Charlotte pleads for mercy

"Please stop." Charlotte’s sex was already aching from her previous orgasm and Priscilla's digits seemed to find just the right spot to caress.

"Stop? My dear Charlotte, really?" Priscilla asked with a knowing smile, "I thought we were friends."

"Oh God!" Moaned Charlotte "We are, please Priscilla. I can't do this." To her relief, Priscilla's fingers ceased their teasing although her warm palm still rested possesively on Charlotte's lower belly. Her next words reminded Carlotte of where Priscilla Dunning's interest really lay.

"Since we're friends, why don't we plan how Jace and I can spend some time together?" This was much easier than having to submit to a Priscilla's skillful digit's manipulation and Charlotte took the opportunity to sit up pulling away from her unwanted visitor as she did. She suggested the first thing that came to her mind.

"I'll tell my aunts that you asked me to show you the ruins of Saint Teresa's tomorrow. Jace will insist on coming as my protector but it will just be the three of us." She paused smiling at Priscilla. The petite blonde approved of her plan; Priscilla lifted her hand completely. Charlotte pulled back the sheet covering herself once again, glad for any protection she could between them. She tried hard not to think too hard about her own motivations for going to the papist ruins.

"That still doesn't explain how Jace and I will be alone." Priscilla pouted, and Charlotte wondered why she had never noticed what a petulant child her guest was before now.

"I will sit and pray in the old chapel." Charlotte explained patiently "Jace will be bored within minutes and then you and he can walk in the surrounding meadows and commiserate about how selfish and stubborn I can be." And if Black Brand was really there, then Charlotte would have a chance to speak with him in private as well. It was important that she ascertain the Highwayman's intentions towards her. She'd make that very clear this time.

"You really are a friend!" Priscilla gave her a hug and kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry I was so forceful before. Would you like me to stay a while and try to make it up to you?" The invitation was as clear as could be, but Charlotte was not interested in deepening her involvement with Priscilla, quite the opposite actually. Still if she could pair off Jace Worthington with Miss Dunning then she would be free off both of them, and the two deserved each other in every way.

"Not tonight, Priscilla." She said with a smile "Go back to your room and dream sweet dreams of Jason."

"I'd rather have the dream you had." Priscilla retorts as she climbed off the bed. "Who were you thinking about if it wasn't Jace?" She asked again, but when Charlotte demurely shook her head she slipped silently out of the room without demanding an answer.

Charlotte sighed in relief and as soon as she had her nightgown back on she locked the door herself and placed the key on her bed stand next to the Holy Bible that had so nearly got her in trouble. If her aunts asked her about it she'd claim to be worried about one of the gentleman visiting her in the night.

Charlotte lay in bed thinking over the unreal events of the day. Was going to St. Theressa's such a good idea? What if Black Brand changed his mind when he found her and Priscilla escorted by only one protector? A vivid erotic image of Black Brand standing over the bloody beaten body of Jason Worthington as the two young women cowered before him came to her mind unbidden and she shook her head in an unsuccessful attempt to push it away.

Charlotte found herself irationally irritated by the idea that the outlaw might take the striking Miss Dunning after rejecting her this afternoon. Or, and she blushed under her bedsheet at the thought, would Black Brand take them both one after the other? With this troubling image disturbing her mind, it took a while for sleep to finally claim Charlotte.