The Fall of Charlotte Richards

A Devils Paw Story

© 2013 Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Three

“This is a beautiful train” Charlotte observed as she boarded in Terminus, delighted at the handsome and powerful male Spanish Scenthound who so graciously accepted her ticket and the beautiful and tiny female Spanish ocelot who personally guided them to their Pullman cabin. Once their luggage was seen attended too the two started settling in, it was an overnight run after all.

Although the FLYER was decorated in a rich but muted style it was not a style either of the women were used too. ‘Up North’ things tended to be marble, often uncomfortable French style furniture and other stone while in the South it was rich muted colors, soft cushions and well rubbed hardwoods. It was a completely new world to both Northerners as was the local manner of speech. They had found themselves standing out like bonfires in the darkness and that was uncomfortable.

“You will behave yourself” Martha ordered her niece while they were waiting in their compartment for the train to start. “No matter what you see or hear you WILL compose yourself in public as a true Northern lady of refinement.”

“Of course Aunt Morton” Charlotte agreed, she was simply amazed at how rich their compartment was decorated.

“This dear Niece is not only to be a vacation from the bitter cold but an awaking experience for you” the older woman continued. “Come the Spring you are to be announced, a very late announcement for you yes, still I will preform all the bells and whistles such an event requires. You will meet eligible young men who will hope to capture your heart, mainly for your money of course while one or two will be serious and will stand by you barefoot and destitute if need-be. It is your responsibility to discover those men while casting aside those who’s eyes are only for gold. There are though things that, due to your enchantment with the Church I have been lax in my responsibilities, the mating of male and female being one that I intend to rectify on this adventure.”

“But Aunt Morton, the Church..”

“Shut up” Martha snapped abruptly, catching her niece completely off guard. “And stand up this instant. What Church? That fat skirt chasing old fool who pressed into your mind nothing to do with reality? Upon this trip you will learn reality, I will not have my family name laughed at because my niece did not know how to please her husband on his wedding night, is that fully understood?”

“y..y... Yes Aunt Morton” the young girl agreed, staring at the older collie as though she had come from nowhere. “This is so unlike you Aunt Morton, are you ill?”

“Far from it, I have been negligent in my duties as your Guardian. Your own mother broke her bed upon her wedding night, broke a brand new oaken bed into uselessness. I will not shame her by allowing her daughter to lay compliantly like a lump of dough as some rutting young man took her upon his wedding night. By God you WILL break that bed, or I will disown you is that understood?”

“My mother.. But The Reverend Father...”

Again Martha cut her niece short. “Has gotten at least eleven young girls, all below the age of twelve, with pup or kitten since arriving in Washington. A letter to the Pope was sent last year, signed by the majority of our churches adult congregation which my name was second only because he who polished that letter signed first. I cannot see that animal being there more than a few months longer. Perhaps the Pope will ship him off to the islands we will be visiting, at least I was able to keep you from his paws.”

Red faced, shaken because she adored the bear who had so gently guided her through her religious learning Charlotte simply stared at her aunt. This was a side of the collie that she had only seen in business dealings, it was a side she was well aware brooked no challenge and told no lies no matter the cost. “How” she finally managed to ask.

“I informed the dear Father that if I had one inkling that he had touched you in any way, that I would have him unmanned and thrown to the street rats naked and bound” Martha Morton answered bluntly. “Now to you, remove your intimates immediately.”

“My.. Aunt Morton, surely you cannot...”

“Charlotte, I have dragged you far from family and friends” the collie snapped. “So far that you are now completely dependent upon me for everything from the clothing you wear, the food you eat and the bed that you sleep in. You belong to me body and soul should I wish to exercise those rights that you so very foolishly signed over to me and I quote. ‘I agree to turn over myself to my Aunts hand body and soul during ovr trip to the islands, that she may do with and to me anything that she desires as long as no male is allowed to lay with me. These rights and privileges begin the moment we set foot on the train South and end only when we step foot on Washington soil.’ All this being quite legal my sweet niece. Once we return to Washington D.C., together, that paper you so foolishly signed without reading not only returns these rights to you, it gives you three months to marry and or move out of my house. I am releasing you to the world but not without an understanding of what that world truly is. It is my great hope that we will remain friends but as I said, I WILL educate you, you will learn and if you do not I shall most certainly sell you in Cuba to the highest bidder. You will not insult my sister, your mother, I will not allow that. Now remove them or I shall leave you at the dock with nothing but a nightdress. Wither you are wearing it or bound by it I will decide at that time.”

Shocked and embarrassed beyond understanding the young mink did as she was told, carefully folding the delicate and very expensive bit of clothing together, laying them upon the one bed. Her Aunt, when in this mood was never to be trifled with, if she said she would do something it would be done and Charlotte had no fantasies about what would happen to her if she was left at the dock with nothing but her sleepware. When she was finished her Aunt stood, walking over to help her niece correct her clothing. “You will now pack those away, they will be shipped home as soon as we reach Cedar Key as I have already made the arrangements. A single set of very plain intimates are packed in my clothing for when your moon arrives, other than that this is how you will dress. Now for the next step in your education of true adulthood.”

Returning to her seat as Charlotte packed away her clothing the collie picked up a small pamphlet, it was the Furry Flyers rules and instructions. “Have you ever heard of ‘dinner served in the oriental way?’ she asked calmly, “And you may sit now.”

Gratefully the young mink sat, her face blossoming in the most wonderful way were a male around to see, she felt absolutely sluttish without her under clothing on. “No Aunt Morton, I know almost nothing of the Orient.”

“It means, to be absolutely true to term, that a young woman will be laying upon the table, she will be bound thus helpless, naked and with food packed on, in and around her body.” Holding up the pamphlet she pointed to a second laying on a tiny table near he Niece. “Read it before you leave this cabin, fully. It is the passengers responsibility to try and eat sufficient foods as to undress the young lady, it is the servers responsibility to maintain her modesty until ten PM, her ‘shift’ ends at midnight.”

“How horrid” Charlotte gasped.

“Read the pamphlet you childish fool, do you really expect to keep your fortune after marriage with such little knowledge? Not with as little world knowledge as you have at this moment for certain that I will guarantee you. I love you dearly Charlotte, I wish I had been blessed with children but as God decided I could not bear thus I have made you my daughter as much as I legally can. Now listen carefully, the young lady in question is a volunteer or hired and may have already done this several times. I have made serious inquires and may assure you that she is never a streetwalker and certainly not diseased in any way. If the cover over her has the W&A logo upon it she is a railroad employee. She may have volunteered or as is more likely, she has done something to injure the company and has chosen this as punishment rather than being dismissed from the company. She has done this freely and in some cases volunteered more than once, those who are not being punished receive triple pay if they are popular, double if not. It is also a fact that one of the railroad Management’s own daughters volunteered for the service simply to experience the event when she discovered that the FLYER was short a table that run. Now, if the cover is blank the young lady was hired and has no special standing with the railroad, she is doing this strictly for the money, adventure or perhaps simply because of a dare.”

“The South is so strange” Charlotte whispered, her delicate paw picking up that second pamphlet almost by its own violation. “I would never have thought...”

“This is nothing compared to parties Charlotte, those special ones I have attended with Congressmen and leaders of industry at attendance” Martha replied, humor now in her voice. “Wait until your husband takes you to an Oriental Style party. Why he may even place you upon the auction block for charity, for another’s pleasure.”

“Aunt Martha... How...” the young mink stuttered.

“I’ve been upon that block several times myself” the collie admitted. “Though I no longer bring the money I once did, at least my charity has each time received every penny. That being the widows and orphans of merchant sailors of course, which as I recall is your own favorite charity? Think of how much selling your body in such a way would bring to allow comfort for those poor souls, it is after all for them not for ourselves. You though must first be married, I made a fool of myself at eleven with your Uncle which is why I have never married as after I had nothing to offer any husband upon his wedding night.”

“All Aboard” came a call, breaking into their conversation, it was repeated several times before there was a sudden jerk, a jerk that felt like links of chain being slowly drawn tight. In minutes they were moving slowly but smoothly. A drift of smoke entered the cabin from somewhere then passed away as the wind was from the South, thus ran across the train instead of along it.

“You are entering a new stage of your life my dear Charlotte” the collie announced, still instructing her charge. “One that you will guide your daughters though as they are old enough. Now, read that pamphlet as I have then join me for lunch. After all there is no food aboard this train other than upon the tables and the rules do not allow anyone to serve you but yourself.” Standing the collie laid her own pamphlet upon the bed. “And do keep those unders packed away, because I will inspect you randomly to insure that you are as bare as I am.”

Leaving a completely confused and embarrassed mink behind, Miss. Martha Morton walked out of their cabin with a smile. The fall of Charlotte Richards had started, and quite easier than she had expected. Now if she could only find a safe place to hide her until she could destroy her own brother the collie thought as she walked. She simply loved the mink too much to watch her sold at auction, most likely to some fat rich plantation owner who would use her, then throw her to the fields when she caught.

There simply had to be a way.