The Humiliation of Reman Dane – Chapter 3
Part: 1 Redman's Plot Backfires
As
was her custom Alelia Dane had risen early and was enjoying a stroll
in the well-tended gardens, accompanied by her strikingly handsome
personal footman Edward. Who carried her parasol, held above her to
shade her from the already bright summer morning sunshine.
She felt cheerful and light-hearted, it looked set to be a beautiful day and with any luck the good weather would continue over the weekend, when festivities were planned in her honour. However, moments later, she received information which significantly altered her mood.
At first Lady Dane could not believe what she had just been told, Redman had always been her special favourite nephew. She knew he was he was a naughty boy, but that was part of his charm, and she had always believed his mischief was harmless.
However, she could not deny the proof that had been brought to her by her by the young lady of the manor and two of the most trusted family servants. The had shown her evidence of a malicious wickedness by her golden boy which could not be ignored.
“He should be punished your Ladyship!” said Ruth Gallagher, the governess who had raised all the young Dane boys from infants to young men “Punished severely!”
Lady turned to face Miss Gallagher and nodded her agreement “Indeed!” she said, “and he will be!”
---
Meanwhile in an upstairs room in the house behind them, Redman was still in bed. While Lady Dane's mood may have darkened Redman's mood was vastly improved, and he lay on crumpled sheets with a smug, sly and satisfied grin on his face. He had a pleasant feeling of excited anticipation, as he imagined how the clever plot he had hatched would fall into place.
Tomorrow was the weekend and there was to be a luncheon and garden party in honour of Aunt Amelia's visit followed by a banquet that evening. Members of some of the higher-ranking families in the county had been invited. Everyone would be wearing their finest outfits, including his aunt who would, of course, wish to wear her gems.
When she discovers the necklace is missing, the house will be searched, including the servants' rooms. When the missing gems are found in her parlour, Ruth Gallagher will be exposed at the thief. Caught, red handed the old women would be condemned to spend the rest of her life in prison.
It was a shame thieves were no longer hung, or, better still deported, it would be delicious revenge to imagine her spending her old age tolling in some sweat stained, mosquito infested Colonial Hell hole! However, the county prison was hellish enough, and no doubt hard labour would kill the old sow within a year.
In Redman's view, it was no more than she deserved for the degrading indignity and humiliation he has suffered through her actions.
Naked and achingly handsome, he arose from his bed and sauntered to the window, his, lithe and beautiful naked body seeming to take on an added lustre as it was caressed lovingly by the morning sunlight. He looked across the gardens below and spotted the target of his hatred standing talking to his aunt “Like two old hens, clucking about ribbons and ball gowns!” he scoffed, his eyes narrowed as he studied Ruth “Such fine clothes and attractive surroundings will soon be a distant memory for the poisonous old witch!”
He leaned against the polished oak panneld wall, imagining Ruth Gallagher gripping the bars of a dark and filthy cell and his perfectly formed mouth twisted into a mocking grin.
He then returned to the bed and lay in his stomach enjouying the anticipation of the fun that was to come
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“The seamstress has done a very satisfactory job, however. would be wise to avoid sitting down before luncheon sir!” Advised Griffiths as he assisted Redman checking the fit of his chosen outfit for the following evening “The tunic is likely to crease, also the gold piping and buttons may be uncomfortable!”
“I won't have time to sit down my man!” replied Redman haughtily “I shall be dancing with a bevy of beautiful young virgins!” he chuckled “They may not remain virgins for long!” Redman's arrogant attitude had returned after a short period of self-pity. He also had no idea that his valet had been amongst the staff who had visited the kitchen to enjoy the sight of his chimney breast humiliation, and, therefore, addressed him with the disdain with which he always treated servants.
As evidence of his lack of regard for the feelings of servants, he had not bothered to dress, and beneath his tunic he was naked from the waist down. He might have been more circumspect had he been aware that Griffiths was one of those men, who could feel desire for his own sex, as well as for women.
Of course, such a thought would never have occurred to the robustly heterosexual Redman Dane.
“As you say Sir!” replied Griffith as he brushed a spot of fluff from Redman's otherwise immaculate scarlet tunic.
Despite never having served in any regiment, Redman had opted to wear his elder brother's cavalry uniform for the evening, which had been taken in by a seamstress to fit his less bulky figure. Even Griffiths had to admit that his young master was was strikingly handsome that morning, and every inch the Romantic hero in his borrowed, gold braded, finery.
Without revealing a hint of his thoughts. Griffiths was pleasantly amused by the knowledge that Redman was not destined to remain so elegantly attired for much of the following weekend. “You would not be so smug and self-satisfied if you knew what is in store you my young coxcomb!” he thought with a warm glow of satisfaction.
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The next day was Saturday, and, as Lady Dane had anticipated, it was another beautiful day. Greeting guests in the great hall, Redman was enjoying himself greatly, and his mood was sunny as the weather. He had no premonition of the dark clouds which were heading his way, instead was thrilled by the prospect how he believed the day would develop.
It could not be denied that Redman was the handsomest man in the room with his burnished gold hair and snugly fitting borrowed military finery. He was attracting a flurry of admiring attention from the young ladies present, together with a fair share of resentful and jealous glances from the young gentlemen.
Especially gratifying was the expression on the face of the blonde and lovely Euphemia Bickerstaffe, with he had a brief romance the previous summer. No doubt, she now regretted ending their affair due to his trifling dalliance with her lady's maid.
The attention he was receiving was both a pleasant distract and a boost to his ego as he waited for the main entertainment to begin.
To Redman's disappointment Lady Dane's arrival in the hall did not have the outcome he had been anticipating. To his surprise she was dressed in an elaborate hight collared gown of emerald green, a colour he had never seen her wear before and and one which would have clashed uncomfortably with the pink sapphires amongst the pearls and diamonds of her magnificent necklace.
Due to her choice of attire, she had clearly chosen not to wear the gems, and had, therefore, not yet discovered they were missing.
he Gallagher sow's downfall will have to wait until the crone changes her dress for the ball tonight!”
His handsome face took on the sulky grimace of a child forced to delay a treat, he turned his back on his aunt, and focused his attentions on the altogether more appealing younger females in the room.
He did not notice that Lady Dane had strolled across the room until she was standing directly behind him and was unaware of her presence until she spoke.
“You look very Dapper my Boy!” she purred, “But what is that unsightly thread hanging from the tail of your tunic? Let me remove it for you!”
Before Redman had a chance to respond, he aunt had bent forward grasped at the loose thread handing from his tunic and gave it a firm tug and by doing so released the loosely sewen seem at the back of the garment. As she did so, a glittering pearl, diamond and pink sapphire item fell clattering to the floor, landing around the heels of Redman's shiny polished black leather boots.
Lady Dane gave a rather theatrical gasp “My gems!” she cried “You had my precious necklace hidden in your
clothing!”
Redman spun round and stared gown aghast at the glittering object at his feet, before Lady Dane knelt down with the agility of a schoolgirl and scooped up the necklace. Now he realized why the piping at the hem of his tunic had felt so bulky and uncomfortable. But how had the gems, which he had carefully hidden in Ruth Gallagher's rooms, found their way into his clothing?
It was then that he caught sight of the sneering grins on the faces of Miss Gallagher and his man servant Griffiths, and the truth began to dawn on him. Yet there was nothing he could do, he could not accuse them without exposing his own far more reprehensible actions.
“I .. I .. I have no idea how that got there Aunt!” he stammered
“Don't lie to me, you villain!” bellowed an imperious Lady Dane, “You stole my necklace and had it hidden on your person, until you could sell it, to pay off gambling debts no doubt!”
Redman stared at his aunt in abject horror, like a rabbit caught in a trap might stare at an advancing fox, he could not believe what had happened, this was not how he had planned for events to unfold. “T..there has been some terrible mistake!” he stammered.
“The only mistakes were yours, you young Scallywag!” Stormed Lady Dane reciting her pre rehearsed script with relish, “Your first mistake was stealing from me, and the second was hiding it so poorly!”
Redman was keenly aware that all eyes in the room were upon him and he felt a desperate urge to bolt and flee from the gathering, but already the yonger and fitter men in the room were instinctively taking position in order to block any attempted escape. He struggled to think of clever words he could use in his defence, but none would come.
“What else have you got secreted on your person?” demanded Lady Dane “What more of my property is hidden in your clothing?”
“Nothing Aunt!” he stammered “I assure you, there is nothing more!”
“How can we believe you?” cried Lady Dane “Prove it, take off your clothes!”
“You can not be serious!” gasped Redman
“I am very serious, do as you are told!”
“Not in front of our guests Please Aunt!” he pleaded
“They must see the proof!” roared Lady Dane “You deserve to be shamed. And they will witness your shaming!”
“I ..I refuse!”
“Then we will summons the constable, and you will languish in the county jail with the other thieves and vagabonds!” before adding with a sneering growl, “and you will relinquish all hope of inheriting my fortune!”
Then another voice was at his ear, his young stepmother Claudia Dane, had approached unnoticed and was standing beside him, her hands gripped into fists “Do as you are told Redman!” she ordered “Or I shall report your actions to your father, who will certainly banish and disinherit you, NOW STRIP OFF YOUR CLOTHES!”
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