by Earl Watson
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress a long piece of ash. She leaned across the open space as some of the ashes fell on Amanda’s shoe, and the smoke irritated her eyes.
“Has he told you any of this?”
“No!” The Countess leaned back in her chair and looked out of the window.
“I know that he hasn’t, and he won’t. I am telling you these things because they are things that you should know. You should also know them because you love him, as I do. Now don’t be too alarmed about any of this Coliseum stuff. It’s just a fence that he has built around himself to hide the scars that he doesn’t want people to see.” Amanda dropped her head and looked at the floor before raising it again.
“Countess did you ever meet his mother, did she ever come to visit him?”
“Meet her!! He lived here for over seven years and she never even so much as called or sent a birthday card. She doesn’t know it but that woman is the most fortunate bitch alive!!”
“Why do you say that?” The Countess’ eyes narrowed and turned an ice cold gray.
“You didn’t know me back then when I had a mean streak a mile wide. With my money and power I could have easily destroyed her life, and I thought about doing even worse. I always protect the things that I love, no matter what I have to do! But I didn’t take re-venge against her because if he had found out I would have lost his love and his respect. There is no way in the world that I would ever chance that. He was always protective of her, and always will be.”
“Countess I wish that I could have known him then.” The sparkle came back into the Countess’ eyes as she laughed.
“Oh no you don’t! As as child he was far too fastidious and at times it drove me crazy. He was always too meticulous and workman like about everything, especially people. Do you remember what I said in the car about him and things just happening around other people as opposed to him? Well it’s true! Also watch out for his practical jokes that can sometimes be annoying. But he only plays them on people that he trusts and cares about. I think that is enough of us talking behind his back for now, we had better get back.”
They retraced their steps back down the white marble hallway with red velvet walls. When they reached the wrought iron stairs the 251
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress Countess stopped and called out.
“Alright you two deranged monsters back to your dungeons. I will not speak to you again until your penitence is done. Now quickly run down the hallway and don’t look at me.”
Amanda watched in amazement as the two young men kept their eyes downcast and their shoulders hunched as they scurried out of the bedroom and back into the storage closet.
“Countess do you think that you are being too hard on them?”
“Hard on them! I was thinking about locking them in a cage with an animal that can fight back, like a lion!”
As soon as the women stepped back onto the ballroom floor the Countess’ eyes found Marcus. He was still seated at the horseshoe table, but was surrounded by a group of chattering women.
“Oh my God Amanda, they have him surrounded.” She picked up a stork of celery off of the table and used it to begin prodding them away.
“Get away you post menopausal she wolves. Can’t you see that he’s young enough to be your grandson? Besides he’s here with his girlfriend, show some respect!” The group of women returned to their seats as Amanda and the Countess took a seat beside him. Marcus was relived.
“Thanks Countess, you arrived right on time. Amanda isn’t this some kind of place?”
“It’s absolutely beautiful!” The Countess used that same celery stork to tap Marcus on his shoulder.
“Well after I am gone it’s all yours. The estate, the stocks, the bonds, my cars and all my other properties, and my money. It all goes to you.” Marcus lowered his voice and said sadly and sighed.
“Countess don’t talk like that, and you don’t need to leave me anything.”
“Of course I don’t! I wanted too and so I did, and that’s all that there is to it. You don’t have to worry about my husband because he has already been taken care of. There is no use in you making a big deal out of it because everything has been signed and certified by my lawyers.”
As soon as the rain slacked up a soft mist settled over the Countess’ estate. She was standing by the door of her Rolls Royce 252
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress with a sad smile on her face.
“I haven’t seen you in so many years and as soon as you come to visit, in a flash you are gone. Only God knows if I will ever see you again.”
Marcus took her hand into his and rubbed it gently.
“Why don’t you come to New York and spend a few weeks with us?”
“I just might do that” As soon as Marcus closed the door the Countess reached thru the window and grabbed a chunk of his hair and tugged it softly.
“You make sure that you do right by that girl, do you hear me?”
“I will Countess, I will.” She let go of his hair and ran her hand slowly down his cheek.
“I love you Marcus, you take care.” She watched the Rolls Royce until it disappeared behind one of the hills and into the mist.
As soon as Marcus came into the bedroom Amanda asked.
“Are you going to the Coliseum, tomorrow?”
“Yes, I thought that we could if the weather holds up.”
“Would you mind if I stayed here or went shopping instead?”
“No, but I was hoping that you would come with me.” She sat on the side of the bed as he began laying out what he was going to wear tomorrow.
“Marcus why am I here?” Marcus turned away form the dresser drawer and tried to understand the question.
“I don’t know exactly what you mean.”
“I mean that I know that you have this special attachment to the Coliseum, and that’s ok. But that doesn’t explain why you brought me.”
“It’s a place that is very important to me and I wanted you to see it like I do. What’s this all about?”
“It’s just that you have been acting strange ever since we got here, even before we got here.”
“Acting strange! Acting strange like how? What did the Countess tell you?”
“She didn’t tell me anything, I have eyes I can see. There is something different about you and I want you to tell me what it is.” Marcus danced around the question.
“Alright we won’t go to the Coliseum tomorrow. We can go shopping and I will show you some of the other sites. You are right, so far 253
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress this trip has only been about me. We have two more days here so let’s try and make it enjoyable.”
Marcus kept his word and the next day he squired her around town to see the sights and do some shopping. Amanda could clearly see that he had no interest in seeing the other sights or doing any shopping. He explained everything to her in a dull and emotionless tone. By the time that they got back to the hotel, the coolness between them on the previous day had returned. Marcus lingered in the kitchen well into the early morning hours. It wasn’t until he slipped into bed that she stirred awake.
“So you finally decided to come to bed. You are going to have to tell me what’s happening between us Marcus because I don’t know. You have to tell me something and I need you to tell me now. I don’t care what it is, but I need to know.” She could feel Marcus shift his weight on the bed and he took a beep breath and exhaled slowly.
“Do you think that you could do something for me? She remained silent and waited for him to continue.
“That room back in my condo, the one that is locked. I had it made for you.
“What do you mean when you say made for me? You didn’t even know me when you had it built.”
“What I mean is that I had it made for someone that I would become seriously involved with.” Amanda sat up in bed.
“What’s in this room?” He took another deep breath.
“The room is modeled after the Coliseum, and it....”
“The Coliseum! The Coliseum! I thought that it was just a place that you found interesting after spending a lot of your early boyhood there. Now I see that it is more than that. What do you expect me or some other woman to do in this secret room?” Marcus let a minute of silence drift between them before he answered.
“It’s a room where we could act out all of our sexual fantasies after I returned from work and....”
“You said when you returned from work! What would I be doing while you are at work? I can’t believe that you would dare suggest such a thing. It sounds like something out of the Dark Ages. You can’t be serious, but you are aren’t you? Marcus’ silence was all she needed to know that she was right.
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Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress
“What would you advise that I do about my company?” This question was also met with silence.
“Marcus, when Blakely and Shade closed up shop why did you choose my company, when you could have gotten a job at any company that you wished. If you don’t answer any of my questions will you at least answer that one?” She could see that the question made him uncomfortable as he shifted his weight once again on the bed.
“I came to that conclusion after I cut out that article about you in the magazine and heard you speak. I thought that maybe that woman could be you. Barbara and I were both involved with Mrs. Cooper’s program so when she mentioned to me about her leaving I asked her to put in a good word for me.”
“But you had already cut out that article about me years ago and come to hear me speak is that right?”
“Yes.”
“One more question. Were you seeing anyone before you cut out that article about me?”
“Yes, but that all ended the next day after I had cut out your picture and that article.” Amanda laid back down on the bed with her back to him.
“I have to be honest with you Marcus, your actions and now this revelation about this secret room and what your expectations of me are to be in that room, has truly unnerved me. There is no need in me telling you that this is something that we can talk about tonight or when we go back to New York tomorrow. It’s just something that I can’t even think about doing. I am a free independent woman with a career and a business to run. I am not the kind of woman who would allow herself to be locked away waiting to be somebodies sexual play thing.” Silence was the third person that shared their bed that night. By the morning it had taken up so much of the bed’s space.
That Marcus and Amanda were each at different edges of the bed’s mattress. The alarm on the radio went off and it’s sound bounced off of the rooms walls for a full minute before Amanda shut it off.
Marcus was no longer in the bed and she thought that he might be somewhere else in the suite. Her eyes were caught by a piece of paper laying on the top of his pillow. She picked it up and read it.
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Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress I am staying in Rome for awhile.
I have made all of your flight arrangements.
The Limo will pick you up.
Have a safe flight.
Marcus
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Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress
Earl B. Watson was born in Harlem New York. He spent his formative years growing up in South Ozone Park Queens.
After attending college, he married and raised two children while working as a Court Officer, then as a Clerk in the New York State Court System. His aim was to always write a romantic novel to be enjoyed by mature women.
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Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress Amanda Wilcox owns the top fashion company in New York City. Her fashions are now in demand all over the world. She is now at a point in her life where she has everything that she wants. Everything except true love.
From the minute that she hires her new Company Manager. She is instantly drawn to him. Yet, also intimidated by this super handsome, intelligent, rich, well mannered and mysterious employee. Against her better judgment she allows herself to be put under his spell.
Anthony and Cleopatra
Romeo and Juliette
Rhett and Scarlet
and now
Marcus and Amanda
$14.95
ISBN 978-0-9996590-0-7
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