Chapter 25: Surprises

When Jim returned that evening, Priscilla and Rose were nowhere to be seen. Miss Bennett received him and told him about the disturbing events. She assured Jim that the summoned doctor had not observed any signs of concussion on Rose but had recommended a few days of rest nonetheless. The last pieces of information were already directed at her employer's back as Jim was rushing upstairs taking two steps at a time.

When he entered their bedroom rather hurriedly, it was to see Rose and Priscilla cuddled closely together under the the covers. Rose looked up at him with an apologetic smile. Where the bedcover had slipped down, Jim could see naked shoulders. His eyebrows shot up and Rose shrugged in response dislodging the bed sheet even more.

Her movement also alerted Priscilla. She squeaked and tried to cover herself further only to treat Jim to the brief sight of her naked leg. Priscilla was naked! The closest he had ever come to see Priscilla in a state of undress had been after Rose's recovery from pneumonia when they had shared a bed for Rose's comfort. Priscilla had of course worn a nightshirt that pretty much covered whatever physical charms she possessed.

He stood dumbfounded looking at the two women, his mind undecided between his impulse to flee the situation and the fascination he felt over the sight, for both women showed the telltale signs of very recent amorous activity. Belatedly, Jim realised that his presence was causing a terrible embarrassment, and he had the good sense to retreat towards the door. Rose's reaction made his heart miss a beat. Complete naked, she slithered off the bed and walked over to where Jim stood rooted. Before he knew what and when she was close, and then she reached up for his head.

Her kiss electrified him, and the taste was familiar but distinct. Rose gave him a sultry wink and pulled him over to the bed. There she made him sit, and by the light of the bedside lamp he saw her split lip and her swollen cheek.

"Rose, you're hurt!"

"Don't fret, not now! Jim, dearest man: this woman, this wonderful friend, this precious girl, she saved my life again. She stabbed that terrible man with your old sabre when he had beaten me to the floor and readied himself to rape me. Jim, we talked about having Priscilla join us, and I beg you to let it be now that she will become a part of us. Please let us give her the love she deserves so much. Can you please agree to that or is the thought still too unsettling?"

"Rose, what happened today? Who was that man? Why did he... ?"

Rose kissed him. "A Bunion. Landon Bunion's nephew who came from Kansas to hound me. The stupid Kennedy woman betrayed our whereabouts to him. He came to extort us, but I am certain he wanted more right from the start."

"I could have given him..."

"It would have been of no use. He would have taken the money, but he would have exposed me anyway. I refused him, I provoked him, always hoping I could get to the Colt in the top drawer if he attacked. He was too fast, too violent for me. He hit me hard. When I fell, he opened his flap. I was ready to fight him, but then Cilla sneaked up from behind and ran him through. When he turned on Cilla, I was able to grab the Colt and shoot him."

"Does your face hurt much, darling?"

"I'm alive and he is dead," Rose shrugged.

"Do you think he might have something on him to... ?"

"He had. I found it and Cilla burnt it. Be at ease, Jim. It's over, and neither of us nor Bobby were harmed."

She hugged him, and this hug woke him from the stupor in which he'd been ever since opening the door to the bedroom. His gaze moved to where Priscilla was hiding under a pillow.

"Cilla, I have to thank you once again." She peeked over the pillow. "You are growing into a true lucky charm for us."

"I..." she cleared her throat. "I couldn't let him hurt Rose. Oh, Jim! I'm sorry for what you had to see. I will move out, I will leave England. I couldn't destroy what you and Rose have."

"Cilla, this is all very confusing for me. I mean seeing you like this, like I never saw you before. I don't know yet how we can resolve this, but you leaving us will not make any of us happy."

"Jim," Rose said earnestly. "Why don't you just join us? You don't have to do anything. Just join us and give us assurance that you are not angry with us."

He cast a doubtful eye at the two women.

"I am not sure that I can be a passive watcher."

To this, Rose smiled a wide smile. "The better it'll be. We could be kissing and cuddling if this is what you want. We could be doing more."

"How does Cilla think about that?" Jim asked looking at his blonde ex-fiancé.

Her look told him all before she opened her mouth.

"Jim, I have lived without love all my live. You know that. The last weeks and months with you and Rose have been wonderful and heart-rending, all at the same time. To be included in your lives has given me so much happiness, but seeing your love has also made me aware of what I have been missing. If you and Rose are willing to share just a tiny bit of your love with me..."

Her voice was fading and tears were rolling down her cheeks. Jim was not even aware of his actions as he moved up on the bed and put his arms around her thinly covered shoulders. Gratefully, she leaned against him while Rose looked at them with a blissful smile. She, too, moved to Priscilla's side and together, the couple hugged their love-starved friend.

"Jim, you are wearing entirely too many clothes," Rose chided her husband.

He looked at her and saw her eyes filled with love and happiness. If making Priscilla feel loved was the price for seeing Rose this happy, Jim was more than willing to pay it. With slightly trembling hands he opened his tie and his collar, and then unbuttoned his shirt. Undershirt and then breeches came next, but he'd forgotten to take off his boots. Hopping around with the breeches around his legs he found the bootjack and forced his feet out of the tight boots. Breeches, stockings, and then his small clothes quickly followed and then he joined the women on the bed.

Both Rose and Priscilla reached out with their hands to pull him up between them. With a pretty woman on either side, Jim was at a loss over how to proceed.

"Kiss Jim!" Rose prodded her friend.

Priscilla leaned closer and offered her lips. Jim could feel her apprehension, her fear of rejection and his heart melted. He had dreamed of those lips once, and it was not too hard for him to rekindle that attraction. Their lips touched in a soft, almost chaste kiss. That kiss was followed by a more demanding variety, and before long their lips were locked. Priscilla's eyes were rolled back in her head and she was breathing laboriously.

With an inward sigh, Jim surrendered to the temptation. The next hours, the rest of the evening, would only be remembered as a blur. All restraints were abandoned, all rules cast aside, and only desire and tenderness remained. When Jim woke on the next morning, he had two women plastered against either side, both of them with their heads resting peacefully on his chest. He just lay there, wondering where and how he had got into this situation, but then common sense prevailed. Many men would kill to be in a like situation. He relaxed then, enjoying the feeling of comfort. The worries would have to wait until later.

°°°

An inquest was held over Landon Moore's death two days later. A police surgeon reported his findings first, explaining in just so many learned words that Landon Moore had indeed been stabbed and shot. The stab wound inflicted by Priscilla would have been inevitably lethal, but not immediately so. However, of the five lead balls fired by Rose three would have killed him on the spot as each of them lodged in the front ribs after piercing the heart. One shot was slightly higher and broke the left clavicular bone, and one shot was found stuck in the shattered left shoulder blade.

Rose had to give an account of the events, but she had recounted those minutes so many times already that she was able to give a coherent description.

Next came Priscilla who was more apprehensive than Rose. She had to interrupt her testimony twice to regain her composure, and by this time the prosecutor, a Mr. Barstow, was sweating with embarrassment. She was quickly excused.

Inspector Mellard and Constable Bull also gave accounts of their observations before an interesting witness was called. He was the purser of the steamship Northhumbria in which Landon Moore had crossed the Atlantic coming from Philadelphia. The purser, a Mr. Woolcot, remembered Landon Moore as an often drunk passenger who gambled heavily, lost heavily, and was involved in at least two violent brawls during the crossing. Mr. Woolcot then told the jury that Moore had spent the latter half of the journey in the ship's brig on the captain's orders.

With all this evidence given, the jury needed only five minutes to return the verdict of "death by shooting in an act of self-defence". The prosecutor added that he saw no reasons for further investigations and apologised to Rose and Priscilla for the ordeal of their testimony.

Many of Rose and Priscilla's friends had rallied in the courtroom, and hugs were exchanged after the Justice declared the inquest closed. Lady Lambert was there to lend support, and she introduced Rose and Priscilla to another lady of around sixty years. Her face was tanned and covered with a myriad of freckles, and her greying hair still showed the remnants of a once strawberry blonde colouring.

"My dears, this is my husband's sister, Eleanor Ruiz de Costa. She returned from Venezuela a few days ago with her husband. Eleanor, darling, you may still remember Priscilla Marsden-Smith, née Bywater?" Mrs. Ruiz de Costa smiled wryly. "With her is my dear new friend, Mrs. Tremayne."

The two redheads looked at each other with smiles.

"I have heard of you from Lady Lambert," Rose said. "It is my pleasure to meet you at last."

"I should say the same, my dear," Eleanor Ruiz de Costa smiled. "My sister in law has quite a penchant for making interesting friends. Of course, I knew your husband back in the day when he and Priscilla were promised."

There was no malice in the words and Priscilla did not even blush anymore.

"Will you be using your house on the River Thames again?" Rose asked politely.

"Not very likely. First, I have to catch up on all the gossip," she grinned. "We may visit Oxford House, but only to see my daughter-in-law and the children. No, my battleground is London."

It was an almost girlish grin, full of mischief, and Rose liked the woman immediately. Lady Lambert felt the need to explain.

"Eleanor is very active in the suffrage movement. Things will be lively now that she has returned."

"A worthwhile cause to be sure," Rose nodded and Priscilla bobbed her head in agreement.

"It has made for some excitement in the past," Eleanor Ruiz de Costa smiled giving her sister in law an affectionate look. "Poor Ellen had to protect me against the consequences a few times. Be that as it may, I congratulate both of you on your bold actions. You are proof that women are victims not by necessity but only through their own inhibitions."

"We were both victims enough in our lives," Priscilla answered grittily. "Not any more."

"Yes, Ellen filled me in on your admirable stance against customs. 'The unwilling widow', wasn't it?"

"I stood by my wedding vows for as long as we both lived, but not a day longer," Priscilla answered frankly. "I never vowed to cherish his memory."

"Take heart, my dear Mrs. Marsden-Smith," Eleanor said soothingly. "There are good men out there who appreciate a woman of character."

Priscilla and Rose could not help but look at Jim. "I am positive of that," Priscilla answered with a serene smile.

°°°

The St. Albert's Benevolent Society had their next meeting just ten days after the inquest over Landon Moore's death. Priscilla had assisted Lady Wilkes in the organisation of the event and she had suffered much under the attitude of Annabelle Gainsworth. That woman saw herself as natural successor to Lady Wilkes, and she resented Priscilla for being Lady Wilkes' confidante. Priscilla's friendship with Rose and her status as widow without a household of her own made her a natural target for Gainsworth's barbs.