Suburban Heat: House Of Swan by Author Marcus De Storm, has for many years caused a huge stir within the Erotica Literature Scene. Originally released as “Suburban Heat: Rise Of An Empire” consisting of more than 900 pages and 26 Chapters, it was found that no Publisher would print such a large novel, so instead the Author broke the colossal book down into two 360+ page novels that were edited, polished and in all manner of respect to the storyline extended. Meeting the requirements of the Publisher (and Printer) the first novel (this one) was released one month apart from the second Master To A Lord.
Written some 15 years before a certain other – somewhat mild (if that) – erotic novel that brought a naive young woman together with her billionaire Dominant, you know the one, the Author of Suburban Heat in his wisdom (as well as doing the world a favour) completed the novel just three months after the first part to the E L James’s trilogy had been released. With absolutely no similarity between the two, it was an extra component in The Suburban Heat Series that brought about controversy and debate.
For the very first time, ever, the novel (available to buy on Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bookstores) is now available here on HiveQuilibrium in its original eBook Format, which is the first of the two novels to be posted in The HiveQuilibrium Shop. Caution is advised, however, as the contents of this book are of a very graphic adult nature in parts, as well as violent. It does not demean women in any way, although a lot of passion unfolds within the first chapter… Still interested? Buy the eBook novel now HERE.
SAMPLE
PROLOGUE
Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa has stood for more than fifteen generations, its overall design built purposely around the pre-sixteenth century Masonic architectural elegance of King Charles VIII of France, the sitter of “The House of Valois”, while in every way giving just as much luxury to the tenants that have walked its very lush and almost certainly beautiful tainted halls.
Sitting prominently upon Cacciatori Hill, the military advantage point gave Lord Arthur Barrisa-O’Neill the perfect pre-warning of any foreign approach – or attack. His family name has carried a much heavier form of authority than most other noble Stately Homes in and around the United Kingdom, much to the bitter taste which stayed within the local villager’s mouths many would tend to agree. And, for the many generations of Oak Wood Village, up until the early 1940’s, it was the Barrisa-O’Neill family that had no favours owing to them or their kind, or indeed that of their nobility claim.
Lord Arthur Barrisa-O’Neill himself had become wrapped within controversy during his fifty-five-year reign, as some twenty female staff members to his noble house stepped forward with tales to tell of their harsh treatment, sexual harassment and, in many instances – claims of rape.
Of course, being of noble blood and a descendant of the Royal Crown of England, Lord Arthur’s charges were dissolved. Throughout the Barrisa-O’Neill legacy, more and more Lord’s and Master’s became shrouded in the protection of the “Royal Fortified Protection Guild”; a Guild that gave both Amnesty and Exclusion from Prosecution through their immoral acts, and yet, though not immune from the laws of the normal public, they were exposed and found themselves helpless from the avenging families and loved ones they had brought great shame against.
As the centuries passed, so too did the Lord’s, while the elder son of the dying Father was made Lord to the manor. Only when their Fathers’ last breath left that of their lifeless body would they take their rightful place and gain a position upon the “Harpsen”, the unofficial throne of “Trono Di Signori” (Throne of Lords). Once sat upon this symbol of great power, it would be that of the Master to Lord who would begin his journey to the “Reale Gerarchia”, the Royal Hierarchy that would bring the single, most respected Lord upon a position much higher than any ruling King or Queen within the entire land – Damus Cinereo “The House of Grey”; the Overlords and Overseers to “The Twelve Houses” around the world.
By the start of World War Two, the family bloodline of the Barrisa had almost been wiped away, while the O’Neill’s firm placement within the High Society realms became as well-known as any other. It came to pass through the previous three generations before the turn of the 21st Century that respect had been bestowed upon Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa (Hunter’s Wake Manor) and that of all the family’s members.
Having managed to restore the family’s name from 1943 to 1971, Lord Victor O’Neill’s ill health brought forth a new breed of Lord, one who would bring an infestation of lies, betrayal, greed, and thirst for the ultimate status within the Lord’s greatest secret Order, and finally burn bridges to every hope of restoring nobility to the name in which structured peace among its equals. Terrence O’Neill, Master of the manor wanted nothing less than what he believed his family and the position he was to sit owed him – Reale Gerarchia, but for a most unforgivable discrepancy which took every hope away from him obtaining it. Eventually, he fell into seclusion, until finally suffering from an intoxicating affliction of depression.
In the summer of 1989, aged just forty-three, Terrence fell gravely ill. His only son and heir, Xander beside him at his bedside awaiting the Priest to give his Father the Last Rites, it came to pass that the Lord of Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa was dead! And it was now that the whole manor and its future Lord was thrown into chaos and turmoil as the line of the Lord’s title had been placed into mutual dormancy; Master Xander O’Neill’s young age had become the centre of attention all over the country, as well as within the Secret Order, for the fact that at only seventeen years of age, he would not be at the correct mature age to take over as Lord of “Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa”. Therefore, with his best interest at heart – as well as his safety – Xanders’ Aunt, Lady Melissa James-Cartwright, makes the arrangements for her Nephew to be placed under the protection of ‘Lupo Cresta Aumento House’, Lord O’Neill’s private home given to Lady Melissa James-Cartwright before her marriage to Lord James. Of course, the belief that the future Lord of Cacciatori Wake Villa would be safe within the ranks of those already with power was a thought built on haste, while those working alongside Lord London’s Agency were not so sure.
Against this interference of Lady James-Cartwright’s own choice, the future Lord of Cacciatori is put into question, while in the background of Parliament, it is those of The Law Lords – The Bakers’ Dozen – who are at odds on whether or not to take action. As for Lord Kasabian London, his priorities lay on a much higher definition of ‘Power’, as slowly the ‘Church of the New Found Faith’ draw in on their final phase of controlling the O’Neill Empire, of which only one person stands between them from gaining a major hold over the ‘House of Grey’…Xander O’Neill.
1 the cacciatori Svegliarsi villa Connection
Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa stood silent on the outskirts of Oak Wood Village, but for the sound of the surrounding wildlife; peacocks that were scattered in and around the manor grounds while outside the walls ravens, crows and far distant calls from sheep and cows made their early morning calls into the approaching dense grey fog that rolled in and over the open countryside to leave a thin layer just above the ground. Between the temporary silence there echoed the cortege of several funeral cars carrying those mourners that were to meet at the family home of the late Terrence O’Neill, before laying him to rest within the private cemetery in the Manor grounds which sat on top of Dust Acre Hill, the name given from Terrence’s father, who in his time as a young boy played around in the dried-up corn fields until eventually becoming ill by the disturbed dust spores that spread out from the area. It was here on the very top of this hill that the undertakers hired from the village prepared for Terrence’s last and final journey.
Among the mourners were those of his friends, colleagues and associates, as well as the ‘Norms’, as Terrence referred to them, who were invited to pay their last respects through having lost touch with him over the years – in particular the one woman that he would never have allowed entering the grounds until such a time as this, Mrs Melissa James-Cartwright, Sister to Maria Cartwright-O’Neill, his late wife.
Even before she had reached the main entrance of the manor’s long driveway the memories of the past were well and truly coming back to her, with the ghost-like images of both her and her Sister Maria running down the lawn to the main gates welcoming the expected guests who had no choice but to use the intercom system to announce their arrival. The two of them were so young, naïve in many ways, but of this innocence, they enjoyed the freedom of laughter within everything that they did. There were hardly any dull moments when Maria and Melissa were together and on many occasions, people of the village would comment on their flair for being ‘The life and soul of any event,’ as in hindsight, it was this thought alone that had Melissa chuckling to herself unintentionally while in the presence of two other older women guests who were themselves accompanying her in the limousine hearse that had picked them all up from the train station in the village. Her eyes opening wide to glare at the puzzled faces of the women as though burning a hole straight through their souls, Melissa tilted her head and smiled. It was with this facial remark that the two women looked away quickly as if not to encourage her to proceed any further in a rude manner.
Melissa didn’t care, she had waited for this day for so long that even if those people around her knew of the thoughts she was conjuring up in her mind, it would not stop her from attending the funeral of the most hated man in her life.
Arriving at the main entrance of the house each car was quickly greeted by several of the servants employed by the Household services that in turn ushered, guided and directed the visitors through the high indented doorway and into the Main Hall where they were each shown through to the study where Terrence’s body lay on display in his casket. When it came time for Melissa to be shown into the Main Hall, however, she immediately informed the servant greeting her that she knew the way and that they should focus their attention on the other guests who were a lot less familiar with the layout of the building.
‘Let’s face it if I knew Terrence…And I did, by the way. There may be one or two that he didn’t fuck that will have problems knowing their way.’ she exclaimed looking around at all the parked limousines. At first, the servant was a little reluctant to obey, as Melissa had been absent from the manor for so long that she was not recognized by anyone straight away. When eventually the servant did recognize her a swift apology was given before a short curtsey which had her making her way through the lower part of the house to the rear corridors in an undisturbed swagger, while at the same time, the clinking of high-heeled shoes vibrated and echoed loudly throughout the rest of the house. Finally, she came to the last door on the left of a dark and cold corridor where a bedroom sat with an unlocked door where, with a slight momentary pause to sense someone, somewhere, was watching her.
‘I’m afraid that is Master Xander O’Neill’s room, Ma’am, he requested that he did not want to be disturbed until Father Richards arrived,’ a very young, thin and almost beautiful female Maid wearing the full manor uniform called over to her suddenly from halfway down the long staircase.
Turning to face the young maid, Melissa gave a reluctant smile while reaching out a hand for the door handle. Her actions were almost instantaneous, as the first thought of turning the light silver rounded handle was on her top list of priorities, and there was almost nothing to stop her from carrying out the simple task. It was upon looking at the young servant girl that Melissa gave a slight gasp, a moan that was not audible to the young woman before her, but definitely loud enough for her, herself to hear and notice upon the recognition of the young woman’s looks.
‘I see Terrence changed his taste from Pit bulls to Chihuahua’s before he died,’ she mocked teasingly.
The servant was not quite sure how to react to the remark as she didn’t understand what it was that Melissa was or, in fact, trying to say, nor did she intend to answer back so quickly at such a crass statement which sounded like that of an insult.
‘Father Richards’ will be so furious, Ma’am, he left strict instructions for…’
‘Listen here you, you…Who are you?’
‘I am Stacey, Ma’am, I’m the one who tends to Master Xander’s needs and wishes, Ma’am,’ she answered with a warm smile as she began to slowly descend the long, steep staircase.
‘Oh, right, so you’re the one fucking my Nephew are you?’
The young maid blushed with shock and horror at the words that Melissa used and the tone of voice in which she directed them. The reaction gave only one thing to Melissa, however, and that was the satisfaction that she had the girl’s absolute attention.
‘I beg your pardon, Ma’am?’
‘Oh, I see, you’re one of them, are you? Tell me something my dear, how does one kiss arse and suck cock at the same time on your salary? And please, don’t overexert yourself to answer the question it’s going to be a bloody long day as it is. Now, I’ll be in my nephew’s room should you or your House Master wish to speak with me, okay?’
Without waiting for a reply or reaction from the confused maid, Melissa turned the handle completely and pushed her way inside the room before slamming it shut behind her. Now stood with her back to it for a few seconds while making sure nobody, including the maid, tried to walk in on her before she finished what she had gone there to do. Sounding out a long deep sigh into the air she tried to adjust her eyes to the dim, if not overshadowing darkness that had befallen the whole room, except for a small parting in a curtain near the end of the bedroom.
‘Who are you?’ a young man’s voice asked surprised at her entrance.
Startled by the voice sounding out within the dark, curtain-drawn room, Melissa looked across through the dim light in the direction of a large bed where she made out the figure to be that of a young man still dressed in his pyjamas sitting up with an expectant look of an answer on his face.
‘I’m your Aunt Melissa, don’t you remember me, Xander?’ she replied with the sound of hope in her voice that he would indeed recognize her.
Xander searched for some kind of memory where he could recall seeing or hearing of Aunt Melissa around the house, and then for anyone bearing the name Melissa, but no matter how much he thought he could not find any trace of her within his memories at all.
‘No, I can’t say that I do remember you. Are you my real Aunt or a parental friend’s Aunt, you know, the ones that aren’t really your Aunt, but they still act as though they are?’
Melissa had only been in the company of Xander for five minutes and already she was more than amused by his greatly developed sense of humour. Xander had grown so much since the last time she saw him – or was allowed to see him by way of Terrence’s harsh and limited visiting rights to the manor.
‘Okay, let me say that I am your real Aunt, but a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there lived an evil daddy who shooed the Aunt away…’
‘You speak funny,’ Xander interrupted with a giggle.
‘So do you, when you don’t really speak any sense,’ she laughed.
‘Are you here to see the Old Man off then?’ he asked jumping from the bed and walking over to the nearest window where he opened the curtains enough to allow a decent amount of light into the room to see the woman standing before him. After he had done this he returned to the bed and sat cross-legged upon the duvet cover that in places shone with the light.
Suddenly, with a look of shock on her face, Melissa walked over to the bed and sat down hard on the soft-covered mattress by his side. Looking at Xander for a moment before breaking her stare, she asked him why he was still in his pyjamas.
‘I’m waiting for Father Richards to arrive and put my Father in that big dark hole that they dug for him late last night…the gravediggers, not Father Richards, he’s not a grave digger,’ Xander exclaimed correcting himself to Melissa’s amusement.
‘Quite,’ she replied with a giggle.
‘Father Richards says that we are all buried in the end.’
Melissa was surprised by Xanders’ words as she began to remember back to when he was younger, to a time when she was allowed to visit and a time when all of that changed with the death of Maria, Xanders’ Mother who had been killed in a tragic car accident. It was when Maria died that everything that was once precious to Melissa died too, and the bitter-sweet relationship between her and Terrence took a turn for the worse. Deep down she blamed Terrence for her Sister’s death, but there was no proof to suggest otherwise of it being a tragic accident.
‘Tell me, Xander, do you really not recognize me?’ she asked again changing the subject to a much more important topic.
Looking closer at the woman sitting on the bed he placed his hands on her face, paying special attention to the eyes, then the eyebrows, then her nose before moving down to her lips to give them a quick gentle kiss.
‘Did you work for my Father?’ he asked pulling away suddenly.
Nodding her head from side to side she advised him to try again.
‘You’re dressed like a Royal, a Princess, even, someone who has a position in life, and yet, you are filled with a saddened emptiness that you cannot fill,’ he replied with a strange concern in his voice.
‘Okay, before you get me crying Xander, I will tell you that I am your Aunt Melissa James-Cartwright, the James coming from my late husband and the Cartwright coming from the original name that your Mother and I shared,’ she revealed conceding to the chance he would never guess the right answer.
With a raised smile Xander lunged forward and flung his strong muscular wide arms around her shoulders excitedly. ‘Aunt Mel!’
He did remember her, but it was doubtful that it was the prompt explanation of her name that had caused some distant memory to bring itself forward in his mind. As Xander cuddled into her Melissa tried desperately to hold back her tears as Xander squeezed her tightly as if making up for the lost years of holding someone he loved. Was it the longing for his Mother’s tenderness, a hug or cuddle that he’d been waiting to acquire but never received?
‘That’s what you’re Mother used to call me, but that was a very long time ago,’ she whispered with a saddened gulp.
Pulling away as the door of the room swung open, Melissa turned to see a tall man enter with a look of thunder on his face. Dressed in a full black suit and a white collar that was clearly visible around his neck, while a single silver cross hung down to meet the centre of his chest, Melissa guessed this to be that of Father Richards. By his side, the young maid that she had met on her arrival shuffled forward with Xander’s change of clothes for the funeral service and proceeded to walk past her and place them onto the bed before instructing Xander to come to her so that he could get dressed.
‘Is this the woman with the foul mouth?’ Father Richards’ cried out angrily.
Before the maid could answer, Melissa jumped from the bed and walked over to the Priest with a smile. ‘I am that very same woman and you are Father Richards, I presume, the man who has been looking after my Nephew for me during my absence?’
The Priest looked down his nose at Melissa with contempt in his eyes, while at the same time, he had this unknowing glare that could have almost indicated that he was a little perturbed – even fearful of her presence there at the Manor House.
‘Nephew…I don’t understand Miss…’
‘You see Father Richards, Xanders’ Mother, Maria, was my Sister and married to Terrence O’Neill. Of course, Maria died five years ago, as I am sure you know and the guardianship went to Terrence, his Father, who is now also dead. As I am his last remaining blood relative…’
‘Aunt Mel, Father Richards, it’s Aunt Mel,’ Xander cried out excitedly making the maid’s job of dressing him that little bit more difficult.
‘I see,’ Father Richards sighed. ‘And as you are his Aunt, you would like to apply yourself Guardianship, am I correct?’
Melissa looked back at Xander, his arms’ now being pushed gently into a freshly ironed white shirt that was soon being buttoned up by the young maid. On looking back at the Priest, who had moved his position from in front of her, he now walked quietly around Melissa where she was suddenly startled to see him looking her up and down before nodding his head from side to side, as though he was dissatisfied with what he saw before him.
‘Of course, whatever arrangements you made with my brother-in-law Terrence O’Neill…’
Raising a finger in the air swiftly, Father Richards shushed her words and then in an unusual way he began to adjust his black flannelled trousers to a more comfortable position around his waistline.
‘Miss Melissa Cartwright,’ he exclaimed clicking his fingers suddenly in recollection of her previous visits a long time ago.
‘Actually, I married, it’s Mrs. Melissa James-Cartwright now,’
Taking the correction as an insult he again raised his finger into the air, only this time he demanded that she be silent in a loud tone. ‘Please be quiet, Miss Cartwright!’
Looking at the man of the cloth before her, Melissa was in some way feeling very awkward, vulnerable…naked, even. And if there was one feeling in the whole world that she did not like it was feeling this way in which the man made her feel – especially those she would rather pull out her eyes than look into their faces to feel anything but the pleasure in allowing them their own way. This Priest was very obtuse.
‘Listen, Father Richards, if you have quite…’
‘I said, shut your fucking mouth…!’ he roared out in a booming voice.
‘And I’m saying, when you’ve quite finished ogling me like a piece of cheap meat, either you tear my clothes off and fuck me right here and now, or get the fuck out of the room and let me talk to my Nephew in peace!’
Both the Priest and the maid were shocked by Melissa’s colourful choice of words, especially in the circumstances of the day when her brother-in-law was about to be laid to rest after such a tragic sudden death. It was a death that many believed humane in the way that it would have been far less painful than if he had suffered a long Illness, although contrary to this belief Melissa revealed that Terrence should have departed the world in a much more fitting and agonizing way than he did.
‘Well, I had heard that you were of the…loose wench kind, Miss Cartwright, but I never did envisage you being that of a whore, too,’ he gasped with both astonishment and disbelief.
‘Get used to it, because where your principles lie, Father, the whole idea of chastity and turning a blind eye to sin is just so eighteenth-century. Now, how do you want to take me?’
Father Richards glanced down to see that Melissa was starting to raise the hem of her dress in a very provocative way, a way in which had him nod to the maid and Xander, before finally excusing himself from the room. Without another word, he made his way to the door as fast as he could before disappearing outside into the hall and slamming it shut behind him.
‘Well, that is odd usually they leave me their telephone number before leaving.’
The two women laughed together while Xander watched them both, wondering what they were laughing at, and whether they were laughing at him.
‘I am Melissa James-Cartwright,’ she introduced herself formerly with an outstretched hand.
‘Stacey Harris, Ma’am.’ the maid replied accepting her hand and shaking it gently.
After the introductions were over Melissa looked at Xander and the way in which the remainder of his clothes were set out on the top of the bed, something that begged an important question.
‘Why does Xander not dress himself? I mean, he’s seventeen years old for Christ’s sake…!’
‘He’s…’
‘Retarded? Please don’t say he is retarded?’
‘He’s not retarded, Ma’am, he just hasn’t left Cacciatori Wake Manor since his poor mother passed away five years ago,’ Stacey replied objectively and defensively.
Taking a step back Melissa thought for a moment before turning to the young woman with a kind and soothing look on her face.
‘Five years is a long time in one place, Stacey, what about school, education, socializing…’
‘Everything he needs is here in Cacciatori Wake Manor, Ma’am. Master O’Neill has more than enough of the things he needs here. The Father, the church, they see to it that he is well taken care of and that his every need is carried out.’ she replied sheepishly.
‘So what about you Xander, what do you think of all this?’
Xander looked up with a smile. ‘I have all I need here, Aunt Mel,’ he answered.
‘But the world Xander, the world is a huge and beautiful place, and the ways in which people are moulded, developed and excelled onto the various levels of life exist outside, not here in a closed prison that you are trapped inside,’ Melissa said this with an uncontrollable anger building in her voice for which Stacey could clearly detect.
‘But Father Richards, he teaches Xander everything that he needs to know about the outside world, emotionally and physically, Mrs James-Cartwright,’ Stacey spoke up for Xander.
Melissa was angered, just by blurting out something so expected from a maid who would be into a Priest that preaches the good book’s words each and every day. The very thought that Xander was being taught god only knows what, knowing that it was this that was the problem with the bigger picture – Xander had not lived.
‘Finish getting him ready and let’s get this damned funeral out of the way,’ Melissa cried taking out a cigarette and lighting it.
‘And what then? Father Richards won’t let you leave with him, Ma’am,’ Stacey warned.
‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that young lady.’
With a devilish smile on her face, Melissa rushed to the bedroom door and left to find the Priest in the study room down the hall where the casket of Terrence O’Neill would be just about ready for those of the pallbearers to take out of the manor and carry the fourteen stone formaldehyde filled body to its final resting place. And, upon entering the room in which the casket lay, she finally caught sight of Father Richards who made every attempt to avoid her waves, eye contact, and even raised calls for him to speak to her. Impulsively she strode over to where he stood talking to an older-looking woman who was also trying to direct his attention to the guest who was wishing to talk with him, but Father Richards was ignoring this prompt too.
‘Excuse me!’ Melissa loudly interrupted with a half-smile directed at the woman for her intrusion on the conversation, ‘I was wondering if I could ask Father Richards a question?’
Father Richards tried to make an excuse that he was needed at the hearse before the body could be moved until Melissa apologized for the rude way in which she had spoken to him in Xander’s room. Now she had his attention, especially as the old woman in the company of the two added her two pennies worth to the half-witnessed circumstances.
‘I don’t think you were the least bit rude, my dear, in fact, I’m sure that Father Richards will give you inner peace and forgiveness,’ she bleated with a most annoying giggle before walking away to mingle with the other guests.
Again in Melissa’s presence, Father Richards excused himself from the woman’s company before taking Melissa by the arm while guiding her through the roomful of gatherers and out into the hallway, once here he found a quiet spot before checking around them to make sure nobody was looking. Suddenly spinning her around like a rag doll to face him, his face was filled with anger at the way in which she had approached him and gave a sure sign that it was something that he did not like people doing.
‘Have I got your attention, Father Richards?’ Melissa hissed quietly.
‘Goddamn you, Miss Cartwright, I will not have you, or anyone else for that matter coming into my home and speaking to me like I am one of their punters from the gutter,’ Father Richards growled, keeping a firm tight hold of her arm while applying pressure that Melissa felt very uncomfortable with.
‘Your home! First of all, Father Richards, I feel insulted that you think of me as a whore. Secondly, I am Xander’s Aunt – his flesh and blood – and, I will be leaving with him as soon as this lame fiasco of a funeral is over. You may have been given the Guardianship of Xander through the lack of Terrence’s responsibility to bring up his own child, but for me…’
‘Christ almighty, Miss Cartwright, if you could hear what you’re saying! We all know that he is not an O’Neill, but the result of a sinful wife-whore who laid her soul down for some quick and untrue love affair that…’
Suddenly, without realizing what she was doing, Melissa raised her hand quickly to strike the man who was now bad-mouthing her Sister – Xander’s mother – and the woman who loved the man who was about to be buried. But for the sudden change in her expression which the Priest picked up on, her attempt to slap him across the face in anger was met with a very fast, and very strong hand that caught her wrist with perfect precision.
‘Don’t ever try that again, or I swear by almighty God, I will have you tied up, gagged and thrown into an empty dark room until the police arrive to take you away for assault. If I am making myself clear, please, by all means, nod your sad pathetic-looking head.’ he growled after pulling her hand down to his groin and whispering in her ear.
Managing to free herself from his firm grip Melissa stepped back and away from him, while he was left to straighten his jacket and adjust his trousers before letting out a long sigh.
‘How the fuck can you call yourself a Priest? You’re nothing but a misfit in that cloth…No, actually, you’re less than that you are a human train wreck looking for a more vulnerable victim to crush’
‘I’m sorry, Miss Cartwright, I can’t explain what happened there, but you can be sure it had something to do with you,’ Father Richards tried to excuse his behaviour by passing blame on her.
Rushing forward Melissa started to thump him on the chest with both her hands clenched.
‘How fucking very dare you try and put the blame on me, you worthless piece of shit. Do I look like a naïve choirboy to you, Father?’
Melissa’s voice was raised to such an extent that everyone in the study room was now making their way to stand out at the door, in the corridor and even at the top of the staircase looking down at the two adults arguing. Father Richards became instantly embarrassed by the confrontation that could have been avoided, if only he hadn’t ignored the woman, or if he had simply told her to talk to him after the funeral was concluded. But here he was, here they both were, standing in the now crowded hallway while all around them more than a hundred guests and well-wishers attending the funeral watched to see what was going to be said – or done – next.
‘Bravo, Miss Cartwright, but as they say in my profession, the next fight you have is the fight with God himself. Xander will never be placed in your care, and the reasons are quite simply because you are a whore in the eyes of the Lord. Terrence O’Neill’s instructions and the wishes that he left before his death clearly state that Xander belongs to the church, not the family of the O’Neills, not the family of the Cartwright’s, and certainly not to the woman that abandoned him when his mother died five years ago,’ Father Richards announced a couple of home truths that had awes and gasps echoing around the halls.
Without answering back to the hurtful words of the Priest, Melissa strode past him and made her way back to the study room where she asked politely for a moment’s privacy with the body of her late brother-in-law – Terrence – before he was carried out of the room, out of the house and taken to the family cemetery at the top of the Dust Acre Hill. She didn’t encounter anyone objecting to the request, quite the opposite, as one by one the well-wishers left while giving a gentle pat on her shoulder and giving words of comfort.
When the last person had left the room Melissa slumped herself over the top of the coffin and began to weep, but her tears were not of sympathy or sadness for the fact that Terrence had died, or that she had travelled all the way from London to be confronted by a brick wall of hostility. No, her tears were for that of her sister, who Terrence had forbade her to see her like she was seeing him now, wrapped up in a fancy casket, suit and tie displayed as though he was something so special, and the hundreds of guests that had arrived who probably hated him so much that they were testing themselves of the will-power to refrain themselves from pissing on the open grave as soon as he was lowered into it.
Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa – 1972
‘A penny for your thoughts, dear sister,’ Maria asked.
Melissa remembered back to when she and Maria spent the morning down by the side of Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa’s boathouse that lay on the banks of Cacciatori Lake, at a time when the sun shone with heat unlike any other day since.
‘It’s nothing. I was just thinking that now your life is over…’
‘It’s not over, Mel, it’s only just beginning. Terrence is a good man, you already know that, so why are you so gloomy?’
‘Bullshit! You know yourself that more than seven out of ten marriages within the first two years due to the zestless thrill of passion end in divorce,’ Melissa revealed as though reading from memory a read article on the subject.
Maria didn’t seem to care about the claim or about the statistics that Melissa had picked up out of some second-rate magazine or book because all that she cared about was the fact that she was there with her sister at that very moment in time enjoying the sunshine.
‘The zest won’t go out of my marriage, Mel, I’m going to make sure that Terrence loves me forever, and that we have a wonderful life, and beautiful children and the days of happiness go on for all eternity,’ Maria said looking up into the beautiful clear blue sky in a dreamy way.
Melissa began to laugh, first to herself while staring up at the sky and then on turning to her sister who was now wondering what was so amusing. Of course, the long paused reasons behind the sudden laughter were starting to irritate Maria, who then demanded to know exactly what she was laughing at.
‘Okay, alright, I’ll tell you,’ Melissa shrieked out pulling her sunglasses from her eyes, ‘It’s just that…you know, Terrence’s thing doesn’t seem to worry you any…’
Maria was speechless with shock. ‘What?’
Flipping herself over onto her stomach and throwing down the glasses in front of her Melissa shook her head. ‘You know it’s no secret that Terrence makes up his loss of cock size with the amount of money he spends, right? Well, if you’re going to make him “make” you happy for as long as you want to keep him happy, then you are going to have a big job.’
The words travelled through the warm summer air and absorbed themselves into Maria’s mind before dropping into place through the pure struggle of trying to get to grips with what her sister had just said to her.
‘Oh right, it’s a secret, is it? And exactly who shares this secret, Melissa?’ she demanded anxiously.
Now Melissa knew that disclosing such a personal matter of Terrence’s penis size may have been a mistake, but, looking on the brighter side of the statement Maria now knew that she had knowledge that the bedroom department was something of a bad area to discuss.
‘Jesus Christ, Maria, everyone knows that Terrence has a small cock! Well, not as small as Craig the gardener, but it is…I’m sorry,’ Melissa apologized on seeing her sister’s furious face staring right at her.
‘I can’t believe you are talking about this Melissa, Terrence is about to be my husband and already he seems to be the talk of the manor’
‘Actually, he’s the talk of the whole village, too, as we’re talking about Terrence like this let’s get it all out into the open…as I’m sure Terrence has failed to do in the past.’
‘I am not talking about this with you Melissa, not now! Not ever! Terence is a good man who loves me with all of his heart, and for your information sister, sex is not the be-all and end-all of two people being in love.’
Waiting for a few moments for Maria to settle back down on her towel, Melissa shrugged her shoulders in a disregarding way of keeping quiet, until suddenly she sat back up and sighed.
‘So, you didn’t deny the rumour that he has a small cock, or was that some…’
Kneeling up and jumping on top of Melissa, Maria started to slap her sister while screaming at her to shut up about the whole thing. When finally Melissa gave her word she would not talk about the matter again with her, Maria settled down to relax and enjoy the warm weather. And true to her word Melissa never raised the subject again.
Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa – Present
‘You were once a good man, Terrence,’ Melissa whispered raising her head up from the coffin to look down at the man who had banished her from the house five years earlier, ‘unfortunately, when it came to my sister, the goodness was never put in the right places, was it? Your damned religious Order believes there is a hell that incinerates your sins with an eternity of pain and suffering, and I for one hope that it’s true because that’s where you are headed, you sick bastard!’
Wiping away her tears carefully with her hand so as not to disturb the thin placement of makeup she had taken almost an hour preparing that morning, she made her way out of the room and into the hallway where Father Richards gave the pallbearer the nod to go in and prepare the casket for transport to the cemetery. His eyes glanced for a moment at the woman who he had just been locked in an argument with, before turning away and carrying on his routine of ushering the guests out of the house and onto the gravel-covered forecourt outside to wait until they were all gathered together.
Taking her wide-rimmed sunglasses out of her handbag, Melissa flipped them open with a quick single flick of her wrist before pushing them through the greying auburn hair until the arms rested comfortably behind her ears. It was now that she, too, walked outside and joined the rest of the guests and mourners who were readying themselves for the long walk over the lawns and up to the top of the hill, one walk that she remembered fondly doing numerous times as a young teenager who was no older than what Xander was now. Melissa’s sister too, Maria, was a beautiful young flower that hadn’t had time to blossom as she was whisked off of her feet and taken into the life of marriage as a prisoner who would be taken to a darkened dungeon for the rest of her life.
‘Good morning, Miss, I’m Carl, may I ask if you knew the deceased?’ a man wearing a warm smile on his face asked suddenly breaking Melissa’s concentration.
‘Unfortunately Carl I did yes, did you know the old bastard, too?’ she replied dryly as though suddenly offended by the perky smile hanging from his face.
The man was beside himself with the response, so much so that he hurried forward and away from Melissa as fast as his legs could carry him. Only when he knew he had enough distance from her did he slow down and begin to chat with another guest, someone who would be more sympathetic to the late Lord O’Neill. To Melissa the man they thought that they knew as this great husband, father and successful businessman was nothing but a fake, a phoney, and someone on the very edge of the reality box who was afraid to take a good look inside and see what great wonders his family could have had, shared and spoilt. Terrence’s egotistical attitude and anger had cost him more than his life, it had cost everyone around him so much, too, that he had no idea how much of a rift he had caused.
‘Aunt Mel! Aunt Mel!’ Xander cried out ecstatically as he caught sight of her walking up the hill and demanded that he and Stacey catch her up and walk alongside her to the top.
When finally they had reached Melissa, Stacey rubbed her hand down her arm and asked if she was okay, to which Melissa just turned and gave a strained smile without a single word of reply.
‘Father Richards, he really is a good man, Ma’am, he alone taught Xander everything that he knows,’ Stacey informed her.
‘I’m sure Xander is very well educated in the Do’s and Don’ts of the good Lord’s ways, and that Father Richards left nothing out where the errors of life’s consequences are concerned, Stacey because that, it would seem is all that the little prick knows and nothing else. Had he known anything about women, he would have actually realized that women like me don’t mix well with male bullies like him and his kind when they manhandle me as he did,’ Melissa cussed revealing a little too much of her encounter.
Stacey was shocked by the words describing the man who had shown nothing but warmth and kindness toward her and Xander and found it hard to believe that Father Richards could ever become enraged like that with any of his parishioners.
Stopping still for a few moments from the sudden steep rise in the hillside, Melissa asked both Stacey and Xander to sit down by her side while she told them both a little story of her days at Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa as a child. At first, it was only the company of Xander and Stacey that gave Melissa a good warm feel, then she and Stacey noticed that others were sitting down to rest and listen to the story too, but it was considered both impolite and inappropriate for her or anyone else to tell them all to leave, so Melissa continued her story.
‘When your mother was just fourteen years old, Xander, she and I would always come here to Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa, where the handsome prince of our wild imagination and dreams would live. Your mother was a dreamer in a way that I never thought possible, she would always be the first to converse, the first to scale the great walls, and the first to speak up when Terrence O’Neill’s Father Lord Arthur O’Neill the third came to chase us away, but all the while it would be Terrence himself who would encourage us to call around more often. After a few weeks, Maria became Terrence’s favourite and therefore invited us both into the house to have milk and cookies with him, after all, they were our absolute favourite supper dish, I hasten to add. Nobody could understand exactly why your mother and father were inseparable, not until it was too late anyway. They had a unique bonding that went way back to when they were about eight or nine, the time when the Eton-like school that once stood in the centre of Oak Wood Village was nothing but a normal every day mixed school that allowed the two to swan off now and again to chase kisses behind the bike sheds. The truth is, however, I’d never seen your mother happier, Xander, her smile back then could have launched a thousand ships into the deepest blue oceans and still kept shining through the doom and gloom of a Conservative cascade of national destruction. It was love that had bestowed itself upon the two young love birds, that and a dark intoxication for money, wealth and power on Terrence’s part which was to later drive their lives into completely opposite directions.’ Melissa revealed to the growing crowd who were wondering who she was talking about until Xander put them right on the identity of the two people in the story.
By the look on Stacey’s face, she was absorbed in the storytelling, while Xander was simply enjoying the tale told of his mother who he had lost at the tender age of only twelve.
Continuing on their way up to the top of the hill everyone was gathered together and was made to form a circle around the graveside whilst Father Richards took out his bible and began the service to bury Terrence. Melissa stood totally oblivious to the words that he spoke to mark the life and achievements of such a well-liked and loved man of the village until at long last she heard the final words of “Ashes to ashes” where she joined the bee-line of guests as they picked up and threw a handful of soil into the hole to fall upon the coffin.
‘I would like to thank you all for coming on this deeply sad day and ask you all to take with you the fond memories that Lord Terrence has left you with, as our Brother now travels to the place of everlasting peace, let us know that he rests within the house of the lord,’ Father Richards called out as each man, woman and child passed him by to finally make their descent down the hill and back to the manor where they would stay and attend the wake.
‘God will always travel with you,’ he added.
‘And with you, Father,’ many gave their reply.
When it came to Melissa’s turn for the Priest to say the same words he had said to all of the others, however, he closed the book loudly and bowed his head until she had passed him by. Then, again, when she had passed he resumed his thanking of the guests behind her for attending the service.
‘Why do you hate him so much?’ Stacey inquired.
‘Well, for one thing, he and I play for totally different sides of the proverbial fence, so to speak’
‘Which is?’
‘Well, Stacey, his belief is that he can save people, whereas my belief is that nobody really gives a shit about the people, only their own arse. After the death of my sister, my faith in God was lost, though there could well be an upside to the death of Terrence. It is so overwhelming when you lose someone close to you, and the egos of some Priests don’t help those scars to heal quite as fast as they say that they do. Sure, Father Richards talks of the empty promises of reward in living a sin-free life, but those mistakes that the Order calls “Sins”, are the stepping stones which make us what we are – Human,’ Melissa revealed.
Reaching the bottom of the hill Stacey stopped and stayed behind as Xander was taken into the house by Father Richards, who in turn informed everyone within earshot that there would be plenty of food and refreshments in the dining hall. Taking out a cigarette Melissa offered one to Stacey who, with a screwed-up face turned down the offer before finding a place to sit on the short run of concrete steps that led up to the back patio doors of the house. After lighting up the cigarette Melissa joined her on the freezing cold hard surface while shuffling across so that she was close enough to be able to speak without anyone else overhearing them.
‘Tell me, Stacey, do you want to be a maid for the rest of your life, or is this just a pit stop before you get yourself an education?’ Melissa whispered.
Shrugging her shoulders as though not having her mind made up, or maybe for the fact that she never gave it any thought at all, she nodded her head.
‘I would love to travel the world, just like you would like Xander to do. After I’ve seen what’s out there I would return home and get a job so that I could study to be what I’ve always wanted to be all my life,’ Stacey finally gave a reply.
‘The world is such a big place for a girl like you, Stacey’
‘What and it isn’t at all big for someone like Xander?’ she snapped suddenly.
She was upset, angry and a little saddened by the way in which Melissa became a little bit condescending when it came to revealing her dream in life. At the same time, however, Melissa had to explain the reason behind saying what she did.
‘I am so sorry for my…’ Stacey returned to apologize before being stopped in mid-sentence.
Before being allowed to finish her sentence, Melissa pushed a finger to the servant girls’ lips to silence her from speaking. And, seeing something deep and hidden in Melissa’s eyes, the only reaction that she could make at that time was to remain quiet and listen.
‘Not another word Stacey. It is so obvious that you have been waiting on these jack-asses both hand and foot for far too long now, I can see it in your body language and I can certainly sense it from your tone of voice. Never apologize for anything that you are neither sorry nor to blame for, okay? Do you understand what I’m saying?’
Stacey didn’t know whether she could speak now or whether she would be met with another finger, or the same finger darting to her mouth to hush her. As she was so unsure of her reaction from Melissa, at the same time she wanted to agree so much that a slight nod answered the question for her.
‘That’s good, now we’re on the same page let’s talk about your travel plans.’
For the next twenty minutes, both Melissa and Stacey sat talking about the countries and cities that she would love to visit, if and when she managed to get the finances together to pack up her things and leave the services of Father Richards and The Church of The New Found Faith, that was. After this talk which was cut short by the interruption of the Father in question, Melissa handed Stacey a small piece of paper which she had ripped from a small notebook before telling her that she was to contact her the following day.
‘This is my number…my private number Stacey, so don’t let it out of your sight. Now, if you will excuse me I shall go and find that Nephew of mine and get the hell out of this place.’
Melissa stood up and with a quick rub of her clothing to rid herself of the ground dust and gravel on the back of her dress, she gave a smile before leaving Stacey sitting on the steps staring at the piece of paper. Inside the manor, Melissa found that Father Richards was having a serious talk with Xander outside the Dining Hall, and this she knew for a fact that Xander was not responding very well to the raised tone of voice from his so-called Guardian.
‘You stupid retard, do you know what you’ve just done?’ Father Richards bellowed out with an angry red face.
Immediately, Melissa took her place next to the Priest, who was neither happy that she had witnessed his name-calling of Xander, nor comfortable in the fact that she was present while he was punishing the young Master. Regardless of this, however, Father Richards carried on telling Xander off in a more civilized tone and manner.
‘Is there a problem here, Father Richards?’ Melissa probed.
‘No. No, there’s no problem here, is there Xander?’ Father Richards spoke up giving Xander a deep hard stare with an almost hidden secret warning message to not say anything that would cause suspicion.
Xander nodded his head nervously and smiled aimlessly at his Aunt Melissa.
‘No, it was my fault, Aunt Mel, I accidentally….’
‘Well, there’s no need to go over it all again Xander…at least you admitted to it being your fault, that’s all that matters.’ Father Richards silenced him.
It was almost straight away that Melissa made the split-second executive decision to grab a hold of Xander and escort him to the front entrance of the Manor House, where she was unfortunately confronted by several well-built security men hired by Father Richards to keep an eye on the son and heir of the whole O’Neill estate.
‘Sorry Miss, but Master Xander cannot leave,’ one of the security men declared putting an open hand in the air in front of a shocked Melissa.
‘Is that so?’ Melissa smiled sarcastically before turning to face Father Richards. ‘So, you’re going to remain keeping my Nephew here a prisoner? Are you aware how much shit I can bring down on this place you call your home, Father Richards?’
Father Richards ordered Stacey, who had just arrived back inside the house to take Xander back to his room and stay there until he said otherwise. Looking over to Melissa for some kind of reaction, Melissa nodded her head to allow her to take the confused young man back to his bedroom.
‘I am quite aware that people like you, people in your line of illicit business can have thugs fight in your corner, Miss Cartwright, but you see, Xander is not a prisoner here, it is his home and here he shall stay until he is ready to hand the entire estate over to the people who know how best to run it.’
‘Ah,’ Melissa gasped walking up to Father Richards, ‘and you’re the person who is going to do all that, are you? My Nephew is nothing but a pawn in your sick and twisted game of a Tug and Pull power struggle, isn’t he? Pathetic! The fucking House of Cards won’t protect you, Father…Mark my words well, I will see to it that you get what you deserve.’
Looking around at all the guests waiting to hear the end of the debate as to whether Xander was to stay or leave the manor, a sudden warm feeling of embarrassment came over Melissa, but nonetheless, the debate between them was begging to be concluded in a place a little more private and secluded, not here where the public was to overhear the family secrets and home truths as if listening to someone reading it from a newspaper.
‘If you will follow me Miss,’ the very same burly security man who had stopped her and Xander from leaving the house whispered.
Leading her away from the gathered crowd of guests and mourners into a side room near the main entrance, Father Richards followed quickly behind before slamming the door of the room shut while at the same time instructing the security men to stand outside. Looking around the room puzzled, it was Father Richards who spoke up first to inform her that the room had been redecorated some three years ago and that the contents had been donated to the local village for distribution throughout various charities. It was hearing this that made Melissa turn with a taunting smirk clearly showing across her face. It was the look of pride – almost.
‘So, you do have a heart? Does that mean I can expect an apology from you sometime very soon on how you’ve treated me throughout the whole morning, Father Richards?’
‘Oh, don’t mistake my generosity for that of weaknesses, Miss Cartwright it was carried out under the instruction of Lord O’Neill. He believed that many things within this house reminded him of his ex-whore wife, you know, the woman that was such a great loyal sister to you,’ he informed her in an obnoxious tone of voice.
The words he spoke didn’t bother Melissa, what bothered her most was the way that he used her sister’s name to get a reaction and the way in which he truly expected her to believe Lord Terrence had actually given permission to do such a thing to the room that had accumulated so many good and happy memories over the past years.
‘This was Maria’s favourite room. There were many great hours spent here before Lord Terrence returned home and sat down to dine, and my sister and I would always insist on no men being able to enter for reasons that we were always changing out of our clothes, getting naked and getting into something new. Do you know, Father Richards, they say that on her final day, she and the late Lord Terrence O’Neill planned to move away from here…do you know anything about that?’ Melissa spoke up dreamily.
The Priest looked away from Melissa’s sudden piercing stare to direct his attention at an old toy box that had remained under the window sill since it was originally placed there, its white paint peeling away from the pale sanded wood below, and the obscure engraving of a heart shape that had been made with some sharp object with the initials ‘MC + TO’ carved deeply into it.
‘Your sister…Maria, though I could not condone her betrayal against the late Lord O’Neill, I did help with giving her the last rites, Miss Cartwright,’ he mumbled under his breath.
‘Last rites, Father, my sister wasn’t a religious woman, so why would she…’
‘The affair had taken its toll on Master Terrence O’Neill, and as some last resort of saving the marriage between them, he had Maria agree to change her faith to that of our good church. It would have been against the Church’s wishes if your sister was to remain a Paroxinate, especially as Terrence clearly followed The Light! ’
‘No, she was not religious, and by that I mean she would not have been…Oh, My God! That evening after dinner, she gave in and went through with it! And, as far as Paroxinate, I think you’ll find that is a fairytale?’
‘As I said I could not condone her affair, but what I could do was offer her the next best thing and that was by granting her the rite of passage through her sins and allowing acceptance into the bosom of the church. It is exactly what she and Master O’Neill wanted for Master Xander and as a Priest…’
‘As a Priest, you raped her of her belief so that twisted bastard O’Neill could save face with your perverted Order. How could you do that? How could you do that to my sister and stand there with no show of disgrace?’ Melissa was outraged at what she was hearing.
‘The rite of passage is a two-thousand-year-old sacred custom to the ways of our God, Miss Cartwright, not some satanic ritual that requires the lust-tainted blood of a victim. What you have to understand is that the church will look after Xander, and I mean by my very own wisdom and experiences. If he is taken away from Cacciatori Svegliarsi Villa, everything that we have worked on to enhance his mind, body, and spirit will be lost, probably forever,’ Father Richards explained.
Melissa was almost spitting blood while numerous times standing and biting her tongue, rather than turning and shouting at the man she was now sharing the room with, who, coincidentally was not doing himself any favours by the way he was trying to justify certain aspects of both Maria and Xander’s turning to his own religious Order – The Church of The New Found Faith.
‘You really are sick! Sick and repulsive, Father Richards and someone needs to stop you…?’
The Priest laughed in Melissa’s face before he reached over to a nearby blue button that sat on the wall just above the fireplace, a moment later and the two security men that had been standing outside were now entering the room with only one intention – to eject her from the house, whether she was willing to leave of her own accord or not.
‘I am not leaving here without Xander, Father,’ she cried out defiantly.
‘Oh, I’m sure that I can get Stacey to look you out a perfectly acceptable photo from one of his private albums, Miss Cartwright. I’ll even forward it on to you to save you the bother of waiting around any longer than you have to, too.’ he replied with a dry tone and slight nod at the security guards.
Escorting her from the main entrance onto the gravelled forecourt, they pointed her to the driveway leading to the main gates before returning to the house and closing the large dark oak doors behind them. It was now that she would have a long walk ahead of her, but it was certainly not a walk she was unfamiliar with.
SAMPLE ENDS
