Game Of Bliss

(18)

"What the hell are we doing here?" Ada asks, as Polly leads the sisters towards the Lees settlement.

"Tommy said he was ending the war with the Lees, do you know how he intends on doing that?" Florence questions.

"John broke off his engagement with Lizzie, the Lees have a daughter. John needs a mother to his kids, and the Lees want someone to 'tame' their daughter," Polly says.

"We're going to a fucking wedding?" Ada scoffs, "what if John meets someone he actually likes later on in life? But he's tied down to an arranged marriage."

"I'm sure that won't stop him," Polly says.

"Johns better than that," Florence replies.

"No man is better than that, if something they perceive to be better comes along they'll go for it, it's an economic transaction, risk versus reward," Polly states, "now, hurry up, we'll miss the ceremony."

Florence stays silent as they stand at the back of the crowd. Polly's word were on repeat in her head. Malachi could find better than her. She was a recovering drug addict, who had turned to alcohol to calm her desires. Would he leave her for someone else?

She hadn't realised she'd been spaced out for the entire ceremony until there was an uproar of cheers that disrupted her thoughts.

-

"What's going on, Flo?" Malachi asks, "you've been ignoring me the entire time we've been here."

Florence sighs, "it's something Polly said, about men thinking women are economic transactions, risk versus reward. They'll go for whoever is more rewarding."

"Okay..?" Malachi nods slowly.

"Well compared to other women I am very high risk and very low reward," Florence tells him, and he shakes his head, "bullshit."

"What do you mean bullshit? I'm telling you the truth," Florence scoffs.

"You think you're telling me the truth, and I'm telling you that what you think is bullshit," Malachi says, "Flo, there is nothing, nothing more rewarding than having you on my arm. Whatever it is that Polly has said that you are worrying about, you don't need to."

"I don't?"

"No," Malachi says, "for me, it's only you, it only ever will be you. What Polly said is based on her past experiences with men. It's nothing to do with us, our relationship."

"You don't know that it's only ever going to be, Mal, you can't say that for certain," Florence replies.

"I absolutely can," Malachi states, "there is not a woman alive that could ever compare to you. To the way you make me feel. So yes, I can say with absolute certainty, that for me, it will only ever be you."

Florence stares up at him not saying a word, and she realises he's searching her face trying to comprehend how she felt about what he'd said.

She smiles, placing her hands on his chest, gently clutching onto his jacket, pulling him down so she could press her lips to his, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising?" Malachi asks.

"I don't know," she shrugs, "I just feel like I have something to be sorry for."

He lifts his hand to her cheek, softly running his thumb over her bottom lip, "don't apologise for telling me how you're feeling, I'd prefer to know, especially if it's something like this. I don't want you to ever feel like you have something to worry regarding my loyalty to you. Just talk to me, Flo, if you want me to help, I'll help, if you just want me to listen, I'll listen. I need you to know that you can always come to me."

"Thank you," Florence says.

"Would you rather stay here, or do you want to go back over there and celebrate?" Malachi asks.

"I'll celebrate, but only if you're dancing with me," Florence states.

"Like I'm ever going to say no to that," Malachi chuckles, offering her his hand, smiling as she intertwines their fingers.

-

Malachi had gone to get more drinks, when one of Esmé's cousins approached Florence who was merrily dancing around the fire.

"So how do you know the newlyweds?"

"I'm Johns' sister," Florence replies.

"Ahh, I'm Esmé's cousin, nice to meet you...?"

"Florence," she says.

"Nice to meet you, Florence, I'm Bart," he smiles.

"If you're going to talk to me, I'd appreciate it if you looked at my face," Florence states, noticing his eyes drift down to her chest.

"They're just there you know?" Bart says.

"And your mothers would be in the exact same place on her body, do you speak to her breasts when you speak to her?" Florence replies.

"Is everything alright over here?" Malachi asks, handing Florence a drink, eyeing the man she'd been speaking to.

"Sorry, didn't realise she was yours," Bart says.

Malachi looks at him in disbelief, "first of all, she's my girlfriend, a human being, not a belonging. Second of all, that really should not be your only reason to leave her alone if she hadn't indicated the slightest reciprocity in whatever conversation you were trying to have. Even if she didn't have a boyfriend, that doesn't mean you're entitled to anything."

"I don't understand half of what you just said," Bart says.

"Allow me to put it into words you may understand... fuck off," Florence smiles sweetly at Bart, before looking at Malachi who was smirking whilst taking a sip from his drink.

"You're incredibly sexy, did you know that?" Flo says, placing her arms around the back of his neck.

"Am I?" Mal chuckles, one of his arms going around her waist, pulling her ever so slightly closer to him.

"You are," Florence nods, leaning up to kiss him, "you taste like rum."

"I wonder why?" Mal replies, inhaling deeply as Florence trails her hands down his waistcoat stopping just above the hem of his trousers, with a teasing, sultry look in her eye.

She does the come hither motion, and he leans down so she can whisper in his ear, "I can't wait to get you home and unwrap you."

They were so immersed in each other they hadn't noticed the commotion behind them, everyone gathering Ada - whose water had just broken.

"You two! Stop nattering! Get over here!" Arthur shouts, gesturing for them to follow him to the car.