I agreed with the notion that I should not be penetrated until married but then I did not intend to marry Lord Drake because of his own obstinacy and I could not help myself. I thought I might die if he did not take me. I did not care for the consequences at that moment. If it were to be the only time I would be made love to by the man I desired more than any other, then I was prepared to sacrifice my reputation and right to a husband. Such were the strength of my feelings for Lord Drake.
Lord Drake was glorious in his nakedness. He stood tall and proud above the bed, his cock long and hard and pointing towards my sex as if it could wait no longer to be inside me. I ached to feel its length and width stretching my channel, pumping hard and fast until we reached the heights of desire together in our coupling.
My body tingled with excitement, nearly bringing me to orgasm without penetration. Lord Drake took Polly’s arm and removed her but he did not order Mae to move away. He leapt on to the bed with the stealth of a panther. He scooped his hands under my bottom and lifted me up. Lord Drake seemed at pains not to dislodge Mae’s finger from my anus.
I was tilted backwards, and suddenly Lord Drake was between my thighs and nudging his member to my sex. My heart pounded. I was to be taken by a man at last and one I was beginning to love dearly whether he cared for it or not. I looked up at him, brazen enough to allow my eyes to betray my feelings. He stared down at me, his dark eyes making heavy contact with my own. He caught my lips against his and held my hips to steady me as he began to push inside my swimming wet channel. I saw love in his eyes. It was so strong I gasped. He quickly silenced me with the probe of his tongue and reigned dominant.
He eased his way inside me as Mae continued to thrust her finger in my anus, slowing her rhythm to keep me on the brink of achieving orgasm.
“This will hurt just for a moment, Eleanor. Then it will be over and I will take you to the heights of your pleasure, my love,” he said, his breath hot and sweet against my lips. I moaned, knowing of the pain that was to come. My best friend and the girls of my acquaintance had spent many a time around a table sipping coffee and tea and discussing the pain to be experienced upon losing one’s virginity. But after my spanking and whipping, I did not believe it could be worse.
“I will claim you quickly,” he said, thrusting in me with one long, deep, hard stab.
I cried out, feeling my hymen break. A small amount of fluid was released, and I believed it was the blood the older married women had talked of. Briefly, tears dripped onto my cheeks, but Lord Drake kissed them away and smiled.
“It is taken and you are now mine,” he mouthed before kissing me and beginning to pound hard inside me.
At first it was sore. He was large and wide, stretching my channel. I felt filled to capacity as though he stretched into my womb itself. The joining was all I had hoped for and more.
Lord Drake began to grunt with each thrust.
“Come now,” he ordered.
The moment he spoke his velvet command, my body responded and began to consume me. Mae made me cry by quickening the thrust of her fingers in my anal opening in perfect precision timing with Lord Drake’s direct thrusts. Overwhelmed, I came on command. A sharp, loud grunt from Lord Drake indicated his own violent release. Our bodies bucked and moulded together. Lord Drake’s hands gripped my buttocks tightly as Mae kept thrusting her finger until we were both spent.
We fell against the bed, trying to recover from our exertion. Mae quietly removed her finger and she went to Polly. Both women kissed and left the room. I lay in Lord Drake’s arms, feeling the warmth and tenderness of his embrace. He held me tightly against his mouth, kissing me long and leisurely over and over. I didn’t want the feeling of growing love and warmth between us to end. He lied to me, of that I was now sure. The strength of his passion in holding me to him exposed his true willingness to love me and allow it to blossom with time. I curled around him as he covered us both with the bedclothes.
Lord Drake cupped my breast and kissed it.
“You are a delectable woman, Lady Gerard,” he said and smiled, capturing my mouth to kiss me feverishly. “I knew the moment you were set down before me at the Viscount’s that you were special.”
“I believe I am beginning to love you, Lord Drake,” I blurted out. I regretted the words the moment they left the confines of my mouth.
The fire and love in Lord Drake’s eyes died immediately and I was crestfallen. My words were foolish. I should not have spoken so carelessly.
“I may adore you, Eleanor, but as I have said, I cannot love you. Even though you tempt me to be reckless with my emotions. You are too beautiful, kind and worthy of spirit for me to inflict the cruelty of my love upon you,” he said, his voice remorseful. “My love will only bring you pain and perhaps cost you your life. I cannot do this to you. Forgive me,” he said, removing his arms from around me and sitting up. “All I can give you and indeed any woman is security and protection. No more. I am sorry I cannot give you more, madam. But there it is.”
I pouted despite my resolve to remain tight lipped. But how could he have made love to me and still deny his feelings? I watched him dress, felt my anger return with force and bit my lip to restrain it for fear I would show him I was hurt. Instead I turned over, hurting my wounded shoulder, and hid my quiet tears.
He dressed and left the room quickly. Not until he had closed the door and locked it once more did I allow my tears to run free. In that moment, my mind was made up. I could not waste my hopeful feeling of love on Lord Drake. I would execute my escape plan and without further delay.
Chapter Seven
Another servant girl helped me bathe and dress in some clothes Lord Drake had bought for me when I was recovering from my injury. I was loathe to wear them, not wanting to feel even more owned by the master of the house than I already did. I just wanted to leave and return home. Perhaps I would be able to convince my aunt that Lord Drake was not a suitable match. That would not prove difficult when I informed her of his treatment of me and that I no longer possessed my virginity at the hands of the insufferable man.
My door was left unlocked and I was allowed to go down stairs and sit and read with the promise of lunch being served soon. The master had informed the maid it was a sunny day and good for my health. He had been told I liked to read by my aunt and had suggested I be taken to the library to partake in the sunshine flooding in there through the tall windows. He believed this would lift my spirits. I was at least grateful I was allowed to the lower floor of the large Georgian mansion. From there I would be able to define a way out of the house.
The gown the maid helped me put on was soft white silk with Pomona green trimmings. I was also provided with a beautiful Pomona green shawl to complement the empire-style gown and keep me warm. Lord Drake had taken great care in choosing a dress and exerted much expense. My dark brown hair was dressed in Grecian style, and I confess I felt very pleased with new apparel.
I was dutifully following the maid out of my room and along the gallery landing towards the stairs when another servant appeared and addressed her in fierce tones.
“You must come, Lily. A large party will be dining with the master and his brother tonight. They will also be staying and the rooms must be got ready. Come now, girl, and don’t dally,” the older maid instructed with a harsh tone.
“But the master wanted me to take Lady Gerard to the library and sit with her to make sure she don’t wander where she shouldn’t and leave . . .” the girl anxiously answered in a shrill high pitched voice.
I remained quiet, affronted by the uncommon way they talked of me as if my presence was unknown. I had never in my life been treated by servants in such a manner.
“Don’t worry. Tell her where the library is and she can go herself. The weather is turning. There be dark clouds rolling in at the back of the house and the wind is picking up. A storm is coming to wipe away those pretty warm sunrays. She ain’t got no coat or bonnet and she won’t be having any business in leaving
the house, mark my words. I will ask Tom, the kitchen boy, to come and sit with her for a while. He is a hard lad when needs be and he will keep her quiet and where she ought to be.”
I stared at the woman with indignation, but she paid me no heed. Had I been staying with the master I would have informed him of her discourteous treatment of a lady in his house and insisted on her at least being reprimanded. Lily nodded, but she still did not appear sure of her actions.
“Your ladyship, the library is down the stairs and to the right. Keep going through the rooms and you will come to it soon enough,” she said giving me a hurried curtsey and rushed to follow the other maid.
I wrapped the shawl around me tightly, having every intention of running straight for the entrance to leave the building. Rain or storm, I would take my chances. My escape was to be made easier by the maid’s departure and I had to take my chance swiftly. My plan was to find the village and arrange transportation home at one of the inns.
I rushed gaily down the long ornate winding stairs, making sure no one viewed me. I ran for the door and let myself out. The wind was biting cold. My teeth chattered and my bare arms under the shawl began to pimple. I heard the sound of horses and men rounding the corner of the house and nervously ran to hide my presence behind one of the large, neatly shaped conical bushes lining the drive.
Lord Drake was a handsome figure in his hat and light brown riding outfit as he led a troop of men on horseback to the front of the house. His hands wore the tan leather gloves, both of the reins and the gilt-handled riding crop he had disciplined me with earlier. It reminded me of his seductive, masterful power, and I could not help rubbing my bottom as I thought of how he would strike it if he found me out in the cold.
He addressed the men.
“We have a task to complete. The Viscount and his club members must be stopped from executing the bride auction tomorrow. I have been informed he is hunting for women in the village and the nearby woods to add numbers to his auction after we freed the women from his home. He must be caught swiftly and brought to secure justice this time. There is much at stake. He means to take my bride from me and make her his own. Any man will not doubt me when I tell them I will kill any man who harms her,” he told them fiercely.
The men nodded. Murmurs of approval erupted through the men on horseback. Lord Drake turned his horse and began to walk the animal along the winding path of the drive. The men dutifully followed and eventually all broke out in to a canter, disappearing into the trees covering the drive.
It was high time that I took my own leave of Mallory House. Lifting my gown I made my way in the opposite direction, towards the small wood in the hopes of finding some sign of civilization -- if not the village, a house where I could take shelter and procure transport.
The distempered maid’s assertion that a storm was coming was to prove correct. The rain began to fall in heavy droplets. The biting cold whistled through the bare trees and made them creak eerily as I hurried between them. Thankfully, the ground was dry, and my progress was good. I pulled my beautiful shawl around me and watched the sky darken. A flash of yellow lightning ripped through the cloud, making me jump. It was indeed not a day to be out and gallivanting in the countryside in a thin dress and shawl. I carried on regardless, determined to see my quest through to the end.
I emerged from the small wood into a large field. The rain was heavier, soaking my skin and body right through, striking my face as hard as the whip had struck my breasts. I bravely moved forward, glancing across the field and to the sides.
I heard the horses first and then the dogs. I looked quickly to my left and spied a large cortege of men on horseback. My immediate thought was that somehow Lord Drake and his men had changed direction and I had come upon them. But reason told me that was impossible. He had not the time to be upon the field coming from that direction.
A coldness was to overtake me. Perhaps I had come upon the Viscount’s hunting party. My fears were to be proven true when, emerging over the brow of the field behind the men on horseback, was a small group of women being led individually by something around their necks. Instinct drove me to run back in to the wood before I was seen, but as I turned, one of the men on horseback shouted to me. All of a sudden, they were all riding towards me at speed.
I gave a small cry and ran for all my life’s worth, dropping my pretty shawl in the mud. But my flight was to be cut short when, just before I entered the wood, I was scooped up by one of the men atop his horse. He lifted me to hang over the horse, defeated and captured.
“Ah it is the pretty filly, Lady Eleanor Gerard,” a familiar voice said
It was the man who had shot me, Mr James Duncan.
“Perfect. A good day’s hunt,” I heard the Viscount say nearby.
Afraid and angry that I had allowed myself to be captured by the odious man and his terrible companions again, I kicked and screamed over the horse. The cortege began to move on, carrying me away with them.
Mr Duncan was to reward my behaviour with a hard slap of his hand against my bottom. Although I yelped with the pain inflicted through my thin, sodden dress, I was not to be placated and received several more.
I glanced back at the women being led. Three were peasant girls and two appeared to be ladies of birth, perhaps been sold by their fathers into slavery. Each one was led individually by a halter around their necks of the sort used to lead livestock. Periodically, the man holding the halter would raise a small flat wooden paddle and strike his girl’s buttocks, lifting her into the air. The girl would jump and cry out. Others would use their hands to spank their girls should they fall out of the line. One struck a girl from behind with a riding crop and occasionally aimed the whip to her covered sex until she obeyed his order to walk faster. To my surprise all of the women appeared to accept the use of the discipline and obeyed immediately without protest. Clearly, they had been disciplined by a man at home before being given to the Viscount for the bride sale.
Before long, James was to grow tired of my unwillingness to be quiet and meek. He stopped his horse abruptly and made great haste in lifting the hem of my dress to expose my bare bottom to the elements. The rain struck my naked buttocks as though spanking me to obedience for my captor. I reached up to protect my backside, but the sudden lash of his riding crop against the opposite buttock had me crying out and letting go. The wet air and water across my bottom made the sting of punishment worse. I cried each time the whip was brought crashing down. But the gallop of horses and the shouts of men in front of us were to halt my punishment.
Leaving my bottom exposed, the man began to move the horse off, attempting to turn it, but the other group of men was upon us. I heard Lord Drake’s regal voice speak clearly, rebuking my captor.
“You dare to discipline, my bride, sir,” he said with feverish anger. “That is a husband’s loving privilege and not for the likes of heavy-handed strangers or villains. Let my bride go. Give her to me, now,” he demanded.
I strained my head up to see Lord Drake aiming a pistol at the man. The others had been surrounded. I heard pistols being discharged and more horses galloping. There were the sounds of scuffling, rebukes and curses. My captor tried to move the horse again.
“No. I have your bride in my power and I will not give her up. She will fetch a large price and my debts will be cancelled. My family honour depends on it.”
“You will not take the woman I love,” Lord Drake informed him with conviction. I strained up again to stare at him, shocked and surprised at his confession. “I will see you dead before you take the happiness I have desired for so long away from me, sir.”
At that moment I was left in no doubt that Lord Drake had found it in himself to overcome his fear and love me wholeheartedly. More tears gathered in my eyes as I felt the strength and weight of his love and proud emotion in declaring it so publicly.
As the horse turned and I feared the man would carry me away from my love, I heard Lord Drake discharge his pistol. My captor ga
ve a loud cry and fell from his horse. I was left astride the animal as it started to bolt away. I heard the gallop of Lord Drake’s horse catch up with us and bring the animal to a halt when he had gathered the reins.
I struggled, wanting to remove myself from my uncomfortable position on the horse. The blood was gathering in my head and I was fully aware of my naked buttocks exposed to all who cared to view them. Lord Drake jumped down hurriedly from his horse. I felt the smoothness of one of Lord Drake’s tan leather gloves gently cup and caress one of my wet bare buttocks to calm me. He held me there gently for a brief moment, bending to bestow my bare bottom with a loving kiss. Then he lifted me down to the ground. He cupped my face and kissed me hard, sweeping his arms around me to hold me firmly. At once I felt safe and revived by the loving protection in his embrace.
“I could have lost you,” he breathed hard against my lips. “How could you run from me? I cannot do without you, madam. The kitchen boy rode out to me to advise me of your escape. He had seen the direction in which you travelled. In these few short days we have been together, you have captured my heart. I have tried all I could to prevent myself from falling in love with you, but night after night when I sat by your bed until you healed, I found myself growing more and more fond of you. I love the trouble you cause me with your wilfulness and if truth,” he paused to shake his head and to laugh, “if truth be known, my love, the moment you were brought in to the Viscount’s house and our eyes met, I knew you were to be mine.”
I laughed as he took my mouth again, hardly believing the change in the man.
Kidnapped and Bound: Kidnapped, Book 2 Page 7