Tag: Charles Montgomery IV

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Kingsport #51

In the days following the non-wedding of Will Montgomery and Dr. Connor Windsor, everyone in Kingsport wondered what had actually happened to make Connor run off into the abyss. Were things as bad as the leaked story in the Kingsport Press intoned? Was it true that Will was a spoiled, over privileged monster? Could it be that Connor had been kidnapped by an organized crime syndicate? No one knew for sure, but everyone had theory. The Montgomery family wasn’t speaking to the press while the Windsors were hounded day and night for comment. It was in this moment that Raquel Windsor decided that she had to speak to Alison and Charles in order to clear the air. Although Alistair Windsor advised his wife against her impulsive decision, he accompanied her to the Montgomery Estate as a throng of photographers chased them through the quiet lanes of Kingsport.

“I have nothing to say to either of you,” snapped Alison Farrell Montgomery. She stood near the window of the Smoking Room as Charles Montgomery, IV surveyed their errant guests over a glass of whisky. “I always knew your son was an egomaniac, but for him to abandon my son at the altar on their wedding day…! It’s exceedingly cruel!”

Raquel could feel sweating pouring down her body. “We didn’t know Connor wasn’t going to show up, Alison! You have to believe us!”

“I don’t have to believe anything you say, Raquel!” roared Alison.

“Alistair, we’ve been trying to console Billy for days, but it’s impossible. We both know you and Raquel are not wholly responsible for Connor’s actions, yet I don’t think it’s best for us to meet in this manner when emotions are so raw,” intoned Charles. He scanned Alistair and Raquel before adding, “What’s done is done. We’ll have to find a way to move on.”

“And to think we gave Connor a second chance after everything he did to India,” growled Alison.

“Hold on, Alison,” interrupted Alistair. “Nothing was ever proven. We all know your daughter lives in a reality of her own.”

“I won’t…” began Alison.

Alistair took Raquel by the arm and led her towards the door of the Smoking Room. “We’ll never know what really happened between Will and Connor. Something made Connor decide that he couldn’t go through with the wedding. I’m sorry for the shame it’s brought to your family and the scandal it’s brought to mine.”

Charles watched Alistair and Raquel leave the Smoking Room as he released a heavy sigh. “You needn’t’ve been so forcefully with Alistair and Raquel.”

Alison rolled her eyes. “The Windsors are not my concern; Billy is my concern, Charles.” She collapsed into an overstuffed chair and buried her head in her hands. “I can’t believe we let this happen to our little boy.”

“He’s not a little boy anymore, Alison. Billy will recover. Actually, Alistair had a point: Neither of us know what happened in Billy and Connor’s relationship which caused Connor to run off.”

“I can’t believe you’re taking their side!”

“Alison, I’m not. However, you and I both know that relationships are complicated. Connor may have had a very good reason to leave Billy at the altar. We’ll never know for sure. In the meantime, we have to be there for our son. We can’t abandon him now.”

“Go away. I don’t want to see anybody.”

India Montgomery closed the door to Will’s bedroom before she said, “I told you Connor is a very bad man. You should have believed me.”

Will wiped his eyes as he turned to his sister with stunned irritation. “Not everything is about you, India! God! I don’t even know why you’re here. Just go away.”

“You need to listen to me, Billy!”

“Get out of my room,” hissed Will.

“Billy, Connor is a bad man. What he did to you is…unforgiveable…but, you will forgive him because that’s who you are, Billy. You forgive bad people all the time.”

“I’ve never forgiven you for making my entire life a living hell.”

“I only tried to love you,” simpered India. “When you took Connor from me, I didn’t hurt you. I…I didn’t hurt Connor, either. I let you have him…now it looks like karma has done the rest for me.”

“How can you say that to me?”

“Because your feelings don’t matter to me. Billy, you need to wake up! Connor never loved you. He’s said he’s loved me for years…”

“Get out of my room, India!!!!”

“And no matter how much Connor says he loves you, it will never be true! He humiliated you! If I were you, I wouldn’t be sitting in my room crying over that man. I’d thank my lucky stars I avoided a lifetime of misery with that man.”

Will’s eyes narrowed on his sister. His sister. How he hated this woman. His first conscious memory of India was of her trying to push him down the grand staircase. It only got worse from there. And now, at his lowest moment, his sister was trying to insist that he move on from Connor when she was the one who was obsessed with him. “India, I know exactly what you’re doing. You are one of the most selfish people I know!”

“I’m not selfish,” gasped India. “Billy…”

“Enough! God, I hate you. You’ve been obsessed with Connor for years. He’s never returned your sick obsession with him and now you’re trying to get me out of the picture so you can – what? – get him to love you all over again? You are twisted, India! Quite frankly, if I never spoke to you again, I’d be the happiest man alive. Now get out of my room before I do something I won’t regret!”

India stood in stunned silence that her usually meek mannered and easy to manipulate brother had bared his claws. She quietly left her brother’s bedroom suite, started down the corridor, and stopped. Maybe, just maybe, she could use this situation to her advantage. Connor was gone, but it didn’t mean he didn’t love her; it meant he didn’t love Will. And, in that moment of clarity, India knew that one day she would have the man she loved because he had shown her that Will wasn’t the Montgomery he wanted; it was her.

 

In our next installment, Alison places the blame on Nicholas…

 

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Kingsport #50

“All of Kingsport, Manhattan, London, Paris, and Hong Kong are a twitter with the news of today’s wedding of Montgomery scion, William Harrison Montgomery to Dr. Connor Lorenzo Windsor, both of Kingsport, Connecticut. The wedding ceremony will take place at a private chapel on the Montgomery Estate for close family and invited guests before the reception which is rumored to be hosted in the grand ballroom on the estate for three hundred and fifty people,” explained the Kingsport Press in breathless detail. “William Montgomery, the youngest child of Charles Montgomery, IV and Alison Farrell Montgomery, is the owner of the Kingsport Polo Club as well as the captain for the King’s Polo team. Dr. Connor Windsor, the eldest child of Alistair and Raquel Windsor, is a surgeon at Fairfield County Hospital…”

Jill Stanhope Montgomery tossed the newspaper aside as she took a deep, cleansing breath. Although she tried to block out the events of the other from her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about her moment of passion with Connor. Her body ached for him. He still knew everything that made her quiver, cry, moan, and melt. Warren hadn’t had sex with her in three months. To have a man inside of her…on top of her…and ravaging her made Jill want nothing more than to run off with the man who was due to marry her brother-in-law at eleven o’clock this morning.

“Are you ready?” Warren Montgomery walked into his wife’s dressing room as he fastened his nineteenth century cuff links.

“DeShawn will be here to do my hair in a few minutes. We won’t be late.”

Warren eyed Jill carefully. “We can’t be late for my brother’s wedding,” stressed Warren. “I’m his best man.”

Jill fastened an emerald and sapphire bracelet around her wrist. “We’ll be early,” smiled Jill, lightly.

“We should’ve stayed at the estate last night,” muttered Warren. “With all of the out of town guests coming in today, there may be traffic.”

“We’ll be fine,” sighed Jill. “Warren, I want to apologize.”

“For what?”

“Everything. I know I haven’t been myself recently and I am sorry. I should have put my personal beliefs and feelings aside when it came to Will’s wedding.”

Touched by his wife’s sudden about face, Warren kissed her forehead. “That means a lot. Thank you, Jill.”

Just then, the doorbell rang as Jill’s phone bleated to life. “That’s DeShawn. Showtime,” tittered Jill.

            “I don’t think we should be talking right now,” Nicholas said into his cell phone as he waited to climb into an idling black town car. “What we did the other night…”
“We didn’t do anything wrong. It was just a kiss,” whispered Will.

“You’re getting married today. I knew it was a bad idea letting myself get sucked into your orbit again,” snapped Nicholas.

“Please don’t be mad at me, Nicholas. I… I was in a weak state and I should’ve known better,” stammered Will. “I just… Help me make sense of what to do, Nicholas.”

“I can’t, Monty. You’re on your own.”

“Nicholas…”

“Monty, I can’t be your talk-to. If you want to marry Connor, marry him. If you don’t, call it off. Either way, the decision is yours. I can’t… No, I won’t be your consolation prize or back-up plan. Whatever you do next, you have to do it on your own.”

The chapel on the Montgomery Estate was last used on the occasion of Warren’s wedding to Jill. Outside of that, the chapel sat dormant except of weekly cleanings and the off times when the Montgomery family would use it to repent for sins of the past, present, and future. Sheila Davenport, Dylan Davenport, Lisa Davenport Collins, Jackson Collins, Oliver Collins, Elijah Davenport, Faren Davenport, and Nicholas Davenport made

their way into the chapel past the assembled press dressed in their finest wedding couture. Eli led Faren towards the holding area where she joined her cousins, Hannah and Kate Montgomery, the other flower girls in the wedding party.

“How tastefully done,” Sheila said to Dylan, who walked by her side.

“I suppose,” muttered Dylan. “I’m surprised Charles allowed the press to attend.”

Sheila pursed her lips. “Raquel Windsor begged for press coverage. People like Raquel think the Montgomerys are a royal family.”

“Aren’t they?” mused Dylan.

“Royalty doesn’t have this much money,” tutted Sheila.

“I didn’t think you’d come to your ex-boyfriend’s wedding,” Lisa whispered to Nicholas as they made their way to their pew.

Nicholas lowered his eyes before saying, “If I didn’t come, people would talk. I’m happy for them.”

Lisa gave Nicholas a curious stare. “All right. If that’s the story you want to tell…”

“Drop it,” Nicholas ordered his sister. “Let’s enjoy the wedding.”

In a small sun drenched waiting room, Will waited calmly as Warren finished tying his bow tie. “Is everyone here?” worried Will.

“Yes,” said Warren, calmly. “Uncle Walton and his brood just showed up.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“Jill texted me. Everything is going to be fine, Billy.”

Will forced a smile onto his face. Despite everything that had happened, he could feel the clouds lift. He was getting married today to the man he loved! Will couldn’t think of anything more wonderful. A second later, the clock stuck eleven. Without a word, Will drew a deep breath before leaving the room and walking towards the altar.

It had been agreed that Will would begin the processional with Alison and Charles followed by Connor and his parents. After what seemed like years of stress and worry, Will cast a confidant eye over the his wedding guests. They were dressed in their finest morning clothes just for the occasion. Even his sister, India, and his sister-in-law, Jill, looked good. Will smiled confidently at Nicholas Davenport because he knew his future was with Connor. As Will took his place at the altar with Warren by his side, they faced up the aisle to await Connor’s entrance. The music swelled and…

Nothing.

Silence.

Three seconds (which felt like six years) ticked by.

More silence.

Someone coughed.

Silence.

People looked at each other with mounting concern coupled with polite society smiles.

More people coughed.

Will turned to Warren with pensive dread in his eyes.

Alison grabbed Charles’ hand with a heavy squeeze. Their eyes locked ever so briefly before they both cast them to the stone floor.

Suddenly, the door to the chapel opened.

Everyone turned around with eager anticipation.

Alistair Windsor stepped into the chapel with a worn look on his face. “We… He’s gone. We don’t know where he is. Will…I’m so sorry.”

Will let out a scream so deafening, it sounded primal. His blood ran cold before he collapsed into Warren’s arms in front of the entire congregation. A second later, everything went black.

 

In our next installment, questions abound in Kingsport…

 

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Kingsport #47

Eli Davenport closed the report on his desk with a slightly bemused smile. Had he known it would be this easy, he would have enacted this plan years ago. Moreover, he never would have involved Charles Montgomery, IV or tried to get his family to act in unison in order to take Davenport Technology private. It seemed that in Meredith’s endless bouts of hubris as the CEO of the company, she and the board had initiated several bond issuances which hadn’t made so much as a blip outside of the board room. Eli hadn’t heard anyone talk about it, but now a source had given him the names of all fifty bondholders along with the size of their debt in Davenport Technology. If Eli could manage to buy each of these bonds, he could, in effect, takeover Davenport by virtue of being its only debt holder. It was a risky proposition, but it was something he needed to explore. The price tag alone was staggering: $1.1 billion. However, if it’s one thing Eli knew how to do it was to raise money quietly before pouncing on his unsuspecting target. His family had rebuffed him as had Charles, but this time, Eli was intent to prove to them that he was the one in charge. Once he took over Davenport Technology, they’d all have to bow to him.

From the darkness of Eli’s bedroom, he thought about what to do next. He quickly dialed a familiar phone number of a contact in Hong Kong to begin raising the financing he would need to buy Davenport’s bonds. In this heady moment, Eli knew his future was all but secure. He could feel his life changing in ways he couldn’t yet imagine… And change his life it would because, in the lives of all great people, hubris proceeds every demise…

“Charles, we need to talk about India.”

Charles Montgomery, IV sat in his bedroom, a scarlet robe draped across his aging, yet firm body. He placed a thick financial report on the end table as he said, “What is it now?”

Alison Farrell Montgomery quietly padded across the room before resting on the edge of the bed. “She’s out of control. She… Charles, while India was in Paris, she accused the man I was seeing of…well…the most horrible things. He denied it. She insisted she was telling the truth. The night of my birthday party, he showed up at the estate with an invitation…which had been sent by India. Charles, I’m terrified about what she’ll do next.”

Charles eyed his wife with grave concern. “Well,” he said after a long moment, “India is mostly harmless…”

“She most certainly is not! Don’t you remember when she set fire to the cottage with Billy inside?”

“India said that was an accident.”

“I’m not surprised she would say that! Charles, the things she accused my former lover of doing almost exactly mirrored what she accused Connor of all those years ago.” Alison took a deep breath before adding, “I don’t think two men who’ve never met each other could possibly conspire to treat India the same way. It’s impossible.”

“We have to believe our daughter.”

“India is dangerous,” snapped Alison. “She’s always been volatile, Charles. For some unfathomable reason, you refuse to see it.”

“She’s our little girl…”

“She’s unhinged. We need to get her help. Real help. We can’t keep enabling her, Charles.”

“I’m not sending India to a funny farm. She’s merely high-spirited, if not just a little high strung.”

Alison gave Charles a look of unwavering disbelief. “You refuse to face the truth about her.”

“Alison, you’re bordering on the histrionic. India is not a threat to anyone. She likes to play games with people.”

“India is not a saint. What she does is not good-natured sportsmanship. It’s menacing. It’s planned. It’s… Someone will get hurt one day, Charles. The way she behaves…it’s a given.”

Charles shook his head with firm disbelief. “She’s been on her best behavior since she returned to Kingsport. Why, she hasn’t interfered with Billy and Connor’s wedding, has she?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” said Alison, coolly. “That doesn’t mean she hasn’t tried.”

“Billy and Connor are getting married in a matter of days. Let’s put our energies behind their wedding day instead of worrying about India.” Charles removed his glasses, took a sip of aged whisky, and stared dolefully at Alison. “You need to have a little faith, Alison.”

Alison rose with a heavy heart. “I don’t have any faith left. I’ve seen what India can do, Charles. I’m scared. For the first time in my life, I’m scared of her. I just hope… No, I pray…that she can resist causing a scene at Billy’s wedding because…knowing her…she’ll make sure their wedding never happens…”

 

In our next installment, Jill makes a plea to Connor…

 

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Kingsport #42

“Charles, we need to discuss how much money we’re settling on Billy upon his marriage to Connor.” Alison Farrell Montgomery peered over the rim of her glasses as Barbara Wilkes walked into the Morning Room with her mail. “Thank you,” Alison replied, crisply.

“You’re welcome, Mrs. Montgomery,” smiled Barbara. While she loved being upstairs, Barbara still hadn’t been able to crack the mystery of Alison Farrell Montgomery. She was a woman Barbara wanted to be, yet she had no idea how to formulate her life into one like Alison’s.

“Have the kitchen send up the coffee I prefer,” Charles said to Barbara.

Barbara waited for Charles to give her a smile or a wink, but his face was blank. Without a word, Barbara quickly exited the room.

“What do you think about that one?” asked Charles.

“Hmm? Which one?”

Charles cleared his throat. “Never mind.”

Alison took a long sip of tea before saying, “How much money are we settling on Billy upon his marriage to Connor? We put $20 million in trust for Warren, plus $5 million each for any children he had with Jill. I suppose we don’t need to worry about children where Billy and Connor are concerned.”

“They could surprise us,” noted Charles, quietly.

Alison raised a curious eyebrow. “Since when have you become the flag bearer for the gay rights?”

“He’s my son, Alison. I love him. What he does and who he does it with is none of my concern.” Charles wiped his mouth with a linen napkin. “Let’s settle the same amount onto Billy. If they have children, we’ll figure it out then.”

“Fine. Have the family office draw up the trust and I’ll have my bankers wire over my half of the money.” Alison checked her phone before adding, “I do hope Billy and Connor go through with this wedding. It would be a shame if we had to call it off.”

“It’ll happen. Connor Windsor knows he can’t do any better than Billy. Everyone else is terribly common.”

“From what Billy told Warren, their fights are only becoming more intense.”

“That’s marriage,” reasoned Charles, lightly. “Actually, Alison, I wanted to discuss something with you. How would you feel about us getting divorced?”

Alison looked at Charles carefully before she realized he had uttered the one word she thought he’d never say in her presence. “I think it’s ludicrous.”

“We hardly spend any time together…”

“By design. By choice. I don’t rely on you for money; nor do you me. Most marriages are based on a certain imbalance centered around money and that doesn’t concern us. We’re free to have our separate lives without the common ugliness of a divorce to mar our obituaries.”

Charles pondered this sentiment for a while. One of the best things about being married to Alison was that she had a fortune of her own which never made her rely on his. They were the same people from the same world with the same values. While it helped in the early years of their marriage, Charles was beginning to want something more…something fresh…something youthful… “I didn’t think you cared what society said about you.”

“I am society,” Alison corrected her husband. “Whose families are as old and as rich as the Farrells and the Montgomerys? Not many.” She took a small bite of gravlax before saying, “Charles, I am a bit…miffed…that you would mention divorce to me. May I ask what brought you to this point?”

“We have separate lives. You date other men in Paris; I sleep with women when it suits me. Other than tax purposes, there’s no reason for us to stay married. Our children are almost all middle aged, so staying together for India, Warren, and Billy isn’t a viable excuse anymore.”

“Then why change things now?”

“Why not?”

“There will be a divorce. The details of our private lives…the details we’ve both worked to keep quiet…may fall into the public sphere. I’m sorry, but I don’t want Raquel Windsor to know our household budget. Moreover,” added Alison, “someone may be able to unearth your actual net worth, not the number Forbes has gotten wrong for forty years.”

“Isn’t our freedom worth more than money?”

“I’d argue it’s the money that affords us freedom. We don’t have to worry about much of anything as long as it’s out of the public eye.” Alison rose, walked over to Charles, and kissed his cheek. “Even though we have separate lives, I’ll always love you, Charles. Do you remember the first time we met?”

“Of course. It was at the country club.”

“No, we met as children in Palm Beach.”

“Such a ghastly place.”

“Oh, I remember,” laughed Alison. “My governess and nanny brought we down there when I was nine. We played tag in the public park before trying to liberate the monkeys at the zoo. In that moment…before I knew what love was, I knew I loved you… The boy with the golden hair was how I remembered you.”

Charles pulled Alison close to him. He smelled her bespoke perfume as he caressed her soft, supple skin. “I remember the first time we had sex… The night I proposed to you…”

“I wanted to make a mockery of being forced to wear white,” whispered Alison. “That was the best night of my life.” She let her hand graze his growing erection. “Why don’t we go to my suite and…reconnect…my boy with the golden hair…”

Before he knew it, Charles grabbed Alison by the hand and whisked her away.

From the shadows of the servant’s door, Barbara Wilkes watched in envy as the man she’d come to Kingsport to seduce went upstairs to have sex with his wife. In that moment, Barbara resolved that she would be able to seduce Charles one day…but today, she had to live a life she hated in the hopes she would get the life she knew she deserved.

 

In our next installment, Warren confronts India…

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Kingsport #39

Ada Burke wasn’t a suspicious woman. However, she had the sneaking suspicion that Barbara Wilkes wasn’t a woman who was being completely honest about her past or her life. To Ada, Barbara was the most dangerous kind of woman: The kind who’d become anyone to get anything. However, Ada liked Barbara well enough, but from what she’d seen the other day, she wasn’t sure she could trust her.

Yesterday evening, Ada dropped off a pie for her friend, Doreen’s, picnic the following day. Little did Ada know, but Doreen lived in the same apartment building as Barbara. Ada hadn’t known where Barbara laid her head until Doreen kept gossiping about the young woman whose father…maybe lover…was causing a raucous the other night. It wasn’t until Doreen pointed to the woman and the man that Ada realized it was Barbara. Barbara looked very familiar with a man who had some relation to her, but she didn’t know the true nature of their relationship. In that moment, Ada swore to herself that she would uncover Barbara’s secrets once and for all.

And now, as Ada stood outside of Barbara’s apartment, she raised her first to knock, but she stopped herself. Was this a step too far? Barbara was entitled to her privacy, but something nagged at Ada. Something deep within her soul. She knew that woman was too good to be true…and if she knocked on this apartment door, she could finally prove it. Ada was safe in knowing Barbara was busy working at the Montgomery Estate today, so she screwed up her courage, knocked on the door, and waited.

“Yeah, what do ya want?” Kenny Wilkes belched as he opened the door, clad in his stained underwear.

Ada was aghast at the sight of this slovenly man. She preferred men who cared for themselves…maybe not as well as Charles Montgomery and his sons, but men who tried to look neat, not raggedy. “Oh, I am…from the local church. We’re out collectin’ donations…”

“Stop ya right there, sister. Ain’t interested in no bowing and scraping to some man in the sky.”

Ada quickly took a deep breath as Kenny tried to close to the door in her face. “A friend at church said your wife had donations for us.” She searched his face carefully for any sign of reaction to the word ‘wife’.

“My wife ain’t a good Christian,” snorted Kenny. “Worse than me.”

“Huh.” Ada could feel her lips tremble with glee. “Must’ve been a wrong name. Sorry for wastin’ your time.”

“Hey,” Kenny called after Ada. “I don’t know who put us on that list, but we ain’t poor no more. My girlie’s got herself a job at that big estate with them rich folks. Tell that to your church folk.” With that, Kenny slammed the door in Ada’s face.

As Ada walked outside into the muggy August air, a sense of relief washed over her. Barbara Wilkes was married. She was common! More common than Ada or anyone else she knew. That man was old enough to be Barbara’s grandfather! Ada nearly leapt into the air, but something stopped her. Yes, she may have found out one of Barbara’s secrets, but she worried…and wondered…what else that woman from nowhere could be hiding…

Eli Davenport walked into Charles Montgomery, IV’s office at Montgomery Industries with a purposeful stride in his step. One of the benefits to being the father of Charles Montgomery’s granddaughter was being able to have direct access to this influential man. They greeted each other warmly before Eli said, “Thank you again for agreeing to see me, Charles.”

Charles gave Eli a light smile. “It keeps me from having to deal with Billy and Connor’s wedding plans. I trust you’ll be at the wedding.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Eli quietly cleared his throat. “Charles, I need your help. Rather, I need Montgomery Investments help with a business acquisition.”

“I thought you had contacts from here to Wall Street to Hong Kong and London.”

“I do… I do. However, I want…I would like for this deal to be kept quiet for as long as possible.”

Charles raised a curious eyebrow. While he had been born into unimaginable wealth which stretched back almost as far as the modern book, he wasn’t what one would call an astute businessman. He had teams and teams of analysts, bankers, advisors, and the like who gave the go-ahead on any deal he or the company was considering. Charles wasn’t a born businessman, but he knew how to play the part for the rest of the world. “Do tell me more.”

Eli stared Charles dead in the eye as he said, “I want to takeover Davenport Technology.”

Charles sat in complete silence. For a moment, he feared that his senses had left him. “I’ll need you to repeat that…”

“I want to orchestrate a takeover of Davenport Technology.”

“Why?”

“It’s the right thing to do. I can unlock the potential which lies within the company. The current CEO is lackluster at best. If I don’t do this, someone else will see what I see and make a play for it. I need the backing of Montgomery Investments to fully execute my plan.”

Charles stared at Eli with marked disbelief. “Your mother is one of my closest friends. I admired your father greatly. The company was his legacy to you, your mother, your siblings…”

“This isn’t about family,” seethed Eli.

“It’s about your ego,” corrected Charles, bluntly. “Eli, we are family. India is fond of you and she isn’t fond of anyone. However, I will not betray Sheila by allowing one of my companies to steal her company from underneath her!”

“Davenport Technology is a publicly traded company! It’s not my mother’s company. We may own the largest block of shares, but we don’t have to vote in unison! Besides, we can buy the company’s bonds in order to take over the company by…”

“My answer is no!” snapped Charles, hotly.

“Charles! You and I both know this makes perfect business sense!”

“Eli, I will no betray Sheila and your family because you want to…oh, I don’t know, get one over on them. If this is what you want to do, then find someone else to help you. You’ve often intimated that you’re a business savant, so go and prove it. The Montgomery family and our companies will not be complicit in this action. I’m sorry, but my answer is no.”

“Then… Thank you, Charles.” With that, Eli turned, stormed out of Charles’ office, and out of the building. His mind was spinning at a million miles a minute. Charles Montgomery was his last hope. If Dylan were able to help block Eli’s takeover of the company, then all was lost. However, as Eli replayed the events in Charles’ office, he wondered if he could convince Sheila to vote her shares and Nicholas’ shares with him. After all, if he threw enough money at them and the public shareholders, they’d have to approve the deal. Money did talk and it was a language the Davenports loved more than anything else.

 

In our next installment, Connor tries with Will…

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Kingsport #33

The sight of Kenny Wilkes in Kingsport scared Barbara to death. It had been two days since that man had darkened her door and she still didn’t know how he’d been able to track her down. She’d left him in the middle of the night while he was black out drunk. It was the first chance she’d had in years to escape him, so she took it. On her way to the bus depot, she happened to pick up a magazine which extolled the virtues of Kingsport along with its richest residents. Ever the chancer, Barbara knew that if she could work for the Montgomery family, she would be able to sleep with Charles Montgomery, IV, become his mistress, and bear his child. That was her plan. Everything was going to plan until Kenny Wilkes arrived with his dirty fingernails, unkempt hair, and breath smelling of cheap beer and even cheaper cigarettes. In another life, Kenny had been enough. In this life, he was everything Barbara loathed: He was free of ambition with no drive to better himself. On top of that, her mother had forced Barbara to marry Kenny when she was fifteen. Some people whispered Barbara’s mother (who was always in and out of jail) sold her daughter for six hundred dollars, a steady supply of pills, and a carton of cigarettes to a man who was forty years her senior. Barbara knew it was true; she wouldn’t admit it to anyone.

As Barbara sorted Alison Farrell Montgomery’s mail and invitations at her desk at the Montgomery Estate, Barbara did everything in her power to remain cool and collected. However, her thoughts kept going back to the man who was currently in her apartment and refusing to leave because he was her husband.

Husband.

The word alone made Barbara want to vomit. That man was her abuser. Her jailer. Her albatross. Barbara associated husbands with lithe, fit, beautiful men from romantic comedies, not extras from Deliverance.

“Barbara,” called Dane Hurley. “Ada is on her lunch break and I need for you to bring a lunch tray to the library.”

“But I’m…”

“Now,” Dane said firmly as he walked out of the room.

Barbara sighed, pulled herself together, collected the tray, and heaved it through the servant’s quarters to the glorious library. Even though she’d been forced to drop out of high school the semester before graduation by Kenny because “a woman’s place is two steps behind me”, Barbara loved books. Reading was her only escape from a world devoid of life, color, joy, and happiness. That was why she risked being in the library the day Ada warned her about getting above herself because she felt at peace for the first time in her life. First Kenny, now Ada. If it weren’t for other people, thought Barbara, she would be happy.

As she knocked on the door and walked into the library, Barbara nearly tripped when she saw Charles Montgomery, IV sitting near one of the large windows smoking a cigar. He looked up to see Barbara lingering in the doorway. “What do we have here?” he asked, quickly.

“Your lunch, Mr. Montgomery.” Barbara walked his lunch tray to the well-laid table near the fireplace.

Charles strode over to the table, picked up the silver dome, and eyed the lunch of grilled salmon, rustic vegetables, and a baked potato. “I don’t want this. Chef is losing his touch. Tell him I want a hamburger.”

Barbara quietly salivated at the luxurious meal as she placed the dome on the tray. “I’ll tell him, Mr. Montgomery.”

“Thank you.” Charles eyed Barbara carefully. “You’re new here.”

She stopped in her tracks. No one had ever spoken to her before. They barked orders at her, but they didn’t speak to her. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond, so she simply said, “Yes. I’ve been here for a few weeks.”

“Then I trust we’re treating you well.”

Barbara kept her head low. “Very well, sir.”

“Good.” Charles gave Barbara a low smile. Yes, he thought, this creature had something…interesting about her. “Do you have a name or did Dane strip it from you upon your employment here?”

“Barbara,” she said, lightly.

“You know who I am, so there’s no need for all of that. It’s been a pleasure to speak with you, Barbara.” With that, Charles turned his back to her as he continued to smoke his cigar.

Barbara couldn’t believe the twisted nature of her luck. First, Kenny had tracked her down to Kingsport for reasons he hadn’t told her and now she’d finally met Charles Montgomery, IV. Her heart raced with fury, coupled with excitement. Maybe, just maybe, thought Barbara, things would work out after all. They could have worked out before Kenny came to town and now…well, Barbara wasn’t too sure. After all of her hard work, Charles had taken notice of her. That meant more to her than anything. She knew that one day, she would reach her goal, but she had to get Kenny out of her life. Now.

As Barbara sat on her familiar stool as the chef prepared Charles’ hamburger, she began to think of how to get Kenny out of her life. She could divorce him, but that didn’t stop him from being a presence in her life. Barbara considered other options… Most were too extreme, but one…well, maybe that could work. Just maybe…

The chef called out for Barbara to take Charles his meal which only fueled her desire to finish the plan she’d crafted for herself months ago. However, once Barbara walked into the library, Charles was gone. It felt like an awful dream. She stood there unsure of what to do when her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Even though she wasn’t supposed to look at it, she did. Kenny was texting her demanding to know when she’d be back, how much money she had, and what was for dinner. And there, in the middle of what felt like the worst moment of her life, Barbara decided that the best thing to do was rid Kenny from her life. She couldn’t risk getting Charles and losing him all the same. No. It was time to ensure everything she’d worked so hard for would come true…someday soon…

In our next installment, Eli defends his plan to Dylan…

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