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“There is a difference Miss.”
“Oh really? What?”
“Well, I guess the difference is a courtesan only 'entertains' men she has a kind of relationship with.”
“And what kind of 'relationship' would that be?”
The butler looked embarrassed, and so said.
“If there is anything else you'll be needing, you'll find my personal number on the table. Really, nothing is too much trouble. Don't hesitate to contact me.”
Victoria went to tip him but with a wave of the hand, he refused, and told her,
“Really, no Miss, everything has already been taken care of.” After giving her a slight bow once again, left the room.
Victoria walked around the room and took it all in. Everything, right down to the lampshades and the chandelier on the ceiling was made to fit the period. She felt like she had been transported to another time; running her hand across the understated floral pattern wallpaper, Victoria noticed the drapes on the window that were no ordinary curtains, but hung with an exuberance that hinted at decadence, the kind of decadence solely reserved for the kind of woman Cora Pearl was. Victoria honestly didn't know how to feel about Philip's choice of room for her, but the dramatic effect it had on her was undeniable, everything about the room oozed with opulence. She found her clothes already hung up carefully in the white mirrored classical wardrobe in the adjacent room, and then walking into the separate bathroom and found the monikered infinity bath tub, filled with hot water and red rose petals drifting lazily across the surface, the heat from the water releasing the aroma into the air surrounding her.
She knew she had a few more hours before she met Philip, and the bath was something she knew she just had to try. Taking her clothes off, she slid her toe into the hot water first, and then put the rest of her slender body into the water and lay down. She realized why having a bath was so totally different from having a shower, and she felt totally enveloped in the warmth. Looking down at her own perfect body, she watched the petals floating over her and teasing at her breasts. Victoria closed her eyes and allowed the sensation and fragrance to fill her, as she thought about what Philip had planned for later. Gradually, Victoria drifted off.
She awoke with a start, with the daylight now gone and dusk replacing it. Quickly, she got out of the bath, worried that she might have missed the date with Phillip. On the bathroom carpet she felt herself shiver, and goosebumps appeared on her body, and then, she happened to look at herself in the full length mirror. She saw her perfect body with rose petals all over it, now stuck to her, and for a moment, even she was quite stunned, briefly not recognizing herself. Wrapping a towel around herself, she went into the bedroom and happened to see an envelop on the bedside table beside the frilled lamp that she hadn't noticed before. Picking it up she opened it, getting the paper slightly wet. Inside she saw a handwritten note from Phillip:
'Dear Victoria,
I hope the room is to your taste. You will find some lingerie and clothes I wish you to wear in the wardrobe. My driver will be picking you up later, as I'm sure you are already aware. Don't disappoint me.
Regards,
Philip Clarigdale
'Don't disappoint me', what exactly did that mean, she wondered, as with the letter still in her hand she walked over to the wardrobe. Looking through her clothes, she found some lingerie and an outfit she'd not seen before. Pulling the outfit still on the hanger out of he wardrobe by the hem, she realized it was a seductive off-the-shoulder shimmering red Victorian dress with black lace, exactly the kind of thing a courtesan of the time would wear, yet not being so revealing as to suggest the woman wearing it was not also a lady, albeit a lady with some rather sensual tastes. The lingerie beside it was quite different however. Again, it was fashioned from the era, but was most definitely the lingerie of a lady of the night, the kind of woman who reveled in her own sordid sexuality. Victoria put the lingerie on, the upper part was a bodice with laces on the reverse that went all the way from her waist to her upper-back. It was difficult to tie it herself, but she managed by stretching her hands behind her neck and pulling tightly, and as soon as she did, she felt her breasts push upwards and outwards, making them appear much larger than they actually were. The stockings had old-fashioned garter belts at the top, and she slipped them on and fastened them before putting the lace panties on that she then noted had an opening right over her vagina. She was curious as to why Philip wanted her to wear them, it wasn't exactly as if she was going to deny him, she knew she'd quite happily remove her underwear for him upon his command anyway. The dress was exactly her size, yet, as Victorian in style as it was, it only emphasized her breasts all the more.
Walking to the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror, and realized she now matched her surroundings, but there was one thing missing, her hair in the correct fashion of the time. Getting some hairpins from her bag, she sat down in front of the pewter dressing table and used the mirror placed on it to put her hair up. Philip wouldn't be expecting that, she giggled to herself, starting to feel quite intoxicated by the whole affair. With her hair finished, and a few strands hanging down as if she had just been roughed up slightly, Victoria knew Philip wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her, and neither would anyone else for that matter.
She paced up and down the room and wondered how a Victorian woman should speak and act, and attempted a few slight curtseys while holding the dress up at the sides, and then the phone rang. Her butler told her the car was waiting for her at the front of the hotel. Victoria couldn't leave the room fast enough, and realized just as the door shut, that she'd forgotten to take her handbag with her, something she never forgot to do as all her cosmetics she might need were in there. But she didn't care at that moment, and went down the stairs realizing that getting the elevator was somewhat pointless. In the Victorian era before elevators, the most expensive rooms had been located on the second floor, so the hotel patrons wouldn't have to walk up so many floors. Descending the stairs, a few customers with their baggage beside them at the reception desk did a double take when they saw her. Holding her dress up, she gracefully reached the lobby and greeted the driver that she'd seen earlier. All eyes were on her, and it seemed as if the place had gone silent and everyone had stopped doing what they had just been attending to, even the staff.
The drive didn't take long, and Victoria arrived at the Savoy, a hotel that was more famous for its dining than perhaps as a residence. Located on the banks of the river Thames, the Savoy had seen such illustrious guests such as Katherine Hepburn and Winston Churchill in previous years. As she walked inside onto the black and white checked marble floor, she saw Philip waiting for her in his black dinner jacket and bow tie. He smiled at her as she approached him, but didn't seem to look as impressed with how she looked as she had thought he'd be. Holding his arm out for her to link onto hers, he led her to the riverside restaurant.
“Philip, you don't seem surprised by how I look.” Said Victoria, trying to search his eyes for the answer.
“I'm not.” He said matter-of-factly.
“Why?” Victoria asked, feeling everything she'd done had gone to waste.
“Because I've already imagined you dressed like this a thousand times.”
Victoria felt herself catch her breath, and followed Phillip to the seats, past a couple already dining in the refined ambiance. Finally being seated and ordering the food, Victoria decided to press Philip for answers, but what she hadn't reckoned with was the way she felt when she looked at him. His eyes seemed to shimmer, and his stiff posture and full mouth was hypnotic every time it moved to speak to her. Each time he talked, it was measured and concise, Philip Claringdale didn't like to waste words, that much was already apparent to Victoria, and it only added to the impact when he did actually decide to say something. She was so used to men telling her everything about themselves to try to impress her, but with Philip, she always felt he was holding back. She could have said his actions spoke louder than his words, but actually the effect was that because he spoke so few words, it meant that when he did speak his voice was awash with authority. Sitting in front of him, she felt herself turning into a little girl again, worrying about what she should say and how she should say it. She didn't want his disapproval, but the past two weeks had been so difficult for her that she steeled herself to speak anyway.
“Philip.” Victoria said, toying with her glass and not looking him in the eye, “You do realize I may be pregnant don't you?”
She looked up at him, wanting to see some sign of his feelings in his expression, but Philip's face remained set in stone,
“It has only been two weeks Victoria.” He said.
'Only two weeks' thought Victoria, those two weeks had been some of the longest weeks in her life. But that was it, the conversation about the subject was over, and Victoria felt too nervous, and now silly, to continue it.
“Do you know why I put you in the Cora Pearl suite Victoria?”
“Because she was a prostitute? And you regard me as such.” Victoria said, being sarcastic and wanting to get a rise out of him.
