The Visit
by
JulieDCole

Robert Deane is in London visiting a rich and aged aunt who never married and has accumulated wealth since she moved from her home in Bristol. Roberts father has worked hard in his business in Bristol all his life but never had success. Robert felt trapped working hard in his fathers business. By chance an invitation came from his aunt to visit her in London. Roberts father saw an opportunity for Robert to inherit his sisters wealth but Robert had his own reason to make the trip.
It was an opportunity to visit an acquaintance he had met recently who he had bonded with immediately. Adele was strong and confident and appeared from nowhere. She seemed delighted to meet him and perhaps she had her own motif. He didn't care because this was his first real friendship.
Aunt Roberta had been a beautiful young woman, but now refused to accept the aged woman in the mirror was her. She regretted that she had never married and raised the daughter she craved for who might have inherited her beauty and born her own daughter. She needed to feel her beauty and hard work was of value and that her life had not been in vain. Her only hope was her nephew Robert and when they finally met she saw in him the image she hoped she would have seen in a daughter.
Robert had his own priorities and he soon met with Adele and found her to be running her family business in London. She told him of her own difficulties that she was trying to face but she knew she was at disadvantage as a woman in London. She had resorted to masquerading as a man to identify the people causing problems to her late fathers business.
He had his own personal problems to deal but maybe he could turn these to advantage. The story continues and who knows the outcome.

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Chapter 5
Robert looked at himself in yet another glass as he crossed the corridor to his bedroom.The flow of the dressing gown accentuated the look of femininity. He had changed so much in such a short time at Tavistock Square and the reflection showed little evidence of masculinity as he let the gown gape a little exposing some female breast that he immediately cupped as he stopped to take in the transformation. His breast was soft and smooth and as white as marble. He drew into his nostrils the sweet smell of the soaps and salts that Polly had added to the bath water. His nipples were firm and seemed sensitive to the cotton material of his gown.

The corridor was not well lit so he headed for the window at the end and to improve the light and the quality of the image. Something caught his attention. The window looked down onto the side street leading to Tavistock Square. Across the street was another large property and he saw someone move in the window that was directly opposite. It was a narrow street that would be no more than a few yards wide by his estimation. There was someone staring directly at him that made him uncomfortable so he withdraw quickly and stepped to the side. He unfastened the ties holding back the drapes and let them fall even though it was daylight. He was sure the person had a spyglass and was looking into his aunts sitting room below. The motion of the drapes made the person withdraw so he couldn’t establish if this was nosiness or something more deliberate with motif. Perhaps they hadn’t seen him that was fortunate.

He headed for the side window of his bedroom to try to get a better view that overlooked the rear garden of the property where a gardener was busy. He looked up towards the rear of the house since someone apparently called him from within the house. The person who had been spying and followed him to the side-gate of the garden where the gardener unlocked it. Robert managed a better glimpse of a man who seemed to offer payment to the gardener before disappearing out of view. Someone seemed interested to look into his aunts property and it wasn’t just nosiness.

Across his bedroom he saw his reflection into the mirror of the dressing table. A nervous and worried expression on his face but once again no sign of a young man just a slender figure looking more delicate than ever. He sat at the dressing table and examined his features. Behind him was a splendid portrait of a semi-naked and beautiful young woman and he couldn’t resist comparing himself to her. She had dark hair compared to his blond locks but he had the same slim waist that he felt may be now accentuated by a developing bust. He also was slim across the hip like her but her beauty was much more obvious. No wonder she was the subject of the painting.

Scrutinising further he looked at his hands that were small yet his fingers were quite long like hers. His feet were not so delicate as they ought to be for a lady but average for sure and no bigger than Adeles he felt. She laid back in a provocative pose and was brushing her long silken hair. She had the most beautiful green eyes. Her hair was longer than his covering her bust. Would that he might pose like that and be the subject of some famous artist. Nay that was not going to be possible. Anyway as he day-dreamed he knew that his own hair was not so well groomed after the days events and especially now it was slightly dampened because of the moisture of the bathroom. He picked up a brush and started to brush it to untangle it and tried to pull it down to his own bust. It was longer than usual but not so long as hers. He had not had much chance to cut it and his options were limited. At least it was clean and healthy.

Polly entered the room heavily laden with garments. She lay them on the bed separating them as she urged Robert to make haste to avoid being late for dinner and preparation would take more time than normal because there were options for consideration. He did comment that he was used to dressing himself so he knew how long it would take but Polly would have none of it. He did not realize quite what was in store. This was not going to be a simple skirt and blouse as far as Polly was concerned. She had instruction to present Miss Roberta as an elegant and refined young lady and had been given the key to a private wardrobe that a princess would be proud to own.

Robert was quite taken by the opportunity that lay ahead of him and moved across to examine the large bundle that somehow Polly had managed to carry.

“My God Polly what is all this. You embarrass me with so many items of underwear laid out in full display. Surely these are not inded to be worn at the same time. Is this your joke to me?’

Polly shook he head and Robert sat back down on the stool in front of the dressing table almost falling backwards.

‘Come on Miss Roberta please go behind the screen away from the light of the window and remove your gown and put on this under layer first. I will help you with the stockings and garters when you are ready if you wish. Robert decided the risk was too great so he managed somehow.

Next came some weird item that was in fact a style of bloomers that allowed ease of toilet that Robert imagined might be none too appealing to a gentleman looking for opportunity. Not elegant at all in his opinion.

Then came some item that held his developing bust in a fixed position without much cover from the view above. Surely not?. If this was at home in Bristol he could not imagine the reaction. He was feeling prepared now for one of the dresses to be fitted but Polly was not finished. She produced something far stronger than the tapes he’d used to contain his bust that would supposedly reduce his waist to produce a shape that was defined as hourglass. After 15 minutes Polly was satisfied but Roberts voice was several octaves higher and he anticipated there was no chance to eat more than a few morsels of food when presented later. No wonder ladies were so delicate.

Polly saw Robert looking at the painting above her and he couldn’t resist to enquire who she was. No answer came and instead Polly switched his attention to the gowns in front of him. He had to choose but really Polly gave him little option since she felt the burgundy one would fit him perfectly. She was right. He was speechless by now as Polly fixed his hair above his head and produced a necklace and some heavy clips for his ears.

‘There you are miss just as beautiful as Miss Fwacett there above you and I’m sure Miss Roberta senior will be delighted to see her niece looking so elegant. You are very pretty and your aunt may be quite jealous.”

‘Are these her clothes that I wear Polly since they are not of current style?’

‘Well Miss Roberta I do believe they are but I’m not sure and it is not my place to ask.’

When Robert entered the sitting room to join his Aunt he saw a smile on her lips for the fist time.’

‘Roberta darling you look esquisite. So delightful and the dress is perfect.’

Robert blushed somewhat that he would have blamed on the glass of fine sherry if it had arrived before the complement.’

They moved to the large dining table sitting either end as Polly took charge of the serving from the young maid who assisted the cook. Aunt Roberta was completely different towards him and said now she could see that utterly and totally Robert had indeed inherit her beauty and once again a shudder of fear ran down Roberts spine since he must avoid at all costs to age like she had done.

Over a clear soup Robert enquired about the clothes that had been plucked from nowhere saying that Polly had produced them from a wardrobe in Aunt Roberta’s room. She didn’t answer until half way through eating the small bird that each of them had placed in front of them and Robert had too much to do to ask more questions as he tried to eat as delicately as possible. The tight waistband that had been fitted around Roberts waist made him sit straight in his chair so movement was restricted.

Robert also mentioned the beautiful lady in the portrait during his final attempt to separate meat from the carcass. He got no reaction at all so sat quietly.

Polly had told him that the painting was a gift from a close admirer of Miss Roberta with whom she had fallen in love and he had commissioned the painting. They never married and the man had disappeared completely before Polly was hired.

Despite the lack of answers Miss Roberta remained polite and by the end of dinner when they retired to the library for a glass of port Robert noticed his aunt had a more gentle expression that seemed to remove some of the years from her face.

Aunt Roberta then said that the clothes had belonged to the same lady he had been admiring in the painting. She felt that Robert had the same beauty and she hoped he would spend more time with her as the niece to replace the daughter she would have liked. She needed female company around the house and inferred that such a young woman might inherit more than her good looks when the day finally came.

Robert had some inkling now why his aunt had requested they take dinner together with Robert presented as niece rather than nephew but he felt sure there was more to this.

By the third glass of port he found Aunt Roberta was very talkative and she started to explain that her reason to move to London was because of her fondness for a young man who was very handsome and came from a wealthy family. They had met in Bristol and although they were both similar age to Robert now they had enjoyed each others company for almost 2 years. Unfortunately the family had already identified a wife for her man who was from a similar background with good pedigree. But this man Edward, if indeed this was the right name, loved Roberta for she understood him and they had shared a bed.

They both left Bristol for London where Edward used some of his wealth and family connections to establish business of his own that he shared with Aunt Roberta.

‘What became of Edward and why my mother and father didn’t say anything before now?’

‘Roberta dear we could never marry without his family consent and they did awful things to try to stop us. It was not acceptable to live together and they knew he had certain preferences that were frowned upon that were of no consequence to me. He was the most loving and sensitive man you could ever wish to meet.

‘So what happened to him. You never married.’

‘No, he was taken away from me back to Bristol and blackmailed into marrying the woman they chose. I had no chance since I was seen as a fortune hunter. The business we started was nothing to do with his family but they resented our success and tried to bankrupt it through their connections.’

‘So did you keep a contact or the partnership?’

‘Would that I could have my dear on both, or either account. ’

‘Was he happy with this woman?’

‘Never. We kept contact and despite having two children he was in a very unhappy marriage and frequented places where he felt comfortable. I tried to keep a contact but he signed over the business to me and eventually he took his family overseas and was tragically killed in an accident. ‘

‘Poor Aunt Roberta, such sadness and so unfair.’

‘Yes we had a bond and a love of theatre and music and fine clothes. We would go to the theatre together and lay together all night laughing and joking and discussing many things.’

‘Did my father know? Did he meet Edward?‘

‘Yes he knew our friendship and was aware of Edwards passions.’

So he didn’t agree either and didn’t help both of you?’

‘He tried but he was threatened and still he can never be free of them.’

Then Aunt Roberta decided that was enough for that night and suggested they both retire for the night Robert wanted to know more but had no choice.

As he lifted his skirts to climb the staircase he felt some closer affinity to his aunt and realized that their relationship was better because he conformed with her wishes and presented himself as her niece. But what of tomorrow and what of Adele?