by HELEN HARDT
What to do? She was badly battered. She had been beaten this badly and worse by her father and survived. She would survive this time. All she needed were some headache powders and her bed. In a few days, she would be good as new.
Ryland was clearly crazy. She didn’t know about the other two, but if they were in league with him, she didn’t hold out much hope for them. She had to find a way to get away from them. Right now they seemed concerned with helping her, and oddly, she wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad.
The whirring of the presses below still buzzed in her ears. No one would come for her. Likely no one had heard the shot fired by Ryland.
“Find a cabbie and get her home,” Ryland said. “I need to stay here and take care of this body.”
The two men helped Ally descend the narrow staircase and took her out the back way.
Darkness had fallen, and now that her fear and adrenaline had subsided, the pain permeated her body. Her strong will had kept her numb during the beating. She hadn’t endured punishment of this magnitude in several years.
However, it had been a small price to pay to keep Osborne from raping her.
And what of Ryland, her unlikely savior? He had probably saved her life. Osborne might have beaten her to death. Should she be grateful? Bewilderment cluttered her mind. The images in front of her appeared normal, distorted, and then normal again.
The two men deposited Ally into a hansom cab. Ally managed to give the cabbie the address of the Brighton townhome, and then she lay back, each bump in the road jarring her body, pain radiating through her.
After only a few moments, the cabbie nudged her. “My lady, we have arrived.”
She must have dozed off. The cabbie helped her to the door and knocked.
Woods opened the door and gasped. “Lady Alexandra! What happened?”
“She’s in pretty bad shape, I’m afraid,” the cabbie said. “Two men got her in my cab.”
Ally opened her mouth, but couldn’t speak.
“Thank you,” Woods said. “Wait a moment please, and I’ll see that you’re compensated.”
“Not to worry, mate. The men paid me for my services. Just take care of the young lady. Good night.”
Woods helped Ally up the stairs and to her chamber.
“I’ll find a maid to attend to you, my lady.”
Alexandra fell onto her bed.
* * *
Ally woke, shivering. Sunlight streamed through her window. Her whole body throbbed. She groaned.
“Ally?”
Ally turned her head, each minute change of position excruciating. Sophie sat in a chair next to her bed, holding her hand.
“Sophie?” Ally’s voice cracked.
“Oh, Ally, I’ve been so worried. Don’t try to talk too much.”
“Evan…”
“Evan is fine. He is resting comfortably.”
“Does he…?”
Sophie shook her head. “No. We didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily. He needs to sleep right now. I will go to him later today and tell him what happened to you.”
Ally tried to shake her head but wasn’t sure if she managed to. “No. Don’t tell him.”
“Of course I must tell him.”
“He won’t care, Sophie.”
“That’s ridiculous. Of course he will. He loves you.”
“He no longer wants me.” Ally let out a raspy cough.
“Let me get you some water.” Sophie stood and fetched a dipper of water from the basin. “Here, can you sit up a bit to drink?”
Ally rose on her elbows enough to get some of the water in her mouth. The rest dribbled down her chin.
“The doctor will be here soon to see Evan. We will have him examine you as well.”
“I don’t need a doctor. This is no worse than when—”
“Yes, I know.” Sophie nodded. “But we have a doctor now. We have money for your care, and you will damned well see him.”
Ally couldn’t help grinning at her sister’s curse. Sophie must be serious. “Oh, don’t make me smile, Sophie. It hurts.”
“You need to rest. Perhaps in a few hours, if you are feeling a little better, you can tell me what happened.”
Ally nodded. Might as well give Sophie some solace. Of course, she had no intention of telling anyone what had transpired.
She drifted off again.
* * *
“Well, my lord, I’d say everything is looking good.” Dr. Stanton snapped his black medical bag shut.
“That is good news,” Evan said. “When will I be up and around, other than to use the convenience?”
“It’s only been a few days, my lord. You’re strong and healthy and are healing very quickly. However, you must use caution. I recommend nothing strenuous. In other words, do not leave the house… In fact, do not leave the bedchamber unless you absolutely must.”
Damn. He really needed to get back to work and find out who was behind the printing of The Ruby. Other than Alexandra, of course.
“You’ll be pleased to know that your stepsister should fully recover as well.”
Evan jolted and sat straight up in bed. “Excuse me?”
“Yes, Lady Alexandra. I examined her just before I came to see you.”
His heart fired rapid beats. “What are you talking about? What happened to Alexandra?”
“You mean, you didn’t know?”
“Do I look like I have any clue what you’re talking about?”
“I’m so sorry. Lady Alexandra was beaten badly. However, she is strong and healthy like you. She will be fine.”
Rage surged through Evan. Who had laid a hand on Alexandra? He’d kill whoever was responsible. He winced as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
“And just where do you think you’re going?” the doctor asked.
“I’m going to see Alexandra, of course.”
“Lady Alexandra is resting comfortably. She’s asleep right now. She should not be disturbed. I assure you she is fine and will recover.”
“No one will keep me from her!”
“I don’t think anyone is going to keep you from her, my lord. However, your visit with Lady Alexandra will have to wait until later, perhaps when you are both fully awake.”
Evan stood and grimaced. A pain shot through his thigh. “I don’t care if she’s not awake. I need to see her. Where’s that blasted cane you brought me last time?” He looked around and spied the walking stick in the corner.
“I can see no one will talk you out of this.” Dr. Stanton retrieved the cane and handed it to Evan. “Please do not disturb her, and please get back here as soon as possible and continue resting.”
Evan left his bedchamber, pain lancing through his leg, and walked down the hall to Alexandra’s room. He knocked quietly. A few seconds later, Sophie came to the door.
“Evan! What are you doing here? You should be resting.”
“I assure you, I am fine. Why was I not informed of Alexandra’s condition?”
“We didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Disturb me? Are you daft? I love this woman.”
Sophie smiled. “The doctor assures us she will be fine. Trust me, Evan, I have seen her in…worse condition.”
Evan’s heart nearly broke at Sophie’s words. “Please, I must see her. I need to know for myself that she is all right.”
Sophie opened the door wider. “Come in, then. But be quiet. She is sleeping, and I don’t want her woken.”
Evan stumbled past Sophie to Alexandra’s bed. She lay, breathing rapidly, her beautiful face marred with blue and purple contusions. Her eyes were swollen. He shuddered. Those bruises might as well have been on his own body. He felt the agony of every single one of them.
“Who did this to her?” Evan said through clenched teeth.
“I’m afraid we don’t know. She hasn’t been awake long enough to tell me or anyone.”
“I don’t accept that. We must know something.”
“Only that she
was brought home last night in a hansom cab. Woods said that two men had paid the cabbie.”
“Where had she come from?”
“The cabbie didn’t say. It probably didn’t occur to Woods to ask.”
“Goddamn it! I’ll have him removed from service.”
“No, Evan, please don’t. It’s not Woods’s fault.”
Evan breathed in and let out a long sigh. Woods had been with the family for years. But God, he should have thought…
“When I find out who did this to her—”
A knock on the door interrupted Evan’s words.
Sophie opened it. Woods stood there.
“I beg pardon, my lady. I’m looking for… Oh, there you are, my lord. There’s a constable here to see you.”
“A constable?”
“Yes, my lord. He says it’s quite an urgent matter.”
Evan sighed. He was going to be arrested for the publication and distribution of obscene material. “Fine. Bring him up here then. I am not leaving Lady Alexandra’s side.”
“Evan,” Sophie said, “you’re supposed to be in bed yourself.”
“For God’s sake, doesn’t anyone listen to me around here anymore? I am not leaving her side. That is final. If the constable needs to speak to me that badly, send him up here.”
Woods bowed. “Yes, my lord.”
A few moments later, Woods returned with the constable.
“I’m very sorry to disturb you, my lord,” the constable said.
At least he was being polite before placing Evan under arrest. “Yes, you are disturbing me. What is it that I can do for you?”
“There was a disturbance at your business last night.”
Evan arched his eyebrows. “There was?”
“The desk clerk at your printing house, Frank Osborne, was shot and killed. We attempted to arrest the man responsible—a Nigel Ryland.”
Ryland? Could it be? “Indeed. How did you find him?”
“Two of his men turned canary. Told us he’s the head of some anti-pornography group. They say he’s gone off his nut. We questioned a few of the employees at the printing house this morning, and they corroborated that Osborne had been printing an underground paper at the press without your knowledge.”
“He had?” So Alexandra had been in league with Osborne… Or had she? Was it possible she’d been telling him the truth? That she knew nothing about his printing business? And who had beaten her?
“Yes.”
“What of this Ryland fellow?”
“He resisted arrest and was shot dead by a constable.”
Evan opened his mouth to speak but shut it abruptly. If Ryland was dead, there was no need to inform the constable that he had kidnapped Sophie and shot Evan. Nothing could be done about it now anyway, and Alexandra might be incriminated if he said anything. Sophie had been returned unharmed, and Evan would recover.
“There’s something else you may want to know. The two men who turned him in mentioned that Osborne severely beat a woman matching Lady Alexandra’s description.”
Fire rose within Evan. That fucking bastard. He was damned lucky was already dead.
What had Alexandra been doing there? Well, it didn’t rightly matter. The man was gone, and now Evan knew who had been behind the printing disaster. Why hadn’t he believed Alexandra? His love?
None of it mattered now. All that mattered was Alexandra. The doctor had sworn she would recover. Evan prayed to God that Stanton spoke the truth.
He gazed at the woman he loved. Her swollen face and battered body pained him more than his gunshot wound—more than any wound to his own body ever could.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Constable?”
“Not at this time. I’m sorry to have to give you the bad news about one of your employees.”
“Good riddance, it would seem.”
“Yes.”
“What of the two men who gave you the information about Ryland?”
“They both turned themselves in and have agreed to give us information on Ryland’s group. Evidently it was simply an anti-obscenity group that Ryland took leadership of and turned guerrilla. Most of the people involved are not crazy killers.”
Evan nodded. Alexandra was out of danger. Thank God.
“Thank you. Please leave your calling card with my butler in case I have further questions.”
“I certainly will. We’ve shut down production of The Ruby, so that particular paper won’t be haunting you anymore. At least not for a while. These things have a way of resurfacing.” He tipped his hat. “Good healing to the both of you.” He left.
Evan stumbled over to Alexandra’s bedside and began to sit down in a chair, when yet another dratted knock came on the bedchamber door.
“My lord,” Woods said, “your father and stepmother have returned.”
Confessions of Lady Prudence
by Madame O
When I came down from my explosive climax, Christophe had replaced his finger with his tongue. He licked and sucked at my swollen cunt lips. My arse yearned for his cock.
As if reading my mind, he said, “My lady, you need more preparation. Next time I will use two fingers, and then three. After that, you will be ready.”
He flipped me over and lay down next to me. “Come sit on my face, sweet Lady Prudence.”
I wasn’t going to turn that down! I positioned myself above his lips.
“Now you can lean down and suck my cock whilst I pleasure you,” he said.
How exciting! He began to kiss my slit, and I did as he bid, taking his glorious erection between my lips. I sucked him hard, wanting to milk every last drop of essence from him, to bring him at least a bit of the pleasure he had bestowed upon me.
Meanwhile, he sucked at my pussy. I shivered, my whole body trembling with need as I continued to lick and kiss his beautiful cock.
And then a shock coursed through me, followed by the intense delicate pleasure I had come to know. He was fingering my arsehole whilst he ate my cunny. Oh, Amelia, such rapture! I knew I couldn’t hold out for long, but I did so love when we climaxed together.
I increased my suction on his cock, sucked him hard until my cheeks and jaw ached. I pushed harder, determined to milk him to the limit, yet still he tortured me with his lips, tongue, and finger.
Amelia, the man has a will of steel! But I can give as good as I get. I summoned all the strength I possessed and held back my climax, even lifting my hips a little to escape his tormenting mouth.
Within seconds, though, he had yanked me back down to his mouth, his tongue tantalizing me once more.
I writhed. I ground against his probing tongue, so wanting to scream his name but unable to with my mouth so full of hard cock. I braced myself and circled one hand around his member, twisting my wrist as I pumped him, still sucking him.
That did it. His hips tensed beneath me, and I knew he was ready. I ground against his face to my heart’s content, Amelia, my whole body quivering, my veins bubbling with boiling nectar.
When the convulsions began at the base of his cock, I let myself go, flying, soaring, shimmering, traveling to places unknown. He filled my mouth with his seed, and I flew higher and higher still.
When I finally drifted back down, he gave my pussy a smacking kiss and released me. I crawled off of him and lay down next to him, in his arms.
“My lady,” said he, his voice shaking, “I am spent beyond recognition. You are magnificent. I do believe that was the most brilliant orgasm I have ever known.”
I smiled into his chest. “For me too, good sir.”
And I eagerly await the next one. Until then, dear Amelia, I am yours, affectionately,
Prudence
Chapter 24
Evan groaned. What was he going to say to his father and new stepmother? He’d gotten one of her daughters kidnapped, the other beaten. They’d never trust him again.
“In a moment please, Woods,” Sophie said.
“Of course, my lady. I
haven’t told them anything yet.” Woods left.
“Look, Evan,” Sophie said. “I don’t want to worry our parents, and I don’t want to violate Ally’s confidence. I don’t know how they would feel about her writing…well, you know.”
Evan agreed. He would do nothing to hurt Alexandra. She’d been through enough.
Sophie continued, “I hate dishonesty, so I think we should tell them the truth—minus Ally's involvement. I need to protect her.”
Evan nodded. “Yes, that seems prudent. I truly had no idea that my business was publishing the material, and the culprit is now dead. We’ll tell them of your kidnapping and my being shot.”
“Do you suppose Ally went to your establishment to exonerate herself? To find out who was behind this?”
He nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking. Why didn’t I believe her? This is all my fault.” He cupped his head in his hands, his heart threatening to break.
“It’s not your fault, Evan. We both know Ally has her own mind.”
He looked up at Alexandra’s sister. Sophie was quietly brave in her own way. Nothing like Alexandra’s passionate strength, but still courageous despite what she’d been through. He had newfound respect for his—he hoped—future sister-in-law.
“We can’t tell them why Ally went to your business,” Sophie continued.
Evan nodded. “We’ll just say she went to the shop to check on something for me while I was laid up, and she found evidence— Oh, I hate lying.”
“As do I,” Sophie said. “But I don’t think we have a choice until we’re able to get the truth out of Ally.”
* * *
After several hours of talking, Iris had calmed down enough to take to her chamber for a few hours.
“We’re fine, Mama, I assure you,” Sophie said again and again.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t take care of the girls better, Father,” Evan said, his head bowed.