Black Widows Society

BLACK WIDOWS SOCIETY

Prologue

London, April 1818.

Adelaide opened the door and peered into the darkened room. The smell of sickness and imminent death hung in the air and she wrinkled her nose in distaste. She reluctantly walked to the bed until she could make out the emaciated form of her husband nearly swallowed by the huge bed. His breath sounded forced and filled the stillness of the atmosphere.

The doctor stood by the bed, looking exhausted and resigned. He turned and regarded her when she lightly touched his shoulder.

"How is he?" she asked softly, peering down at her husband. He lay with his eyes closed, chest rapidly rising and falling. "He looks better today, doesn't he?"

The doctor shook his head and felt a smitten of pity for the young woman who would soon be widowed. "I'm afraid, to say this My Lady, but I fear he might never rise from this sick bed."

She choked back a sob. "No, please, Winthrop, you must do something.....anything...I can't lose him...he means the world to me...please.."

Her quiet sobs woke Lord Huntington and he lifted a weak hand to beckon her closer. She sat on the edge of the bed and took his hands in hers.

"Ada...." the simple words cost him much energy and he closed his eyes again.

"Hush, my love," Adelaide crooned softly bending to place a kiss on his papery cheeks. "You must conserve your strength, there will be plenty of time to talk later...hush"

The Earl opened his eyes again...even so close to the grave, his eyes remained as sharp and piercing as ever. "I.....l..l.ove you, al...ways.....remember that."

"And I love you too darling" Tears rolled down her cheeks, "Please don't leave me...."

"I.....will....be...with...you..." Lord Huntington whispered, then he closed his eyes and breathed his last, his head lolling sideways lifelessly.

"John? John? Oh no no no no" Adelaide let out a low keening sound as she gathered her husband's body close and rocked back and forth. The doctor sighed and leaned down to gently extricate the heartbroken woman from the bed. Adelaide resisted, still calling out to her husband, demanding that he answer her.

The doctor pulled the bell to summon help, almost immediately, the door was opened by Georges, the butler, who approached the bed and gently lifted his mistress, helping her out of the room, and into her own bedchamber.

He placed her limp form on the bed and instructed her lady's maid to fetch some tea and laudanum, the maid hurried away and returned a few minutes later bearing a tray of tea and a small bottle containing the laudanum. Goerges put a small amount of the medicine in the tea and gently coaxed his mistress to take some. Adelaide drank dutifully and fell back against the pillow, letting the drug lull her into a deep sleep. Two days later.......

The rain pelted down mercilessly on the mourners by the graveside, as they huddled under umbrellas standing by the coffin that held the remains of the Earl of Riverdale. Adelaide stood surrounded by close friends, yet alone in her thoughts.

Finally, she thought, a fission of glee running through her. I am free! The bastard can rot in hell for all I care, I am rich. No more unpleasant obligations, no pressure to supply an heir, only sweet, unadulterated freedom.

Outwardly, she appeared to be bent almost over in misery, yet no one could fathom the depths of her hatred for the man she had been forced to marry at sixteen, by a mean, controlling father, who had ignored her pleas to be allowed to marry the man she loved, only seeing the chance to finally become connected to a member of the nobility.

She had spent every moment of the three year marriage plotting her revenge, slipping a bit of poison now and then into her husband's meal, careful to put only a little at a time so it would not be detected, hoping for the day her efforts would finally pay off. Now it seemed she would enjoy the fruits of her labor at last.

The minister finished his prayer and the crowd began to disperse slowly until only Adelaide was left. She placed the rose flower she had been holding on the coffin and smiled through the heavy black veil that completely covered her face.

"You ignorant fool," She whispered softly, "I hope you and father share a room in the depths of hell for all eternity." she leaned down to place a kiss on the sleek wooden casket, straightened, took a few steps forward and shut her eyes, then allowed her body to go limp and she slumped to the ground.