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The Winden Ridge Tales
A Dead Woman's Ambition
Chapter Five
And then there was Ellis, the only one whose real name Lizzie and Lydia ever used in conversation, although they were well aware of the man with the posh voice. Little did they realise Ellis would become a regular visitor to their home and, while they couldn’t condemn the poor soul, he must atone.
After all, he seemed willing to support violence and debauchery on the day in question. But Lizzie and Lydia knew he’d followed the mob for the sake of saving face. So how to punish him?
​
Ellis lived with his mother. He was a large frame young man with simple tastes and habits, who would never lead men, but always be a follower. A hard worker, he would always accept the offer of a few hours graft here and there. He had an almost childlike view of the world, always trusted people and never complained.
His sexuality complicated Ellis’s world. He adored women, but they had little time for him. Besides his massive build, he had a large scar on his face, the result of an injury when he was young. When a group of children taunted and teased him, it ended with an accident on the Ridge, one that no-one mentioned again.
Lydia spotted him one day, working in a garden in Lower Winden. ‘Good morning, Ellis,’ she called out. He looked up and smiled, then waved. ‘Ellis, do you have a moment?’ Lydia beckoned him over to where she stood, on the opposite side of the garden’s low wall.
Ellis lumbered over and stood blushing. ‘How do, Miss,’ he said softly.
‘Ellis, I wondered if you’d like to come for supper with me and Lizzie?’
The young man was confused. Why would two women invite him to their house to eat? ‘Me?’ was all he could say.
‘Yes, Ellis. We have a few jobs you could do for us and we can discuss them with you, explain what we want.’
Ellis looked pleasantly surprised. ‘That sounds good. Thank you.’
How about tomorrow? What’s your favourite meal?
‘Sausage and mash,’ he answered without hesitation.
‘Then sausage and mash, it will be.’
‘And gravy.’
‘Of course.’ Lydia smiled. ‘Come at 6.30.’
The following evening, a clean and smartly dressed Ellis arrived on time and holding a rather crumpled bunch of flowers. He stretched out his arm to present them to Lizzie.
‘Thank you, Ellis,’ she said. ‘That’s very kind.’
Ellis ate a hearty meal and drank two bottles of beer.
Afterwards, relaxing in the comfort of a large armchair, he looked at the two women and blurted, ‘You’re both very beautiful.’ Lizzie and Lydia looked at each other. Ellis saw them exchange a glance. ‘Oh, sorry. Is it wrong for me to say that?’
Lizzie shook her head. ‘No, not at all, Ellis.’ She smiled. ‘Thank you.’
‘Yes,’ added Lydia, ‘thank you.’
Lizzie cleared her throat and asked Ellis, ‘Do you remember being here one evening with my husband and other men?’
Ellis looked scared. ‘I didn’t do it.’ He quickly became agitated. ‘I didn’t hurt you.’ He rocked back and forth.
Lizzie moved quickly to calm him. She stood up and stepped towards him, kneeling on the floor beside him. ‘Ellis, I know you were there – I heard you. I heard the other men teasing you.’ She reached for his hand. ‘But I also know that you were not one of the wicked men. You just followed the crowd.’
He looked at her and nodded.
‘Tell me what happened, Ellis.’
‘I was in the pub. Up the hill. They were all in there and when they left, your husband shouted at me to come with them. He said he’d make a man of me.’ Ellis sniffled. Lydia grabbed a box of tissues from the table next to her and passed them over. ‘I didn’t know what they were going to do, not till I was in the room. You know, upstairs with you.’ He took a tissue and wiped his nose and then another to wipe his eyes. ‘Two of them blocked the door. And then when I saw you and watched them, I got excited.’ He hesitated and looked at both women for a reaction. ‘It was wrong. I know it was very wrong, but I didn’t mean you any harm.’ Ellis bowed his head and sobbed quietly.
Lydia spoke first. ‘If you want something, Ellis, ask nicely. If you want someone to help you – with anything at all - ask the same way. Do you understand?’
‘Yes, I understand.’ He looked up at her. ‘The other men died. I think it was punishment.’
‘It could have been, Ellis. It could have been,’ whispered Lizzie. ‘The thing is, do you think you deserve punishment?’
He nodded. ‘I don’t want to die.’
‘No, no. Of course not.’ Lizzie looked at his sad face and at the scar.
‘But I’d like us to be friends.’
‘OK,’ said Lizzie. ‘You can apologise to me. That will do.’
Ellis sighed and looked relieved. ‘I’m very sorry. I really am.’ His eyes widened. ‘Can you forgive me one day?’
‘I’m sure I can,’ said Lizzie.
‘I think about you.’ He looked away shyly.
‘You do?’
He nodded and looked across at Lydia. ‘And you. I think about both of you.’
They sat quietly and finished their drinks. Suddenly, Ellis asked, ‘Is it true what they say about you?’ The women looked at each other. Lizzie raised her eyebrows.
‘What do they say?’
‘That you like each other more than men. My mother says that you wouldn’t be interested in any man. Not even one as big as me.’
Lydia giggled briefly. ‘Are you big all over?’
He nodded. ‘If only I had the looks to match. That’s what mother says.’ Sadness came to him. ‘But I haven’t, so I have to pay.’
Lizzie looked surprised. ‘Pay who?’
‘Mrs Harper up the hill. Her with the poorly husband.’
Lydia’s interest perked up. ‘What does she do for you?’
‘You know…’ Ellis looked embarrassed. ‘Helps me.’
‘You mean with her hand?’
Ellis nodded vigorously. ‘Yeah, that’s it.’
‘Do you like Mrs Harper?’
‘She’s OK, I suppose.’
‘But?’ asked Lizzie. ‘It sounds like there’s something else you’d prefer?’
​
Ellis was growing in confidence. ‘You two are much prettier. I’d like to look at you when I get myself worked up. That’s what Mother calls it when I get overexcited – worked up.’ He beamed at both of them. ‘Then I could give you all my money instead.’
And so, two women, deeply in love with each other, made a strange arrangement with a young man who had a simple view of the world. He would visit them once a week. Sometimes he was the spectator, sometimes the participant. But he did indeed tell the truth about his physical makeup. And when he took part, rather than just watched, Lizzie and Lydia discovered they had found the gentlest lover they could have ever imagined.
‘The poor man,’ Lydia commented after he left one evening, ‘so well endowed and so much talent, but no-one other than us to share it with.’
Lizzie nodded. ‘And we get paid for all that enjoyment.’ She thought for a moment and then added, ‘So we must look after him.’
Last, there was Mr Posh. It was quite by chance that Mr Posh came to offer Lydia work. This was the voice instantly recognised by Lizzie on her night of misery. This was the man who they now knew to be Mr Box.
Some months passed, and Lydia heard via a woman at the village shop that he needed help with his personal care. Several health issues had afflicted him, and though none were life threatening, they meant he could no longer fend for himself.
Mr Posh was an oddball when viewed alongside the other people of both Upper Winden and Lower Winden, where he lived. He was not a local and had a very plumy accent previously unheard from a resident in either village. Rumours circulated he had been an academic who left his last post under a cloud and, financially, he was more than secure, having inherited from several members of his family.
It was Lydia who first went to see him and secure the position of carer and housekeeper. She then introduced Lizzie as a help for her around the house as well as providing extra support. He became visibly shaken when Lizzie first appeared, but she showed no sign of recognition, so he eventually relaxed and enjoyed her company.
The two women visited him four times a week, and kept him clean, clothed and fed. In return, he paid them exceptionally well. Together with the constant flow of money from Ellis, Lizzie and Lydia quickly added to the modest fund they had already, which mostly comprised the small residue from the sale of Lydia’s house. The outstanding mortgage and The Brute’s debts took most of it.
Lizzie and Lydia were careful not to splash their money about, which in case wasn’t easy in Upper or Lower Winden. There was nowhere to flaunt it. So they kept it in a large document tin and every two months made a trip to the nearby town to deposit it at the bank.
‘How much do you think he’s worth?’ asked Lizzie as they sat down to eat supper one evening.
Lydia considered the question for a moment. ‘Oh, it depends how much he inherited and if he’s got a pension. But I think there’s plenty more for us and that, for him, will be his punishment. Are we still agreed on that?’
On their most recent visit, Lydia had taken the shower duties. She washed him thoroughly, shaved him carefully, and caressed him intimately.
‘Please Lydia. I can give you extra rewards next visit.’
Lydia smiled. ‘Not here. Let’s get you dried, and you can be more comfortable in the bedroom.’
Lizzie was finishing the bedroom as Lydia helped him back onto the bed.
Lydia glanced at Lizzie. ‘Mr Box would like me to spend a few more minutes with him, Lizzie.’
‘I’ll be downstairs Lydia,’ said Lizzie.
‘Mr Box says it’s in the usual place.’
‘OK.’ She looked across at the man. ‘I’ll see you in a couple of days, Mr Box.’
He smiled. ‘Thank you, Lizzie.’
Lydia and Lizzie moved to the doorway. Lizzie leaned towards Lydia and whispered, ‘You know what we were talking about the other day, after our last visit? Well, it might be time, Lydia.’
‘It might indeed, dear,’ Lydia whispered back.
Lydia closed the bedroom door as Lizzie crossed the landing to the bathroom, where she opened the airing cupboard door. A quick search revealed a small envelope under a pile of towels. She slipped the envelope into her pocket.
In the bedroom, Lydia stood by the bed. Mr Box was running his hand up and down her thigh.
‘Do you mind if I ask you a question?’ Lydia looked down at him. ‘Well, two questions, actually.’
‘Of course not.’ He smiled up at her. ‘Fire away.’ He continued to stroke her leg. He tried to reach up to her breast with his free hand. She pushed it away gently and began unbuttoning her blouse.
‘How come you always have cash to pay us? Isn’t it dangerous keeping so much in the house?’
He stopped stroking her leg. Lydia stared at him and continued unbuttoning her blouse.
‘I suppose it is risky,’ he admitted. ‘But if I tell you, you’ll probably rob me and I won’t have the enjoyment of your bodies.’
‘I’m insulted,’ she said, smiling at him. ‘You’re talking to a woman who washes your body and does the most intimate things to you she could do and gives her body to you.’ She reached down and slid her hand inside his waistband. ‘I know you pay us well, but that doesn’t mean we don’t care. We worry about you.
Lizzie’s suggested we stay at night and take it in turns to keep you company, But I said I wouldn’t if I didn’t know what the risks are. And looking after all your money is a risk.’
Mr Posh looked eagerly at her breasts and then down at her hand moving inside his pants. His resistance collapsed. ‘The loft,’ he said softly.
Lydia’s smile broadened. ‘Thank you for trusting me.’ A few moments later, Mr Posh climaxed.
‘Lizzie and I will come back tomorrow. Lizzie will have a surprise for you,’ she whispered as she buttoned up her blouse. ‘One you probably never expected, but one you deserve.’
‘A surprise?’
‘Yes.’ She stroked his brow. ‘An experience to end all experiences. Absolutely out of this world.’
He smiled in expectation.
Lydia was true to her word. The next day, soon after arriving, they called an ambulance. ‘I think he’s taken an overdose,’ Lydia calmly told the emergency service operator while Lizzie was busy counting cash in the attic.