She submits

Slowly, trembling, Alice raises her skirt slightly and sinks to her knees in front of Lord Chattersworth, keeping her eyes fixed on his face. He's greying slightly at the temples, but still a good-looking man...and clearly used to getting what he wants. He smiles cruelly down at her as she kneels.

"I knew from the stories I'd heard that you must be a little slut who knew her place - if you were willing to mix with common soldiers, no doubt you'd kneel before a lord. Suck. Show me what you're capable of." He pushes two fingers roughly into Alice's mouth, and she gags slightly in surprise. Terrified, she closes her mouth around them, trying to avoid biting the lord, and sucks timidly at his fingers. They taste strange, and feel so much bigger in her mouth than she'd have guessed. Chattersworth isn't violent, but he's not gentle, either, pushing his fingers as deep into her mouth as he can.

"Look up at me, slut," Chattersworth commands. Alice, who was focusing on sucking, does so, gagging as she shifts her angle. Chattersworth smirks.

"Clearly you're not as experienced as I might have supposed," he comments nastily. "But I must say, you make a pretty picture on your knees, with your mouth full." Grasping the back of her head, he pushes his fingers still deeper and Alice chokes, throat working involuntarily and eyes watering as he pushes against the back of her mouth. "That gagging would have to be trained out of you to make you serviceable, but that would be possible," Chattersworth mutters. He removes his hand and steps away suddenly, and Alice gasps for air and, suddenly unsupported, falls forward, catching herself on her hands. Chattersworth steps around behind her as she gasps, catching her breath. She feels almost overwhelmed with the strange (and violent) sensations she just had. Is this what it's like for a man to take you? As she tries to make sense of the pounding of her heart and the moistening between her legs, she hears Chattersworth say, "Good, stay on all fours."

Of a sudden, Alice feels her dress seized and the hem flipped up and over her waist. She gasps and blushes scarlet as the cool spring air caresses her naked skin. She can feel Chattersworth's hot breath on her backside, and then the warm, dry touch of his hand on her rump.

"Plenty back here to jiggle pleasingly as you're worked on a cock," Chattersworth comments. "Whoever ends up owning you will have a pleasant view whichever way you're fucked." Alice shudders and stifles a moan as he brushes his hand over her ass and downward, brushing her most intimate reaches. She hears Chattersworth chuckle. "I knew at the time the Law of 1811 was a good idea," she hears him muse, "and now it pays its dividends. You were - what - fifteen when the law passed? And now you know your place. You're wet from the attention." (Alice blushes scarlet, for it's true.) "And both when I exposed you and now, do you know what you did? You arched your back and pushed toward me, offering yourself to me like a bitch in heat. Which, more or less, you are."

Alice lets out a noise halfway between a gasp and a stifled shriek as Chattersworth suddenly smacks her ass - hard - and stands. She stays on all fours, looking up at him, wide-eyed and trembling, as he comes around to her head again. "Good girl, staying down there," he says with a little laugh. "My, knowing your place in the world - and, I suppose, the power I wield - really does breed submission, eh? Don't worry. As promised, I won't violate you." He squats down and raises his hand to Alice's mouth again. Desperate to please him and get the ordeal over with, she wraps her lips around his middle finger, and he smiles as he slides it easily into her mouth. Leaning close, he whispers into her ear, "I just wished to know what the local livestock was like."

Chattersworth stands suddenly and steps away. "Good night, young Miss Foxhaven. It truly was a pleasure to make your acquaintance again. Give my regards to your parents and to your sisters, especially. I look forward to getting to know you all once more." Without another word, he strides through the copse of elm trees and is gone.

Alice stays on all fours, shuddering and staring after Chattersworth, for several seconds. Then slowly her wits return and she gets unsteadily to her feet. Her pussy feels engorged and aflame - she can't believe the way this man's power over her has both shamed her and aroused her. She feels like a deer that's narrowly escaped a tiger - but (and she shudders at the thought) deer are always consumed by some hunter eventually. She feels like she should be crying, but is too overwhelmed even for that. Slowly, she straightens her dress and makes her way back toward the parsonage and the reception. She just has to hope that Lord Chattersworth will keep his word, and not tell anyone of her indiscretion with Captain Simmons...or what Chattersworth, himself, demanded of her.

In another corner of the parsonage parlor, Peggy wanders over to Esther. "Have you been watching Mr. Brightson, Esther? He seems like such an amiable, agreeable man!"

Esther smiles faintly. "You're quite right, though I doubt he's likely to stay at our humble parish for long. I think he has ambition, even if it's not of the obvious kind."

"Oh, dear. And I rather like him," Peggy says, pouting slightly.

"Esther, Peggy!" a voice cries. Turning, the sisters see Annalise Bellington approaching, with Percival Winthrop in tow. "It's so good to see you both again," the redhead exclaims, hugging them both. "Albeit under such sad circumstances. Poor old Tines! He was a good chap, I thought. Very forgiving. Esther, I know you've met Percy. {if Percy-Peggy > 0}Peggy, Percy tells me that the two of you met at our ball as well?" Peggy nods.{else}Peggy, this is my distant cousin, Percival Winthrop."{endif}

Percival grins and gives the sisters an elaborate bow. "Always a delight to lay hands - excuse me, I meant to say eyes - on the Foxhaven sisters," he says. {if Percy-Peggy > 0}Both girls blush{elseif Percy-Esther > 0}Peggy giggles and Esther freezes for a second, face white.{elseif Percy-Esther < 0}Peggy giggles and Esther scowls at him.{endif} Percy moves on quickly. "I must admit that even though I've only just arrived, I always find crowds a bit overwhelming. I was hoping to retire into the sitting room - would you all care to join me?"

Peggy glances at Esther, whose face is unreadable but directed at Annalise. That girl has taken Percy's arm gaily and is already starting to move off with him, chattering about how she visited the parsonage as a girl. Silently, Esther follows her, and Peggy shrugs and does so as well.

The sitting room is much less spacious than the parlor, but it is equipped with a couple of comfortable (if modest) armchairs and a settee. As they enter, Annalise is saying to Percy, "And even though I'd been so incredibly disruptive during the service, good old Tines - oh dear! I'm sorry."

A young woman of about 20 looks up from one of the armchairs, clearly startled, and with tears standing in her eyes. She's got a full figure, leaning to plump, and wears a modest, even somber dark dress, and her black hair is pulled fully back into a tight bun. She clears her throat and stands, bobbing a curtsy.

"No need to be sorry, miss," the dark-haired woman replies. "It's I who am taking up space here. I just got very sad about my former master and wanted to...wanted to have a moment alone. I'll leave so you can enjoy the room."

"No need, no need," Annalise says airily, going over to sit on the settee. "How on earth have I never met you before? What's your name? I don't remember Tines employing a maid."

"My name's Dorothy, miss," the girl says dutifully. "I just started working here about six months ago. Mr. Tines was a good man."

"That he was," Esther says primly, settling next to Annalise on the settee. "Although I confess surprise that he'd hired a maid. I heard nothing about it, and I haven't seen you in church."

"Probably because he didn't hire her," Percy says drily. He crosses to Dorothy and reaches up to put a hand on the top button of her high-necked blouse. "Am I right?" he asks. Dorothy's eyes drop to the floor and she nods, shame-faced. Percy pops the first two buttons open and folds the collar down, revealing a black leather band with a white patch fastened tight around Dorothy's neck. "She's a bond girl - assigned to the parish itself, not even to old Tines. So of course she's staying, unless the church has reassigned you?"

Dorothy shakes her head. Percy chuckles. "What luck. Technically, then, you serve everyone in this parish, collectively, do you not?"

Dorothy nods, and Percy smiles. "I'm glad you know your duty. I'm a resident of this parish. Open your mouth, Dorothy."

Esther stiffens, and Peggy blinks in surprise, as the dark-haired girl slowly complies, stretching her mouth wide open. Percy coolly puts two fingers into her mouth and feels her tongue. "Yes, you'll do," he says. "On your knees." Dorothy stares at him, and his voice hardens. "On your knees, Dorothy. Or I'll report you to the disciplinary arm of the Church." Dorothy's lip trembles, but she does as ordered, slowly dropping to a kneeling position as Percy begins to unbutton his pants. "Hope you don't mind, cousin," he comments to Annalise. "It's just that the presence of death always makes me want to fuck a warm hole...death makes you want to live, eh?" He chuckles.

Peggy's frozen in shock for a moment, then panics. Should she stay or should she go? She's still near the door - perhaps she can just slip out? She glances at Esther, but her sister is clearly stunned, too, and she's looking at Annalise.

Annalise, for her part, just sighs in exasperation and rolls her eyes at Percy. "You're so crass," she mutters affectionately as she relaxes into the couch. No help there.