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“Maybe they’re actors who do a couple half-days a week or something.” Glenn shrugged, flipping some coins into the cap a boy held out as he walked through the crowd.
Xonra had the distinct impression the child was going to say something. Then he glanced over his shoulder at the teacher and kept moving through the crowd, collecting tips. Once again, she had the feeling something was not right with this place, and once again, she told herself she had an overactive imagination.
“Time for lunch,” said Morgan, slipping his arm through hers and tapping Glenn on the shoulder. “Then we need to check the map and find out what we haven’t seen yet.”
* * * *
Morgan made sure they were back in the hotel in good time for a shower, a final meal together, and to pack their luggage, knowing Xonra’s job was important to her and they had an hour’s journey back to town. Much as he’d have liked to fuck her all night long, that wouldn’t have been appropriate or fair. But they did find time to play around to everyone’s satisfaction in the bathroom. There was something highly erotic about a hot, steamy room and three naked bodies.
It was damn hard to restrain himself to a single passionate kiss as they reached the doorway of her apartment. He noticed Glenn was struggling just as much as him, so when they were back in their car, he said, “You still want her as much as I do.”
“Fuck yes. She’s ours, Morgan. She’s the one I want. She suits us both perfectly. A ripe, lush body and mighty sharp mind as well. I was never once bored this weekend, and you know how often conversation at parties does bore me.”
Glenn grinned. Yes, he did know. Maybe it was because Morgan was a handful of years younger than him, or perhaps it was just how his mind worked. “Then it’s simple. It’s time for us to organize another date with her. Something to fill her mind as well as her body.”
The moment he said the words, his dick straightened and stretched. He hadn’t meant it in that way at all, but it seemed even his mouth was thinking like his dick these days. That was the effect Xonra had on them both.
“Not a problem. We’ll think of something good.”
And he knew they would. He and Morgan were an unbeatable team, and they had to claim Xonra as their woman.
* * * *
After a week back at work, Xonra had almost forgotten her mini-vacation at Berisford Village, until she read a memo from the CEO requesting her to attend a meeting with himself, various other Vice Presidents, Moss, and Jeremiah J. Curlin.
She phoned Moss. “What’s Mr. Curlin want this time?” she asked, tapping her candy-pink nails against her desk.
“Damned if I know. Apparently he has some huge secret project he’s going to present to us and the CEO wants our input. All I know is it’s worth megabucks, and we all have to provide Mr. Curlin with anything he wants.”
“As long as it’s not more young women. I saw how hard they worked. It’s no wonder they’d rather do another job,” she said.
“I’ve asked for feedback from all the ones who’ve quit, and pretty much that’s what they all say. A long commute, long hours, lousy pay.”
“Oh well, maybe it’ll be something completely different this time. But I wish I was going into this meeting better prepared. I hate surprises,” she said.
Only an hour later, Moss rang her. “Hey, Xonra. Are you available to come to my office, now, please? Chloe Thurston, who worked for a few weeks at Berisford Village, is here with a companion and I’d like you to hear this.”
“Yes, sure. Give me five minutes to wrap up what I’m doing, and I’ll be right there.”
Moss, his PA, Ellie, a young woman Xonra assumed was Chloe Thurston, and a boy were waiting for her in Moss’s office. The boy looked sort of familiar, but different. Overly long, light-brown hair, shaggy and in need of a trim, hazel eyes, straight nose, high cheekbones, thin build…Where do I know him from? Is he the son of one of my colleagues? Ah!
“You work at Berisford Village. You’re the boy who collected the tips at the school the other day.”
“Yes, we all work from the time we turn six. The five-year-olds have to work sometimes if one of the teams is a bit short, if kids are sick or something. Well, even the babies work in the Sound and Light Show, but they just get carried around, so it’s not really work…”
Xonra had to force her face not to show her surprise. Six-year-olds working? He must mean just now and then, a half-day a week acting like Glenn had suggested. And he’d just said the babies were carried around. Likely that was simply because their parents were actors in the Sound and Light Show. Again, that wasn’t really working as such.
Chloe tapped the boy’s shoulder gently. “Ernie, how about you start at the beginning and tell Ms. Gibson about whose son you are and where you live—lived—and why we’re here.”
The child looked up at her trustingly and smiled. She smiled back at him, concern clearly written on her face.
Xonra was feeling really confused about what was going on here, but knew she’d find out if she was patient, so she settled into a chair and waited. But she couldn’t shake the steady niggle of worry she’d felt at the village that something there wasn’t right. Could something truly be wrong at Berisford Village?
The child sat up straight in his chair, pulled his shoulders back, lifted his chin, obviously bracing and readying himself to speak. Then he began.
“My name is Ernest Billson, and I’ll be twelve in July. When a boy turns twelve, he’s sent away to work on the farm for a few years, but none of the boys has ever come back. The girls stay at school until they’re fourteen, then they’re married to one of the men. Women go to the farm when they are in their mid-thirties, as soon as they start looking old, except for Old Mary who supervises all the women, but the men stay in the village until they can no longer work hard all day. So the men need a second wife to look after them.”
Xonra’s eyebrows raised all by themselves. Without moving her head or neck, she swiveled her eyes to Moss, but he was still watching Ernie, his face expressionless. Ohh-kay. Women are sent away from their husbands, who get given a child bride? This doesn’t sound right at all. Surely this boy is mistaken?
