Predators

The Saturday after Shoshana arrived in London

On the Saturday before the hearing, Scoons & Partners had what York described as “an affair” at The Reubens at the Palace.” While the invitation said cocktails followed by dinner, attendance also required “formal attire.” Not only would Scoons’ partners be there, but so would many of their well-to-do clients.

In a panic, Shoshanna realized what she brought was not “formal” enough and showed the invitation to the concierge, who sent one of the ladies who helped women dress to her room. There, the woman inspected the dresses Shoshana had brought and pronounced them appropriate. They would, she noted, need two assistants to help her lace the backs, something Shoshana dreaded. Once dressed, Shoshana slipped the leather thong with Sarah Lumbruso’s Star of David under the bodice.

Henry York warned Shoshana that many women would want to speak with her and that she must make a short speech. When Shoshana was announced, conversation in the room where drinks were served stopped. She felt awkward until a waiter arrived with a tray with small glasses of Madeira. Henry York appeared out of nowhere and took her arm, saying, “Allow me to make introductions, and you don’t have to remember all the names, only the important ones, which I will repeat twice!”

Shoshana towered over the men and women to whom she was introduced. After meeting several partners whom she had not met while working at their London offices, Henry York led her to a small platform. He cleared his throat loudly, and the crowd moved toward the stage. York thanked everyone for coming saying he wanted to introduce Scoons’ special guest, Shoshana Jacinto. With a smile, he said to the audience that he needed the platform to see over the audience, but the woman next to him didn’t.

His comment brought a few laughs, and he summarized how he had gotten to know Shoshana, the first woman attorney he had met. He concluded by saying that he is delighted that she practices law in the United States, and her law firm now has offices in New York and Philadelphia and handles Scoons’ affairs in the United States. He pointed out that Shoshana was better than most of the barristers and solicitors he’s worked with over the years and warned, “Woe be the adversary who takes Shoshana lightly.”

Several times during the day, Shoshana tried to script what she would say and gave up. She nodded once and began speaking.

“Thank you for honoring me. I am more afraid of speaking to you than to a jury as I try to convince them that my client is not guilty!”

She stopped to let the laughing die down. “I am humbled by working with Scoons because England is and will be forever, our mother country, whether we Americans want to admit it or not. Many of our traditions and our legal system come from England. We just want to go about life without a king or queen and we men and women want to make our own choices.”

Looking out at the 100 or so in the room, Shoshana could see she had their attention. The waiters were standing in the back, with trays, not serving.

“I am one of many women in Charleston who are pioneers. My best friend Reyna Laredo Jacinto is a certified medical doctor and married to my brother. Before she passed away, one of my childhood friends Melody Winters Smythe, was the head of the languages department at the College of Charleston. Another close friend, Naomi Moreno teaches classic languages at the same school. In my family business, our chief financial officer is Emily Smythe Muir, and yes, she is Darren’s older sister. The College of Charleston admits women every year, more universities in the United States are starting to accept women. Ultimately, those women who follow us will break the remaining shackles that have kept women out of the professions.”

Smiling, she added, ” In the United States we women can now own property and our attorneys are pushing the courts to fairly split the family’s assets and give custody of the children to the mothers. We are pushing for the right to vote and will not give up until we are treated as equals. Horror of horrors!!!”

Shoshana waited until the chuckles and laughter died down. “So, yes, I am what you called during our fight for independence, a rebel. And I am very proud of that label. It drives me every day because, as a woman in the legal profession, I must be better than a man to succeed. Equality will come, but unfortunately, it will be long after I am dead, buried but hopefully not forgotten.”

Shoshana took a few steps to the right, “Humor me for a few minutes to share how I arrived on this podium. I have two brothers and from the time I can remember, I wanted two things. One to be equal to my brothers which meant I had to learn how to ride, shoot, hunt, and even handle a blade. Losing to them was not acceptable.”

She moved across to the other side. “And two, I wanted to be an attorney. No one in my family is one, so I do not know where the desire came from. At fourteen, I started interning with the law firm that had and still has my father’s business as a client. None of the Inns of Court here in London would take me as a student. Why? Because I was a woman.”

Stopping in the center of the platform, Shoshana was beginning her closing argument. “While the Inns of Court wouldn’t have me, the partners of Burrows & Soriano had faith in me. They petitioned, argued, and even cajoled members of the South Carolina legal profession who finally agreed to allow me, a woman, to sit for an exam to demonstrate I could represent a client in court. Since then, I am allowed to practice law in Georgia and South Carolina and am the General Counsel for one of the largest firms in the United States, U.S. Industries. I am the Jacinto in the law firm Burrows, Soriano, Jacinto, & Partners.”

Taking a deep breath, Shoshana said, “On June 6^th, my legal career will take another giant step when I sit at the plaintiff’s table with Mr. York in Old Bailey. My mere presence and the court’s permission to present facts on American citizenship law is both an honor and humbling. Mr. York and I are confident that the court will rule in our favor, however, until the judge bangs down the gavel, one never knows if you have won or lost. Again, thank you for coming, this is quite an honor.”

Shoshana lifted the light blue Court Rococo dress and started toward the side where the steps were to the platform. Henry York stopped her by saying that several wanted to ask her questions. Returning to the center of the stage she said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, my host has informed me that the cross-examination has begun. Please, I will be happy to answer your questions.”

The questions ranged from does she have a beau to what type of firm U.S. Industries was. When asked about her thoughts on the French Revolution, Shoshana responded, “I believe the French people have the right to choose their own type of government. My fellow citizens fought for eight long years motivated by that belief. However, it is wrong to murder thousands of your fellow citizens. If the French Revolutionaries had put the corrupt officials and members of the nobility in jail, I do not think Europe would be aflame today.”

After a dozen more questions, Henry York rescued her by saying, “Supper is served. After dessert, we will have a selection of wines and brandies. Those who wish may join us next door, where my guest will try to answer your remaining questions.”

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Fort Royal, fourth week of January 1797

A frequent dinner table discussion amongst Cesar and Didier Fontaine and their father was how long would the family stay in Martinique? They still had a fortune in gold bars and livres that Girard managed to smuggle out of France before they left. However, it would not last forever. So, where would the family go and when?

In these discussions, Edmund would sit quietly allowing his wife to present their view as a couple. Girard opined that they all go to America. When he was there with the French Army, they were supplied with fruity red wines grown in vineyards overlooking the Hudson River, less than 50 miles north of New York City. He believed they should try to buy one of these wineries. It was a business they knew, and he was confident that they could teach les Américains how to make a proper wine.

Under the table, Sophie had her hand around the remains of Edmunds left arm which left his right hand free to hold his drink. She loved to squeeze the soft end and press it against the bone. It was a sensation that Edmund had grown to like as well.

Sophie was about to volunteer that Edmund and she, along with their children be the first to move. They could, she believed, find a large house and run it while the other members of the family migrated to America.

“Father, I think the perfect time is a year from now, in the winter of 1798. Edmund can turn the captaincy of Rapier over to one of his officers and we can sail to New York on one of Monsieur Robillard’s ships. They start bringing the first shipments of fresh rum to the United States in November. We can be on one of those ships.”

Girard looked around at his two sons and his wife. Noelle and Yves were still teenagers and therefore, had input but not a “vote.” “This is something to seriously consider. I shall consult with the Lusignans to gauge their interest.”

The discussion again turned to the war in Europe. Both Cesar and Didier felt that France was being threatened and it was their duty to help defend her. Girard was adamant that his sons were not to go to France, saying with the Republicans in charge, within moments after setting foot in their homeland, they would be arrested, tried, and beheaded. He insisted that they give him their word that they would not run off to France.

When the other adults had left the table, Sophie lifted the end of Edmund’s left arm and kissed it lovingly. “This will get you off the deck of Rapier and us off this god-forsaken island. Once we are in New York, we have enough money to do what we want. You can be a writer, and I will write as well and be your publisher.”

Conversation stopped when those around the shaded dining area recognized the man on horseback as someone who worked for Monsieur Robillard. Edmund could see a box strapped to the back of his saddle. He let the horse approach the most senior male present. “Monsieur Fontaine, I have a box addressed to Mademoiselle Fontaine.”

Hearing her name, Sophie became animated and headed to the man on horseback, holding out her hand as if to say, give the box to me. Her father unstrapped the box and held it. By its weight, he guessed its contents.

“More books?”

“Yes, father. More books.”

“From those Republican philosophers and romanticists?

“Yes, father. More from them. They often espouse the same ideals of Lafayette and are fans of liberty and equality.”

Girard kept the box away from his daughter. “These are the same people who forced us to leave France and give up our winery that had been in our family for a thousand years.”

“No father, they didn’t force you to leave. The actions of our fellow nobles did. They failed in their duty to take care of the people they ruled.”

The head of the family turned to his eldest son Cesar who knew what his father wanted. He tossed him the two rapiers used to practice sword fighting. Each had a flattened tip the size of a small coin. Girard lofted one to Sophie, blade down, that she caught with a practiced snatch. 

Sophie kicked off her shoes as she reached around to her back and undid the bow to the corset portion of her dress. “Edmund, undo the laces so I can teach my father a lesson or two in why people want their freedom.”

Doing as he was asked, the dress fell away and was scooped up by Noelle, Sophie’s younger sister, leaving her cream-colored pantaloons in full view. She brought the hilt of the sword up, so it was in front of her face. “Father…”

The older Fontaine lunged toward Sophie who easily parried the thrust. This was a scene that Edmund had seen only twice in his five years of marriage. It was both theater and a demonstration of Sophie’s skills with a rapier. Being able to defend oneself with a weapon was something that Girard insisted all his children be able to do. Some were better than others. After the first time he saw Sophie fight with rapier, Edmund realized that she could easily best most, if not all men.

The sparring went on, with each contestant tossing out verbal jabs about the other’s skill and their political views as the thrusting and parries continued. Sophie, as she always did, used her skills to force her father back and keep him on the defensive. His counterattacks were parried, and Sophie easily moved away so her father could not use his size to his advantage.

Above the metallic clinging of the steel, Edmund heard his father-in-law, ask, “So my lovely daughter, what books did you order?”

“One is the Marquis de Sade’s Philosophy in the Bedroom. It was first published in 1795. I am hoping that Pierre Choderlos de Laclos Dangerous Liaisons and Voltaire’s Candide II is in the box. There could be others.”

More thrusts and parries. “And pray tell, what are you going to learn from that madman about the bedroom that God has not given you?”

Dirt kicked up from Sophie’s feet as she sidestepped a thrust from her father. “Ideas that will keep my husband coming back to our marital bed wanting more pleasure.”

“You should have learned from our priests that the marital bed is for procreation.”

“Ahhhhh father, but God has also made it so enjoyable that we will do it often. There is the pleasure in the act and the pleasure in being a parent.”

Her words were followed by serious grunting and pings from the thin blades smacking into each other. “Voltaire’s philosophy and others who think the same way are what caused the revolution.”

Sophie launched a series of feints and attacks, at the end of one, the flat tip of her rapier was pressed against her father’s chest and the blade was bent in an arc. “Touché. No father, Voltaire, de Sade, Robespierre and the others didn’t cause the revolution. The people’s desire for freedom from being oppressed caused it. They and others only gave voice to their desire. Those same desires are the reasons you espouse and why we are here in Martinique….” She took a deep breath and tossed the rapier to Cesar. “Now, father, may I have my books?”

Edmund carried the wood box to their house where he used a knife to pry open the lid. In it were the books she was hoping to receive, Dangerous Liaisons, Philosophy in the Bedroom, Candide II and a note saying that he included a copy of Diderot’s La Religieuse and he would deduct the cost of the book from the money in her account.

Gently, Sophie laid the books in a row. “Which one do you want to start tonight?”

“You pick.”

One of the reasons that Sophie adored her husband was his stamina in the bedroom and willingness to try new things. When he was home, they were often making the beast with two backs several times a day.

Edmund touched his wife’s cheek. He was still thinking about the conversation before the swordfight in which Girard Fontaine agreed to leave Martinique. “Sophie my love, I cannot wait to leave Fort Royal. For both of us, the island is a prison. We, or at least I, have been in exile way too long. Once in the United States, we have enough money so we can do nothing but make more children.”

“Then let us start tonight.”

Sophie often told him that she didn’t believe the Catholic Church’s hogwash that sex was only for procreation. She believed, as a fan of the philosophy of the Marquis de Sade, that sex was to be enjoyed and that it was acceptable to give one’s partner pleasure. 

Later that night in their candle lit bedroom, to practice her English, Sophie read passages from John Cleland’s Fanny Hill to Edmund. The words and descriptions led to intense lovemaking that left them both exhausted.

Coming soon