Catherine Nowells

Chapter 1 - Used

Spring 1844. Property of the Pembrokes, Bath. 

"What should I do to capture Marcus's attention?" She fiddled with her chestnut curls as her maid slid the skirt down her legs. "I've tried flirting with him covertly, I've approached him during games, I've even undressed in front of him... It's been him, him and only him for over five years."

"What did you do that for? Oh, my Lady..." Nina was scandalized, and to prove her words, one of the golden pins slipped through her fingers. "But Miss Nowells! You've undressed? Where? When?" 

Nina was not a beauty, like her young mistress, but she was lively and determined and her thin, rather pleasant features had a suitable air for walking the cobbled streets of Bath without looking like a peasant. 

"Don't be scandalized."

She advised, very calmly, feeling that she had been scandalized enough for her own generation and the next after witnessing the gold magnate, Marcus Raynolds, do the 'improper' thing with a lady of questionable reputation. Yes, she had finally discovered what men and women do in private... from a closet. The previous night, along with the rest of the problematic beauties, she had decided to wait for Marcus in his bedroom naked, but to her surprise, he arrived with another woman whom she had never seen before  and had no choice but to hide in a closet until they... finished.

"I went to his room and undressed for him, showed him everything I have to offer. But above all, I wanted to show him that I am no longer that child he once saved from death in the river' she skilfully omitted the initial mishap with the closet. 

"And what did that man do? Please don't tell me he..." 

"Unfortunately no, nothing. He didn't touch me, not even brushed against me" she lied, recalling how Marcus had made the robe glide over her body until it covered her. "He dismissed me as soon as he could." 

"At least he still has a minimum of honesty," the maid, four years older than her mistress, was surprised. 

"Or he simply didn't like what he saw," she turned so that Nina could start buttoning the back of the straw-coloured dress she would wear that morning."

"It's probably that,' she took advantage of the unfounded thoughts of the young woman." That is proof that you must give up and look towards other horizons' she urged, eager for Catherine to marry once and for all, since her own job depended on it as well. If Cath didn't marry immediately, Mr Nowells wouldn't be able to keep most of the staff they had at that moment... not to mention that paying for another social season would be impossible. 

"I know what you all think," Nina immediately realized that the suggestion had annoyed the Miss. 'That spoiled, selfish girl, with her head full of birds chirping Marcus's name... But no one thinks that I'm nothing more than a cow to be sold, a very well decorated cow' she straightened the modest pearl necklace she wore, annoyed.

Nina chose not to answer, she thought about saying something flattering to regain her trust, but then decided to stay quiet and let Catherine calm down on her own. 

Catherine was no stranger to the family situation: bankrupt. Her father was ruined and therefore, the future of her sisters was also. All thanks to her wonderful older brother, who they owed that situation to, although her father insisted on denying it. Her brother, about ten years older than her, was a sponger. Not a rich sponger like Marcus, one of those who have amassed their own fortune and squander it as they please, no. A sponger at the expense of his family, of his parents' resources and without caring about the future of the rest of the group. A parasite, she called him that, but only in private of course. Her father did not stop in his effort to defend him and to cover him up, of course, Albert was the only son of the Earl of Sussex and as such, was untouchable. Albert had lost exorbitant amounts of money in gambling, had bet family assets and, with all that, he still had debts to pay. Who had to redeem the situation? Her. She had to marry the first wealthy nobleman who came along, and then let her family squeeze him and thus continue protecting the only heir of Sussex. How embarrassing!