Hard Time's

Backstabber

The Baroness stays for most of the party but it's always best to leave these things early. Leave them wanting more. The Baroness meets John by the doorway instructing him to see the rest of the guests out. 'Has (y/n) gone to bed?' she asks quietly. John has his hands behind his back. 'I assume so Baroness.' she nods. 'Baroness.' she looks at him. 'It might be prudent if you were to talk to the girl. I believe she misses your presence.' The Baroness looks troubled. 'I told you I can not forgive myself for harming the girl I feel I am no better than the monster I was married to.' she puts her hand on the banister. John puts his hand over hers and her eyes go to his hand. 'You are nothing like him, your ladyship. Talk to the girl.' he squeezes her hand.

The next morning the Baroness has her hair braided down one side still in her night robe she enters your room with a cup of tea sitting it on the bedside table. 'Hey.' she uses your informal language but it doesn't sit right on her tongue. 'G-good morning (y/n).' she clears her throat sitting on the side of your bed. 'I'm...sorry about how I have been treating you. It was very unfair in hindsight. I want you to know I am not angry at you but at myself. I should have never hit you.' she interlinks her fingers with yours. 'I know I am arrogant, narcissistic, and vane. I know I can be a lot to live with and that you are no fool you can see that. You love me despite all this.' she sighs looking over at your window it's starting to get bright.

'I don't care that you called me a...that you said I was a whore. Nor do I mind that you had to fight your anger not to slap me. If you had I would not have blamed you I deserved it.' she inhales through her nostrils. 'I have always known in my heart I'm not a saint far from it. You are my sunshine you have been since I saw you dancing all that time ago. The fact that I harmed you in a fashion to which the Baron harmed me. It horrifies me.' The baroness pauses for a while. 'I merely hope that one day you can find it in your heart to forgive my actions.' she feels you squeeze her hand.

The Baroness smiles softly her eyes twinkle she doesn't cry. 'You forgive me?' she leans down kissing your hand slowly pressing kisses up your arm to your shoulder. The room grows brighter as the morning light enters. The Baroness stops seeing a freckle. You don't have a freckle there. She knows your body intimately. '(y/n)?' Lilah pulls the pillow back that was covering her face. 'Mmm, no, she's gone. But if you keep going there's a sweet spot on my shoulder that just drives me wild.' she bats her eyelashes. The Baroness jumps up placing a hand on her chest to calm her heart. 'Lilah!' she exclaims. 'What are you doing in here? In (y/n)'s bed?!'

The older woman looks around for signs of you perhaps close or such if you have had sex with her assistant. 'Where is (y/n)?!' she grips Lilah's throat hard in a blind rage. 'Answer me!' John rushes into the room having heard the commotion. Lilah is gagging her face is going red at the lack of oxygen. John pulls the Baroness from the younger woman who starts choking. 'What the hell is going on now?!' he demands. 'That's exactly what I would like to know!' The Baroness roars as John holds her back. Lilah regains her breath and climbs out from under the covers in your silk red night dress. The Baroness blinks. 'Start talking.' John demands.

'Look I am so sorry.' Lilah's eyes are filled with tears. 'I asked (y/n) if I could stay in her room since she wasn't using it I didn't mean to cause any bother. Cross my heart.' she stares up at them. 'Where did she go?' John asks. Lilah looks uncomfortable her eyes flit between the couple in front of her. 'I don't know if it is appropriate to say.' The Baroness looks positively feral. 'Listen to me you twittering little idiot. If you don't tell me where (y/n) is I will bury you and that is a promise. Cross. My. Heart.' Victoria looks totally infuriated.

Lilah starts nodding immediately. 'You are right I'm so sorry. Please forgive me.' she begs. 'I got chatting to (y/n) since I've been around so much, she's so kind and sweet and-' 'Get on with it.' John interrupts. 'So she told me she's been feeling like she saddled herself with a life she didn't want. She wasn't generating the success she needed as a designer being stuck under the Baroness's label. She said it was dying out and it was drowning her. More so because...well she met someone a young woman a while ago. They have been meeting in secret and having an affair. Of course, I told her she should come clean at once, you yknow honesty is the best policy.'

The Baroness had frozen in John's grip which had softened now he was holding her not holding her back. 'She said she was too frightened after the Baroness had struck her... She feared she would become violent if she learned the truth.' Lilah looked sad and she swallowed. 'So last night when everyone was at the party she snuck out. She left for Paris I think, she said not to come looking for her and that she was sorry.' The Baroness looked devastated beyond repair. John looked stunned and immediately opened your closet and saw your bag was gone.

The Baroness slowly turned and saw this too then stared at your bed. 'Well. I suppose that is that then.' she leaves the room without another word. 'I'm like so sorry.' Lilah calls after her. John frowns as he looks at Lilah. 'Oh, beans I feel like that was all my fault somehow.' John's expression doesn't change he walks closer to Lilah looking at the freckle on her arm. 'Have we met before?' Lilah smiles brightly. 'Yes you silly goose I'm Lilah the Baroness's assistant.' she beams. 'Right.' John replies suspiciously. 'Hey, Johnny could you ask the staff to bring me up breakfast? I am super duper hungry.'

"Girl, you're such a backstabber (stabber)
You're such a backstabber
Oh girl you're such a shit-talker
And everybody knows it 
Girl, you're such a backstabber
Run your mouth more than anyone I've ever known
And everybody knows it"

John leaves your room going to the crashing noises coming from the Baroness's office. He enters narrowly missing a vase that was thrown at the wall it smashed upon impact. 'Baroness.' he speaks softly. 'Why was I so stupid to think she'd ever love an old woman?!' she threw things off her desk. 'I am such a fool!' she cries. 'I've embarrassed myself with such foolish beliefs!' John has never seen her like this, smash things, yes, but it's like her confidence has been sapped from her. You were her entire world. 'I'm sorry.' John spoke softly. The Baroness starts ripping books out the walls and throwing them too.

'Everyone has been right all along I am an old hag! My brand is finished! And (y/n) is gone!' she finally stops throwing things and sinks to her knees in tears. John for a moment considers going to comfort her but he knows she would only be more enraged by this. He stands quietly and obediently until his mistress falls asleep on the floor then carries her to her room laying her on the bed and placing a blanket over her. Something isn't right something is bothering him. Even if the situation was true you would have spoken to him before you left surely, you'd have told him about the affair to break it to the baroness gently.