Seduction

Chapter Seven

In the days following the picnic Lucrezia put much effort into preparing for the ball. When the dance cards arrived Lucrezia immediately pencilled in the first three dances in Relena's for Treize as per his request. Relena did not argue, but she still felt uneasy about Treize position on child labour. Relena's uneasiness did not abate when she discovered from Millardo that Treize was the owner of the local cotton mill. Especially when she found out in such a round about way.

Relena had not forgotten her desire to help the poor, and had asked Millardo to arrange for a solicitor to advise her. She had also wanted Millardo to come and view the conditions personally, as she was sure he would then understand her concern. It was difficult for a person living in such luxury to imagine the depredation that others were forced to live in. Catherine suggested that as well as the workhouse they might want to visit the local cotton mill as well, hinting that children were exploited cruelly there.

Millardo promised to accompany her on a walk to the workhouse to inspect conditions there, but was obviously ill at ease with visiting the mill. He finally agreed but said that he would arrange a visit with the owner. Relena had protested this pointing out that would provide time for evidence of cruelty to be hidden but Millardo was adamant. He would not go unannounced, it would be tantamount to trespassing. Relena felt suspicion at this.

"Who is the owner?" she asked.

Millardo would not look her in the eye for a moment. "Treize." He said, then raised his eyes. "I know what you are going to say. Please do not. He might employ children from the workhouse; most employers do. But I am sure he does not treat them cruelly." Millardo frowned. "I will arrange for us to visit, and I am sure it will put your mind at rest."

Relena stood up "Please do not bother Millardo." She said crossly "If it cannot be a surprise visit, I shall not go at all." She walked towards the door, stopping as Millardo called after her.

"Promise me you will not go on your own." Millardo said with some concern. Relena smiled at him

"I promise I shall not go alone." She said.

Relena would never consider breaking a promise, but she had only promised not to visit alone. She wasted no time in arranging for company for her intended visit. Wufei immediately agreed to go.

Wufei was not blind. He could see that Treize was pursuing his adopted sister and Wufei felt honour bound to protect Relena from fortune hunters. He wanted to be sure that this man was morally fit for her. Morally fit did not mean that he had to be Christian, indeed Wufei had much respect for other religions. At the picnic his discussion with Treize had been illuminating. Treize had come across as a just man. But then Treize had made his comment about child labour and class. And now Relena revealed that Treize was the owner of a mill that had a reputation for cruelty. Wufei found it difficult to believe that he could have been so wrong in his judgement of Treize and hoped that this visit would confirm that he had good judgement and that the mill was not as bad as he had heard.

Relena, Catherine and Hilde met him at the church and from there they walked quickly over fields via footpaths. By cutting cross-country it was not far to travel. The mill was built by a narrow fast flowing section of the river and had originally been powered by a large waterwheel. Lately it had been converted to steam power and the party could smell the smoke of burning coal before they actually caught sight of the building.

The mill's roof and walls were black from the sooty residue of the smoke that poured forth from its two large chimneys. The building itself was rectangular and utilitarian. The windows were small and set at regular intervals over its three stories. At the front of the building was a courtyard in which wagons were being loaded with the finished products of the mill.

As they approached the men working in the yard ceased to load the wagons with bolts of cloth and turned to regard them. One scuffed the bottom of his nose with an ill-fitting sleeve of the coat he was wearing. They said nothing.

"Where is the owner of this mill." asked Wufei "I should like to talk to him."

"He ain't here." one man laughed, "He never comes here."

"Where is the overseer then?" Wufei asked again. Another man gestured to the mill.

"Come." Wufei said to his companions

"Oi!" one drover called, "You cant take ëem in there!" the party ignored him and all four climbed the steps and opened the door to the mill.

The first thing to assail them was the noise. The room was full of looms, rows upon rows. Each producing enough noise in its own right, but taken as a whole it was deafening. The next was the humidity. There was no ventilation in the room, none of the windows were open to the fresh clean air. After that came the smell and dust. The room was filled with people toiling all looking malnourished and wearing dirty rags. The smell of unwashed bodies was so overpowering that Relena put her hand to her nose automatically and coughed the dusty air.

She watched young children race back and forth along the frames, some retying broken threads with nimble fingers, some removing full bobbins and replacing them with empty. Some of the smaller children had to climb the frames to reach bobbins too high them to reach whilst standing. They were alert and careful as the movement of the looms did not stop to allow retrireview. One tiny child crawled underneath a loom with a brush to retrieve scraps of threat that had gathered there. The lad had to press himself into the ground to avoid being caught up on the works.

All the people looked so very thin and pale, the children especially so. Some of the children wore iron fetters around their feet as if they were felons.

Wufei caught the eye of one small girl who watched him with interest as she worked the machine that was allocated to her. He beckoned to her and she, looking nervously around, stepped over to him. She stared at his oriental features and Wufei smiled at her reassuringly. She was a small waif of a thing, limping as if her feet and legs gave her pain. Her hair was matted and dirty but looked as if when clean it would be a pretty red colour.

"How old are you child?" Wufei asked

"Dunno sir." She answered, again looking over her shoulder to see if they were being observed.

"Where are your parents?" Wufei asked again.

"Dunno sir. Never had any. I s'pect they're dead." She said .

Catherine was looking at her closely. "I have never seen this child in the village, although she does look familiar."

"Don't come from't village." The child said proudly "Come from London."

"How did you get here?" asked Relena

"Was in Poor House in London and then the overseer came to see us." She gestured towards the other children "He asked if we would like to live like lords and ladies in the countryside and if we would like to run and play in the open. He gave us a shilling after we put our cross down."

Relena looked puzzled "You were given a shilling to sign something?" The small girl nodded.

"She has entered into an apprenticeship" Hilde explained "She is probably bound to the mill until she is twenty one."

"Twenty one!" Relena felt sick, but tried to keep a pleasant smile on her face as she bent to talk to the child again. "Dear, how long do you work each day."

The girl was getting more and more nervous, looking over her shoulder as if she was going to be rebuked. "We get up in the dark and go home in the dark."

Wufei shook his head "You do this all day; that must be twelve or thirteen hours."

The girl nodded "I must go back to work else I'll be punished."

"Punished?" Relena asked

"Aye." The girl pointed to the shackled people "They're being punished for trying to run away. Overseer has a short tempter and if he finds I haven't been working I'll be in for t' strap." As she turned to go Catherine grabbed her arm.

"What is your name child?" Catherine asked.

"Mariemaia." The girl said and scuttled off.

Catherine looked stunned and Relena held her arm to support her.

"What is it?" she asked, but before Catherine could answer a short thin man strode over dragging a very wet boy behind him. The boy was thrust towards a loom.

"Next time you fall asleep I shall hold you under the water till you drown! Now back to work!" the man shouted. Then he caught sight of his visitors and his eyes narrowed. He approached cautiously.

"Sir, Madams." He nodded "What can I be doing for you?"

Wufei nodded back "We saw your mill as we were walking and were curious to see how it worked."

The overseer frowned. "You should have sought permission, Sir, before entering." he said. He looked towards Marimaia who was studiously attending to her work. Relena felt sudden fear for the child's safety.

"We are good acquaintances of Lord Kushrinada." She said trying to placate the man. "I am sure he would not object to our visit."

"Aye..." the man nodded cautiously "Well, what would you see now that you are here?"

"Thank you, but I do believe that we have seen all that we wished to." Wufei nodded and led the women out leaving the overseer to stare at their retreating forms.

On the way back they were subdued. The condition in the mill seemed to be crueller than they had expected.

"Perhaps" Wufei said aloud "Lord Kushrinada does not realise the state of his mill. I cannot believe after our conversation that he could be responsible for such cruelty to his employees." When Relena spoke up Wufei looked startled as if he had not realised he spoke aloud.

"Ignorance cannot be an excuse." She said "If he is ignorant of the conditions then he should me made aware so he can correct them. However, after his speech yesterday I find it difficult to believe that he would have any compassion for those people."

"That overseer struck me as a very cruel man." Hilde commented "He looked like he enjoyed tormenting others."

Relena nodded and turned to Catherine "You seemed very surprised by the girls name." She said "It is unusual, but did it have meaning to you?"

Catherine shook her head "I knew a woman who was once employed on Lord Kushrinada's estate, before he was wed to Helena. She was a chambermaid, a strikingly pretty thing, very kind and trusting. Very gentle. She got in the family way and was sent away. After a while I got a letter from her to say that she had her baby and had named it Mariemaia. It was a made up name, given for her mother and her grandmother. In the letter she said that the father was Lord Kushrinada and that he had promised to take care of her. That was the last I heard of her. That baby would be eight years old now, if she is still alive."

"Surely that child is younger." protested Relena.

"But if the child has not had proper nourishment, she would not grow as she ought." Hilde said "That child could be anything from five years to twelve years old."

"I must think about this." Wufei shook his head "I must contemplate on the meaning"

Relena nodded in agreement "If those children are housed in the work house, can we donate food until we have arranged for somewhere better?"

"If you can arrange for somewhere better." Hilde had to point out "If they are indentured, then there might not be anything you can do."

Relena felt despair which was overtaken by anger.

"I cannot now have a high opinion of Lord Kushrinada. I have promised him the first three dances at the ball on Saturday, and that I shall give him. But nothing more." She declared "I think he is a cruel man and he will not seduce me with his words any more."

* * * *

Relena said nothing to Lucrezia and Millardo when she returned. She did not want to upset Lucrezia when she was in the early stages of her delicate condition. And just because Relena found Trieze's business practice upsetting that did not make them socially unacceptable. Many factory owners did do exactly as Treize did. There was, as yet, no law to forbid the use of child labour. Nor was there a law to limit the hours worked per day for children and adults.

Nor was siring illegitimate children illegal, as Relena so obviously knew being a bastard child herself. Whilst siring children out of wedlock could cause scandal for a gentleman, these things happened and again did not usually lead to social exclusion. Relena felt curious to know how Mariemaia came to be in a workhouse. Relena had been fortunate on her mother's death to be placed with loving relations and her father, though he did not keep her, made generous provision for her.

But if this was Treize's daughter, why had he not taken care of her. The only logical explanation to Relena was that he did not know of the child's existence. After all, even Catherine did not know for sure that Treize was the father. Perhaps if Treize was made aware of the child's existence he would see just how terrible his employees lives were. Perhaps Relena could redeem him.

Still, this would all have to wait until after the ball. She would not raise the school issue with Millardo and Lucrezia until the day after the ball, not when it meant so much to Lucrezia. And in the meantime she would arrange some luxuries to be delivered to the workhouse.

* * * *

Heero came to call at Sanq Hall each day after the picnic. Relena gladly received him and made pleasant conversation under the watchful eyes of Lucrezia who acted as a chaperone. It was three days after the visit to the Mill before Relena had the chance to speak to Heero about what she had seen there. Rather than sit in the drawing room on such a beautiful day they had gone for a walk around the rose gardens that were installed in the ruined cloisters. Lucrezia trailed behind them, close enough to watch them but not close enough to eaves drop. For the first time Relena was able to talk without fear of upsetting Lucrezia

Heero, for his part, had been enjoying the walk in the fresh air. He had found himself looking forward to these daily chats and was unsure why. True, there was an element of one-upmanship to Treize as he had heard it reported that Relena had made her excuses every time Treize visited. But more than the thrill of the win, he found he enjoyed conversation with her. Certainly it had started off very humdrum, references to the weather and the state of her aunts health. But then they talked about things they commonly showed an interest in. She had truly enjoyed her life in China and had related aspects of it that made him feel that he was there. He, too, had travelled abroad, but not to the same places as she had. So while they could not share common experiences, they could share the joys of experiencing the exotic and new.

Every so often he would steal glances at her and would note the way she walked, the way her hair shone golden in the sunlight, the way her smile was slightly crooked and the way she had of looking up at him through lowered lashes. And when he noted this he would have to remind himself that he was there because of a bet and because of Treize, nothing more. However endearing she was, he could not take a wife. Not with his family history.

Now, walking through the heavily scented roses, she took his arm, which startled him from his musing. Looking at her he saw her try to peer casually toward Lucrezia to see if she was observing them. Heero suddenly felt both nervousness and keen anticipation; he thought she was inviting a kiss.

He started to bend his head down towards hers and she tipped her head up to his. Her lips were slightly parted and her cheeks rosy.

"What do you know of Lord Kushrinada's mill?" she asked.

Heero frowned and blinked "I beg your pardon?" he asked drawing his head back slightly so it was not so obvious that he had been attempting to touch his lips too hers. Strangely he felt great disappointment that he had not achieved his goal.

Relena started telling him what she and the others had seen. By the time her hurried whisperings had ended, Heero's frown had deepened.

"What you describe is not unlike a hundred other mills." He said "It is an appalling practice and I have tried many times through Lords to have it changed. Rest assured Miss Peacecraft, it will be abolished. Each time it is voted upon those against changing the law are fewer in number." He watched Relena's face show frustration not the relief he had expected.

"Yes, I am sure!" she said "But it will not happen soon enough for those children! I do not want to bother Millardo and Lucrezia with this matter, they are so tied up in their own happiness and the ball. But I would so much like to be able to start helping now."

Heero was secretly impressed with the passion that Relena was demonstrating. Her eyes were flashing in indignation at the conditions that the factory workers were forced to endure and it made him wish that he had been able to kiss her before. "Can you arrange for food to be delivered to the poorhouse over the next few days until I have a lawyer sort out my school? I shall pay you back any money you spend."

Heero had to smile at her naivety. "Miss Peacecraft, if you made such a donation it would be appropriated by those who run the poorhouse, to be sold to put extra coin in their pockets."

"Truly?" Relena was astounded at Heero's nod in reply. "But what can I do then, there must be something! Can I not take them away, put them somewhere clean and safe?"

"Miss Peacecraft, they will be indentured to the mill. Paid a shilling to sign papers, which means the mill owns them till they are twenty-one or dead. If you steal tem away then Treize would be within his rights to prosecute you."

Relena's lips pursed "I should not care." She said "How he could do that to his own flesh and blood!"

Heero stilled "Pardon?"

Relena flushed "There is a child there that Catherine thinks is offspring of Treize. She runs up and down tying broken threads, poor thing. She is so thin and tiny, much smaller than the eight years Catherine guesses her to be."

Relena stopped seeing his expression. For a moment he had thought that the child that Relena was referring to was Treize and Helena's, but if the girl was eight then it was a child of another relationship. Relena was perceptive and immediately understood his thoughts. She touched his arm again, and he felt shivers go up the limb. He put his hand on hers and gently squeezed her hand, rubbing his thumb up the back of her hand, and over her wrist to where her glove did not cover her skin.

"I am so sorry." She said. Heero nodded acknowledgement to her words, still staring at his thumb touching her skin. He raised his eyes slowly and looked into hers; wide, innocent and trusting. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lucrezia approach and he gently removed her hand from his arm feeling sorrow at the loss of contact between them.

"I shall see what I can do." Heero promised.

* * * *

Heero was true to his words and visited the workhouse with Duo after dark when he know that the inmates would have all returned after their long day at work. Duo was less that enthusiastic about visiting but informed Heero that on no account he should go alone.

"Your little heiress is a brave soul venturing to such places." Duo commented before they departed from Maresfield. "Most ladies of worth would be satisfied with donating a few gold coins, but she seems determined to get involved boots and all."

"She is not my little heiress." Heero said defensively as he counted some coins into a leather purse. "May I remind you that I am only doing this to win the bet."

"So you say, cousin" Duo smiled "But I think even if there was no money involved you would try to thwart Treize, if only for the sake of Helena's memory." Duo noticed that at the mention of Helena's name Heero hesitated. "You must have been very close to her."

"Hnnn" Heero made no reply, but put the pouch in his coat pocket. He looked up and saw that Duo was still regarding him waiting for an answer. "I would have done anything for her. If I had been in England and known of her mental state I would have taken care of her, I would not have permitted Treize to put her in that mad house and she would not have killed herself in despair." Heero looked up and glared at Duo "So please remind yourself why I cannot and will not wed, the Yuy blood is tainted with madness and I shall not pass that on, nor would I subject a wife to the uncertainty of my own sanity."

Duo, suitably rebuked, was silent.

He remained silent until a little while later when they stepped over the threshold of the workhouse.

"Oh dear God!" were the only words he then uttered.

Rows of people were sitting at rough wooden benches, eating gruel from tin plates. The room stank of unwashed bodies and stale urine. Chamber pots waiting to be emptied were deposited by the door. As Duo surveyed the mass of humanity before him he spotted a woman scratch persistently at what was probably lice in her hair. Duo swiftly tucked his braid into the back of his coat, pulled the lapels up to his ears and pulled his top hat down as far as it would so that little as possible of his hair was exposed.

A large woman ambled over. She was better dressed than the others, but still dirty. Her dress was grey; cleaned it could have been any colour. Her apron was filthy, smears of grease, soot and unknown stains covered it. Her cap would have been snowy white when new, but now it had soaked in the oils from her hair and was grey. Her hair was wiry, it had been black but now was turning to white. She was of an indeterminate age, given the conditions in which they lived she could have been quite young. She curtsied and smiled, showing that she no longer had one front tooth and the others were mottled with decay.

"I am the matron of this establishment, Matron Margaret." She said loudly, although she did not need to raise her voice. All conversation amongst the inmates had stopped as soon as Heero and Duo had entered the room. The only noise was one of people eating; even a visit from gentry would not interrupt these poor half starved souls from finishing their supper. "What can I do for you fine gentlemen?"

"I have a donation from a kind benefactress. It is to be spend on food and warm clothing for your charges." Heero said. The woman's eyes brightened as she regarded the purse that was held up, swinging in front of her eyes.

"Oh, thank you sir!" she said reaching for it.

Heero pulled it back out of her reach. "In addition I have a reward for you, Madam." Heero held up another purse, which he jingled at her enticingly. "You may have this reward provided I see accounts to prove that the money given has been spent appropriately." Heero tossed the smaller bag up, caught it and replaced it in his pocket. "You will have your reward when I visit again in two weeks time. At that time I will expect that this dwelling will be clean, the inmates dressed properly and extra meat on their bones."

Margaret bit her lip considering the offer. She obviously had a quick mind and was working out just how she could embezzle as much of the donation as possible. "Of course Sir." She agreed "Just name the day and all will be done as you say. "

Heero in turn smiled "No, I shall come when I come. And I may more than once. After all, I do need to be satisfied that the money is being spent wisely. If you do a good job this time, then you may find yourself the recipient of further rewards."

Margaret frowned as he spoke, but then grinned. "As you request, Sir." She took the original purse from Heero and tucked it in her ample cleavage.

"Good, lets go." Duo said, turning to the door.

"Wait." Heero said "Mistress Margaret, do you have an inmate by the name of Mariemaia? The one I seek is a child of no more than eight years."

Margaret nodded hesitantly.

"The benefactress is concerned for this child and wanted to be assured of her safety in particular." Heero continued.

Margaret pointed to a dark corner where children were eating, all except one who was sitting hunched at an awkward angle, her spoon held loosely in her hand, her eyes swollen from crying and her hair clipped close to her scalp.

"Poor little mite." Margaret said "I think your friend had due reason to be concerned. The lass did not work fast enough for the overseer today and he gave her a good beating as a reward. Shaved her head too for good measure."

Heero stared at the child. Even without knowing what Relena had told him he would have been able to see Treize's likeness in her face. There was no denying that this was the bastard child of Treize Kushrinada. Heero frowned. By all rights he should hate anything that Treize had created. In Heero's eyes all Kushrinadas were cursed and hateful. But as he looked at her, she turned her doleful eyes towards him, and he realised that this child was an innocent. She was only a child and had no knowledge of her father's wrong doings. She was yet another victim of Treize's selfishness. Heero felt overwhelming pity for the child. He pressed another couple of coins into Margaret's hand.

"See that she gets proper treatment, from a doctor." He said and Margaret nodded.

Once outside Duo mounted his horse and pulled his braid out from his jacket. He absently scratched his scalp. "Like I said, your little heiress is a brave soul to be visiting places such as that. That was hell."

As he finished speaking he suddenly realised that he was still scratching. Feeling something with his fingertips, he grasped it between his forefinger and thumb and pulled it out of his precious hair. He peered at what he captured. A tiny little insect, slightly bigger than a pinhead, which was wiggling in an effort to free itself from his grasp: head lice. Duo blinked.

"Oh dear Lord!" he said for the second time that evening.