Savannah 07

"You mean their insistence on sorting out the slave situation?"

"Precisely."

"So what is it likely to be worth?"

"Value of anything my dear," he said very condescendingly "Is what anyone is prepared to pay for an asset and at the moment, madam, there are very few parties interested in buying assets in the South, especially cotton plantations."

"Sir, I appreciate that."

"But I have been able to find a party who wishes to buy."

"Really?"

"Yes and at a price that is not too distressed."

"How is that?"

"Well they are Prussian."

"Pray sir why are Prussians particularly interested and willing to pay a more attractive price."

"Two reasons. One, they have an idea called vertical integration."

"What on earth is that?" Amanda asked her gaze on Strand as his eyes ran over her body.

"It's owning all the stages of production for a product. My contact owns department stores throughout Prussia. They sell a vast array of cotton goods. They have become alarmed at the fact that their supply of cotton might be constrained."

"Pray why would that be?"

"If we have a war between us and the Union, as incidentally that appears more and more likely."

"We sir, who is we?" Amanda asked sharply.

Strand frowned, he wasn't used to others interrupting him, especially women.

"My friend's madam, the gentlemen you met in Washington, the group we call the Fire-Eaters."

"Oh, I see. Mister de Bow and William Lancy and the other notables to whom you introduced me."

"Yes and many others."

"And who, pray may they be?"

Strand paused momentarily, a suspicious look covering his face. "Never mind on that Amanda" he said slowly. "Suffice to say that there are plenty."

"Plenty sir, plenty of what?"

"Plenty who wish to be part of and at the heart of defending our way of life Amanda."

"What plenty who wish to be Fire-Eaters?"

"Yes my lovely, plenty like me and Mister de Bow."

Wondering just why he had linked himself to James she smiled sweetly, hoping she hadn't overstepped the mark. "Of course sir, pray continue."

"If we have a war, the Union will, we hear blockade all the ports so the cotton may not be exported."

"Blockade the ports, pray how?"

"With the help of England and maybe the French they will stop shipping coming in or leaving. They will squeeze the South."

"How awful!"

Strand nodded. "If we don't stop them, then people will starve in the South and it will be the slaves who come off worst and they're the very people the Northern scum are doing it for. You see we are dealing with barbarians in the Yankees."

"So it seems," Amanda mused, wondering if it was true.

"And of course the big problem will be importing anything the South needs for that will be impossible and the only place we will be able to get it will from the bastards up north. People will suffer for food will start becoming expensive and scarce."

"I see."

"As of course will exporting. Plantations will only be able to export to the North who will control the price and, of course, that will be driven down, desperately low."

"Well sir, how does all this awful news help the sale of Selby Bluff."

"Firstly my dear," Strand started, leaning forward across the low table and taking her hand

"My Prussian friends own cotton mills in Silesia, they have a large shipping fleet and now they wish to secure their line of production by acquiring plantations."

"I see. And secondly?"

"There are very few plantations for sale."

"So I am fortunate indeed, but sir, what of the blockade?"

"Only ships of the American flag will be blockaded, those of foreign persuasions will be given free passage."

"I see that's very astute, Mister Strand."

"Oliver, please," he said rubbing the back of Amanda's hand.

"So the only real question left is the price isn't it Oliver?" Amanda said, looking deeply into his eyes, leaving her hand in his and squeezing it gently.

"Yes Amanda and here I have persuaded our Prussian friends to be very fair. They will pay you two hundred thousand dollars immediately the contracts are signed and then one hundred thousand dollars a year for five years."

Amanda immediately knew it was a low price, but given the circumstances and the risk the Prussians were taking it probably was fair.

"I assume it is negotiable" she said, leaning back on the sofa and slipping her hand from Strand's.

"Well in everything my dear lady there is room for negotiation, just as there has been with us?"

"Hmmm, yes," Amanda said, not able to think of anything else.

"And of course I will help with that. This is their first offer that has been put to me by their representatives. I could of course go back to them and suggest some changes before I refer it to you. Would you like me to do that?"

"Yes please Oliver I would," Amanda replied leaning forward and placing her hand on the table again. Strand picked it up and turned it over so the palm was facing up. He began to rub little circles on that with his fingertips.

"Well perhaps we discuss that in more detail at dinner later."

"Yes of course."

"Say my carriage collects you at seven thirty, my house is very close to your quarters."

"That would be most pleasant sir."

They both stood up, he was still holding her hand. He brought it to his lips, but didn't kiss the back of it. Instead he licked the palm; Amanda found it quite disgusting particularly when he accompanied it with, "And please madam I implore you to wear a less formal dress as you did so wonderfully last time we er, um .....met."

Amanda smiled knowing that what she had lined up as her outfit would surprise and impress him, for she had been anticipating this request.

"Yes Mister Strand I most certainly will, I trust you had no complaints with my attire at dinner in Washington?"

The vision of Amanda eating dinner with her breasts out flooded into Strand's mind. "Indeed I did not madam that was perfect," he breathed. "You can then persuade me to give this matter my most stringent attention and efforts."

"I would hope, sir, that you have already been doing that."

"Yes, but I can always be persuaded to go further as we all can, can't we?"

Amanda couldn't help smiling at his clumsy and unsophisticated attempts at sexual banter.

"Indeed we can sir, indeed we can."

"I must say madam, you have excelled yourself," Strand said, as Amanda glided across the pea shingled courtyard and through the front door of the pretty, three storey house in Reynold's Square a few hours later. It was less than a five minute ride from the guest house. 'Obnoxious though he may be,' Amanda thought, as the driver helped her out of the carriage, 'He has taste in his homes and offices.'

"Welcome to my home in Savannah, well one of them of course."

"Thank you sir, it is a pleasure to be here," Amanda replied glancing meaningfully at the groom as Strand held her by the shoulders and kissed her cheek. Strand smiled.

"That's okay. Devlin is the closest person to me in the world and my most loyal servant, aren't you Devlin?"

"Yes sir," Devlin replied thinking of the whorehouses and assignations with single and married ladies he had taken his master to over the years.

Looking at the fine Missus Williams he hoped that Strand might involve him in some adventures with her as he did from time to time with his conquests. "I will await your orders sir, I shall be in the coach house. I made all the arrangements about dinner sir."

"Thank you Devlin," Strand said in an offhand manner, his thoughts already on the delicious body of Missus Williams that he wanted to see and possess as soon as possible "I'll call if we need you, but don't wait up."

Amanda felt embarrassed having Strand talk about Devlin as he had and implying that she might be staying the night.

"Come Amanda, let's have a drink and then dinner, I trust you will forgive my casual appearance."

"Of course sir," Amanda said noting that Strand was wearing just a white, muslin shirt and cream trousers, with no cravat or jacket. The tight trousers accentuated his portly frame, but overall he looked more acceptable than her memory had suggested on her way here.

As they chatted for a few moments they had champagne with some canapés that had been left on a sideboard. Strand though could not restrain himself. He had serious difficulties in his office with keeping his hands off Amanda, but had to resist the temptation due to the lack of security and privacy. Here both were strong and his resistance lasted just the time it took both of them to drink a small glass of wine.

He moved close to Amanda, but with the voluminous hoop cage she was wearing it was not possible to take her in his arms and press his aching erection against her soft belly as his urge so demanded.

Amanda let him lean across her skirt and kiss her, although it was highly awkward for both of them. "Perhaps dinner sir?" she said breaking the kiss.

"Yes of course, my dear," he replied leading her over to the sideboard where there was plates, bowls and tureens "Let's take dinner first before... our other pleasures."

"Oliver, I know not what you mean," Amanda smiled taking some meat and salad onto her plate.

"No of course not Amanda," he replied pecking her on her cheek and sliding his arm round her and touching the side of her breast. "Your recall of our dinner in Washington is of course, most ladylike."

"Totally so sir, totally."

"And may I enquire if you enjoyed that?"

"Well sir my return to your table might indicate the answer to that question."

They sat down and started eat and drink wine. Amanda needed that to reduce her inhibitions and give her the courage she needed to have sex with this repulsive, yet oddly enticing man. They chatted about the plantation sale for a while and then Amanda said. "I understand your friend James de Bow is in town."

"Yes, so I understand. I haven't seen him yet, but I hear you are meeting with him on Tuesday for tea."

As always, although she should not have been, Amanda was amazed at how much Strand knew. "Yes I am."

"But you haven't visited with him in New Orleans yet?" He asked again showing just how in touch he was.

"No, but he and Missus de Bow did stop over at Selby on their way to Charleston."

"Yes I know, but then there is no longer a Missus de Bow is there?"

Amanda was shocked and immediately thought the worse. "No? Pray what happened?"

"Oh nothing serious, but they have parted."

She felt a surge of excitement at the thought of James being free.

"Oh by the way," Strand said as they finished their cheese and dessert "I met an old friend of yours recently."

"Who may that have been?"

"Irving Sanders, he says he knew you when you were very young and, of course very pretty as he put it and as naturally you are now."

Amanda's mind went back to those times with Irving when he had so romantically and tenderly taken her virginity and introduced her to womanhood and sex. They had kept in touch for a while, but Amanda's traveling and marriage to Samuel had put an end to that. She, as most women, held fond memories and a special place in her heart for the man that deflowered her, especially as he did it so lovingly and considerately.

"Irving, how is he?"

"He's very well and asked to be remembered to you; so Amanda you miss an old suitor, but now have a new one."

"You sir, are hardly new."

"I am not your suitor Missus Williams, I am your lover, aren't I?"

"Yes sir you are, but I thought when you said new suitor."

"No I was referring to de Bow. He is highly smitten, but I have urged him to join the queue. And the line up to fuck Missus Williams is very long I advised him."

Despite herself, Amanda felt a blush color her face at the choice of language. "Thank you Mister Strand," she stammered. "I... er... appreciate that."

"But Sanders couldn't wait in Savannah to see you. He had to rush back to Charleston, silly buffoon. He's quite a power up there now."

Amanda's ears pricked up. Fairfax wanted to know who was behind the secession plans and this was her chance. "So is he involved in the secession stuff?"

"Madam, that's not a topic for this table," he replied, his eyes staring into Amanda's cleavage.

"Pray why not sir?" she asked, knowing that she had to find out more. "It can affect the value of Selby and that is what we are here to discuss isn't it?"

"That is true madam, but I find your presence so distracting and we are also here to do other things aren't we?"

Amanda averted her gaze from his in a show of the customary embarrassment that women are expected to show when a man makes an obvious attempt to raise sex as a subject. Then, with her head bent forward and knowing his eyes were boring into the ample swell of her covered breasts she glanced up and held his gaze from out of the top of her eyes.

"I am sure Mister Strand that a man of your caliber and achievements can cope with more than one topic at a time, can't you sir?"

"That may be so, but at the moment my dear my mind is recalling how you were at a previous dinner"

Her inhibitions loosened by the wine, her resolve strengthened by her desire to up the price of Selby and to help Fairfax gain information and Strand's way of introducing sex into the conversation, all excited Amanda. They altered her usual restraint and conservative approach, they emboldened her, made her more daring and made her feel as though nothing existed outside of her and Strand and this house. She was, she realised starting to feel just as she had when Strand had persuaded her to undress before they dined last time.

"And how was that sir?" She asked leaning across the table for the salt knowing full well that the front of her dress would be stretched across her full breasts.

"It was wonderful madam, it was a superb treat to have you dine with me in the way that you were dressed."

"And so Mister Strand is that what you require of me now?"

Almost unable to speak at the thought of Amanda naked before him, Strand croaked. "Yes Missus Williams it is."

"But we do have an agreement, don't we sir, that we do both things?" she asked, standing up.

"Both things madam" Strand wheezed looking up at the elegant woman?

"Yes this," Amanda said her fingers going to the top button on the dress. "And we talk about the sale of my plantation at the same time" she went on undoing the button.

Amanda was wearing one of her latest outfits. Having got used to and preferred the more advanced, adventurous and sophisticated European styles, she regularly ordered clothes from Paris and London and had recently taken delivery of a consignment of dresses, coats, bonnets, stockings, corsets and underwear.

She was wearing a grey and pink silk dress. It was a two piece with a button up bodice and a modestly hooped skirt. The tight bodice was pale grey with smoky pink, white and black piping and lace and the skirt was the reverse.

As Amanda undid the top buttons on the bodice so the material gaped a little showing her cleavage and almost half of each of her full, plump breasts. That made Strand gulp.

"So Mister Strand" Amanda said quietly pulling him further into her sexual spell. "How do we increase the price of my plantation?"

"Madam, that is for later surely."

"If that is the case sir then..." Amanda paused as she teasingly went to refasten the button.

"Well there is my sales commission."

"Pray sir, what is that?" she innocently asked, holding the small button against the buttonhole but not pushing it through.

"As your agent, I would generally get a ten percent commission."

"Twenty thousand dollars for the down payment," Amanda said letting go of the button and the bodice allowing it to fall a little so Strand saw at least half of each areola.

Standing just a few feet from where he was sitting open legged on the dining chair, she could see he was sweating and, more interestingly was hardening.

"Pray sir, could that not be reduced?" she asked her finger alighting on the next button. They could both see that if that came undone then all of each areola and each nipple would be revealed. He didn't reply, but stared intently at her fingers on the button, which Amanda was starting to push through the button hole, but stopped half way.

She felt as though she was in a daze, just as she had seen people in the music halls when they were hypnotized. It was as though another force was driving and directing her, as though she was becoming another person.

"Well, Mister Strand?"

"Of course, madam," he started, regaining a degree of his normal, arrogant gravitas. "I am a fair man and would be pleased to reduce my commission by a third."

Amanda pushed the button back through the button hole, doing it up. "Fair sir, what is fair when you take so many thousands of my dollars."

He stared at her. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, Mister Strand I am just a simple woman, a maybe soon to be divorcee and alone, I am not a business person as you are, but my mother always said share and share alike."

"And that dear Amanda means what?"

"It means Oliver you halve your commission to five percent," she said, providing an incentive by sliding the two ends of the neckline open and showing him what lay beneath. "After all sir, you have had some er, how can we put it, advance payment perhaps."

Strand saw what she was getting at and mentally gasped when he calculated just how much each fuck was costing him.

"Yes Missus Williams I am not just a fair man, but a generous one as well. I agree."

"Thank you, Mister Strand," Amanda said, excited that she had won the negotiation and exhilarated that she was sexually controlling the situation. Without further ado she undid two more buttons and stood before Strand the top of her dress, the bodice gaping, with almost all of each breast on display to him.

Staring intently at them he crudely he reached down and rearranged the bulge in his trousers. "Pardon me madam, but I have to adjust myself."

"Fear not sir, I am pleased I have such an affect. I do don't I Mister Strand?"

His eyes sparkled. "Oh madam, Missus Williams, Amanda yes indeed you do."

"Then sir, feel free to adjust yourself however it may please you," she said undoing the last button on the bodice and removing the garment from her body. Again Strand gasped. She wasn't wearing a chemise, her corset had nothing under or over it and her breasts were bare.

"Oh madam, that is staggeringly wonderful," he moaned, his hand returning to his crotch. He lewdly rubbed himself. Normally Amanda, as with most gentle women, would have been disgusted. But somehow it struck her as being apt for the occasion and the sight sent a surge of arousal through her.

Although many of the whores he used dispensed with chemmies and wore their corset to the skin, it was a rarity amongst women of his class. Amanda last time and now this, was the only woman he had seen dressed like that. The color of her corset matched her bonnet, smoky pink and unlike most American corsets this was richly decorated with grey lace and piping.

Standing before him bare chested, but still wearing her huge, hooped skirt Amanda smiled. "And now Mister Strand may we discuss your commission on the later payments."

"Yes, of course, as I said I am a fair and generous man," he replied, slipping his hand inside his baggy trousers.

"That is fortunate and much needed if we are to complete our negotiations in a mutually satisfactory manner sir."

"Do you think we can do that madam?"

"I am sure that with goodwill on both sides sir, we can" Amanda said as she watched Strand undoing the drawstring on his trousers.

"Anything is possible with such goodwill madam."

"Yes Mister Strand anything, maybe even averting a war and gaining me a generous price for my plantation."

"Exactly, madam."