Naked on the Roof

Chapter 50: Naked on the Roof

Samuel Atha rarely went home now. He maintained his business but was now able to store goods at Gillamoor Court. Consequently he was around the youngest Hawksby a lot. Not that he could help it but the more time he spent with her the more he became infatuated. At first he just dreamt of taking her to Cyprus where they might come across a still extant ancient sect of Aphrodite worshippers but now he was thinking of marriage.

Not entirely unaware of the historian’s interest in her, Abigail did not suspect it was anything more than an old man’s fancy. Nevertheless she was growing more comfortable in Samuel’s presence and felt the time was right to question him directly, although it was not inquiry he expected.

“Mr Atha” she was not comfortable calling him by his first name “I have heard you mention statues as objects of veneration in Greece. Are there any such statues here?”

“What makes you say that, Abigail?” the man replied suspiciously.

“When I hear noises in the library I listen and I am sure I heard mention of a statue.” she lied convincingly.

Sam struggled with his conscience for a moment, mindful that he had not been given a steer on whether to mention the statue or not but he had a solution. Asking to wait as though she would do anything else, he went to his room and bought down something wrapped in cloth.

“The statue looks like this.” he told her revealing his jet copy.

“That is so beautiful.” cooed Abigail “So smooth, so detailed so … oh my!” as her hands touched the explicit lower part of the figurine. “I can almost believe the pussy lips would part if I rubbed them.” she thought, but not out loud.

“Yes ! She is Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and breeding. She does not judge and is accepting of people’s baser instincts, if you pardon my phraseology.”

“Baser instincts?”

“You are too young, too innocent, too beautiful?” Sam found himself overtaken by inner turmoil. How could he let this delightful girl suffer an obscene fate even if Sir Thomas was being controlled by the very goddess he was sworn to? He wanted to run away with her but even dreamers have some sense of realism and though she may marry him there was no prospect of an elopement.

“Thank you Samuel, but I am not at all innocent. Have you read the novels I read?”

“No?”

“They contain dark deeds in dark places. They give me dark dreams in which unspeakable things are done to me.” Abigail could hardly believe she was revealing this.

“If you stay here, unspeakable things will be done to you!” and then the besotted historian cracked “Please don’t repeat that to anyone including your sister and especially not Sir Thomas.”

“Oh!” It was Abigail’s turn to be concerned “But if he asks me I am duty bound to tell him.”

“Then he will kill me.” The truth was Samuel had no idea if anything would happen to him but he had an idea of what the baronet of Gillamoor was capable of.

“No, Mr Atha, I cannot believe that, but I will try to forget what has been said. You have shown me the statue so I am in your debt and forgetting is the best way I have of paying you back.”

“Good, because you must understand what happens now was not instigated by me. Also understand that we are probably being watched by the servants. First, do you have any more questions? Questions about things you have heard or things we have talked about?”

“Where was this leading?” thought Abigail “Am I finally going to find out the secrets?” She decided to bite the bullet

“How do you go down to dungeon?”

“I do not know.”

“So there is still a dungeon. Those noises must be a staircase in the study and I have heard you use it.”

“You are a skilled spy but I can assure you there is no staircase in your guardian’s study.”

Abigail was confused about this. She was sure the entrance must be in the study because of the mechanical noises.

“Abigail, you must do as I say now.”

“Sir Thomas instructed me to obey you in all things.”

The ‘old’ man led her up to a tower and opened the hatch to the roof. Before they could go any further, Mr Atha requested that she remove all her clothing. Abigail was frightened and exhilarated. If she had not already been exposed to her brother-in-law and if she had not feared for Samuel then she would have almost certainly refused. Mr Atha had kept his word in promising not to watch her undress. Odd that some women regarded that as taboo, while they are willing to do much worse.

When Abigail was naked she informed her instructor, who was presented with a glorious view of her perfect soft olive body. He told her to go to the centre of the roof and watched has her bottom wiggled its way there. When she looked down through the window she saw the wooden doors with the joist holding the pulley above them.

“A secret room!” the dusky maiden exclaimed “Oh oh this is fantastic. I had given up hope that one existed but this is straight out of a gothic novel. It must have access to the dungeon. What’s in it, Mr Atha, a rack, an iron maiden, cells?

“I can say no more but next time there is a party here you must stay behind and not leave your room until I knock on your door. I will leave the hatch open and then, when you come to the oculus, all will be revealed. Now please get dressed - there is only so much excitement I can stand.”

The plan was set. Sam did not like it and that night sneaked down to the stone Goddess to pray to her to protect the nubile beauty.