Yet, she was unable to feel the disgust that she knew she ought to be feeling. After all, this was Ron… Ron Cassidy, her own man wonderful lover!
Chapter 4
"Just set it down there, Ella!" Sylvie was still in bed, having canceled all her appointments for that day. It was the third day now since her surprise encounter with Frank, the former valet, that she had remained confined to her room with a mysterious illness.
The family doctor, Dr. Darling, had suggested she get a complete rest, and she was happy to follow doctor's orders since her terrible lewd experience with the former valet had left her feeling despondent and weak. She had done her best to hide her state of mind from her husband, and fortunately Tim's busy schedule had taken him out of town for a few days so that he was not there to ascertain the full depth of her depression. When he returned, they were scheduled to weekend in Grandville.
Tim had left feeling certain that the reliable Dr. Darling would "fix Sylvie up." The family doctor had a wide array of shots and pills that Tim was certain would work wonders with his ailing blonde wife. He knew for a fact that his mother had extracted from the dear doctor a veritable youth formula, much in use by movie stars and other prominent people who depended upon their appearance for their livelihood. She did not have to fly to Switzerland or Czechoslovakia for such treatments, for somehow the family doctor managed to have all the latest necessities. And it was true that Thelma Cassidy, now a gracefullooking widow in her seventies and a demanding matriarch who still kept more active than a woman half her age, seemed ageless. Tim was certain that she would go on forever, and he hoped that Dr. Darling would do the same for an of them when the time came.
The good doctor had left only moments before, and Sylvie's tender left buttock felt a tingling soreness where he had stuck the hypodermic needle in. Yet, she felt relieved that within minutes she would have a complete change of mood. Shortly, she would be feeling happy again, and cheerful. She would be able to work out a solution to the obscene secret that lurked inside her. A combination of tranquilizing drugs and amphetamines was already surging through her system to enable her to cope with it all.
The young Irish maid walked carefully into the bedroom, carrying her tray before her. She had been with the Cassidys for a while now, having stayed on as Sylvie's personal maid after the tumultuous events at the Family Meeting Place in Grandville. She was happy living in Washington with the Senator and his wife, and she was pleased that Mrs. Cassidy seemed to actually like her now… whereas in the beginning she had never wanted her about, even though her puzzling young mistress never went so far as to fire her.
All that was in the past now, and Ella's main preoccupation at the moment was to hope that the fine chicken broth and hot buttered toast she had brought up for the Senator's wife would please her and make her feel better.
Sylvie smiled wanly at the girl, who to please Sylvie's mother-in-law was clad in a smart gray and white uniform. Sylvie hated uniforms, but Tim's mother had persuaded him that any senator worth his salt had a uniformed household staff. And when Tim agreed with his mother, there was nothing for Sylvie to do but acquiesce.
"Would you open the curtains just a bit, Ella?" she asked with a soft wave of her beautifully-manicured fingers. "I think it is going to be a nice day after all."
It was mid-morning, and the clouds that had enveloped Washington for several days appeared to be lifting. Sylvie took it as a good sign, and sighed, settling back on her fluffy white pillows, as the sun streamed in through the window malting a striated pattern upon the thick oriental carpet. Just then the telephone chimed, and Sylvie gave a little start at its melodious notes. Nevertheless she was feeling quite a bit better already, and she picked up the receiver with confidence.
The familiar voice of her secretary came across the wire, and Sylvie realized that she hadn't spoken to her in quite a while. It was usually her custom to stop by the small office that she maintained on "K"
Street to read her mail and to help her secretary answer it. But she hadn't even called in since her meeting with Frank the other day. She felt a pang of guilt, since she was usually very good about answering the many letters that she received every week. Sylvie knew that her name was on the lips of every teen-age girl in the country since she had initiated her "Youth Campaign." Using the family money to begin a non-profit foundation, Sylvie had set up youth hostels all across the country where certain numbers of teen-agers could live in the lesspopulated areas and eventually become self-sustaining by living off the land. There were young instructors on hand to help and the projects were carried out as informally as possible with an eye toward offering the most freedom possible.
Sylvie was very proud that she herself had thought of the idea, even though it was Ron, her husband's younger brother, who had suggested that she get involved in something undeniably good for the country now …" and by the time election time comes your name will be a household word! Maybe it should be something with kids…"
Sylvie had taken it from there, and of course had had the help of an extensive staff of Cassidy family lawyers to assist her.
"Oh, I'm sorry Jennie. I just haven't been felling well…"
"I know, Senator Cassidy told me; and I wouldn't have bothered you if it weren't for this man who's been calling."
"Man? Calling… who… what did he say?" Sylvie could feel her heart pounding harder.
"Well, he's on the wire right now… says he's got to speak with you!
He says his name is Mr. Franks, but he wants tell me what it's about.
He's been calling now for a couple of days, and finally I thought I'd ask you about it!" Jennie's voice sounded concerned, and Sylvie realized that she must say nothing that would alarm her secretary.
You must remain calm, she told herself. You can handle the situation … You are stronger than he is…! Once more, Sylvie tried the power of positive suggestion. She remembered the helpful shot that Dr.
Darling had just given to her. Certainly the situation wasn't nearly as bad as she had made it out to be to herself! Even though she had submitted to that lewd oral act with the elderly valet, there were worse things in life than that… certainly she could rise above that awful memory if she had risen above so many other things in the pasty "Oh, Mr. Franks!" Sylvie heard her own voice saying into the phone.
"You say he's on the wire now? Yes, I'll speak with him. Connect us, Jenny!"
"Okay… I'll speak to you later… you get better now!" Jennie's voice clicked off, and then established the special telephone connection that would enable Frank's call to be transferred to the Cassidy home phone. Sylvie was grateful that their private number was so secret that not even the servants knew it. To safeguard against intruders the number was also changed as a matter of course every few months.
But Sylvie felt something within her fade just ever so slightly as she heard Frank's familiar voice on the telephone. She could not suppress a shudder, and she drew her cream-colored silk robe up around her neck as she listened to his unctuous words.
"Oh, Mrs. Cassidy, I'm so glad I've gotten through to you at last! I just had to reach you… I was wondering if we could change that appointment we made? You see, I'd rather not wait until next week because that columnist fellow's been calling me. He's terribly persuasive, you know. I'd like to make the final agreement with you, though, Mrs. Cassidy… about the contents of the book, that is… before I let any of it go!"