Cruel Beauty

Delicate

'He's been like this with you for the entire marriage?' You question and the Baroness opens her eyes and shifts onto her back, you prop your head up with your hand so you can look down at her. 'Yes.' she replies honestly and you feel her fingers start to draw invisible shapes on the back of your hand. 'Have you ever tried to leave?' The Baroness chuckles. 'He'd hunt me down in a moment and make everything worse, besides where would I run to? I have no one.' she gives you a weak smile. 'I don't have anyone either.' you admit. 'To be a woman in this world is a lonely thing.' Victoria reaches up and touches your cheek. 'Why are you doing this yn? Why are you being so kind to me?' she lowers her hand from your face and for a moment you think. 'I suppose I was tired of being lonely.' Victoria smiles up at you. 'I am tired of it too.' she looks away. 'We should get some sleep, I expect tomorrow will be eventful, the press at the event would have taken their prize shot of my humiliation.' she looks away sadly. You tug her closer to you and lie down tightening your hold. 'Oh please, you couldn't take a bad photo if your life depended upon it.' The Baroness chuckles. 'Thank you, my dear.'

In the morning you jump awake as John sets a tray down on the Baroness's lap. 'Jesus.' you sit up. 'You should have woken me.' you yawn groggily. 'I didn't want to wake you I disturbed you enough last night.' she pours her tea. 'How did you sleep?' she lifts a piece of toast but you notice she sets it down without a bite. 'Yeah um great.' You notice her hand hover over an unopened copy of Tattletale. 'Hey.' she looks at you. 'Don't open it if you think it'll upset you, it's not worth it.' The Baroness's lips twitch. 'I may as well get it over with and see how bad the damage is.' she unrolls the newspaper and frowns she's not on the front page. Not a bad thing, but still. She thumbs her way through the newspaper from back to front. 'I don't understand, it's not in here?' You frown leaning over to look. 'I took the liberty of removing the cameras from the guests who attended last night and disposing of any ill-gotten footage.' John calls over his shoulder and you frown in annoyance as he dusts down your room with a handkerchief. The Baroness looks delighted. 'John...' she tilts her head beaming over at him. He turns to her with a knowing look and inclines his head. 'Of course, your ladyship. Which is why I was detained from attending to you last night, I admit I was worried when I saw his lordship break into your room but I had a feeling you'd be in safe, hands.' You blush furiously at his words, but the Baroness misses his double meaning.

There is a loud drilling noise which makes John turn abruptly, you cover your head with a pillow and the Baroness frowns. She angrily lifts the tray off her lap dumping it on you and throwing the quilt off. 'Heaven's sake!' she tightens her robe around herself and marches out throwing the door open. 'What the hell is going on?!' she roars. Two joiners are breaking off her broken door and installing what looks like a thicker heavier door. 'Morning love.' one of the joiners greets. The other starts hammering the hinge of the broken door, the Baroness grabs the hammer out of his hand. 'Are you deaf?' The joiner smirks. 'Well love, this door is broken, it's coming off, this door is whole, it going on, might be a bit too technical for ya.' Victoria looks furious. 'Not during my morning meal you are not, I wish to have my breakfast in silence!' The joiner holds up his hands. 'No can do love, the bloke paying us said he wanted it done first thing.' John comes out behind the Baroness. 'I'm sure you gentlemen could reschedule.' Again the man simply brushes it off in fact he smirks at the smartly dressed, well-spoken valet. 'Sorry princess, we gotta do what we are told. Love how about you get us a cup of tea.'

You come out of the room. 'I think you were told to come back later.' you smile politely. 'Gor blimey are there many more of you in there?' You chuckle and walk over to him. 'What's your name?' you ask politely. 'It's Paul love, and um, what might your name be?' his eyes roam over you. The Baroness's eyes are black with rage and she goes to step forward but John catches her wrist and she turns to him to protest but he's staring at you, she looks confused and turns seeing you slowly lift up the nail gun. 'My name, Paul is not your concern.' The joiner is still smirking. 'Careful little lady you don't wanna take someone's eye out.' You walk closer to him and he relaxes against the wall. 'You see something you like gorgeous?' You smile. 'I believe you were told not once but twice to leave, Paul.' You press the gun against his crotch and he looks down going pale. 'Oi, oi, are you mad, put it down!' He's starting to sweat. 'Click.' you whisper. He frowns then squeals as he hears the gun clicking, you step back, and he immediately looks down, thankfully you've only nailed his jeans to the wall. 'I don't want to have to tell you a third time to come back, I'm really a rather good shot, next time I won't miss and I'd hate to have such a grotesque scene in front of the lady.' you nod at a stunned looking Victoria.