The Collector Ch. 06

Charlotte was stunned into silence.

"She received half the money and stayed in the Middle East for a month before returning home to Paris where she continues to be employed as a Sister of the Web," Tiffany lit her cigarette.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Tiffany but let me explain," Charlotte began.

"Nothing to explain Charlotte. She loves the work and she loves the pay; she says it's better than any other job she could possibly think of. She gets to travel, she gets well paid, she gets to use her education as well as her body and besides, she likes to fuck," Tiffany smiled.

Charlotte blushed.

"Well I'm glad about that then," Charlotte patted Tiffany's knee.

"I want in," Tiffany stated boldly.

Charlotte choked on her drink.

"You want what?" Charlotte was stunned.

"I can't be an Acolyte so I want to be a Sister," Tiffany replied.

"It's not that simple Tiffany; besides your mothers, both of them, would never forgive me," Charlotte dug in.

"I'm nineteen years old and I can do what I like. Besides; if mummy and Edward knew you were recruiting virgins and other young girls to populate your business model, which is basically a rip off of the Society of the Circle, I'd think your friendship was kaput anyway. And of course you would have to deal with the fallout from the Society of the Circle," Tiffany smirked.

"So I'm being blackmailed by a nineteen year old virgin," Charlotte was bemused.

"Precisely," Tiffany smirked back at her.

"Ok. Let's finish our drinks and go back to my hotel where we can have some privacy; you had better know exactly what you are letting yourself in for," Charlotte finished her cognac in one gulp.

"You're not just luring me into a honey trap are you Charlotte?" Tiffany teased.

"Your virginity is worth far more than a quickie in a Paris hotel," Charlotte replied sarcastically.

"Well you don't have a cunt, but you were still recruited as a Novice," Tiffany baited Charlotte.

"I still don't have a cunt, but if you keep behaving like a petulant child I might show you what I do have. I can use it on your body in other places so that you keep your virginity," Charlotte teased her in reply.

"Promises, promises," Tiffany giggled.

Charlotte couldn't help but admire her friend's daughter. Tiffany had mettle and a dry sense of humour like her own. She was going to need all the spunk she had when she was sent to Dubai.

Two months later Tiffany came back from the Middle East no longer a virgin, seventy-five thousand Euros richer and a newly indoctrinated Sister of the Web. Charlotte saw the potential in Tiffany and put her in charge of the European operation. Tiffany was the right age, from the right background, and had the right connections to recruit other suitable candidates for Charlotte's business enterprises.

It was around this time that Charlotte concocted her cunning but dangerous plan. She would amalgamate the Society of the Masters of the Circle and the Sisters of the Web. It was an ambitious audacious plan that would require a co-conspirator inside the Circle; a Master or an Acolyte willing to sell out or disgruntled. For a while she considered trying to rouse Mary Pilson to her cause but Mary was devoted to Lord Edward and the tenets of the Circle; she would never betray them.

Barnaby Tilsbury was bought to her attention through Tiffany, who was telling Charlotte what a bore the man was.

"I believe the lower classes use the word 'plonker'," she sniffed.

"He came around to visit mother and father and was bragging about how he was to inherit Lord Edward's titles and estates," Tiffany told Charlotte over coffee after one of their business meetings.

Charlotte had not been back to England for so long that she felt like a stranger in her own land but she soon settled down and quietly put out feelers ensuring that neither Edward nor Mary got wind that she was back in country. Barnaby turned out to be exactly the 'plonker' that Tiffany had described but he was an ambitious, greedy and impatient plonker, and when Charlotte made her pitch he took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

Barnaby would identify suitable Novices under training at Chelmsford Hall and entice them away to join Charlotte's Web. He had to be very careful; ensuring that he made offers to the very few he was certain would defect. He also fed Charlotte with the names of Acolytes of the Circle who seemed either dissatisfied with their lot or were likely to be tempted to forsake the Circle for the freedom and wealth that the Web had to offer.

Charlotte or Tiffany would approach the prospective Acolytes and attempt to recruit them to the Sisterhood of the Web and so far they had a one hundred percent strike rate but Charlotte knew that Edward would soon find out what was going on. She knew through her contacts that Edward suspected there was foul play afoot because of the increased number of Acolytes resigning from the Circle.

But then Lord Edward Tilsbury had died; and although Charlotte was as heartbroken as Mary, she was also callous enough to realise that his demise was fortuitous. She made contact with the most powerful members of the Circle, the Privy Council of the Masters of the Circle and requested a meeting. She told no one; not even her co-conspirators Barnaby or Tiffany about the meeting or what was discussed.

The Day of the Inauguration of the Grand Master of the Society of the Masters of the Circle

At Chelmsford Hall every Master of the Circle who could possibly attend was crowded into the Great Hall as were most of the Acolytes. Cameras had been set up so that those unable to attend could watch the ceremony online.

The six Privy Councillors of the Masters of the Circle sat on a raised rostrum; the dais where the Grand Master of the Circle was to sit was vacant, awaiting the appointment of the successor.

Barnaby was grinning like a Cheshire cat, fully expecting to be sitting on the dais all too soon. Many of the Masters were patting him on the back or shaking his hand, toadying up to him in anticipation of the wealth and power that would soon be his.

The eldest of the Councillors rapped a gavel and bought the Grand Hall to silence.

"We are gathered here to appoint the successor to Lord Edward Tilsbury, Earl of Chelmsford and founder of the Society of the Masters of the Circle," he began in a wavering voice.

"The two issues are of course totally separate; The Earldom is a Royal peerage and the Grand Master is an appointment within the Society of the Circle," he explained.

"As you are aware, Lord Edward's nephew, Barnaby Tilsbury is fully expected to inherit both titles," the Councillor's voice boomed.

Barnaby Tilsbury stepped forward onto the rostrum with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"But I have been advised by the Queen's Council that advice to the contrary has been decreed. I read to you the document forwarded by him to the Council of the Circle."

"The holder of a peerage may not transfer his title to an individual, it devolves automatically to the first born son or to other sons in order of birth, the incumbent has no right to designate a successor to the title. In any event, the Earl of Chelmsford, Lord Edward Tilsbury's last will and testament has been found to been found to be unproved and likely a forgery. His previous will stands; with the bulk of his estate being held in trust to be administered by the Privy Council of the Masters of the Circle," he read from a scroll.

"But this is preposterous!" Barnaby cried.

"Please be quiet; we have more business," the councillor continued, ignoring Barnaby's pleas.

"Further; the Privy Council have met and after much deliberation have decided that for the Society of the Masters of the Circle to survive in this modern age, we must look to the future and change with the times. Therefore we have appointed a new leader of our esteemed society."

"Please welcome our new Grand Acolyte of the Society of the Masters of the Circle, Ms Charlotte Beason."

The End