The Visitor - The Bell Tower 1873 - 1875

by Barbara Svetlick

Mirisa nodded. “Mr. Sinclare, is there anything you need from me?”

  “No, well actually yes. I was told to inquire as to what you plan to wear to the event though for the life of me I don’t know why since you seem to dress very well though today you have been extremely distracting.”

  “How is Mr. Alston?”

  Mr. Sinclare laughed easily. “He is nervous and I think he’s afraid of you. Personally, I am more afraid of these four men than I am of you.”

  “Please tell Mr. Alston that I will be dressed well enough to bring in the largest charity drive he’s ever handled.”

  “I see.” He put his pad away and thanked all of them for their time. “If I need anything, I will let you know. Thank you again for your hospitality.” He shook hands with all of them and bowed slightly.

  James smiled because Mr. Sinclare was completely taken with her though James had to admit in tight jeans she could take the varnish off of anyone’s piano. She thanked them all for handling everything.

  They returned to the brownstone and she felt completely exhausted. She sat on the couch half listening to the conversation when the children came running down the stairs asking if they could go out and play in the snow. James got up and told them to get their jackets. He finally brought them in as the sun started setting.

  “I think there are way too many girls in this house.”

  “I think four will be good.”

  “Mirisa stop it.” He scowled at her and she smiled back. “Mirisa, I’m serious.”

  Meeks and Garnett came in brushing the snow off their hats as he was arguing with her. Garnett told him to just give in to her as he reached over and kissed Elizabeth. He walked over and cut a piece of cake and sat down next to Maggie.

  “Garnett you can’t have cake if you didn’t eat dinner.” She put her hands on her hips as she scolded him. “Mommy said that you must always eat your dinner first.”

  “Your mother is right but I am not eating until really late tonight and I’m hungry.”

  “Then you should have beans instead. Cake is not good for you.”

  Meeks smiled but didn’t dare cut a piece of cake with Maggie in the room. He poured a cup of coffee and sat down next to Matthew. He often wondered if the children ever got confused over the family structure. Matthew was getting old enough to understand that his mother was no longer married to Dominic but he never talked to anyone about it unless he did his mother.

  Dominic came out of the library when he heard the noise. He fixed a cup of coffee and sat down. He still hadn’t talked to Mirisa about what had happened but it was difficult to find her alone. He had no idea how she was so connected with the ghosts of his family but he kept remembering the night he sat up all night with her after the dream of the ritual.

  Mirisa got the girls up from the table and up the stairs for their baths. As soon as they left, Meeks cut a piece of cake. The nanny put them all in their nightgowns and Mirisa climbed on the bed with them and read a fairy tale. Sara fell asleep almost instantly and Maggie held out almost until the end. She put Lizzie in the cradle and rocked her until she was asleep. Like Sara she loved to suck on her hand when she was sleeping.

  Mirisa didn’t hear her husband come into the bedroom until he sat down on the bed next to her.

  “Thank you for taking care of yesterday.”

  “You’re welcome.” Meeks watched as she sewed a button on his shirt. “When are you going to decorate this house?”

  “I think I’ll start this week.” Mirisa pulled on her toes as she stretched her back. “Are we going to be here Christmas morning or at the Manor?”

  “I don’t think it matters. Whatever you want to do.”

  “I think here.” Mirisa turned and faced her husband. “I love the way you look at me, I love your smile, I love the way you are so gorgeous that I want to touch you, I love your eyes, I love kissing you, I love your sense of humor and I love that you love me.”

  “That’s an awful lot of love for someone so young.” She looked up into his eyes and knew that she truly loved this man with all her heart and he read her expression. “Thank you.”

  Meeks left Mirisa sitting at the dressing table in her robe as he picked up his jacket and went down to the library for a drink. Garnett and Dominic were sitting near the fire talking and James hadn’t come down yet. It had continued to snow lightly through the day which meant that it would probably be a white Christmas. James walked into the library and threw his jacket on the back of the chair before pouring a shot. They were all wearing the new style tuxes.

  Mirisa came into the library in a royal blue dress that was very fitting but had a full flared at her waist. James touched the material because it had a slight sheen to it when the light hit it right but it was soft.

  “Who is shopping with you?”

  “My husband but his style is obvious. I shop a lot by myself or with Charisse.”

  Garnett stood and slipped on his jacket. “Charisse is dressing like she shops with James. I would say it’s working because Jack spends less time at the Club and more time taking her out.”

  “One should never take their wife for granted especially when the options are so wonderful.” Garnett met her eyes and smiled.

  Garnett looked at her as she crossed the room to her husband. There were memories of her that would always bring a smile to his face and most of them were when she was nude. Garnett had watched as Meeks made a sketch of her in the stable. He was amazed at how accurately he captured the details and especially the expression in her eyes, the lines of her muscles and the fine strands of straw that clung to her like a lover. Garnett knew Meeks was going to lightly wash this one but he wasn’t sure where he was going to hang it.

  Meeks took her cape and put it around her before Mirisa put on her gloves. They slipped on their jackets as the carriage pulled up in front of the brownstone. The drive to the front of the hotel was long and it took them half an hour to reach the doors. Mirisa sat between Dominic and her husband but talked to Garnett during most of the ride. She walked into the lobby with all four of them and no matter how often they attended functions together they always made a commotion to the point that some people waited to see them arrive.

  Mirisa didn’t make it half way across the lobby when her father approached her. Mirisa hadn’t seen him since they had returned to New York. They spoke for a while before Dr. Eppes asked Mirisa to have lunch with him on Tuesday. She kissed his cheek and told him she wanted to dance with him if he could tear himself away from the women. He laughed and told her he would certainly try.

  The dinner was drawn out as usual but the food was excellent. Meeks led her into the ballroom and her father took her onto the dance floor for the first dance. Mirisa danced with several more gentlemen before Louis took her hand as the dance finished.

  “I am still waiting for you.” Louis put his hand on her waist and took her right hand in his. Dominic watched him and looked for Meeks who was also watching though in conversation with several gentlemen.

  “You must be a very patient man since it will be an endless wait.” Mirisa didn’t back away from Louis but her hand was only lightly touching his shoulder.

  “Actually, I am not patient at all but some things are worth pursuing.”

  Mirisa looked at him objectively. He was older than she found attractive and probably closer to her father’s age, he was probably ruthless but not physically so, he seemed to be attentive though from what she heard he had a very short attention span for anyone who accepted his proposal and he much preferred younger women. She wondered if she were available if she would buckle under his advancements. The sad part was that she liked him personally. Mirisa looked across the room and met her husband’s eyes. Meeks smiled because Mirisa was beautiful no matter who was dancing with her.

  “You seem to be lost in your thoughts.” Mirisa looked back at Louis and wondered how you would discourage a man without insulting his ego because so far nothing she had done or said seemed to work.

&n
bsp; “I was just thinking how fortunate I am to have found the man of my dreams and married him.”

  “You believe in love that strongly?”

  “I do now that I have found it. For a long time I thought that as long as I loved things would work out fine but I learned the hard way that if the man doesn’t love you so much that you are always the center of his life you are nothing more than another possession that he loves when it’s in his sight.”

  “And you don’t think I am capable of making you the center of my world?”

  “No. You would only love possessing me.”

  “Then there is no hope no matter what I do?”

  “No. Alexander holds my heart and I know that he will never hurt it.”

  “And if he does?”

  “I don’t think there are too many people who would want to be around me.”

  Louis smiled but couldn’t tell if she was intentionally trying to discourage him or if she was that young that the idea of love was still important to her life. Louis generally found women who wanted love were very demanding of your time and attention. Louis would still pay anything for a night with her though he knew that it would only make him want her more. She was an opiate. The dance ended and Louis escorted Mirisa back to her husband. They talked for a few minutes before Louis kissed Mirisa’s hand and walked away.

  Mirisa put her hand on Meek’s arm. “Will you please dance with me?”

  “Will you tell me you love me?” Meeks led her out onto the dance floor as Louis passed Garnett who was coming back into the room. They nodded at each other but didn’t speak.

  “Will you pretend I am someone else’s wife? Will you seduce me like you did at the Governor’s mansion when you knew that Dominic was watching us?” His smile was so wickedly nice. Meeks twirled her and brought her back into his arms.

  “You are exceptionally beautiful tonight. I really can’t image how your husband allows you out of his sight for even a moment especially knowing that I have been following your movements all night.”

  Mirisa loved the danger in his voice and it took her back to the days in Texas when he would approach her when she least expected it. “My husband is a very important man who trusts me explicitly.”

  “Your husband must be a complete fool for I can think of nothing more important than the privilege of touching the softness of your hand while looking into the deep green pools of your soul and that is before I undress you.”

  “Sir, I am well familiar with the rumors of your reputation and total lack of respect for a married woman.”

  Meeks smiled as Mirisa stepped back slightly. “My reputation does not do me justice for I am a far better lover than any man who has ever held you in the moonlight or had the privilege of watching you in the throes of passion.”

  “I believe I am more than a happily married woman and shall not fall victim to your words or the images that are most pleasing.”

  “That is not surprising considering you have only tasted a man wanting to merely satisfy himself.” Meeks pulled her up as she fell under his glaze. “A man does not please a woman by seeking his own pleasures but touches her with desire that he gets from opening her slowly and perfectly. He moves his hand lightly along her chin until it reaches the hollow of her throat where the sweetness of her yearning and her veiled loneliness coats her lips as they deny the perfect lover’s expressions knowing that once she tastes the sweet nectar of his promises she will be unable to turn away.”

  “Do you not fear my husband?”

  “Do you?” Meeks rounded the room with Mirisa. “I have never given him much thought except when he stands between my desire and the woman who is pulling me across the room with a look of sheer innocence that is bathed in wanton desire.”

  “And what if your promises are not what you say they are and I am not as lonely as you infer?”

  “There is nothing I have to do to prove my desire for you or dispel the effect of your beauty on my better senses other than to pull you into my embrace and take pleasure in your appealing lips.” Meeks rounded the floor as she challenged him.

  “You believe you are that powerful?”

  “No, I believe that you have overwhelmed me with the softness of your voice, the quickness of your heart when I hold you and your reaction in attempting to not respond to my touch…” His lips were so close to her cheek that she could feel the warmth spread through her body. “…tells me everything I need to know. The only regret I shall forever carry is that I was never allowed to court you as a lover for you have more magic in your presence than a million falling stars on a moonless night. I have only dreamed of responding to your touch but I no longer have the strength to be so close to you without knowing every curve of your body and every response of your soul at the very tips of my yearning.”

  Meeks looked deep into Mirisa’s eyes as they turned dark green and he wanted to kiss her but didn’t. You could see it in his expression and Mirisa knew that he was no longer pretending but was revealing his feelings during those years when he couldn’t touch her. Without thought, Mirisa reached up and touched his lips with her finger.

  Garnett and Dominic watched for a moment before they realized what he was doing to Mirisa. Before the dance ended, Meeks took her hand and led her out of the room. As he passed James, Meeks put out his hand and without thinking James passed the key. James stopped and turned back around and watched them leave the room.

  “What is with them?”

  “Meeks just took her off the floor with the greatest moves I’ve ever seen and a reaction from her that made me smile.” Garnett put his cigar in his mouth and smiled.

  “Interesting. Wonder who is fulfilling whose fantasy tonight.” James ordered a shot of whisky. “Did Meeks indicate whether or not he wanted company?”

  “Nope. I would say this is a closed session.”

  “He never did like to participate even when he was drunk.”

  Louis watched them climb the stairs hand in hand. If that was the look of anticipation, he’d love to see her when she was in the midst of sex. They came down an hour later and Meeks slipped the key in James pocket before he ordered two shots of whisky. James put his arm around Mirisa’s waist and pulled her back to him.

  “Can I have the next dance?”

  Meeks untangled Mirisa and pulled her over to him. “No, you cannot have the next dance unless you give me the key first.” James handed him the key and took Mirisa’s hand and danced slowly with her.

  “You know Meeks, he has the other key.”

  “James better not leave this room or I will shoot him.”

  “Well, least you could have done was offered to share since you started the game. I’ve really missed having you play.”

  “I think all of you have enough to keep you busy tonight but she would have been the perfect pick.” He lit a cigar. “We’re heading uptown for a nightcap if anyone wants to come otherwise we’ll see you in the morning.”

  “I’ll join you.” Dominic looked at Garnett because it was rare for him not to want to take it late into the night.

  “Dominic, are you in or out.”

  “I have plans for tonight.”

  They left the gala after James brought her off the floor heading to a small night spot for a nightcap and to listen to music. As they climbed in the carriage, Mirisa took off her cape and handed it to James. She slipped off her shoes and dropped them on the floor of the carriage. Garnett looked at Meeks who just shrugged because he didn’t know what she was doing. She slid down the window and leaned out as the carriage moved through the falling snow.

  “Mirisa, you are going to get sick if you do that all the way home.” She looked back at Meeks slowly turning on the seat facing him. Garnett slid the window back up as she put her hands on Meek’s face and kissed him with a passion that came from very deep.

  “Darling, we are not alone in the carriage.”

  “Do they mind if we have sex in the carriage?”

  “I’m sure they would much
prefer if you wait until we are alone.”

  “Did you ask them?”

  “No, I think I know them well enough to know what they would say.”

  Mirisa slid off the seat and climbed up on his lap. Her dress was hiked up around them as she kissed him while her fingers slowly undid his pants. “Do you think they mind now?”

  “No, I think they are both quite interested at the moment.”

  James took his cigar out of his mouth watching her. Garnett leaned out and told the driver to go through the park. It was a beautiful night for a carriage ride.

  MIRISA SLID out of bed and walked out onto the landing. The house was dark except the light under the library door. She sat down on the top step and started to brace herself for what she knew was coming. Deep within them was a need for the adrenaline and adventure and she knew that they were not truly alive without it. She wrapped her arms around her knees and put her head down. They had tried several times to walk away and it always made them restless and unsettled. She looked up as the library door opened and the man left heading for the back door.

  James came out and headed up the stairs when he realized she was sitting at the top. He hesitated but went by her to his room without saying anything. She got up and went up to the music room. The moon was waning but the crystals in the air made it sparkle brighter than a full moon. She listened as the drums slowly washed through her.

  Dominic turned from the conversation and looked toward the door as if he were expecting someone to walk in. Garnett said something to him and he didn’t respond but closed his eyes. James assumed when he came back out that she had gone to bed until he saw Dominic’s face.

  “She was sitting at the top of the stairs a moment ago but she’s not there now.”

  Dominic walked toward the door. “She’s in the music room.” Meeks just couldn’t comprehend what she did when she went into the trances but he knew he was breaking a promise he had made to himself to not take assignments.

  “You are up awfully late aren’t you?”

  Mirisa stood up from the piano and walked toward the window. “Why do you ask me questions that are of no consequence?”