16:50to stop
16:51it
16:51but you
16:52kept
16:52holding on
16:53to me
16:53and i
16:54couldn't
16:54the second
16:55time i
16:55sent you
16:55away
16:56i went
16:56to the
16:56study
16:57came back
16:57and found
16:58you asleep
16:58at my
16:58table
16:59and
16:59something
16:59in
16:59me
16:59just
16:59stopped
17:00working
17:00correctly
17:05i didn't
17:05expose you
17:06because i
17:06didn't want
17:06you to
17:06leave
17:07and eventually
17:07i could
17:08see that
17:08you felt
17:08something
17:09the way
17:09you looked
17:09at me
17:09when you
17:10thought
17:10i
17:10wasn't
17:10watching
17:10the way
17:11you'd
17:11look
17:11away
17:11the
17:11second
17:12i
17:12you'd
17:12kiss
17:12me
17:12when i
17:13was
17:13asleep
17:14you cut
17:14a piece
17:14of my
17:15hair
17:15and kept
17:15in your
17:16pocket
17:20you mended
17:21my shoe
17:21in the
17:21middle
17:22of the
17:22night
17:23Vera
17:24you're
17:25not
17:25subtle
17:25he
17:26had
17:26pulled
17:26me
17:26into
17:26his
17:27lap
17:27at
17:27some
17:27point
17:28without
17:28me
17:28noticing
17:28his
17:29chin
17:29was
17:29resting
17:30on
17:30my
17:30shoulder
17:30i
17:31went
17:31south
17:31so i
17:31could
17:32come
17:32back
17:32and do
17:32this
17:32correctly
17:33i
17:33didn't
17:33expect
17:34you
17:34to be
17:34someone
17:34else's
17:35wife
17:35by the
17:35time
17:35i
17:36landed
17:37you
17:38were
17:38supposed
17:38to
17:38wait
17:44i'm
17:44not as
17:45simple
17:45as i
17:45look
17:47my
17:47sister
17:48had
17:48tried
17:48to
17:48break
17:48me
17:49a
17:49long
17:50time
17:50ago
17:50one
17:51winter
17:52she'd
17:52heard
17:52from a
17:52servant
17:53that
17:53soaking
17:53a
17:53girl
17:54in
17:54ice
17:54water
17:54during
17:54her
17:54cycle
17:55could
17:55make
17:55her
17:55permanently
17:56infertible
17:56this
17:56girl
17:56is
17:57very
17:57beautiful
17:57she
17:58decided
17:58to
17:58test
17:59it
17:59on
17:59me
17:59because
18:00a
18:00guest
18:00had
18:00said
18:01i
18:01was
18:01pretty
18:02i'd
18:03been
18:03in
18:03that
18:03water
18:04for
18:04close
18:04to
18:04an
18:04hour
18:05before
18:05our
18:05grandmother
18:06found
18:06me
18:07i
18:08spent
18:08a
18:08year
18:08adding
18:09something
18:09to
18:09my
18:10sister's
18:10tea
18:12by the
18:13time
18:13she
18:13asked
18:14me
18:14to
18:14take
18:14her
18:14place
18:15in
18:15her
18:15husband's
18:15bed
18:16she'd
18:16already
18:17lost
18:17the
18:17ability
18:17to
18:18carry
18:18a
18:18child
18:19i
18:20hadn't
18:20planned
18:20for her
18:20to
18:21use
18:21me
18:21as
18:21a
18:21solution
18:21to
18:22a
18:22problem
18:22i'd
18:22already
18:23created
18:23my
18:24mother's
18:24illness
18:25was
18:25manageable
18:25she'd
18:26been
18:26performing
18:26fragility
18:27for
18:27years
18:27the same
18:28way
18:28i
18:28performed
18:28compliance
18:29it
18:29was
18:29protective
18:30coloring
18:30but
18:30my
18:31marriage
18:31was
18:31something
18:32my
18:32sister's
18:32mother
18:33actually
18:33controlled
18:34the
18:35night
18:35i
18:35kneel
18:35in
18:35the
18:35snow
18:36i
18:37made
18:37sure
18:37i
18:37fell
18:37in
18:38the
18:38right
18:38direction
18:40testing
18:40whether
18:41he'd
18:41catch
18:41me
18:42whether
18:42his
18:43hands
18:43would
18:43linger
18:47i
18:48never
18:48intended
18:48to
18:48actually
18:49pass
18:49like
18:49my
18:50sister
18:50in
18:50the
18:50dark
18:50i
18:51intended
18:52for
18:52him
18:52to
18:52figure
18:52it
18:53out
18:58i
18:59made
18:59sure
18:59he
18:59saw
18:59the
18:59birth
19:00mark
19:00at
19:00my
19:00waist
19:01my
19:01sister
19:02doesn't
19:02have
19:02one
19:06i
19:07went
19:07to
19:07the
19:07side
19:08room
19:08i
19:08knew
19:08he
19:08passed
19:09through
19:09every
19:09afternoon
19:09and
19:10i
19:10made
19:10sure
19:10he
19:10saw
19:11the
19:11marks
19:11on
19:11my
19:11shoulders
19:13i
19:14calculated
19:14everything
19:17i
19:18hadn't
19:18calculated
19:19nick
19:25nick
19:25couldn't
19:26give me
19:26what i
19:26needed
19:27it
19:27wasn't
19:27about
19:28his
19:28history
19:28it
19:29was
19:29about
19:29trajectory
19:36he
19:36had
19:37two
19:37older
19:37brothers
19:37no
19:39real
19:39foothold
19:39in
19:40his
19:40family
19:40i
19:41had
19:41spent
19:41my
19:41entire
19:41life
19:42studying
19:42planning
19:42building
19:43a
19:43mind
19:43sharp
19:43enough
19:44to
19:44do
19:44something
19:44with
19:45in a
19:45world
19:45that
19:45gave
19:45women
19:46one
19:46door
19:46the
19:47door
19:47of
19:47marriage
19:49i
19:50wasn't
19:50going to
19:51walk
19:51through
19:51it
19:51carelessly
19:52i
19:52needed
19:52someone
19:52who
19:53could
19:53give
19:53me
19:53room
19:54position
19:55actual
19:55leverage
19:56in
19:56the
19:56world
20:01nick
20:07could
20:07give
20:07me
20:07affection
20:09ethan
20:09could
20:09give
20:10me
20:10everything
20:10else
20:11so when
20:12ethan
20:12stood
20:12in my
20:12bridal
20:13room
20:13with
20:13his
20:13hand
20:13on
20:14my
20:14waist
20:14and
20:14told
20:14me
20:14to
20:15divorce
20:15nick
20:15and
20:15marry
20:15him
20:16instead
20:16i
20:16cried
20:18the
20:18divorces
20:19went
20:19through
20:22i
20:22still
20:23don't
20:23know
20:23exactly
20:23what
20:24ethan
20:24offered
20:24nick's
20:25family
20:25whatever
20:25it
20:26was
20:26it
20:26worked
20:27nick's
20:28grandmother
20:28recovered
20:29which
20:29apparently
20:30validated
20:30the
20:30whole
20:31exercise
20:31his
20:32family
20:32tried
20:32to
20:33find
20:33him
20:33a
20:33new
20:33partner
20:33immediately
20:34but
20:35he
20:35refused
20:35he
20:35went
20:36back
20:36to
20:36his
20:36old
20:36life
20:37the
20:37parties
20:37the
20:38company
20:38the
20:39lack
20:39of
20:39commitment
20:40he
20:40told
20:41anyone
20:41who
20:41asked
20:41that
20:42he
20:42tried
20:42love
20:42once
20:43it
20:43had
20:43guttered
20:43him
20:43and
20:44he
20:49the
20:50blame
20:50landed
20:50where
20:51it
20:51landed
20:51and
20:52it
20:52landed
20:52on
20:52him
20:53as
20:54for
20:54me
20:54i
20:54was
20:55the
20:55victim
20:55in
20:55every
20:55version
20:56of
20:56the
20:56story
20:56that
20:56circulated
20:57a
20:57young
20:57woman
20:57caught
20:58in
20:58the
20:58middle
20:58of
20:58something
20:58powerful
20:59men
20:59had
21:00decided
21:00no
21:00agency
21:01no
21:02choice
21:03very
21:03sad
21:09which
21:09suited
21:10me
21:10perfectly
21:11he
21:12he
21:13he
21:13You
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