The Masquerade Of Black Death (UNDER RE-WRITING AND HEAVY EDITING)

Chapter Seven

Claude-Laurence was awoken to a woman in the window. She waved. Ophelia was still asleep. The woman winked.
"Hm?" Claude-Laurence heard a knock at the door. Iris stepped in, she gasped and covered her eyes.
"Lady Thompson. Sir, there's a woman downstairs, Aurelian isn't back and I don't know now to protect myself when the old drunk Frenchmen sees her." Iris pointed at the front door. "Mrs Esmerelda Taylor." Claude-Laurence Taylor swallowed. "Please." Iris added.
"She won't be turned away?" Iris shook her head.
"Trust me. I have tried."
"Allow her in. I'll dress and be down. Let Ophelia sleep." Claude-Laurence quietly crept out of bed. He flung on his suit and walked to Monsieur Esclave's room, to which he was stone out.
Downstairs in the front room was Esmerelda Taylor in all of her glory. Luscious long deep brown curls that looked black under most light. Tight red dress showing off her curves and her assets.
Red lips stained by the lies she speaks. She smiled as she saw her son. Not a happy smile.
'Oh I suppose I shall act the part as a mother. You leave a bad taste in my mouth. If I smile maybe you'll leave quicker.'
Kind of smile. Claude-Laurence sat down opposite her. Awkwardly. A moment later, Flynn came pounding in. Esmerelda recoiled in disgust. She hates children. The reason she only had one.
"Shh. Flynn" Claude-Laurence put his finger to his lips. "Li Li is sleeping." Flynn nodded. Poppy joined him quickly. Claude-Laurence repeated the same thing. Iris soon followed with tea, and something for the children to occupy themselves with. She stood beside Claude-Laurence.
"As a servant here. I am obliged to tell you that this woman has verbally and physically attacked four members of staff." Iris covered her mourn with her long icy fingers.
"Mother for gods sake." Claude-Laurence shouted. Then there was a shift upstairs. Iris's eyes widened.
"Shit." She sighed. She flew into the doorway and saw Monsieur Esclave walking down the stairs. "Oh sir. What are you doing up?"
"What does it look like? I'm sober. I've not been sober since Aurelian was born." Monsieur Esclave looked in the living room. "Tell the curly haired bitch to stay away from my daughter." Esmerelda shouted back.
"She shouldn't look like the back of a dogs shaved arse!" To which Iris was tackled by Monsieur Esclave.
He and Marionette had a child after Aurelian, it was a quick thing. They had love for one another. Marionette didn't realise she'd be able to conceive again. The child wasn't known by Hugo. She had the daughter a eleven months after Aurelian was born. Hugo chose Aurelian's name. He had Latin roots. So Marionette chose a name similar with Latin roots again. For consistency. She liked wordplay. Aurélie.
Aurelian was very protective over his little sister. As was he was with all of his siblings.
Unfortunately for Esmerelda, Aurelian walked in and heard her saying that. Within seconds his angry French shouting started, and Ophelia had flung herself down the stairs pushing him outside. He got passed Ophelia and walked into the drawing room.
"I will harm you to the point you'll beg for death. My sister is beautiful she has the face of my mother!" Aurelian spat like a feral beast.
"I own her." Esmerelda whispered back. Aurelian stormed up into the attic and came down with bags of gold coins. All the money he made off of Theodore.
"Sell her." Aurelian threw the bags at Esmerelda. "I'll buy her! I'll sell myself!" Aurelian continued to throw the bags until he was pulled back by the old now sober man. "No!" Aurelian spat.
"Aurelian. Enough. Go freshen up, we have a guest." Ophelia pushed in. "Mrs Taylor, please excuse me while I get dressed. Aurelian means no harm." Ophelia smiled. Then walked away, Aurelian followed her like a loyal dog does with his master. Upstairs as Ophelia changed she shouted at him. The thin ceilings allowed those below to hear.
"You're a vile witch." Claude-Laurence shook his head. "Would you like a seat, sir?" He stood up.
"I'd rather watch Rose die again instead of spending one more second breathing the same air as her. Good luck son." Monsieur Esclave plodded out in search of alcohol. Iris returned to her spot. Not long after Ophelia came back in. Aurelian following her.
"Are you alright?" Iris whispered to him. She flinched when Esmerelda
Clicked her fingers violently.
"The help shouldn't talk in presence of their masters." She huffed. Ophelia raised a brow, then clicked her fingers back.
"A guest of lower title shouldn't speak unless spoken to. Remind me, Aurelian what is my title?" Ophelia looked up at Aurelian, a hand in his pocket. He kept his gaze straight.
"Lady Ophelia Thompson."
"And Mrs Taylor's?"
"Mrs Esmerelda Taylor."
"Lady is above Mrs is it not?"
"It is. My lady."
"If so, why did Theodore go by Sir?" Esmerelda butted in.
"Aurelian?" Ophelia asked again.
"Lord Theodore Thompson felt a class divide. He preferred Sir. In his words, it had a ring to it. Sir Theo. Further backed up by the name Lady Esme Thompson called Lord Theodore Thompson when they first met. He had nostalgia." Aurelian sniffed in.
"Watch your tongue. Mrs Taylor. You're in my house now." Ophelia nodded. "These are my siblings." She put a hand on Aurelian's back. Esmerelda sat gobsmacked. "Would you be willing to sell, Miss Aurélie Rose?" Ophelia raised her brows. "Or since I'm your soon to be daughter in law, you could just give her to me? Either way I'll wreck your house." Ophelia's sweet tone turned bitter.
"I'd rather not her. She is one of my best." Esmerelda scoffed.
"Oh? But as I quote you she has the face of the back of a bulldogs shave arse. I need a maid to help me. Iris is plentiful, however she was and forever will be my fathers helper. I have Aurelian however, I need help with female things." Ophelia put on quite the act.
"If you don't I will." Claude-Laurence sealed the deal. Esmerelda sighed, but she nodded in the end. Del'Luna came in and Esmerelda told her what to do. Within the hour, Aurélie had walked into the drawing room. Her eyes glistened when she saw Aurelian.
She indeed was a beauty. Much like Marionette. Her skin was a deep dark black. Her body lean and slender. Her face was chiselled, with a small rounded nose, big plump deep red lips.
Her hair is long and very curly, it looked almost crimped. On top of her large curls was a flat brim hat tilted at the back of her head.
Aurélie always wore this tight lycra dress which puffed out at the bottom. It was sleeves and a turtleneck. With black heels
Around her waist was two silver chains, holding up a small black dagger on her hip. With another two black daggers on her back, poking out from the large blazer she wore as a jacket over her shoulders.
"Aunt Lie!" Poppy jumped up. Aurélie smiled, rubbing the child's hair down with her long pink nails.
"Oui?" Her voice was raspy and deep, with a thick French accent. "Bonjour grand freré" Aurélie smiled.
"Bonjour petite soeur" Aurelian smirked.
"Why have I been called upon with documents?" Her deep brown eyes glared at Esmerelda.
"With my documents." Esmerelda corrected her. "Lady Thompson has bought you." Esmerelda waved at Ophelia.
"Vraiment?" Aurélie glanced at Ophelia, but was answered by Aurelian. To which she leapt into his arms. She was only a head shorter than Aurelian. He pulled his blazer over her more. Iris went for the door, to which Hattie walked in. Esmerelda got bored and left.
"I was called to sort out the legal side of things." Hattie smiled .
"You're a Lawyer?" Claude-Laurence saw Hattie burst into laughter.
"Oh sweet man yes. Not just men are." She say where Esmerelda sat, Aurélie sat down, her legs crumpled under her. "You may stand if you wish." Hattie smiled.
"Mrs Taylor always said if she sits I sit. May I? I hate sitting. I'm vulnerable." She hoisted herself up with Aurelian's help.
"Here, you're free to speak and act as you wish. There are restrictions but not more than I have." Ophelia placed her palm flat on her chest, wearing her usual dress with Theodore's jacket over the top, Aurélie looked at Claude-Laurence.
"I'm just the man on her arm." He smiled.
"Merci." She didn't smile back. She only smiled at Aurelian. "Peré?"
"Hm?" Aurelian shrugged. Then pointed at his eyes. She gasped and nodded along slowly. "This is Iris." Aurelian introduced his sister to Iris. He made sure she never came near the house.
"Ah. Scary one." Her brows raised. Iris glared at Aurelian.
"May I ask, why don't you share Aurelian's surname?" Claude-Laurence saw Aurélie tense up.
"We share one maman. His name is from both uh..." she judged Aurelian.
"Parents." He whispered.
"Parents." She continued. "Peré doesn't have a surname. So I keep maman." Aurélie hugged Aurelian. "I can't explain how happy I am." She was basically his twin with darker skin. All the descriptions of Marionette Ophelia heard sounded like Aurélie.
"Welcome to the family." Ophelia stood up. "I'm Ophelia. As you know. This is my partner, Claude-Laurence Taylor. I'm sure you know everyone. There isn't many rules. I am yet to set mine. However, the main rule is to do the tasks set, and be free." Ophelia bowed her head. A huge sign of respect. Aurélie clapped her heels together.
"Oui!" She waited until Ophelia smiled to collapse into Aurelian giggling. "Forgive me. I've heard much about Lady Thompson." She looked up at Aurelian who was starring forward.
"I'm going to love you here. We can torment him." Ophelia laughed evilly.
"She even laughs like mother." Aurelian had a faint smile. "Lady Thompson, Hattie." Aurelian was still smiling. "Is there anything wrong with her being owned here?"
"Not that I can see. Welcome to the Thompson's." Harriet had that smile that all lawyers had.
'I'm happy for you, but I must hold a certain degree of professionalism'
That look.
"What are you strong suits?" Ophelia asked. A stupid question.
"Anything that grand freré can do, I can do slightly worse. I not as much patience as him." Her English wasn't as good as Aurelian's but she got the words out. "Mrs Taylor used me as weapon. I often seduced Mr Taylor." Aurélie smiled at him. He couldn't remember. "Drugs." She added. He nodded. He liked pleasure, woman and a good drink.
"When did you come here?" He asked. She looked down at her fingers, each moving up and down until she came up with four fingers. "Four years?" He asked. She nodded slowly. She was fifteen. "You look older than that." Aurelian's neck snapped. "It's a compliment. Does she know you have a man?" Aurelian's shoulders dropped. Everyone jumped at the ferocious French shouting coming from this young lady. They heard Aurelian but hers was screeches. Mostly about how he didn't tell her. She threw her hands up shaking her head.
"You can meet him if you wish. The children dont have school today, but Eden will come by later probably." Aurelian stepped away from her. She nodded proudly.
"Lady Thompson. I heard tales of your wedding. Can you tell me the story?" Aurélie's lips parted, Hattie raised a brow. But then figured the child was probably told she'll never be able to get married.
"It was a grand old thing, come on sit down." Hattie motioned for them. Aurélie on command dropped down. Poppy climbed into her knee, with Flynn on Aurelian's. Claude-Laurence held Ophelia's hand.
"Maybe this will be us one day." He leant into her.
"I truly hope so." Ophelia smiled. She lay her head on his shoulder.
"When Oskar proposed I was overly excited. Neither of us wanted a big wedding. He was dressed in a beige suit, it fit him perfectly. With that stupid pocket watch dangling on his vest. He had his hair down, it was long and curly at the ends. Slicked back. He came down the isle first, then I saw him. He smiled instantly. We had a maximum of fifty people. At best. We wrote our vows. We had the ceremony in the back garden. It was magical. Back then, Ophelia was still young, she was nine maybe." Hattie's eyes glazed over, memories resurfacing.
"How did he propose?" Claude-Laurence shuffled forward.
"He took me to our spot. Which was the gardens in the library where we met. We sat and read, then he went to read me a part of his book, we did that for books we loved. He read out a proposal scene. He told me to imagine it. Before I knew it he was on one knee, ring in hand. I smiled and asked him what the book said. He said that the woman said yes. She leapt into his arms. Which I did. I pushed him over and we ended up on the white cobble pavement between the grass. Later I found out it was a book he was writing. About our love story. At the end of the book, it has him dying which happened. And me moving on which hasn't." Hattie's smile grew sorrowful.
"It isn't all bad." Aurelian spoke up.
"It isn't." She looked at him. "Aurelian still climbs through my kitchen window the same way he did when me and Oskar were fighting. Worst part is, I leave the front door open for him with a drink ready." Hattie laughed. "Do you want to marry Eden?"
"I will marry him. If not in the eyes of God. In the eyes of me." Aurelian shrugged. "I know Ophelia wishes to marry Mr Taylor."
Ophelia flung herself up. Aurelian just shrugged.
"You do?" Claude-Laurence looked up at her. She nodded meekly. He grinned. "Okay."
"That's it?" Iris stood in the doorway. "Ridiculous." She walked away mumbling to herself. She spoke to Theodore as though he was still alive. In her mind he was. She had been with him since she was Ophelia's age. She's well into her late thirties early forties. She doesn't look her age whatsoever.

The day went by like the day before Theodore passed. In the end, they didn't eat much that day. Eden had arrived and Aurélie grilled him. She concluded she liked him. But sent him packing.
She didn't want to sleep in a room which wasn't hers, and then said she'd sleep with Aurelian like they did with kids. He didn't mind, just one more body to his bed he sleeps in for three or four hours. She'd be useful for when he was out and the kids had a nightmare.
Ophelia lay in Claude-Laurence's embrace in her bed. "I love you." She looked up at him.
"I love you more." He smiled. He loved the touch of her skin against his.
"What you did for Lee today. I can't thank you enough."
"He is not only your brother. Plus, any young lady away from my mother is a good thing." He chuckled.
"I can't wait to marry you."
"L—" Claude-Laurence was stopped by two small hands knocking on the door. Ophelia shouted them in. Flynn and Poppy arrived with two small blankets.
"Can we sleep here?" Poppy looked down.
"Peré is busy." Flynn looked up at Ophelia. She was about to say no but Claude-Laurence opened their blanket, the two children came bounding up between them. Ophelia gave him a glare and he shrugged.
"Come on sleep with Aunt Li Li and Uncle Claude." Claude-Laurence slid on his right side and hugged Flynn tight while Ophelia lay on her left side and hugged Poppy tight.
"Thank you." The children hummed in harmony.