Work Text:
Lyon, France
June 15, 1810
The silver passed into her palm, and Addie reclined on the mattress. He tried to kiss her, but she turned her face, and gave a small grunt: get on with it . With neither care nor skill, he pushed up her skirts, and drove himself in. She winced at the pain of entry, but it was all over quickly. He could not face her as he tucked himself away, wiped his hands on her bedding, and scurried for the door.
When she was certain he’d left, she felt around in the mattress for the seam she had so carefully cut into it. She deposited the silver into the little bag, satisfied by the lack of clink – lack of clink meant the bag was filling up nicely.
The night was still quite young; not yet full dark. She debated the merits of finding another client when behind her, there was a cough. Not quite a cough, but a noise. She jumped, and reached for the knife she kept near the mattress. But a knife would do her no good.
He tutted. ‘My Adeline, reduced to this?’ he gestured broadly at the cramped space and filthy mattress in the otherwise disused cellar. She ignored him, and replaced the knife. She wiped the inside of her legs with some old cloth, and pushed down her skirts.
‘I must go,’ she said, as she tried to take her leave, but he reached out an arm to halt her.
‘Where do you go?’
‘It’s early enough that I can find another client. Or two.’ She thought she saw him wince at this, but she was never quite certain with Luc.
‘You need only say the words,’ he said softly. Every once in a while he spoke to her with what she thought was genuine compassion. Or perhaps pity. Or perhaps, it was all a trick.
‘I have told you–’
‘Not those words– I expect I will not hear those words for quite some time. Say you want to be with me. I can make arrangements for you which will prevent a lifetime of…’ he trailed off as he plucked a spider from the dingy, low ceiling. He held it in his palm for a moment, before closing his fist. When he reopened his hand, there was no remnant of the arachnid.
‘I suppose that was meant to impress me,’ said Addie, ducking under his arm, and moving past him to the door. ‘I have seen many spiders killed. I have killed many spiders.’
‘Some day the arrangement will appeal to you, you know.’
Addie walked off, ignoring him. Of course, she was not to know that he was correct– that some day she would gladly seek the pleasures of his bed, and the security of his favour.