Read Online Wilhelmina A Novella by Ronnell D. Porter - Free Book Online
Authors: Ronnell D. Porter
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my home you will be the one to suffer the consequences.’
Rhoda quickly grabbed the mason jar beneath her sheets and rushed out the door. I got to work on the meticulous task of untying the tight threads on the dress and felt sorry for Yvette. I knew that the gown was laced properly and was more tight enough for any human girl to endure, but now the governess was simply out for blood. Yvette had probably done something miniscule to upset her.
‘I am impressed, Wilhelmina,’ the governess said as she studied my every movement. ‘Yvette is going to experience a grandeur moment in her life, something that you, too, could have experienced under... different circumstances. Yet, knowing full well that this moment is forever out of your grasp, you have been gracious with every step of the way.’
My, wasn’t she gracious this evening?
‘I understand my place, governess. And I am happy for Yvette.’ I really was.
‘For the first time, since you'd stepped in this mansion, I see a tamed girl,’ she said calculatingly. ‘Only when you have been completely broken and restrained can you be disciplined and turned into something of value.’
‘Forgive me, governess, but I don’t quite understand your meaning,’ I said, trying to concentrate on my duty instead of her piercing words, or poor Yvette’s whimpers as I used every ounce of strength I had.
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ she commented. She smirked when I yanked the laces one final time and tied them off. ‘Splendid work, Wilhelmina; she can hardly breathe.’
They left in silence and I wished that I had something to throw across the room. But I had places to be. I needed to get dressed and make myself presentable for governess Bathory’s peculiar guests. Besides, I didn’t want to miss one single moment of Yvette’s presentation.
As I made my way to the dining room, where I was expected shortly as the sun had set moments ago, I was abruptly stopped by one of the children from the kitchen.
‘Wilhelmina!’ Henrietta was one of the yard slaves' daughters. She worked in the kitchen doing odd jobs like dish washing. At eleven years old she was headstrong, and obstinate, which was probably why I enjoyed her company so much.
‘You should be in the kitchen. If any of the guests saw you wandering about, the governess would put you in the garden shed,’ I warned her.
‘I just wanted to say happy birthday,’ she said. ‘I told my mama and Thomasine and they have a surprise for you later when you come to the kitchen.’
‘They didn’t,’ I smiled humorously.
‘They did; they made you a cake. But you didn’t hear it from me,’ she said. She ran off and vanished around the corner, and I continued on my course to the dining room.
Once there, I noticed a few of the guests early tonight, but the governess was still nowhere to be seen. I silently drifted to a corner as they stared, unblinkingly. I knew two of the four by name; an ashy brown skinned woman named Rosa from Texas and a platinum blonde man named Francis were seated casually in chairs at the table, while two others lingered loosely.
‘Really? Left the Trenners' for that sort of lifestyle?’ Francis asked one of other men. ‘And all he has to go on is a theory, you say?’
‘Madness where there needn’t be, that’s what I say; let the blood pour and let us be the instinctive creatures we were meant to be!’ The dark haired man replied. The third man was new. I hadn’t seen him here before in the three years I'd been waiting at these monthly soirees, but he seemed particularly interested in me as he stared, cocking his head as though I were a puzzle to be solved. He had light brown cropped hair, and eyes as black as onyx.
Soon others began to file in, and the governess herself finally made an appearance, veiled and silent. She greeted everyone personally as usual, and soon there was a room of fifteen of the usual visitors, with a few newcomers who had shown up for the occasion.
I tried to
Rhoda quickly grabbed the mason jar beneath her sheets and rushed out the door. I got to work on the meticulous task of untying the tight threads on the dress and felt sorry for Yvette. I knew that the gown was laced properly and was more tight enough for any human girl to endure, but now the governess was simply out for blood. Yvette had probably done something miniscule to upset her.
‘I am impressed, Wilhelmina,’ the governess said as she studied my every movement. ‘Yvette is going to experience a grandeur moment in her life, something that you, too, could have experienced under... different circumstances. Yet, knowing full well that this moment is forever out of your grasp, you have been gracious with every step of the way.’
My, wasn’t she gracious this evening?
‘I understand my place, governess. And I am happy for Yvette.’ I really was.
‘For the first time, since you'd stepped in this mansion, I see a tamed girl,’ she said calculatingly. ‘Only when you have been completely broken and restrained can you be disciplined and turned into something of value.’
‘Forgive me, governess, but I don’t quite understand your meaning,’ I said, trying to concentrate on my duty instead of her piercing words, or poor Yvette’s whimpers as I used every ounce of strength I had.
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ she commented. She smirked when I yanked the laces one final time and tied them off. ‘Splendid work, Wilhelmina; she can hardly breathe.’
They left in silence and I wished that I had something to throw across the room. But I had places to be. I needed to get dressed and make myself presentable for governess Bathory’s peculiar guests. Besides, I didn’t want to miss one single moment of Yvette’s presentation.
As I made my way to the dining room, where I was expected shortly as the sun had set moments ago, I was abruptly stopped by one of the children from the kitchen.
‘Wilhelmina!’ Henrietta was one of the yard slaves' daughters. She worked in the kitchen doing odd jobs like dish washing. At eleven years old she was headstrong, and obstinate, which was probably why I enjoyed her company so much.
‘You should be in the kitchen. If any of the guests saw you wandering about, the governess would put you in the garden shed,’ I warned her.
‘I just wanted to say happy birthday,’ she said. ‘I told my mama and Thomasine and they have a surprise for you later when you come to the kitchen.’
‘They didn’t,’ I smiled humorously.
‘They did; they made you a cake. But you didn’t hear it from me,’ she said. She ran off and vanished around the corner, and I continued on my course to the dining room.
Once there, I noticed a few of the guests early tonight, but the governess was still nowhere to be seen. I silently drifted to a corner as they stared, unblinkingly. I knew two of the four by name; an ashy brown skinned woman named Rosa from Texas and a platinum blonde man named Francis were seated casually in chairs at the table, while two others lingered loosely.
‘Really? Left the Trenners' for that sort of lifestyle?’ Francis asked one of other men. ‘And all he has to go on is a theory, you say?’
‘Madness where there needn’t be, that’s what I say; let the blood pour and let us be the instinctive creatures we were meant to be!’ The dark haired man replied. The third man was new. I hadn’t seen him here before in the three years I'd been waiting at these monthly soirees, but he seemed particularly interested in me as he stared, cocking his head as though I were a puzzle to be solved. He had light brown cropped hair, and eyes as black as onyx.
Soon others began to file in, and the governess herself finally made an appearance, veiled and silent. She greeted everyone personally as usual, and soon there was a room of fifteen of the usual visitors, with a few newcomers who had shown up for the occasion.
I tried to