Read Online The Harlot Bride by Alice Liddell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alice Liddell
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rooms this evening at 10 o’clock. Please be on time, as I may wish to make a long evening of it. I have a great deal of knowledge and experience on this particular subject, and I trust you’ll be a fast learner.”
Lucy felt the room spin. Suddenly it seemed that everything was moving too quickly, and not at all in the way she had imagined.
“I may or may not attend to your deflowering right away, but I do expect you to be obedient and pleasing to me tonight and, in fact, whenever you are admitted to my private chambers. To that end, I have prepared a gown I wish you to wear,” Lord Tazewell said, rising from the table. “I’ll have Mary bring it to your room this evening. As we have discussed before, you are to wear what I provide for you, Lucy, and nothing more. Nothing at all.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I trust you’re clear on that?”
And with that, he exited the room, leaving Lucy seated at the table, dumbfounded, before a half–eaten meal that she was now quite unable to finish, and with many anxious hours before her.
** ** **
As his Lordship was to be out that afternoon and evening, Mrs. Deegers informed Lucy that a tray would be brought to her, and that she may, once again, take her meal alone in her room. Her evening meal turned out to be the simplest of repasts, just a bowl of broth and a plate of brown bread and cheese, almost as if Mrs. Deegers had been informed of Lord Tazewell’s plans for Lucy later that evening, and had therefore determined it was inadvisable for the young woman to take a heavy meal. Given the lack of consideration afforded to Lucy’s sense of pride and privacy, it is, in fact, entirely possible that the entire staff, even the maids and stable boys, did indeed know that the young miss from London had been summoned to His Lordship’s chambers for the night.
It was quite late in the evening, well after nine, when Mary at last arrived with the gown Lord Tazewell had said he would provide. Lucy had been pacing the floor nervously for nearly an hour. The garment was hidden in a wrapping of clean white muslin, and Mary set the package on the bed.
“I don’t think you’ll need me to dress you, miss,” the maid said with far more familiarity than any maid should use when addressing a lady, “as there t’isn’t much to it.” And then she giggled.
“You’ve seen it?” Lucy cried out, horrified.
“Oh yes, miss. His Lordship made quite a display of it when he brought it downstairs. I had to iron it meself, and everyone in the laundry got a fair gander while I was attending to it,” she smirked cheekily. “Twas a fair bit ‘o laughin’ at the picture of you in it, miss. Imagine having your goodies all laid out like that, plain as anything for anyone to see!”
“Why, you impudent girl! How dare you speak to me like that!”
“Don’t you go putting on airs, miss,” Mary said, her eyes narrowing. “Mrs. Deegers told us all what his Lordship said about you. And everyone knows why he brought you here!”
“Go! Get out of here at once!” Lucy cried, raising her hand to slap the insolent girl, but then seeming to think better of it.
“As you wish, miss,” Mary said, eyeing Lucy’s hand maliciously. “But I wouldn’t go about making to strike me again, for if you do, I’ll tell His Lordship quick as can be, and you’ll be the one to take a thrashing, Miss High and Mighty.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Lucy insisted hotly, but Mary was already on her way out the door. “See if I don’t,” the maid retorted with unforgivable cheek. Then she closed the door, none too carefully, and was gone.
Lucy was shaking so hard that it was several moments before she could even think about the gown, but soon curiosity – or was it dread? –– got the better of her and she made to unwrap the parcel on the bed. Inside was a beautiful gown of the softest cloth Lucy had ever felt, softer even than the fine saris she’d known in India. But
Lucy felt the room spin. Suddenly it seemed that everything was moving too quickly, and not at all in the way she had imagined.
“I may or may not attend to your deflowering right away, but I do expect you to be obedient and pleasing to me tonight and, in fact, whenever you are admitted to my private chambers. To that end, I have prepared a gown I wish you to wear,” Lord Tazewell said, rising from the table. “I’ll have Mary bring it to your room this evening. As we have discussed before, you are to wear what I provide for you, Lucy, and nothing more. Nothing at all.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I trust you’re clear on that?”
And with that, he exited the room, leaving Lucy seated at the table, dumbfounded, before a half–eaten meal that she was now quite unable to finish, and with many anxious hours before her.
** ** **
As his Lordship was to be out that afternoon and evening, Mrs. Deegers informed Lucy that a tray would be brought to her, and that she may, once again, take her meal alone in her room. Her evening meal turned out to be the simplest of repasts, just a bowl of broth and a plate of brown bread and cheese, almost as if Mrs. Deegers had been informed of Lord Tazewell’s plans for Lucy later that evening, and had therefore determined it was inadvisable for the young woman to take a heavy meal. Given the lack of consideration afforded to Lucy’s sense of pride and privacy, it is, in fact, entirely possible that the entire staff, even the maids and stable boys, did indeed know that the young miss from London had been summoned to His Lordship’s chambers for the night.
It was quite late in the evening, well after nine, when Mary at last arrived with the gown Lord Tazewell had said he would provide. Lucy had been pacing the floor nervously for nearly an hour. The garment was hidden in a wrapping of clean white muslin, and Mary set the package on the bed.
“I don’t think you’ll need me to dress you, miss,” the maid said with far more familiarity than any maid should use when addressing a lady, “as there t’isn’t much to it.” And then she giggled.
“You’ve seen it?” Lucy cried out, horrified.
“Oh yes, miss. His Lordship made quite a display of it when he brought it downstairs. I had to iron it meself, and everyone in the laundry got a fair gander while I was attending to it,” she smirked cheekily. “Twas a fair bit ‘o laughin’ at the picture of you in it, miss. Imagine having your goodies all laid out like that, plain as anything for anyone to see!”
“Why, you impudent girl! How dare you speak to me like that!”
“Don’t you go putting on airs, miss,” Mary said, her eyes narrowing. “Mrs. Deegers told us all what his Lordship said about you. And everyone knows why he brought you here!”
“Go! Get out of here at once!” Lucy cried, raising her hand to slap the insolent girl, but then seeming to think better of it.
“As you wish, miss,” Mary said, eyeing Lucy’s hand maliciously. “But I wouldn’t go about making to strike me again, for if you do, I’ll tell His Lordship quick as can be, and you’ll be the one to take a thrashing, Miss High and Mighty.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Lucy insisted hotly, but Mary was already on her way out the door. “See if I don’t,” the maid retorted with unforgivable cheek. Then she closed the door, none too carefully, and was gone.
Lucy was shaking so hard that it was several moments before she could even think about the gown, but soon curiosity – or was it dread? –– got the better of her and she made to unwrap the parcel on the bed. Inside was a beautiful gown of the softest cloth Lucy had ever felt, softer even than the fine saris she’d known in India. But
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