"Place those over there," Ayo said directing Bertie as they prepared her shared rooms with her husband. She looked around the room and felt a sense of nostalgia. Recalling their first night together. She had given him her virtue and thank the Goddess she chose wisely.
She turned to leave her room when she saw Sara in the hall speaking to another servant. She watched for a moment before sauntering down the hall to meet them. She wanted to hate Sara after she'd learned of her part in Jacqueline's plan but she felt pity instead. Still, she could not let the crime go unpunished and she'd asked Elijah not to turn Sara out of the house, but to let her punish Sara. Despite his desire to see Sara out of his sight, he agreed to let Ayo have her way.
"Sara," Ayo called to her standing in the center of the hall in her favorite velvet blue day dress with bows lining the bodice. Her graceful neck lined with a string of pearls similarly styled earrings dangled from her ears. Her curls were neatly pinned up with ringlets framing her face just so. Despite a few bruises she looked no worse for the wear.
"You! Why are you here?" Sara looked on, trembling in dismay. She had drawn all her seedy plans but they had not come to fruition. She knew seeing Ayo meant her cause was lost. Ayo was not dressed as a servant nor as a maid, she'd previously been. She was dressed in the same fashion as the ladies of the house. She had heard talk in town of a dark-skinned woman of wealth but the talk had been hushed, very few people knew who it was. Standing before her, Ayo looked as grand as any lady of good breeding. Part of Sara was proud to see it. Another part of her hated Ayo for taking what she felt was rightfully hers.
"I am newly become Lady St. John," Ayo let her lips curl into an impish grin. She waited till the meaning of her statement dawned on Sara.
"You became his wife?" Sara asked astonished by the revelation.
"Yes, I did. Though, the process of getting there was not without its trials," She grinned, "Which I gather you are not unfamiliar with. There is much we need to discuss you and I. These are not matters for sensitive ears to hear. I bid you follow me," She said a very direct manner, turning around lifting her skirts, not even bothering to check if Sara indeed followed behind. She listened for the clicking of Sara's clogs as she confidently walked back to her rooms.
When she arrived at their intended destination, Bertie was making her way out. "M'lady I still don't understand why we had to move all the furniture out of place, to the edge of the room. It seemed like it was perfectly suitable the way it was before." She opened her mouth to argue again but saw the look on her mistress' face and knew she'd have none of it.
"That will be all, Bertie, thank you," And with those words she was dismissed. "After you," Ayo said flatly, letting Sara enter the room ahead of her. She tapped the key in her pocket, ensuring she had it. She intended to lock the door once they were both inside. She was about to shut the door when she heard Elijah calling out to her.
Elijah came sprinting down the hall, calling her name repeatedly. She looked on curiously wondering if he changed his mind about their plan. He placed his hand on the door preventing closure. "Ayo is this really necessary? We have other, more humane methods of settling a quarrel," His grey eyes pleaded.
"No, it must be done. If she is to learn anything from this, we have to discipline her. We cannot simply send her away. She is part of this family," In part, she looked forward to this, but what she really was a different relationship with Sara. She wanted a better one. Sara was on a fool's errand. The girl was misguided and the only way to help her was to first break down her old persona.
"I admire your commitment to our house, Ayo. I just don't know if I can condone what you are about to do. Will she be alive when this is all said and done? I've seen you in action, recall it?" He asked.
"She'll live and what's left her will be better than what was there before. I cannot promise she will not be severely beaten." She said matter-of-factly.
Elijah nodded, "Can I not but persuade you--"
"Elijah, if you do not shut this door, I will be beating both of you," She said with a seriousness he dare not mistake as a jest. "Do not allow anyone else inside until I emerge, is that clear?"
"Yes, my love." He said pulling the door quickly after her.
It was not much longer before Sara's screams tore through the plantation. He heard the furniture dragging against the wood flooring, glass shatter, grunting, and visceral sounds of flesh being beaten. Sara's begging and pleading fell on deaf ears, as what he assumed as a savage beating continued.
"My word, Elijah, what in the devil is going on in there?" Thorne came striding quickly down the hallway, with Kathryn on his heels carrying her heavy skirts. "What's all the commotion?"
"Ayo is correcting, Sara's behavior, " He answered.
"By beating her to death?" Kathryn asked appalled.
"No, just a sound thrashing, as it were, Mother. Sara's action's almost cost Ayo her life. It cost us dearly in monetary terms. A sum which we must now reclaim from the Morgan's holdings. Ayo felt this would be a more suitable punishment instead of placing her in another household."
Thorne shook his head, "Henpecked already. Not even a week in and your wife is running the show," He laughed but stopped immediately hearing furniture shattering inside the room. " She has one hell of a temper on her, that one. I do not envy you the throttling you'll get during marital disagreements. Good luck, Son." Thorne said, returning the way he came waving nonchalantly, he stopped suddenly and turned around, "Oh, and be sure Ayo does not get carried away and kill the girl." With that, he was gone.
"I do not advocate violence but as it is her way, but, I will say nothing of this to Ayo. See that Sara is tended when all is settled. And I am glad that Ayo has seen fit to permit Sara to stay on. Speaks highly of her character, to forgive her transgressions, despite what I suspect is going in there," Kathryn gently squeezed Elijah's shoulder before following Thorne back down the hall.
When Ayo opened the door, she looked as though she'd been ravaged by war. Her hair was mangled, her gown was ruined and bloody. She flexed her knuckles, which were raw from doling repeated blows.
"Oh my God. Ayo, are you hurt? Lord God not again," He said examining her this way and that.
She laughed, "No. I am well, husband, but we will need to tend to Sara, she's in worse shape but she'll live."
He breathed a sigh of relief. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her forward. "Did you destroy the entire room?"
"No, just a few small items I am sure you won't miss." His lips danced at the nape of her neck.
"Good, then we can bless our marriage bed tonight," He said continuing his kisses. She closed her eyes to relish the sensation.
"Is that all you think about," She giggled, his scruffy beard tickled her.
"No, of course not. It's you who seduced me just so," He said sucking on the soft flesh of her neck.
"Me, the person covered in someone else's blood alluring?" She said incredulously.
"No, my love, it was the way you called me, husband."