The Lady

She continued with Her story apparently still stunned by the events of the last three months. He laid respectfully quiet, still unable to move within his restrictions, yet soaking up the events as She revealed them to him. He was stunned by Her news and now realised why She had shut him out of Her life for so long.

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She sat in a huge drawing room, surrounded by expensive furniture, paintings and ornaments. She had been shown to a large leather Chesterfield chair beside a crackling fire and the frail old butler had taken Her coat. She sipped on the brandy he had then brought Her, his manner still servile. She stared into the flames of the fire feeling wary of Her predicament here now. This house was unknown to Her. How could She escape.

"Fear not, my child" a low female voice echoed through the vast expanse of the room.

She turned to see a tall, strong looking woman who had the most striking turquoise eyes She thought She had ever seen. The woman before Her was also dressed fully in black and had silken white hair piled up on Her head. Red lips curled into a devilish smile as She placed herself in the chair opposite Her.

"I am Lady Grace, My darling, " the woman spoke again, "and I am your father's sister"

She stumbled with Her words as She wanted to explain that there must be some kind of mistake. Her father had been adopted as a small child, as far as She knew. She had been raised by Her grandparents since Her mother's demise and had grown distant from Her father throughout Her adult life.

Lady Grace warmed to Her instantly, Her own wise eyes reading Her face with interest and apparent approval. More drinks were supplied and She was finally informed of Her true position in life.

Apparently, Her father had been placed for adoption as he was male and useless to a special lineage of women. His progress was monitored by Lady Grace who was at least twenty years older than Her father. Lady Grace had then focussed Her attentions on Her niece immediately after She was born and watched Her life unfold.

She was told how She belonged within a close line of Dominants, all powerful women in their own fields and all members of the same family. The elder Dominants had agreed with Lady Grace that the child would be watched for progress and that if, on day, She showed that She was naturally dominant and therefore, a rightful heir to lineage that Lady Grace could then welcome Her into their institution of Dominants.

Lady Grace explained how She had painfully watched Her struggle through Her normal life, wanting to help Her through all the troubles She had experienced but Lady Grace had been denied this by the Elders. She had to grow into Her own Dominance naturally and without any outside influence if She were to be granted Her position among the handful of women that held true power in this Country.

She learned how She would, now, be automatically gifted property, riches and money beyond Her wildest dreams, and that She must focus Her natural Dominance within herself and outwardly into a business venture that would also be given to Her.

She was also told how She would now become a Lady. She would from this day forwards be known as Lady Smith, as this was the name She had chosen for herself.