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Chapter 10: Silence

作者: mathiyaprojects
last update 最終更新日: 2021-09-25 19:58:47

She stood, tall and proud, and pale as a ghost. Her arms stretched outwards, reaching, as her mother worked the lacings to her corset, tugging at the strings fiercely. Bursts of air escaped Liziwe’s grim-set lips with every pull, as her waist was slowly drawn in, and in, displacing flesh and bone. Her Mother spoke not a word, pulling the white gown down and over Liziwe’s torso, helping her arms through the long, stiff sleeves, to settle on her hips. She could feel her mother’s hands tremble as she began to button the myriads of tiny, untenable buttons, and still no words were passed; no expressions of comfort, or fear, or the simple gentle solace of a clasped hand. Disquiet ran rampant, thick and poisonous as hemlock. She regarded her reflection passively in the ancient, tarnished mirror; a relic of better times for the Matiwane family. Her hair was artfully plaited and pinned round the crown of her head, a style soft yet severe, dignified yet girlish

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  • Painted Pearls   Chapter 23: Good Christmas Cheer

    "Sonjica here- " and Edward flapped his hand at the distracted man- "was just informing me that these birds are town bred. Well! I've put a penny on it, for they're country bred, through and through!""You've lost your money, then" replied the merchant, Mr Casbane, "for they're town bred.""They are most certainly not!""Take it or leave it, Mister! They're town bred, and I have the ledger here to prove it."Sonjica stared at the woman. The woman stared back at him. Her eyes were wide, and dark, and fretful. They flickered to Edward and back again."Edward- look, do you see her? Just there?""Notnow, Sonjica, he's just fetching the ledger- the thief's name will be there, I'm sure of it- ""Edward, do you see that woman? Look, look now- there!" And he spun his fellow profiler round, jerking him by the sleeve of his greatcoat. Together they scanned the crowd, but where before she had stood, there was now a group of y

  • Painted Pearls   Chapter 22: Wild Goose Chase

    It was clear that this was by no means Simon's greatest wish, for his demeanour was grudging and ill-tempered as she slowly descended the stairs. But he held the door open for her all the same, and she stepped over the threshold, into the brisk air of early winter. Hesitantly she took the steps one at a time, clutching to the railing. Her cheek ached dreadfully, even in the mere minute it had been exposed to the weather. The street bustled; horses trotted by, and the citizens of Sterling found their dogged way from this place to another. She took it all in, in deep, bewildering breaths; into her mind, into her lungs, into her heart.Lifefound her, once again, in a heady rush of sound, and noise; a caterwaul after the silence of her prison.And it was too much. Energy, brimming and running over, teemed in every direction, flowing through her like great waves crashing against the surf. Her knuckles grew white against the railing, and she found her body

  • Painted Pearls   Chapter 20: A penny for a thought continued

    "Could I have a penny, sir?" "What?" Muttered Edward distractedly, striking a match to a packed pipe. "A penny, sir- haven't eaten all day!" "Thatis a lie- but it seems I will not be rid of you! There, now! Ask Mrs. J for a biscuit, you're clearly after one!" And with that he pulled three pennies from the pocket of his dressing gown, throwing them irritably at the delighted lad. Mylo scrambled about the room, plucking them from the wooden floor. It was at this moment that Professor Barland chose to enter the fray, opening the door and nearly tripping headlong over the boy as he reached for a final penny tucking itself under the ottoman. "What the devil- Mylo, good heavens is that you? I nearly broke a leg, young man, away with you!" Spluttered the professor as the boy righted himself, clutching to the mantelpiece and coming face to face with an old skull, its empty sockets gazing balefully through him. "Is that ahuma

  • Painted Pearls   Chapter 20: A penny for a thought

    The afternoon light glanced down like a slice of gold through the billowing clouds, scattering through the streets of Sterling in dispersed glints and flashes. People skittered this way and that, pausing to hail a passing cab, to inspect a broken lace torn free from a shoe, or to simply stop and chew the fat with a fellow. In short, it was that time of day, after the small meal has been taken, when people seem most relaxed in their digestion and less wary of their surroundings. That is to say, it was the opportune moment for a scallywag such as our little mongrel Mylo to pinch a rogue penny from an unattended purse, or to lend a helpful ear to those whose tongues perpetually wagged. On this particular day, our lad had within his possession a commodity which he knew might spark the imagination of his occasional-master:a curious story, which he himself had witnessed first-hand. And with this choicest of morsels tucked neatly away in his shar

  • Painted Pearls   Chapter 19: Serpent

    Her eyes snapped into focus, alarm and fear mingling into an entirely different beast, whose hackles rose, whose lips pulled back into a guarded snarl. Her feet slid away from under her, her body propelled backwards on the energy of pure revulsion. But he seized her face between his warm hands, and drew her up towards him. A shriek tore from her lips; high and incoherent- but was silenced with his kiss. His mouth against hers was hard and demanding: it was an assault, an invasion of her person. Twisting her neck, she pulled away,awayfrom the searing contact of flesh against flesh- but his grip was made fast, coiling once more deep into her hair. His tongue darted into her mouth like a serpent; out and away, too quick, too shocking for her to seize it between her own teeth andripfor all her life was worth. He released her suddenly, and she tumbled backwards, catching herself precariously on the bedpost. Her stomach heav

  • Painted Pearls   Chapter 18: Secrets Most Vile

    He scrutinised her, taking in every curve of her form; every line, every crease, every movement. Through a dim fog of disbelief she waited, her awareness wavering on a knife's edge. He seemed to be before her, and yet, he did not seem real; a threatening mirage, a reminder that reality was only the counting of physical hurts. Did she live, did she breathe? His eyes were burning coals; bright, burning circles, burrowing into her, consuming her…"Liziwe, my dear," he said finally, as if she were a little child who had done something very naughty. "You have cost me a pretty penny, did you know? The keeping of a woman is not cheap… nor was this littlejauntof yours today, this… little adventure. Did you not think I would find you? You aremine, Liziwe; you are mywife. The sooner you understand that, the better it will be for you." His words lapped at the edge of her reason, and still she stared, h

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