Casanova Redux Ch. 10

Love can make you do some crazy things. I never knew what love could make me do until I started talking to Cook. What started as a simple dinner evolved into something so romantic that not even the Prince could outdo us. I would have never thought that an old woman would have any knowledge of love and sex until she winked and reminded me that she was the mother of six children. I was so very happy that I went to Cook. She listened with the heart of a woman and responded with the soul of a lover.

I think she felt a bit strange helping me, though, thinking that I should have approached my mother with this request. Though I love my mother, she does not look on me as an adult and she might have relieved Withers of his duties as a result. I just couldn't have that. I had to have this experience, this one night, if this was all there was, to know where my heart was leading me to. And so, with a little help from dear Cook, I set my plans into motion ...

* * * * *

Withers closed the protective lid over the smoldering coals and tossed the rag into the wash pile. All those years ago when he'd first accepted this position, he thought that there wouldn't be enough work to keep him busy for a week, much less the year that he was under contract for. He was wrong. There was always something that needed repair. Right now, two buckets and a water spout was waiting for his attention. He should have finished them earlier but he hadn't been able to concentrate.

Every time he stared into the flame, he saw the fire in her brilliant eyes and his body betrayed him. "She's too young!" His cock didn't listen to his feeble protest; it thickened straight and proud, tenting his pants so much that had to jump in the pond to relieve himself. He thought about her again as he closed the door, half-wondering why she hadn't come back to visit him as she usually did in the evenings.

He crossed the bridge and headed down the hill toward his house and was surprised to see Jacobi waiting with a horse and cart. "Hello, Jacobi. What are you doing out this late?"

"I'm waiting for you, sir."

"Me?"

"Yes, sir. If you'll get into the cart?"

Withers wanted to question him but he got into the cart with a word and suffered the bumpy ride into the far north pasture. A sea of candles lined the dirt-and-rock path, leading them to a torch-lit tent that arose from the middle of beds of wildflowers. The cart did not travel directly to the tent but took another route, heading to a clearing yards away, where a hammered copper bath tub waited, coils of steam arising and curling over the rounded edges. Jacobi brought the cart to a halt.

"Your bath, sir."

Withers stepped out of the cart, stripped with the air of the waiting maid and sank into the steaming water. The delicious heat seeped into his tired, aching muscles and he welcomed the respite from the pain. He lounged in the water until it began to cool and smiled gratefully when the maid added more heated water. This time, he scrubbed the soot and grime from his skin, emerging glorious and golden from the warmth. The attending maid handed him a towel and he dried off, shy to be naked under the open sky.

"Your robe, sir."

Jacobi appeared with a soft cotton robe and Withers covered himself, getting back into the cart and letting the young man take him over to the tent. Cook stood guard outside, her apron starched and clean and her smile welcoming. "Hello, Peter."

"Hello, Edithe. What did I do to deserve this?"

"You'll have to ask my mistress." Cook turned and entered the tent, standing aside so that he could also enter. At the head of the table sat a beautiful woman, her golden-brown hair piled in perfect curls on top of her head. Her reddened lips curved around the thin lip of a crystal glass, letting the wine touch her tongue before swallowing it down. "Mistress? He's here."

Withers gasped when he recognized the woman who cast dark eyes on him. "Hello, Withers."

"Cassia!"

"Are you hungry?"

Withers sat, his eyes still locked onto her. "Cassia, I don't understand."

"There's nothing to understand. The answer is either yes or no. Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Good. Cook, will you serve us?"

The meal was quite possibly the best that Cook had ever prepared. Quail in blueberry sauce, creamed onions, sliced potatoes in rosemary-basil sauce and strawberry trifle for dessert filled the diners until Withers pushed his plate away with a groan of happiness.

"Full?"

"Yes."

"Good." A subtle nod to Cook and a few minutes later, she and Jacobi were leaving the field and Cassia and Withers were alone. "Beautiful night tonight." She stood, allowing him to see for the first time that her gown was thin enough see through and her body was gorgeous. "Care for some more wine?"

"No." Withers stood slowly, unable to tear his gaze away from her. "Cassia, why did you do this?"

"You know why. I did this for you, so that you'd agree to be my first."

"All this is for me?"

Cassia just smiled, handing him a filled glass. "Let me show you the best part." She led him down another side path, also lit with candles and another tent appeared, nestled between a couple of trees. Inside was a bed fashioned of a goose down mattress, clean, crisp sheets and several plump pillows and Withers turned to look at her. "Please, Withers. Don't deny me this."