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Betrothal Betrayal

By: CatBrown



This story is set in the late 1800s. I apologize for any glaring falsehoods to the times, but it was the time frame I needed. Don't let the idyllic start fool you, there is a story coming.

This is completely different from my other stories, so if you are familiar with them you are forewarned. Then again, my stuff really refuses to stick to a genre. Enjoy! 

*************************************

The air was crisp and scented with pine and raw earth as we rode through fields and woods that gorgeous April morning. Gerald, that is Fitzgerald Montgomery Chalmers, III, had been courting me for just over six months, and I was sure he had intentions. Still, when he chose a spot beside a pretty pond to rest and relax, I was surprised when he dropped to one knee to request my hand. Surprised and thrilled! 

"If you will have me, Camilla, I would like very much to make you my wife," Gerald asked, taking my breath away. 

All I could do was nod my head as the tears began to flow and Gerald stood and took me gently into his arms, kissing the top of my head. When I had settled enough to speak, I said, "Of course I will be your wife." Then he kissed me on my lips, which I had never felt before, and it was quite intoxicating.

Gerald was perfect. He stood a dashing figure, taller than average, thin yet muscular, with short blond curls, blue eyes, and a fetching mustache. He was also the sole heir to the Chalmers' Estate, and as his father had died not long after we began courting, he was a very rich man (or so I was told by my father, who always knew these things.)

As the second daughter of a moderately successful businessman, my prospects were not unlimited, but not without merit. My entire family had been mildly surprised, but highly pleased, when Gerald requested permission to call on me after we met at a local cotillion. He claimed that my beauty and intelligence set me apart from all of the other debutantes, and wished to become better acquainted.

I had always considered myself very average, but to hear Gerald speak of it, I was extraordinary. He claimed that while my height was not exceptional, my figure and carriage elevated me heads above the other young women. He said my auburn waves caught the light with shimmers of gold and bronze, that coupled with my emerald green eyes, made me shine like fine jewelry. He often called me the jewel upon his arm.

With only a few weeks left until our scheduled Wedding in June, Gerald had become especially attentive. While most men show little interest in the planning of the nuptials, Gerald had wanted to be a part of almost everything, so he had been in my home nearly every day, often staying past the hour when my parents would retire for the night.

On several of these occasions, Gerald had begun to push the limits of propriety. His kisses began to be quite arduous, and he had attempted to touch me in ways only my husband should. He argued that he practically was my husband, so there was no harm in it. Still, I was somewhat relieved when he told me his best friend from University would be arriving shortly, and that he would likely be tied up with him most evenings until the wedding.

Liam did arrive the following day, and both men joined us for dinner that evening, at my parents' insistence. The pair could not have been more dissimilar. Liam was a hulking man, several inches taller than Gerald, and broad-chested in a way that made him appear massive. His hair was a longish mass of shiny, nearly black waves, and his dark eyes seemed to pierce you to your very soul. While his face may have been handsome in an angular, chiseled way, he wore a constant scowl that turned everyone away from making more than a few attempts at pleasant conversation. In short, he was actually quite scary!

After dinner the men retired to my father's study for a drink, and my mother and I went to her sitting room to sew on my bridal gown. 

"Well," my mother began, "Liam seems...intense, don't you think?"

"That is a nice way of putting it," I returned, shaking my head, "He's quite off-putting."

"Yes. It makes me wonder how he and Gerald ever became friends. Did Gerald tell you anything about that?"

I thought about it for a moment, but couldn't recall Gerald ever mentioning how they had met or what drew them to become close friends. "No, he never said."

Mother was quiet for a bit, then responded, "Men often change quite a bit during and just after University. Perhaps they were more similar when they met."

That seemed to settle the discussion and we continued to work in companionable silence until we heard the men emerge from the study.

I rushed down the stairs to say goodnight to Gerald. He opened his arms to me as I nearly fell off the last step, launching into him.

"Umph," he let out as I slammed into his chest in a most un-lady-like manner, "I love the enthusiasm, Camilla, but you may wish to be careful when flying down stairs," he laughed, sliding his hands up my sides and grazing my breasts as he set me upright, then leaving his hands with both palms against the sides of my bosom as he perused me, winking slyly.

My blush was surely crimson as I regained my footing and took a slight step back, in the hopes of being released from his embarrassing touch, but finding he only held tighter, pulling me back towards him.

"I didn't want you to leave without saying goodbye," I squeaked out, leaning into him for a light hug to hide my face. He slipped an arm securely around my waist and tugged me closer, kissing me below my ear before releasing one hand and half-turning to speak to my parents.

"Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Corbett. Thank you for your hospitality. Dinner was superb as always," he said, smiling to them before turning us both for the door.

Liam spoke low to them as well, but I couldn't make out what he said as Gerald was licking my ear as we walked to the door. The feeling when he did these things was both stimulating and unsettling, but I did not wish to make a scene in front of my parents, so I continued out the door with him still nuzzling and lapping my ear and neck.

Once the door was closed behind us, Gerald turned me abruptly and held me tightly to him as he pillaged my mouth with his tongue. The first time he had done this I had shrieked in surprise, but I was now somewhat used to this from him. I did not quite understand its appeal, but I was patient with a few moments of the behavior for his benefit.

Liam cleared his throat and I jerked back, having almost forgotten his presence in the replay of every evening for the last two weeks. Gerald was having none of that. He turned his head only briefly to say, "Get in the carriage if you like," before he returned to nibble at my neck and attempt to run a hand over my breast.

I caught his hand, as usual, attempting to pull it down and grip it in my own, but he was persistent. "Camilla, we will have so little time to be together over these next couple of weeks. Why do you insist on playing such a prude?"

I happened to glance over Gerald's shoulder at this point, and saw an even deeper scowl split Liam's face. I felt dirty under that disapproving glare and pushed Gerald away more forcefully than I meant to.

"Camilla!" Gerald exclaimed, affronted by my rejection, but I couldn't stop glancing at Liam's censuring face. Gerald grabbed my face in his hand with a biting grip, shocking me back to my fiancé. "Don't push me away!" he said, angrily, "You are to be my wife in a fortnight, and I will not have you behaving this way!"

Gerald had never yelled at me, and he had never spoken to me as if I was his servant! I was confused and a little fearful, and tears welled in my eyes.

Gerald saw the tears and relented, "I'm sorry, my Camilla. I did not mean to shout. Come here darling," he murmured as he drew me back into his arms, caressing my back and whispering love into my ear. 

Liam 'harrumphed' before setting off down the steps and entering the carriage waiting in the drive.

"I think your friend wishes to go," I said tentatively to Gerald.

"Yes. He has been quite the killjoy so far," he said with a level of disgust that surprised me. "I will try to stop round a few times this week to see you," he finished, kissing me on the lips again before following Liam to the carriage. "Goodnight, my love," he called out softly before closing the door.

I waved as the carriage pulled away, but I had trouble smiling. Gerald's behavior concerned me. I could nearly concede his point that we were almost married, so increased intimacy was not as much an issue, but we were still NOT married, so I couldn't see why he could not wait a couple of more weeks. Even more worrisome was his reaction to me pushing him away! His outburst was bewildering, but the way he had held my face, with such anger and strength, alarmed me.

I re-entered the house to find my parents discussing Liam as they stood in the hallway. I overheard my father say he was actually a very intelligent and thoughtful fellow if you got him talking about social and business reform, or the role of representatives in government. Apparently Gerald and Liam diverged greatly in opinions formed since college, and father said he would not be surprised if they did not continue as friends much longer, since they no longer agreed on much of substance.

Mother asked what Gerald had to say about reform, and father just laughed. He answered that Gerald had as much interest in reform as any other man from old money and even older power had -- none. That is when they noticed me walking softly towards them.

"Well, my dear, it is late, and you should get plenty of rest these next couple of weeks before the wedding. We wouldn't want a bride with bags under her eyes now would we?" my father asked jovially, giving me a gentle hug before aiming me up the stairs. I wanted to ask him more about the discussion the men had had, but he likely would tell me not to worry my pretty head about it, so I gave mother a kiss on the cheek and continued on to my room.

I had never taken undo interest in the political discussions that my father and various men had when visiting our home. I listened enough to know that the newly emerging merchant class desired greater freedom to engage in business, and greater representation in government, but I hadn't really listened to the reasons they desired reform. It struck me as surprising that my soon-to-be husband was politically opposed to my own father. But then, it made sense since Gerald came from a family of wealth and substance, while my father was the first in his family to live in town and become wealthy selling things made by others.

As I prepared for bed, I wondered idly what Liam's family history might be.

******************** The next couple of days went by quickly as I had final fittings for my trousseau and made the last decisions concerning the menu and decorations. The weather was beautiful and the gardens were nearing full-bloom, just as we had hoped when we had set our wedding date. The smell of lilies and roses wafted onto the terrace with the breeze and I couldn't have been happier.

I didn't see Gerald again after that strange night until three days hence, and then it was only to catch a chance sighting of him as he and Liam entered a tavern in town. I wondered at what his business might be in a tavern in the early afternoon, but not being familiar with the ways of men, I shrugged it off and finished my errands before getting home to find the house in an uproar.

The swathing mother had ordered for the terrace and dining room had come in, and was not the color she had wanted, and she was having an attack of the vapors about it. I was never one prone to the use of "the vapors" to get my way, and so I mostly ignored my mother and my sister when they indulged themselves that way. Instead, I told mother the slight color mismatched was of no import and to take a rest in her parlor until dinner and I would finish with the seamstress for her.

Just before leaving the room, mother turned to say, "Gerald and his friend will be joining us for dinner this evening. Please be sure cook has something planned for dessert."

I nodded, but inwardly groaned that we would be forced to sit through another meal with Liam's unpleasant countenance. Ah well, it was a small price to pay for Gerald's happiness. I did as I was bidden.

Gerald and Liam arrived at seven, both looking stormy. Gerald was seldom anything but pleasant, so seeing him look so sour was rattling. I escorted them into the library where father poured drinks and attempted to engage Gerald in a game of chess. Gerald refused bluntly and went to stand by a window staring out into the gathering dusk. Liam accepted father's invitation politely, but seemed distracted.

I went to stand beside my betrothed who ignored me for a minute before he snaked a hand around my waist and pulled me close. Glancing to be sure my father was facing away, he began to suck on my earlobe, a sensation I must admit I enjoyed, though his heavy breath in my ear was not so pleasant.

When he released my ear, he whispered, "I have missed you these last several days. Liam has become a bore and we are bickering non-stop. Perhaps you will concede to me to lift my mood this evening."

I was not sure what it was I would concede, but I did so want my sweet Gerald to smile for me that I nodded slightly in hopes of making him happy. It worked and he broke into a smile as he leaned forward to kiss me gently on the lips. That was the kissing that made my heart race, and my hands found their ways to his shoulders in a soft embrace. Suddenly Gerald pulled back and spoke over his shoulder.

"I need to speak to Camilla. We will be on the terrace," he said, pulling me to the door before I could state a reply.

Once on the terrace, he pulled me out of view of the windows and began to kiss me as he had been wont to do of late. His tongue rubbed insistently against my own and I tried to pull back a little before he choked me with his vehemence. He held me firm, but left my mouth to stream wet kisses down my jaw and neck. His actions so surprised me that I didn't fight him, and he must have taken that for my acceptance because while one of his hands brazenly cupped my breast, his other found purchase on my bottom, pulling me tight to a bulge in the front of his trousers.

I gasped and pushed against his chest, but his grip only tightened. He lifted his head to look me in the eye, saying softly, "Come, come, Camilla. It's hardly a week until we are wed. I just want a little taste of the delights we will share after that."

He massaged my breast roughly and I let out a small yelp which he cut off with his mouth covering mine. He pressed his arousal into my belly insistently as I tried to twist out of his grip. Finally I pulled free and stepped away so I was squarely in the view of the servants setting up the dining room.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked, aghast.

"Only a little," he answered sheepishly. He continued imploringly, "Camilla, you are so incredibly beautiful; I can't stand to be near you and not touch you. I love you, my dear, and just want to share that with you. Please come back here and allow me to kiss you."

He seemed calmer, and his face showed only love, so I stepped back into his arms tentatively. He kissed me gently, tracing my lips with his tongue while he threaded his fingers into the hair at the back of my head. This was the affection I enjoyed, so I relaxed into his arms a little and enjoyed a few moments of his ministrations.

When we separated, Gerald looked into my eyes and said, "I cannot wait to show you the joys of our bedroom," he paused, "and every other room of the house," he finished, smiling devilishly.

My mouth dropped open and I flushed at his presumption. He laughed lightly and took my hand, leading me back into the library where we were just being called to dinner.

Gerald was in a much better frame of mind, and Liam seemed to have relaxed as well, conversing with my father through the first course. I noticed Liam had a habit of giving people nick names of his own choosing, calling Gerald "Fitz", my father "Corbett", and eventually calling me "Cam". I was a little irked by it, but pretended not to mind as he asked how I felt about a piece of legislation under discussion. Since I knew almost nothing about it, I told him I didn't have an opinion.

"I believe women have as much right to know about and give opinion on our laws as men do," Liam said, looking hard at Gerald, "But I realize I am in the minority in that belief. Someday, women will not only vote, but will run for office," he concluded.

"Hah!" Gerald almost yelled, "But they will never be elected! Women are not cut out for politics, or anything else that requires an education. Why I love Camilla far too much to trouble her pretty head with the vulgarities of business and politics. I think women prefer to stay home where it is safe and they can control their own little kingdoms."

I had never thought about getting a further education, nor considered voting or any of the rest of those things, but something about the way Gerald spoke of me made me feel small, and I didn't like it. I spoke out, "But perhaps I would like to know more about business and the politics of our country. Would you deny me those things?"

Gerald looked affronted, and my father looked shocked. I noticed Liam looked a tad self-satisfied, if surprised. When Gerald recovered enough to respond, he said, "Well, my dear, I would tell you to let me worry about those things. I will let you know of anything that might affect you. And if you had questions about something you had heard, I would answer them for you, and explain the way things should be."

Liam huffed and shook his head, while my father nodded thoughtfully. Strangely it was my mother who spoke, "Yes, dear, as it should be. Your father is always happy to tell me about those things that affect us or our business, and that is all you really need."

I almost laughed at my mother's use of the word "our" to describe the business. I'm not sure mother could even tell someone what my father sold. She had no interest whatsoever in the business, her only regret being she did not produce a son to take over from her husband as he aged.

I looked at the faces around the table and decided to let it go. I didn't really think it was important, so I wasn't sure why I had commented in the first place. I was going to be the Lady of Chalmers Manor, and any other issues would fall under the auspices of my husband. That was how it had always been, and how it was going to continue to be, regardless of the ranting of Gerald's friend. No wonder Gerald was finding him tiring.

The meal continued with my father steering the conversation into safe areas for the most part, and mother and I remained quiet until talk moved to the upcoming wedding. I did notice Liam glance at me appraisingly several times, but he never spoke to me directly again.

After dessert the men went off to the study, and mother and I again went to her sitting room. I had already put the finishing touches on my wedding dress, so I was crocheting lace for my new home tonight.

Mother spoke, "That Liam is an odd bird! Have you ever heard such an idea? Women voting? And being elected to public office? What a crazy idea!"

"Yes, he does seem strange," I conceded before asking, "Have you ever wished you knew more about business or politics?"

"No!" mother exclaimed vehemently, "Why would I want to be bothered with that? I have more than enough to worry about taking care of this house, raising you and your sister, and caring for your father. I have no time for any of that other."

That was what I would expect. It is how I had been raised, and was likely how I would always live. So why did the ramblings of one irksome man have me wondering if maybe I was missing something? Dismissing the entire thing, I went back to my sewing until my eyes began to droop. We hadn't heard the men emerge from the study, so I thought I would just step out onto the terrace to let the night air refresh me so I could say goodnight to Gerald before he left. 


Betrothal Betrayal



I was sitting on the rail when a deep voice startled me, causing me to jerk around and look up into the depthless eyes of Liam MacGregor.

"Cam, I don't mean to be presumptuous, but I want you to know that Fitz isn't the man you think he is," he said softly. "I had hoped he had matured since University, but he is the same man he was then, and it is not a man who should be marrying a woman such as yourself."

I was stunned, not only by his words, but by his nerve in speaking to me so familiarly. "I believe I know Gerald quite well, and yes, it is quite presumptuous of you to speak thus. You know nothing about me, and nothing about my relationship with Gerald." 

Suddenly Liam was pulling me roughly to a stand in front of him. With his face only inches from mine, there was fire in his eyes and I could feel his breath on my skin. His voice was low and threatening. "You don't know him. He's wrong for you."

He continued to hold me there, fingers biting into my arms, eyes burning into mine, and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me, but he let me go just as suddenly and strode back into the house. My heart was racing and I was quite disturbed by his vehemence. Why was he so sure Gerald was wrong for me? Certainly my fiancé had been a bit more persistent of late, but that was just his eagerness for the wedding. Gerald was otherwise the perfect mate for me.

Still pondering Liam's strange behavior and rubbing my sore arms, I returned to the house in time to catch Gerald just as he was about to exit the front door. I rushed to him intent to tell him about his friend's behavior, but he cut me off with a quick kiss and his goodnight and he was out the door. 

Again I was left standing completely confused. Gerald had never dismissed me so lightly. He seemed to be in a great hurry, which made no sense considering the hour. Where could he need to be so urgently that he couldn't take a moment to say a proper goodnight to his fiancé?

I continued to muse on the strange behavior of both men as I said my goodnight's to my parents and prepared for bed. I seemed to become more agitated by it as time passed, and found myself unable to even close my eyes once I was in bed.

After tossing and turning for quite a while, a thought occurred to me. I considered it a few moments before I bounded out of bed and proceeded to get dressed. I would go to Gerald's home and tell him of his friend's inappropriate behavior and he could reassure me so that I could get some sleep.

I crept through the house and out the front door before really considering what a walk of seven blocks might be like at approximately midnight. I ducked back inside just long enough to find my father's riding cloak and swathed myself in its ample folds. Now I would not be noticed as a young woman walking so late alone.

The streets were quiet in our section of town, and I passed no taverns or other establishments that were open at this late hour. The couple of carriages and riders that passed me didn't seem to give me a second glance, yet I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached Gerald's home. 

As I stood at his door, I hesitated. I didn't wish to wake the household by ringing the bell, so I knocked softly. Nothing happened for a minute, so I tried the door and found it open. I entered and stood in the wide foyer of my soon-to-be-home.

I noticed light from under the closed study doors, so I went there. I opened the door and slipped quietly inside, closing the door behind me before turning to face the room. When I did, I was shocked beyond anything I could ever have imagined.

Gerald stood near the windows wearing nothing but his leather riding breeches, and holding a riding crop aloft. Kneeling in front of him was a woman with a bit in her mouth and a few strategically placed pieces of leather wrapped about her body to accentuate her large breasts and draw attention to her other assets. A similarly attired woman was seated on the settee, also holding a crop in her hand.

My sudden intake of breath alerted the occupants of the room to my presence, and Gerald acquired a suitably surprised look on his face that was quickly replaced with a smile.

"My dear," he said as if meeting me on the street at noon, "how nice of you to join us. We have only just begun to play, and can certainly make room for one more."

Jarred from my stupor by the implications of what he was saying, I turned to leave by the door through which I had just entered. With lightening speed Gerald was beside me, restraining my hands and locking the door, removing the key to his pocket.

"I'm sorry, my love, but I can't let you leave now. You see, while I fully intend to marry you next week, I need to make sure now that you have no other choice but to marry me as well."

His voice was casual, as if he was telling me about dinner plans, and it made the meaning even more terrifying. 

I looked at him imploringly. He had always been so kind. There must be some other explanation for what was happening in this room, and surely he meant me no harm.

"Ah, there is the sweet girl I'm marrying! Come over here, Camilla, and we will get you ready to play," he said, turning me and pulling me firmly into the middle of the room.

He handed his crop to the woman on the settee before he turned back to me. His look was no longer gentle or casual, but hungry and predatory. He ripped the cloak from my shoulders without preamble, then walked slowly around me, appraising my dress. I had worn a simple workday dress, with only a chemise beneath it because I was not going anywhere but here to speak to Gerald for a few minutes. It had not occurred to me to put on petticoats, a corset or nice dress.

"I certainly hope you chose the dresses I suggested for your trousseau, because this will never do," he said, flipping the lace at my neck with disdain. With a sudden jerk he tore the neckline of my gown down the front, stopping as my chemise came into view.

As he traced a finger along my skin at the top of the chemise, I shuddered. He looked into my eyes with anger and hatred before he grabbed the torn edges of my dress and ripped it another two feet before yanking it and watching the pieces slide from my arms and slip to the floor. He smiled at me coldly.

"Camilla, you will learn that I expect your full submission. You will wear what I say you will wear, and if I want you in nothing at all, then that is how you will be," and with that he snapped the shoulder straps of my chemise letting it fall to the floor as well.

I wanted to pull my clothing back over my now naked body, but I was petrified with terror by the man in front of me. How had I never seen this in him? How had he hidden this from me?

He walked around me again, this time running his fingers as well as his eyes over my skin. I tried not to shudder, but I was trembling anyway. He seemed to enjoy my fear.

"Step away from that rubbish," he demanded, pointing at my torn clothing.

I stepped out of my dress and took a step away from him. That was the wrong move. He grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly against him, my breasts pressed up against his bare chest.

He leered down into my frightened eyes before crushing my mouth with is, pushing his tongue into my mouth as he cut my lips on my own teeth. There was nothing gentle or loving in this kiss, only demanding.

He didn't seem to like my lack of response and pulled me to arm's length. He stared at my breasts with rapt attention, suddenly leaning forward and biting my nipple hard. I screamed, but it was cut off by a sharp slap across the face.

The slap threw me to the side, and when I landed I was a mere foot from the woman on the settee. I looked at her beseechingly, but she looked back to Gerald, handing him his riding crop and saying, "Perhaps this will help."

I was to receive no help from her. The woman who had been kneeling was now standing, leaning on the desk, but the look she gave me left me with no illusions she would provide me with any relief. I was on my own to get out of this room and way from this madman who I had believed I loved.

Gerald pulled me back to stand in front of him. He looked me up and down before commenting mildly, "You are quite beautiful, Camilla. Don't make me mar your skin to make you behave."

I stood there, arms at my side, while I tried to think of something to say to get Gerald to release me. I had no idea how to escape this room.

He must have seen the desperate look in my eyes because he shook his head slowly. "You will submit my dear. I must deflower you so you are no good for another, and you will be forced to marry me as planned."

Now I fully understood the implications of my situation. Since I knew about Gerald's propensities, he couldn't let me leave or I would call off the wedding and tell the world about him. By taking my virginity, he assured I would not be wanted by any other man and would be forced to keep his secret, as well as to become his wife. Any hope I had of talking Gerald out of this was lost.

He began to roughly fondle my breasts, and I continued to stand stock still and not look at him. He forced my face to meet his, then twisted a nipple brutally, but I refused to cry out and get slapped again. He smiled as if he had achieved a great accomplishment.

He kissed me and I let him do whatever he wanted to me, but I did not react and that seemed to infuriate him. He drew back the crop and came down hard with it on my hip. "Behave!" he shouted, but I just bit my lip as the burning inflamed my hip and throbbed with each beat of my heart.

He grabbed me again, twisting me around and forcing my hands forward until I was leaning over the desk. He used a foot to separate my legs as he unlaced his pants and pulled them down over his hips. I glanced back to see his erection standing against his belly and caught the sob before it came out. He was going to take me here and now, whether I was ready or not.

Biting back the tears, I felt him fumble behind me before a fierce pain split me up my center. I screamed as I felt blood drip down my thigh. Almost immediately a crash caused everyone in the room to turn. 

The study door was hanging in shards from one hinge, and framed in the doorway was an angel of dark fury. Liam didn't pause, but roared into the room and straight for Gerald. With a violent swing, Liam knocked Gerald back into the fireplace where he crumpled to the hearth, his bloody cock softening slowly before him.

Liam swept me up in his arms and stormed from the house, enclosing me in his cloak. I huddled to his chest sobbing, unaware and uncaring of where he took me, as long as it was far from this place.

I don't know how long he walked, but I noticed when he mounted some steps and I lifted my face for the first time to see we were in front of large wooden doors. Liam rattled a key in the lock which turned with a shrill rasp and we were inside. 

Liam rested back against the door, looking down at my face. His cheeks appeared tear-streaked, and when he spoke, his voice broke, "I'm so sorry, Cam! I didn't know you were in the house, and when I heard the first scream, I couldn't but think it was probably one of his hired girls. It wasn't until you screamed again that I recognized the terror and broke in."

He searched my face, as if for forgiveness. I didn't have a voice, so I simply shook my head and turned my face back into his chest to begin sobbing anew. Yes, I was deflowered, but I had been saved from further brutality by the man who had tried to warn me, but who I dismissed. This night was too much for me to take, and I wished for oblivion, but that was not to be.

Liam carried me up the stairs and into a bedroom where he laid me gently on a bed covered only in a white dust-sheet, and then disappeared. I curled up in a ball and wished for a thick blanket, even though the night was warm. 

A moment later Liam was beside me, gathering the dust-sheet and laying a fresh sheet in its place. He lifted me onto the fresh sheet and placed another over me before removing the dust-sheet from the bed entirely. Next he lay a light blanket over me and put a pillow under my head. A bit later I heard Liam starting a fire, then the creak of a pot rack.

I had stopped crying, though I continued to hiccup and shudder at intervals. The pain between my legs was no longer sharp, but a deep soreness that pulsed with my heart. I could feel the stickiness drying to my thighs but didn't care.

Liam returned with some towels and a basin of water. Without speaking he washed my face and patted it dry before hesitating. I noticed his sleeve was bloody and was about to ask if he was hurt when he saw my look and spoke, "It's your blood, not mine. I am so sorry I didn't come for you sooner, to save you from this..."

He looked at his arm and I could tell he didn't know what else to say. I reached out and touched his wrist and he looked back into my face.

"I think you should clean up. You will feel more comfortable, and, well, I wouldn't want you to get an infection," he colored and I almost felt pity on him. Certainly he had never found himself in the position of caring for a rape victim before, and he was trying so hard.

"Thank you," I spoke at last, unsure of what, or how many things, I was thanking him for. He handed me the wet towel and turned his head as I wiped my bloody thighs and sex, sucking in my breath through my teeth at the sting. He stiffened when I did that, so I tried to remain quiet as I cleaned myself and then dried off. I felt very strange handing those towels back to him, considering where they had been, but since my blood still decorated his sleeve, I could only assume he was not bothered by the chore.

He tossed the towels with the dust-sheet and turned back to me. 

"I can find you something to wear, and take you home, or you can sleep now and I will take you home in the morning. Whatever you wish," he explained softly.

Home. How was I going to go home and explain this to my parents? If I told them about Gerald, then I would have to tell them about the rape, and I couldn't imagine doing that. I also couldn't imagine my life if I cancelled the wedding without an explanation.

"I don't want to go home...ever," I said, pulling the covers over my head. 

Liam didn't move for a few moments, and I thought he might just leave me to my misery, but then I felt a gentle tug on the sheet and he pulled it down below my chin. "You didn't do anything wrong. A bit foolish, coming to a man's home so late, but forgivable since he was your fiancé. His actions are not your responsibility."

"I can't go home and tell my parents about this. I can't go home and not tell them either. I will need to find a way to start over somewhere else, but not tonight," I hiccupped loudly, covering my mouth.

Liam actually smiled just a little. This man was nothing like I had thought him to be.

"Sleep tonight and we will discuss it in the morning," he said quietly, rising and collecting the dirty laundry before leaving the room. I heard the soft click as the door shut behind him and the sound reminded me of my old life, no longer available to me, shut off as surely as if a door had closed and locked.

************

I slept fitfully and awakened long past dawn. There were clean towels and a pitcher of warm water on the vanity, and several dresses and other pieces of clothing hung on a rack and over the chair. The pieces were older and not current style, but they were close to my size and I was happy to have them.

I washed, again hissing at the sting in my most personal place when the cloth brushed it. There was only a smudge of blood on the towel, so for that I was grateful. I chose a black dress because it suited my mood and prepared to find Liam and try to figure out a way to live for the remaining fifty years of my life.

Liam was simple to find, sitting in the dining room with the doors wide open. He had finished eating, it appeared, but no one had taken away his plates. I wondered if the house were empty, without servants, and if so, where had his breakfast come from?

I shuffled my feet to make Liam aware of my presence. He looked up at me with concern in his face. When I tried to give him a smile, he returned it with a relieved smile of his own. He stood and pulled out the chair to the right of his spot at the head of the table, tucking the chair in as I sat down. He held up the coffee pot and I nodded. He filled a cup with the hot brew and pushed the cream and sugar toward me.

"Would you like some eggs and toast for breakfast? It's all I have, and honestly, all I know how to cook for breakfast," he said, almost shyly.

I wasn't sure how to respond. "There are no servants?" I asked lamely.

"This is my aunt's home when she comes to town for the season. She's in the country now, along with her entire staff," he answered, looking down rather embarrassed.

"How did it happen to have food available?" I asked, more mystified by this man as we went.

"I went to the market and picked up some things," he answered simply. "Would you like some eggs?"

"No, thank you. I don't want to put you to any more trouble. You've been so kind already," I responded, then looking down at my clothing I asked, "Then these would be hers, I suppose?"

"Yes. I'm sorry there isn't anything more appropriate, but at least you are about the same size," he explained with a shrug. He seemed so much younger and smaller now, softer and even shy. Was this the same man that had scowled all the way through the first evening I had met him?

"I think this may be perfectly appropriate," I said, looking at the high-necked black crinoline dress I was wearing. "I am thinking of hiring myself out as a governess."

Liam seemed taken aback at that. He stared at me for a moment before saying, "and what credentials do you have to aid you in this pursuit?"

Straightening my back, I answered, "Well I am educated. I have completed all the grades that ladies are expected to, and spent a year at finishing school as well."

Liam smiled, biting back a laugh I think, "Well then, I think you would make a fine governess. Do you know how to go about acquiring such a position?"

Slumping back in my chair I admitted, "Not a clue."

"As I thought," he said, still smiling broadly. "You are a lady of a fine family. You were never meant to find employment and are ill prepared to do so." Turning serious he continued, "Let me take you home and we can explain to your parents why the wedding is cancelled." 

"No!" I almost shrieked, "I can't tell my parents what happened, so I can't go home. I will have to figure out a way to be employed. If you won't help me, I'll just..." but I didn't have an alternative plan. I was at his mercy.

He looked at me long and hard, and must have seen my determination because he stopped at that point trying to convince me to go home. "Will you send word to your parents that you are all right, or will you let them worry that you are simply gone?"

"Yes, I should send them word, but I don't want them to come looking for me. I will have to think of something to tell them that will keep them from worrying as well as from looking for me."

"Whatever you say, be sure it paints Fitz in a negative light, but not so much so that they will make a point of telling all of society about it. You do not want him to decide to take revenge on your family."

Before last night I never would have thought Gerald capable of taking revenge on anyone, but now I knew he was capable of just about anything. It was not going to be easy to appease my parents, mildly impugn Gerald, and remain free through one simple lie. Perhaps simply disappearing would be simpler.

I could see that Liam was following my thoughts, and disapproved. "You must relieve your parents of the worry and guilt they are feeling over your disappearance. You would be unable to live with yourself if you did not," he said.




Betrothal Betrayal



This stranger turned savior was proving he knew me surprisingly well. He was right, I couldn't live with myself knowing I had made my parent miserable. I would think of something.

Liam left and I heard rattling and clanging from the kitchen. He returned with a plate of ragged eggs and lightly burned toast, but I was grateful for his effort. I told him my idea for explaining my absence to my parents.

"I will tell them that I felt the need to speak to Gerald last night and went to his house. There I found him with another woman, and I broke the engagement. Walking home in tears my friend Sadie happened by on her way home from a ball, and she took me home with her. My parents knew she was going to miss the wedding because she had to travel with her parents to a wedding of a nephew, so I will tell them I have left to travel with them to keep my mind from my own pain."

Liam considered this, then said, "It is not perfect, but it satisfies the basic requisites for your plan to work. At some point you will have to tell them you are not returning, but this will give you a few weeks to work on the next step. Write the note and I will take it to the market to find a boy who can deliver it to your parent's home."

"Thank you, Liam," I said quietly, then as my eyes teared up, "Thank you for trying to warn me, for saving me, and for helping me now. You didn't have to do any of it, yet you have, and I will never be able to repay you." I leaned over and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, kissing him softly on the cheek.

Liam looked surprised, and maybe a little confused, but as we sat there, my hands still on his shoulders, I again got that feeling he was going to lean in and kiss me. He even started to move toward me, but suddenly he stood and strode to the sideboard where he picked up a pen and ink stand and a piece of paper, placing them in front of me on the table.

He picked up my plate and cup and headed from the room without a word. I wasn't sure if I had embarrassed him, or if he was just realizing what he had saddled himself with, but either way, he didn't seem to want to talk to me about it, so I wrote my note, assuring my parents I was safe and well, and signed it, leaving it on the table and going back up to my room.

I heard the front door close when Liam left, and I heard him return about an hour later, but he didn't come looking for me until noon.

The knock sounded softly at my door. 

"Come in."

Liam entered carrying a tray. He set it on the table in front of me then waited until I motioned for him to take the other chair before sitting down himself.

"I brought some cold meats and cheese for a lunch. I really have no ability to care for myself, nor anyone else, but I refuse to let you starve," he said as he reached for a slice of bread and some meat on the tray.

"You've been most kind and generous, Liam. I am a respectable cook, if you would like me to, I would be happy to prepare dinner, and any other meals as well, for as long as I am your guest."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "That would be wonderful," he said, "I bought some vegetables and a chicken, but haven't a clue what to do with them to make them edible. Perhaps you could teach me a few things, so I'm not so useless," he said with a grin.

"I would be glad to," I answered. This man just kept surprising me.

I winced when I leaned forward to reach the tray, and Liam jumped to help me. "It's all right. I'm just a little sore," I explained.

The stormy look returned to Liam's face, and I remembered how frightening he could be. "It's not all right! What he did to you was cruel and unforgivable. I have a mind to rip his warped little head from his shoulders for what he's done."

The change had come over him so suddenly I was unprepared for it. I reached a tentative hand out and laid it on his arm. He jerked up to look at me and his eyes softened. 

"Don't do anything that might get you into trouble. Gerald will get what is coming to him," I implored. I was actually quite surprised at my own calm assurance, and smiled at Liam.

"I wish I could be as sure of that as you are. He has been like this as long as I have known him, and so far he has received no censure of any kind. Things just keep going his way. At least until I punched him and stole you away," he smiled at me with more warmth than I had ever seen in his eyes.

Was that how he saw it? Had he stolen me away? I had thought of it only as a rescue, something he did on the spur of the moment to prevent further harm. Stealing me away seemed to indicate forethought and intention.

Suddenly something else Liam had said gained my attention. "He was like this when you became friends? Does that mean you were like that as well?" The thought sent a cold chill up my spine.

Liam looked concerned, and seemed to be trying to find the right words. "I was not like he is. I will admit I liked women and drink a bit more than I should have, but I never indulged in Fitz' strange eccentricities. I never thought much of his sadism in college, where it was mild and easily appeased in the seedier parts of the city. But when I came here for the wedding and realized he had not given up those propensities, I was disgusted. When I figured out you didn't even know about them, I tried to warn you. Unfortunately I think my warning was the cause of this unfortunate situation."

He looked sad, even forlorn.

"I don't know how you go about telling a woman that her fiancé is a filthy dog. It is not your fault that I didn't believe you, and certainly not your responsibility that I went to him in the middle of the night, leading to the current state of affairs. You have been most admirable in your behavior, and I will never be able to thank you enough," I concluded, squeezing his arm and smiling at him warmly.

He continued to stare into my eyes, as if he was searching for something. His lips twitched up into a shy smile and he placed his hand over mine where it lay on his arm. He gave it a gentle squeeze before letting go and leaning back in his chair, relaxed once again.

We talked about ourselves for a while. I found out that Liam's family was more like mine, his grandfather being the businessman that changed the fortunes of his family. His father took over the business about ten years ago, and someday Liam would run it as well. He also had three sisters and a younger brother. Their home was over a hundred miles away, which is why he hadn't seen Gerald since they left college.

We talked and laughed for hours, then I showed him how to cook fried chicken and mashed potatoes. He made a terrible mess of the kitchen and himself, but it was more fun than I think I ever had with Gerald.

I was removing the vegetables from the hearth when I lost my balance and nearly pitched forward directly into the fire. Luckily Liam caught me around the waist and pulled me back, landing us both in a heap on the floor. I was sitting in his lap apologizing for knocking the wind out of him when he stopped laughing and just stared at me.

"What? Have I singed all the hair off the front of my head?" I asked, touching my hair and eyebrows just to be sure.

"No, your hair is perfect. In fact, everything about you is perfect," he said softly, looping an escaped strand of hair behind my ear. He cupped my face and leaned in tentatively, waiting for me to stop him I think, but eventually his lips grazed mine and I felt a jolt through my entire body that I couldn't explain.

When I didn't pull away, he pressed a little more firmly, taking my bottom lip between both of his and moving his head just slightly. When his tongue touched my lip, lightly tracing it, I opened my mouth willingly and tentatively touched my tongue to his. The jolt was even stronger this time, and a small moan escaped my throat.

Liam pulled back, still cupping my head in his hand. He looked all over my face before focusing on my eyes, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

I felt the flush travel across my cheeks, and he smiled as I blushed. "Beautiful!" he whispered, leaning in and capturing my lips again. His hand slid behind my head as his other hand came to rest at my waist. We were still seated on the floor, me in his lap, and my hands wrapped around him of their own accord.

His kisses sent my heart soaring. I was breathless when he released my mouth and placed one soft kiss on my jaw. He held me a few moments as we both caught our breath before releasing me and clearing his throat.

"Perhaps we should consider retiring to the dining room before our dinner gets cold, rather than sitting here on the stone floor." He smiled sweetly and I accepted his hand to help me rise. He followed me up and grabbed the vegetables before I had another chance to fall into the fire.

We took our plates to the dining room and he lit the candles on the table before pulling out my chair and then sitting down himself. He smiled at me again, his face split in an almost childish grin, but he couldn't seem to stop. I continued to blush and that only seemed to make him grin more.

We talked a bit about our childhoods, and dinner passed quietly. When we were finished I stood to take our plates to the kitchen but Liam stopped me. "They will still be there tomorrow. Join me in the study, will you?"

I took his hand and followed him down the hall to the study where he seated me on the sofa in front of the cold fireplace while he lit several candles and poured us both some wine.

He sat beside me after handing me my glass, taking my free hand in his and drawing it to his lips. He kissed it then held it just below his mouth.

"I hope you don't feel pressured, Cam. I do not expect repayment for anything I have done for you. If you are at all uncomfortable with any of my actions, please tell me. You have been through so much. The last thing I want to do is make you feel uncomfortable, or in any way taken advantage of."

In answer, I pulled his hand to my mouth and kissed first his fingers, then turned his hand over and kissed the center of his palm. When I looked up at his face, he was holding his bottom lip with his teeth, an almost pained expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," I began, but before I could say more, he had pulled my glass from my hand and lifted me into his lap. 

He held me facing sideways, and nuzzled into my neck. He breathed deeply and ran the tip of his nose from my shoulder to my ear, stopping there and not moving.

"I think I love you, Cam," he murmured. "I think I loved you the moment I met you. It was killing me to see Fitz with you, knowing what I did about him, and feeling what I did for you. I will never be able to express my regret for what he did to you, but if you'll let me, I'll take care of you for the rest of your life, the way you should be taken care of."

I didn't know what to say. Yesterday I was engaged to another man, and last night that man raped me. I definitely felt something for Liam, but I was too confused to know what that was. Luckily Liam seemed to sense the turmoil in me and rescued me yet again.

"You don't have to answer me now. The offer stands, and you can give me an answer any time. I won't push you or ask anything from you you don't give willingly. I just wanted you to know how I felt. I couldn't be here with you and not tell you."

Liam hadn't moved. He held me lightly on his lap, his face turned into my neck, only the tip of his nose touching me. Part of me wanted to turn and kiss him like I had in the kitchen, but part of me was scared and all too aware of the soreness I still carried between my legs. I felt a sob boiling up from my chest, and rather than cry on his shoulder yet again, I bolted from the study and to my room.

I lay on the bed I had been given and cried for all that I had lost, all that Gerald had taken from me. I wiped my eyes with a handkerchief that smelled of Liam. I held the cloth to my nose and breathed the reassuring scent of him as I counted the blessings he had brought to my life in such a short time. I was safe and fed, clothed and now loved. Could I really be sad when he offered himself to me so completely? He knew I was no longer a virgin, yet he didn't seem to care. That alone set him apart from the vast majority of men.

************

I must have fallen asleep, because I heard the click of my door closing and opened my eyes to daylight streaming in the window. My pitcher again held warm water and I washed the dried tears from my face and vowed I would never cry over what Gerald had done to me again. I refused to give him any more power over my life.

I changed into a peacock blue dress, it being the brightest color amongst the gowns from which I had to choose. What I would really like was a bath, but that is a production that requires several servants and the hauling of many gallons of water. Not likely something I would be able to make happen here.

Imagine my surprise when I entered the kitchen to find a large tub in front of the fire and a naked man lounging happily in the steaming water.

I let out a little shriek as I turned my back and covered my eyes. Liam just laughed.

"You could have locked the door or something," I admonished, trying to feel my way to the door without opening my eyes.

"I didn't think you would be up this early. Yesterday you slept till almost nine. It's barely seven thirty," he answered, still chuckling at me. "I thought I would be finished and have fresh water heated for you before you got up. Since you're here now, you could join me."

I could tell he was teasing, but I stopped dead at the suggestion. He must have thought I was offended because he quickly said, "Of course I'm just teasing. If you wouldn't mind waiting, I'll only be a few minutes, then we can make breakfast while we heat water for you."

I knew I should just walk out, wait until he was finished and so on, but something had changed in me last night. Gerald had tried to force me to be what he wanted, while Liam only wanted whatever I wanted. On a whim I opened my eyes and turned back toward Liam and the big tub.

His eyes opened wide as I took a step toward him. I hesitated and he smiled. I took another step and his smile became a grin and he reached a hand out to me. I closed the last few feet and took his proffered hand.

I stood over the tub trying not to look into the water while I simultaneously tried not to look like I was trying not to look. I noticed the soap and a brush and picked them up. I moved to the end of the tub at Liam's back and wet the brush, rubbing the soap across it before rubbing it across his back.

I know how much I like to have my back washed by my maids, so I began to rub his back in circles with the soft brush. He moaned and leaned forward, offering me his whole back to scrub. I smiled.

When I had given his entire back a thorough scrubbing, I put down the brush and used my hands to tentatively swipe over his slippery skin. He stiffened, then relaxed, and I continued to rub his muscles in little circles with my thumbs. 

Quite suddenly, Liam turned and grabbed both of my arms. He caught my eyes and held me there suspended over the water. "I think you need to decide if you are getting in, or if you are leaving."

He abruptly let go of my hands, but held my eyes. I wasn't sure if I was going to take his challenge or not. 

He rested back against the tub and closed his eyes. I hesitated only a moment before heading toward the door, but before I got there, I found myself beginning to unbutton my bodice. I stopped and quickly shed my gown, but decided to leave the chemise on. Trying not to make a sound I returned to the tub.

Liam opened one eye as I dipped a foot into the water. He smirked a little at me in my chemise, but didn't say a thing, only scooting over to give me a place to step. He took my hand to steady me as I lifted my second leg over the side, and used it to pull me gently down into the warm water and onto his lap.

He still didn't say a word as he picked up the brush and soap and lifted my chemise to soap my back as I had done his. When he put the brush down, I wasn't sure what to expect, but he lowered the chemise and proceeded to use the soap and a soft cloth to wash all of me that was not covered in wet fabric. He even had me tilt my head back to wash my hair for me, using a small pitcher of water beside the tub for a final rinse.

He was as gentle and careful as any maid had ever been, and while I sat there against his naked body, he never made a move to touch me anywhere the fabric covered, after finishing my back, that is. When he had rinsed my hair and there was nothing left for him to wash, he asked, "Would you like for me to leave so you can finish your bath?"

"Are YOU finished" I asked.

"I'm clean enough. You didn't answer my question, though."

I had been considering this the entire time he washed me. In answer, I lifted the chemise, not an easy task when it was wet and sticking to me, but with a little help I was able to remove it and drop it on the floor outside the tub.

Liam looked quickly at my breasts, but then returned his gaze to my face. I blushed scarlet nonetheless. He again picked up the soap and with the softest strokes I had ever felt, he washed my chest, abdomen and upper thighs. When his finger brushed my tight curls, I gasped and he pulled away, handing me the soap and cloth without a word. I looked at the items and handed them back to him.

Hesitating a moment as he assessed my eyes before he dropped the hand holding the cloth to my lap. With a nudge he moved my thighs apart and stroked the cloth down my mound and over my lower lips. He came forward and made a second pass, this time parting my lips and stroking my sex. My sudden intake of breath had him motionless as he tried to ascertain if he had hurt me. When I smiled and let my head fall back against his shoulder, he lifted me slightly on one of his thighs and stroked down my sex a second time.

He hung the cloth over the side of the tub and turned my shoulders so I faced him. He drew me forward and kissed me slowly and deeply. My body tingled and I found my arms wrapping around him and tightening, pulling our chests together. When my breasts pressed into his chest, he let out a low groan and his hands roamed my back restlessly.

Minutes passed and the kisses only became better. I felt his erection hard against my thigh, but it didn't scare me like Gerald's had. I swore at that moment to never make another comparison to Gerald as long as I lived.

Liam's kisses drew me in and invited me to play. They sought to find places that would make me moan, or give me goosebumps. He was never demanding, always offering.

Liam pulled away and cleared his throat. "I think the water has gotten rather cold. Maybe we should consider making breakfast soon." He smiled sheepishly as his stomach growled to add weight to the idea.

I realized I had no chemise now. Luckily Liam had planned to offer me a bath after his, so he had several towels already warming beside the fire. I stood, very aware of my nakedness displayed so close to Liam's face. After the intimacy of the bath, one would think I wouldn't care, but I still felt insecure with my curves when the style of the day encouraged stick-thinness. Liam tried not to stare, and got to his knees as soon as he could and reached for a towel for each of us.

I couldn't help but steal a glance at his body as he rose from the water. He was quite impressive, all taut muscle and bronzed skin. His cock still stood proudly in front of him, though he was quick to wrap his waist in a towel. I couldn't help but smile at his shyness after all.

It was strange to have been naked with a man, yet have him not try to take advantage. I caught myself before I finished thinking how another man I knew would never be so valiant. I wrapped myself in a towel and grabbed my dress as I rushed out of the kitchen and back up to my room.




Betrothal Betrayal



Looking in the mirror I noticed my eyes were bright and almost glassy in their shininess. My skin was flushed and my nipples hard and erect. I looked like a different woman. 

I dressed and stalled for a bit before going down to the kitchen. Liam had moved the tub out of the way and was already frying some meat in a skillet. He had eggs and bread on the table ready to prepare. He smiled easily as I scooted into a chair. I blushed as usual.

Liam continued to make breakfast without speaking, but he began to whistle as he worked. It was fascinating to watch him concentrate on each action, yet seem to enjoy himself completely. Finally I had to ask, "Do you enjoy cooking?'

He looked directly at me for the first time since I had returned to the kitchen. "No, cooking is just something that has to be done. I enjoy having you with me as I cook."

He went back to the eggs, flipping them, then removed the bread from the fire before it burned. He flipped the slices onto plates, shaking his fingers when he touched the hot wires accidentally. He smiled at me again as he lifted eggs onto our plates and set the skillet aside.

"I could get used to this life," he commented before hoisting a forkful of eggs and ham into his mouth, smiling as he chewed. 

**********

Liam went to the market with a list I had prepared for him. He returned before lunch and we ate cold meat and cheese again, as well as some fresh fruit he brought back. 

We spent the afternoon reading and talking, laughing and occasionally kissing. I felt completely at ease with Liam, and I began to believe that the feelings he stirred in me really were love. How could I have ever thought I loved Gerald? 

We fixed dinner together again. I had Liam cut vegetables that I put with a small roast into a Dutch oven that I tucked under the glowing coals in the kitchen fire. Later we made biscuits to go with our roast.

We ate by candle light and sipped our wine long after the food was gone. It was so comfortable to relax with Liam, and even the silences weren't strained.

Eventually I cleared the dishes and took them into the kitchen where I poured out the kettle into the sink and added some soap chips before beginning to wash them. I hadn't heard Liam enter, and jumped a little as his hands slid down my arms to join my hands in the soapy water. The feel of our skin so slick against one another reminded me of the bath and I shivered at the thought. Liam nibbled my neck as he caressed my hands in the sink.

I grabbed a towel and turned in Liam's arms, wrapping my arms around him. I tiptoed and pressed my lips to his, then ran my tongue across his lower lip. It was the first time I had initiated a kiss, and that fact was not lost on Liam.

He growled softly, nipping my lip before slanting his lips over mine. His still damp hand tangled in the hair at the base of my neck, tilting my head back so he could run kisses down my neck. When I moaned , Liam groaned and pulled away slightly. When I opened my eyes questioningly, he admitted, "If you continue to make such provocative sounds, I will be forced to take you to my bed a thoroughly ravish you."

He seemed to regret his choice of words as soon as they were said, but I was only intrigued. Again it crossed my mind that it was my reactions that egged Liam on, not simply his desires. I smiled coyly and nipped his chin.

"Maybe that is what I am aiming for."

Liam looked at me a moment before deciding I was serious. He swept me up in his arms and carried me out of the kitchen and up the stairs. He hesitated at the top of the steps.

"You need to tell me now, Cam, if you don't want this. Once I have you in my bed, I don't know if I would be able to stop."

He looked into my eyes as if he could read my soul. I never thought I would ever consider joining a man in his bed if he was not my husband, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. I smiled again, kissing him lightly, and he continued down the hall. 

We entered a room with a huge four poster bed against one wall. Liam walked toward it, but stopped a few feet short and gently lowered my legs to the floor.

"If I do anything, anything at all that hurts or you don't like, stop me. Promise me, Cam, that you won't let me treat you in any way like he did."

His tone breached no discussion and so I simply nodded my agreement. The hunger in his eyes was overwhelming, and for a moment I wondered if I had made a mistake, but as soon as he touched me I knew I hadn't. He was as gentle and careful with me as an artisan would be with a Faberge egg.

Liam leaned in and kissed me lightly, softly tracing my lips with his tongue. I went to place my arms around him and he stopped me, holding my hands in his at my side. He dropped my hands and began to circle around behind me, lifting my hair from my neck and dropping soft kisses along the edge of my dress. I shivered with the feel of it.

When he reached my ear after kissing all the way around my neck, he ran his tongue along the edge of it, then followed the curves inward. When he took the upper edge between his lips and sucked on it gently, I felt my knees get weak.

Liam held me securely around the waist with one hand as he used the other to follow the line of my bodice with his finger. When he got to the center, he began to open the buttons down the front, simultaneously nibbling along my jaw. 

I shrugged out of the dress the moment he popped the last button, and stood in my chemise and petticoats. Using the hand around my waist, he quickly untied the petticoats, letting them drop to the floor. 

Liam lifted me from my clothing mounded about my feet and set me down right beside the bed. Gathering my chemise in his fists he lifted it over my head and tossed it alongside the other clothing.

Swiftly he removed his shirt and loosed the laces on his breeches while he stared unabashedly at my body. His large, warm hands splayed across my upper chest, then his fingertips dragged softly down the valley between my breasts and across my stomach. They circled and travelled upward grazing the curve beneath my breasts before continuing around the outer swell and over, ending with each hand wrapped around a breast, holding them and weighing them.

Liam gazed at my breasts cupped in his hands, moving forward slowly to tentatively taste the skin over my breastbone. His thumbs grazed my nipples and my back arched, pushing my breasts up toward him. With a groan he ran his tongue across to my left nipple, encasing it in the warm moisture of his mouth, pulling at it ever so gently with his lips. 

A sound somewhere between a hum and a quiet shriek flew from my mouth and my hands were tangled in his hair, holding him to my breast, before a single thought was able to cross my mind. He nibbled and sucked at the nipple as I moaned and hummed with pleasure. The molten warmth of his mouth sent waves of shuddering pleasure straight to my womanhood, and I hesitated to let him move when he attempted to stand straight after several minutes. He smiled at me wickedly as he skimmed my legs out from under me, cradling me briefly before setting my on the bed.

He stripped his breeches off and crawled over me, licking his way up my thigh, across my belly and to the right nipple that felt quite neglected after the left had been treated so well. He settled his body along my right side, his erection pressed firmly into my thigh.

I writhed as he suckled my breast and his hand caressing my side, my hip, my thigh. When he ran his fingers up my inner thigh, my body responded eagerly by opening my legs to his wandering fingers.

He dipped into my lower lips and found me slick with desire.

Now was a strange time for such thoughts to cross my mind, but as he settled between my thighs, I wondered what he meant when he said he'd take care of me forever. I must have tensed because he pulled back to look in my eyes.

"Do you want me to stop, Cam? Are you afraid?"

I shook my head and started to turn so I wouldn't be looking into his eyes, so dark and intense, but he placed a finger on my jaw and turned my head back.

"Do you not trust my intentions? I would never lie to you."

I started to close my eyes, unable to look into those deep orbs that demanded an answer from me.

"Open your eyes. Cam, do you doubt me?"

"I don't doubt you," I whispered, "I'm just not sure what you mean by taking care of me." There! The words were out as a tear descended from my eye.

Liam caught the tear and held it on his fingertip where it sparkled in the moonlight streaming in the window.

"I love you, Cam. There will never be another woman I feel as strongly for as I do you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and if tomorrow is not too soon, I will take you to the magistrate and make you my wife."

Another tear slipped from my eye as I smiled into the most wonderful face in the world. This time he kissed the tear away and I turned slightly to catch his lips with my own. We kissed a long time, his hips cradled between my thighs but motionless.

I could still feel his arousal pressed against my mound, but he continued to kiss and pet me, undemanding. When he gently rolled a nipple between his finger and thumb, my pelvis arched and his cock slid down my sex. My sudden intake of breath had him still his movements again.

"Is it too soon? I'll stop if you are still sore," he asked, eyes holding mine, full of concern.

I moved in such a way as to press his hardness deeper between my folds and our collective moan filled the room. Slowly Liam flexed, pushing forward in increments, filling me.

The feeling was indescribable. There was pressure and stretching, yet those sensations were overshadowed by the tingle and swell in my abdomen. When his pelvis met mine, and he was fully seated within me, I felt a need to push him even deeper, grinding my sex into him.

"Aaahh!" he gasped, pulling back slowly then gliding into my warm confines again. "Tell me you aren't uncomfortable, Cam, because this is pure heaven for me."

"Pure heaven, Liam," I responded before he captured my mouth again, stroking my tongue as he stroked my sex, unhurried and with iron restraint.

I quickly found that flexing and lifting my hips increased the feeling coiling in my belly, and Liam's thrusts accelerated as I met them actively. 

I was unsure what this sensation building in me was, but Liam seemed to recognize it and licked my neck before saying, "Cum for me, beautiful one! Revel in our bodies joined as one!"

He sucked a nipple into his mouth and thrust his hips into mine rapidly as waves of pleasure crashed over me. My cry was a long and semi-strangled sigh as I crested wave after wave of bliss. I felt myself spasm around Liam's cock, and he seemed to swell before his movements turned uncontrolled and he cried out his own release.

My body twitched, and it made me giggle. Liam was supporting himself on his elbows with his forehead pressed into the side of my neck. His body twitched in response to mine, and he raised his head to gaze into my eyes, a silly grin on his face as he watched my spasms continue to hit me without warning.

"Are you making fun of me?" I asked as another twitch sent electricity through my body.

"Not at all, dear one. I am just pleased that I could bring you pleasure, especially so soon after..." he couldn't finish.

"Let's both vow to never mention, nor think about, that night again," I suggested, the twitching finally subsiding. "I would prefer to remember this as my first experience of a man's body."

Liam smiled and pulled us onto our sides, still buried within me. "Agreed," he said, kissing me softly as he stroked my back. "You are an amazing woman, Cam! I will never tire of your lovely body pressed up to mine, nor of the little sounds you make as I pleasure you."

Liam's desire for my pleasure would ensure I never tired of him, either, I was sure. What an incredible man! All I could manage to say, though, was, "I love you Liam MacGregor. And I love that you call me Cam."

"You didn't always love it," he said, appraisingly, "but it seems to fit you so much better than the stuffy 'Camilla' does. You are an earthy woman, and Cam seems so much more appropriate somehow."

We cuddled and talked about nothing until we fell asleep, and it was spectacular!

**************************

I awoke with Liam curled around my back, his hand splayed out across my belly. I guess I should have felt ashamed for what I had done the night before, but I could only find it in myself to feel happy, loved and protected.

I felt Liam's breathing change, so I wasn't surprised when he tightened his arm and pulled me even closer against himself. I felt his erection pressed firmly along the cleft of my bottom as he stretched and I smiled.

"Good morning, love," he said, his voice gravelly with sleep, "should we get up and find the magistrate, or should we just stay here and play?" His hand caressed up to cup a breast, but stilled, not trying to stimulate, but just hold.

Liam's stomach growled and I laughed softly. "I think you need breakfast, sir, and then we should speak to the magistrate before you take me home to tell my parents of my new status."

"So you will see your parents once I've made you a respectable married lady?" he asked, turning me on my back to peer into my eyes.

I smiled up at him. "Well of course! They need to meet their new son before he takes me home. What of your family? Will they accept me?"

"My mother will be thrilled," Liam laughed, "and my sisters right along with her. They have been trying incessantly to set me up with 'suitable' women, and you will fit the bill perfectly."

"And your father? Will he also be happy?"

"Hmmm. My father doesn't pay much mind to the family. He will be glad I am settling down and hopefully taking more interest in the business," Liam murmured, taking interest in a different kind of business as he nuzzled my neck and traced circles around my breast.

His stomach growled again and we both laughed. "I guess this will have to wait until after we've eaten," he said, then seeing the look on my face, he added, "and done those other things as well."

"Yes, those other things, like getting married. Come, I'll make you pancakes this morning since you've been making me breakfast since I arrived."

"Thank God! I really am no kind of cook," he laughed as we rolled out of bed and I gathered my clothes, heading for the door. Liam grabbed my hand and pulled me back against his hard body, hugging me and my bundle close. "I love you, Cam," he said and kissed me gently before releasing me with a grin, "and we will revisit this later." He gestured at his body, but it was his cock standing stiffly in front of him that I knew he meant. I couldn't hide my smile or my blush as I hurried from the room.

*******************

"Camilla, my darling! We're so happy to see you! We were so worried about you, and your letter was so vague and, well, frankly, hard to believe," my mother cried as Liam and I entered the foyer.

She hurried over to hug me, looking confused and wary about Liam's presence. I smiled and hugged her, and my father as well as he stood stiffly at her side.

"I'm sorry I worried you. Part of my note was the truth; I really did find Gerald with another woman and broke the engagement. The part about Sadie was fabricated in hopes it would keep you from worrying. I couldn't face anyone right then, so Liam kindly let me stay at his aunt's home not far from here."

"And was this aunt home with you and Liam as well?" my mother asked with unusual sharpness.

Liam tried to hide a smile and cleared his throat before speaking, "I hope that you will accept my apologies, Mr. and Mrs. Corbett, for not seeking your permission first, but I have not only asked your daughter to marry me, but have actually taken her to the magistrate and performed the deed already. May I present Mrs. Camilla MacGregor?" He swept an arm around me and bowed slightly.

My mother gasped and my father muttered, but eventually both stiffly congratulated us and urged us to come into the study and have a seat. Mother ordered lunch for us all, and Liam went to the desk to discuss things with my father.

When my mother returned, she sat beside me and spoke low, "Are you happy, Camilla? Is this what you want? He didn't force you into this marriage did he?"

"No, mother. I assure you I am very happy to be Liam's wife. It was Gerald who attempted to force my hand; to marry him even though I found him to be something quite different than what we had all believed him to be. No," I said thoughtfully, looking over at my husband leaning over the desk with my father, "Liam is a good and honorable man, and I'm proud to be his wife."

Mother smiled tentatively, "All right then. As long as this is what you want. Oh, Camilla, we have been so worried and confused. Gerald came here the morning you disappeared, just after we received your note in fact. He tried to pretend nothing was wrong but we sent him away without even telling him you weren't here. We hoped that was the right thing to do."

"That was probably for the best," I answered, knowing I would never be able to truly explain what had transpired.

A banging at the front door brought us all to our feet. Gerald threw open the door before anyone was able to reach it and stormed into the hall. He must have had someone watching the house for my return. Seeing us in the study he barreled on into the room.

"There you are, my darling," he called out, striding to my side, "I've been searching for you for days. I heard your parents cancelled our wedding, but now that we are here together, I'm sure we can clear up any confusion and get things set back to right."

I cringed away as he tried to wrap an arm around me and my mother pulled me behind her, about to say something when Liam spoke calmly from where he stood beside my father, "I don't believe there will be any changes made to the announcement of your cancelled wedding."

Gerald's face went crimson, and his hands fisted. "You don't have anything to say about this."

Liam walked casually up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, "I believe I have a say in all things concerning my wife, especially if another man is attempting to make a claim upon her."

Gerald sputtered, "You're wife! You married her? After she ..." he looked stricken, eyes darting to my parents then back to us.

"Fitz," Liam continued as if speaking to a child, "Cam is as pure as the day she was born. Your actions have served only to further defile yourself. Now please leave before these good people are forced to have you removed."

I had to smile at Liam's words. It was beyond stretching the truth to call me pure at this point, but no one needed to know that except for Liam and myself. Gerald turned three shades darker before spinning on his heal and leaving without another word. I never thought I would feel triumphant over Gerald, but that is exactly how I felt as he slammed the door while my husband dropped a soft kiss on my neck before returning to the discussion he was having with my father.

My mother smiled at me a bit unsteadily, but when I smiled widely at the man who had saved me in so many ways, she pulled me into a true hug and sat me down, eager to hear our plans.

Before we left, my parents had talked us into going ahead with the reception planned for my old wedding day, to present Liam and myself to all of my parent's friends and associates. I wasn't really pleased with the concession, but it seemed to make my mother happy, so we went along with it.

As soon as we dropped my bags inside Liam's aunt's house, he swept me up in his arms and began to carry me up the stairs. I laughed and playfully slapped his chest, but his face was resolute as he claimed, "I have waited patiently for hours to have you to myself, and it is time we consummate this marriage."




Betrothal Betrayal



"I believe we did that last night, my dear," I laughed at his serious face, seeing the sparkle in his eye.

"Au contraire! We weren't married then, so it doesn't count," he said, tossing me onto the bed so I bounced before jumping on top of me making me shriek.

"Have you changed your mind so soon," he murmured, kissing me as he began to pop the buttons of my bodice. "Last night you seemed to enjoy my attentions."

"Mmmm," I purred as he nibbled my neck, "I still enjoy your attentions, but," I suddenly pushed his shoulders and flipped on top off him, "I think it is my turn to give you some attention."

I stood beside the bed and finished unfastening my bodice, letting the dress slide from my shoulders, then dropped my petticoats as well. I had worn a corset that day, so with a slow, steady hand I loosened the strings but instead of removing it, I pulled my chemise from beneath it and left it in place, pushing my breasts up while accentuating my waist.

I climbed back on the bed, first stopping to remove Liam's shoes and socks, my bare bottom waving in the air where he was able to reach out and caress my curves. 

I removed his shirt next, making him sit up to pull it off of him, tossing it carelessly to the floor. I pushed him back against the bed and proceeded to lick and nibble his chest as he had done mine. When I used my teeth on his nipple, he sucked in air through his teeth and arched his back. 

I kissed his abdomen, spending time investigating his navel with my tongue. His initial laugh became panting breaths as I lapped at his flesh.

When I reached the top of his trousers I saw that he had lifted his head up on his arms to watch me, so I thought I would give him a show. I used my teeth to untie his trousers and pull them down just an inch. The soft, rounded head of his cock bobbed gently before my eyes, so I licked it. Liam threw his head back and gasped , returning to watch me with eyes glazed in barely controlled desire.

I tugged his breeches down and discarded them, caressing my way up his calves and thighs and stopping to blow across his manhood suspended over his belly. He reached for me and I stopped him with an, "Ah-ah. Not yet."

I knew little about a man's cock, and had even less experience with one, but it seemed as if kissing and licking felt good most places, so I gave that a try. I kissed the base of Liam's cock, then licked up its length to the head.

Liam came to a half-sitting position and said, "Good God, Cam, you're killing me! Whatever you do, don't stop!"

I smiled and took the head into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it as if it were hard candy. Liam moaned and I guessed I was doing all right. I continued to suck and lick at his erection for several minutes until Liam growled, "Enough of the torture, woman. I want you."

He pulled me up his body and kissed me senseless. Feeling bold, I rubbed my wet cleft along his hard length and he bit my lip. He gripped my bottom and pulled me up, angling me so his cock was rubbing right at my entrance. With a sigh I pushed back and captured his first few inches, and he thrust in the final length, pushing my thighs so I fully engulfed him.

I didn't even think about it as I started to rock against him, his hands loose against my thighs. I moved to my knees and lifted until he was only barely within me before gliding back along his length. He stared at me, rocking up and down his cock, and murmured, "Beautiful!"

He let me set the pace, and as the tension built in my pelvis, I found I was grinding against him as he guided my movements with his hands on my hips. My breath was coming in short gasps and I couldn't seem to get quite enough pressure just where I wanted it when he suddenly flipped me and drove into me in long, fast thrusts.

"Oh...oh...Liam, yes!" I cried out as he ground himself into me and roared, thrusting erratically for several seconds before dropping to his elbows over me. Again the strange trembling came and went for a minute or more as my body came down from its place of release.

Liam lifted his head and gazed at me, sweaty and sated. "You are the most amazing woman! I couldn't be happier to call you my wife."

***************

Ten Months Later

Mother came to help me when little Liam was born. The best thing she brought though was news that Gerald had been exposed for the horrible cad he was by the father of his current betrothed. It seems an associate of the girl's father ran a house of ill-repute, in addition to several saloons. When the father introduced Gerald to his associate, the man recognized him and proceeded to tell the father about Gerald's preferences among the girls. The man was so outraged he shot Gerald, but was apparently an appalling aim and only nicked his arm. Nonetheless, Gerald's reputation was destroyed and his chances for ever having a respectable marriage ruined. I knew he would get what he had coming.