My Lord and Master (4 page)

And then, to her surprise, she heard a great spattering wetness on the plush purple carpet beneath her and she opened her eyes in horror, looking down between her legs in dismay to see that she seemed to be spurting forth a clear fluid that positively gushed and spattered out around the lord’s fingers as he worked fresh trembles from her young trembling body.

“Oh, my lordship,” she began, her cheeks burning with shame as she saw how much of a mess she’d created, soaking and spattering not only the floor around his feet but darkening his trousers, too, and the cuff of his beautiful shirt with her fluids, “I’m so sorry, My Lordship. Whatever have I done?”

But to Angelica’s surprise, Lord Sutherland seemed actually
pleased
by this strange occurrence. His mouth had curled in a smile, his eyes were sparkling with glee, and another quick glance between his legs told Angelica that it had in no way caused him any disposition towards her.

Her own body was still trembling from the sheer force of her pleasure; never before had she felt something like that, and already she could feel herself craving it again, wanting more, ever more from him.

“Very good, Angelica,” he said, examining his dripping fingers, the smile still dancing on his lips. “Very good, indeed. That will be all for tonight. You may pick up your clothes and leave me in peace.”

“Yes, My Lordship,” Angelica replied quietly, doing exactly as she was told.

Angelica returned to her room and collapsed in a heap onto the crisp white sheets of her new bed, her whole body still trembling and her mind spinning in confusion.

What in the world had just
happened
? Was she really to be Lord Sutherland’s private whore? Was
that
the arrangement her father had made with him? Or was this strange new turn of events something private between Lord Sutherland and Angelica, perhaps leading to a more traditional end ...

At this new thought, Angelica couldn’t help but smile. Of course, she knew that the idea of a romance between a young woman of low station such as she and a distinguished Lord was totally and utterly preposterous, but still, hadn’t she seen with her own eyes the way Lord Sutherland’s body had responded to the sight and feel of her own? It felt as if the image of his manhood, pressing so urgently to break free from his trousers, would be printed indelibly into Angelica’s young mind for all eternity.

She made herself a little more comfortable on her bed, feeling once again her body begin to throb and yearn, her mind now imagining what Lord Sutherland’s member might have looked like, had she been brazen enough to unbuckle his trousers and toy with it ... And her own sex once more began to tingle, as Angelica traced it gently with her fingers, trying to recreate the very movements that Lord Sutherland had made within her, wondering if she too could cause such a great explosion of pleasure inside herself ...

She closed her eyes and began to sigh as she felt her fingers slip gently inside that hot wet place between her legs, and at first she was so caught up in her pleasures that she didn’t hear the gentle knock at the door.

With a start, Angelica looked up, whipping her fingers from between her legs and covering her half-naked body with the crisp white sheets, still dressed as she was, just in the cotton petticoat she’d hastily thrown back on when running to her room.

“Yes?” she called out, confused. “Who is it?”

And despite herself, Angelica found herself hoping beyond hope that it was
him
again – come to touch her once more.

But no, the friendly now-familiar face of Mary once more appeared, as she pushed open the door and came into the room carrying a tray containing a jug and glass of water and a steaming bowl of soup with hunks of crusty, freshly-baked bread.

As soon as Angelica’s nostrils registered the delicious scent of the soup, she felt her stomach cry out in a growl, for it had been hours since she had last eaten. But with the strange turn of events of the last few hours, she hadn’t noticed until now. Mary had hardly set the tray down upon the dresser table in the corner before our exhausted and starving heroine had fallen upon it, noisily guzzling up the soup as quick as she could, mopping it up with hastily torn off chunks of the warm, sweet-tasting bread.

“My, my,” Mary laughed kindly. “Mistress really
is
hungry, isn’t she! Poor thing. You must have been half-starved from the journey. Well, I’m glad at least that you’ve retained your appetite after ...”

At this Mary fell silent, as if perhaps she’d gone too far, and Angelica looked up puzzled.

“After what, Mary?” she asked.

“Well,” Mary said sheepishly, once more unable to quite meet Angelica’s eye. “After your time with Lord Sutherland, Miss Angelica.”

Angelica knew that she was supposed to look away herself, shame-faced. She knew that Mary pitied her – pitied her for being used by Lord Sutherland so.

So Angelica arranged her features into an expression of modesty and shame, but then something strange happened. Some small rebellion rose from within Angelica, and she turned around to face Mary squarely in the eyes.

After all, what had she to be ashamed of? She had no part in the dealings that brought her to this house. That was between her parents and Lord Sutherland. And if Lord Sutherland were not to be ashamed of his desires, and from what little she had seen so far, he certainly wasn’t, then why should she?

Mary looked at Angelica, ready to comfort her, when Angelica opened her mouth to speak.

“I had a very interesting evening with Lord Sutherland, Mary,” she began. “I see now that my duties are to be somewhat unusual, but I believe that I shall enjoy the challenge, and I hope that I am able to please the Lord in all aspects of my work.”

At this, Mary’s jaw dropped.

There had obviously been many inhabitants of this beautiful room before she, Angelica realised. Many girls, to be comforted by Mary. But had there before been a girl who so relished her task?

“Dear girl,” Mary sighed. “I know that you are a good girl, and that you aim to please your master, just as I’m sure you aimed to please and obey your parents. But I have heard talk of what happens in that room. I have seen some of the consequences. It is out of my jurisdiction to stop anything that goes on. But you can count on me to be here for you. To be a shoulder to cry on.”

“Thank you, Mary, you are too kind,” Angelica said, for she realised that it was no use telling her just how much she had enjoyed what she had just experienced. Mary would never understand.

This was something that Angelica was used to. After all, she had always been rather strange and odd – always standing out from the crowd in some way or other. She was used to being thought of as different, as an outsider. Even as a child, she had had few playmates, preferring to strike out her own path, lost in her daydreams. And as a young woman, things seemed to be taking a rather similar direction. Only now, rather than a solitary one, her path appeared to intertwine with that of another ...

And more questions seemed to flood Angelica’s mind: questions about her situation, about Lord Sutherland, and she realised that this was the perfect opportunity to seek out her answers.

Mary was already collecting up the empty bowl and tray when Angelica called out, “Wait!”

“What is it, my dear?” Mary asked, her kindly face breaking out in a curious smile.

“There have been others before me, haven’t there?” Angelica asked curiously.

She knew the answer, but she needed to hear it spoken aloud.

At this, Mary nodded, a subtle blush rising to her plump face, her hazel brown eyes firmly fixed on the floor as she spoke. “Aye, Angelica,” she said softly. “There have been others before you, yes. Other girls.”

“And where are they now?” Angelica asked, feeling her heart quicken a little as she waited impatiently for Mary’s answer. For just as much as she feared coming here only a few hours ago, now she feared dismissal.

“Come now, come now, don’t trouble your pretty head with all that,” the kindly maid said, once more bursting into movement, collecting up the tray and bowl and making her way towards the door.

“One more question, please?” Angelica called after her.

“Yes?” Mary said, stopping and turning back to face her.

“Lord Sutherland,” Angelica said, quietly. “Is he ... Does he ...” Angelica found her mind struggling for the correct words. “Is there a Lady Sutherland?”  

And when Mary shook her head, Angelica felt a great rush of relief run through her young body.

How silly! Why should this news be a relief to her? Did she really imagine herself as the Lady of this house? Deep down of course, she knew that
she
could never be Lord Sutherland’s wife, but still, she felt glad for some reason that there was no other woman here at the house that he was romantically linked with. After all, she was allowed her silly little schoolgirl fantasies, wasn’t she, as long as she kept them contained in her head?

But Mary seemed to see right through her then, her face changing, becoming stern. “Now listen here, Miss Angelica,” she said rather coldly. “You need to get those thoughts right out of your head this very instant, you understand me? You’re
nothing
to Lord Sutherland but ... well, but a piece of meat. To be used for his pleasure. And that’s all. You understand? You wouldn’t be the first to get ideas above your station, you know, so don’t you go thinking that you’ve any other purpose in this house, do you hear me, girl?”

Angelica gasped, taken aback, the hotness of tears pricking the corners of her blue eyes as she nodded her head slowly, unable to speak from shock at Mary’s sudden outburst.

“Good,” Mary said, her soft tone now returning. “I’m glad we’ve got that straight, young Angelica. Now, I’ll leave you on your own. Get some rest. You’ll no doubt need it.”

And with that Mary left the room and Angelica fell back upon the bed, more confused about her situation than ever. Just yesterday morning, she was plain old Angelica Brook, who’d never left her village in all her nineteen years, helping her father at market. In a few short hours, she’d been wrenched from her childhood home, taken to a house like something out of a fairy tale, and given her body over to a man who was practically a stranger.  

And even after she’d left, Mary’s words seemed to remain echoing around the room:
you’re nothing but a piece of meat, to be used for his pleasure.
 

Thankfully, the next few days proved uneventful for Angelica. She spent most of her time in her room, making sure that she was always dressed prettily in silk bloomers and simple cotton dresses, and she took care always to keep her hair freshly washed and smartly dressed, in case she were to be summoned by Lord Sutherland. And Mary paid her frequent visits, bringing her some of the most delicious meals Angelica had ever tasted.

So, after a life of hardship, you would have thought that our young heroine to be blissfully happy. But that wasn’t quite the case. You see, she found herself restless. A girl such as Angelica was not used to idleness, and sometimes she thought she might drive herself mad with her own thoughts. It had been four whole days since she had set foot outside, felt the grass under foot, and breathed in fresh country air. She was used to spending most of her time outside, and she was beginning to feel like a caged bird.

Mary was kind, and constantly asking if there was anything she needed, but Angelica couldn’t quite bring herself to ask if she were free to explore the rest of the house and the grounds as well – or whether she would be admonished for straying further than the confines of her room.

She suspected that she was to stay hidden away, a shameful secret. So, she tried to thank her lucky stars, and get used to her life of leisure, soft sheets, and long baths. After all, if she longed to smell flowers, didn’t Mary bring huge vases of freshly cut roses every day?

She resolved to be happy in her new little world. Perhaps she would ask Mary for some books – that way she could escape into their pages and travel the world, the way she used to do back  home.

Besides, there was another way she busied herself, too.

After her initial inspection by Lord Sutherland – after he’d placed his fingers between her legs like that – Angelica had spent her time exploring herself much more thoroughly, marvelling that it had taken her this long to discover the many pleasures hidden within her own body.

Why, it was as if she had a brand new toy, right there between her legs! And the more she touched herself, learning the subtle ways her young body responded to different stimulation, the more intrigued and excited she became with herself.

Most of all, she became fascinated by her climax. It was somewhat difficult to achieve, and often took a while at her own hand, but when it did come, it was like nothing else in the world. Her knees would shake, she’d tremble all over, her mind would flash blank, her breathing would grow shallow, and best of all, she would expel a strange clear wetness, squirting out from deep within herself at the most heightened moment of her pleasure, just as she had done that first time with Lord Sutherland.

Oh, if only he were touching me again,
Angelica thought, wondering why he hadn’t summoned her to that plush purple room again.