Authors: Stella White
''I understand the agreement is for five rounds of bidding. You must tell me after the fourth round of bids what your final bid shall be. I will use my womanly charms to persuade the others that your bid is much lower than it is and you will win
me,
and we can follow our hearts at last.''
She kissed him again. This time longer and with her mouth slightly open. ''Any other outcome would break my heart,'' she said as her forefinger traced a path over his stomach and down to his belt.
''Oh, Miss Emily.
You are so beautiful, and I desire you like I have no other woman on this earth.
I will tell you, of course, I will.''
*****
''How many of the men have you met with?'' asked Beatrice, as she walked with her cousin over the freshly cut lawn at Priory Manor.
''So far, only the Duke,'' Emily replied.
''And what are you feelings for him?''
''He is the most objectionable man I have ever met. Do you know he evicted a tenant family when their daughter was ill with tuberculosis? He is conceited and arrogant. He has untold
wealth,
and I could become a Duchess, but he is quite intolerable.''
''Then there are just two,'' Beatrice added.
''I don't know. Mr. Carrington was adamant that his position made it impossible for us to meet. He has been disinherited and has no money. He rather charmingly told me that he wants the best for
me,
and as he can't offer it, he won't consider meeting with me. Of that, he left me in no doubt whatsoever.''
''Then you must make him fall in love with you. You must make him desire you, so much that he will do anything to have you. Only then will he give up his notion that he must have money to court you.''
''And how do I do that when he
won't even see
me.''
''I will attend to that. Don't worry.''
*****
''Come to my room when you are finished,'' Emily whispered. Masters looked at her and swallowed hard. Emily said goodnight to the guests, with whom she had shared a pleasant evening at the dinner table and left the room. Masters hadn't provided her with a maid. He wasn't as wealthy as the Duke, but he was wealthy enough to move in the circles Emily's mother found acceptable.
In her room, she took off her clothes and put on a nightdress. She arranged it in such a way that Masters would see her breasts. She'd enjoyed his company at the dinner table. He had proven amiable and witty. He had told the guests of his trips to the Far East. Emily had been mightily impressed by his recollections of the evening he'd fought off a tiger that had entered the camp he'd been staying in.
The bed was large and much more comfortable that the Queen Elizabeth bed she had slept in at the Duke's residence. Emily lay under the covers and waited for him. As she had anticipated, it wasn't long before he knocked on her door.
When she'd let him in, Emily stood before him, in her nightgown. She'd left the top few buttons
undone,
and Master's looked at her breasts. He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. She held onto him pulling him against her. She could feel his desire touching her hip through their clothing. She gasped as he threw her onto the bed. Her nightgown slid up as she fell, allowing him a glimpse of her silky legs.
He stood at the side of the bed and took off his waistcoat and shirt. Emily marveled at his muscular physique and let out a little scream when he pulled her up to him. He kissed her again.
This time,
she felt his tongue inside her mouth, prodding, searching. As they kissed, Masters took hold of her nightdress at the hem. He pulled it up over her buttocks. She lifted her arms and in one swift movement, she was naked.
He pushed her back down and began to unfasten his trousers. Emily looked at him, fascinated. When he slipped the material down over his legs, she gasped as his penis sprang out. It was the first time she'd seen an erect member. She began to feel
warmth
between her legs and realized she was now a woman with desires.
When he was naked, he got onto the bed and gently parted her legs. He lay between them and kissed her on the mouth. He lowered his mouth to her nipples and sucked. Emily let out an involuntary
cry,
and as she did so, he entered her. She cried out again, this
time,
louder. He felt her body
stiffen,
and her arms tighten around his back.
He remained inside her but didn't move until he felt her soften under him. When her breathing returned to something like normal, he began to move his hips. Emily felt his hardness filling her and she liked it. As he moved in and out of her, she felt it increasingly difficult to catch her breath.
Suddenly he stopped and pulled out of her. She grabbed him and tried to pull him back to her. She liked it and didn't want him to stop. She didn't realize he wanted to change positions. It took him several tries to get her to put her bottom
in
the air in just the right manner. On her hands and knees with him behind her, she felt open, vulnerable and quite uneasy. When he entered her again and began to thrust hard into her, her opinion of this position changed.
After fifteen minutes, Emily was exhausted. Masters had moved her at regular intervals and taken her in as many positions as he had in his repertoire. Back in the missionary
position,
Emily felt more
comfortable,
and she could again concentrate on the pleasure of their lovemaking.
As he pushed into her, she felt herself beginning to shake. Wave after wave of delight had started to flow from her wet center. Masters put his hands under her, raised her buttocks thrust into her harder. Now he was taking
her like
a
man,
and she loved it. He felt her nails dig into his arms as she pushed her pelvis up to meet him, her body willing him on. Her moans sped him
forward,
and she felt the muscles in his back begin to tighten. She realized he was at the
peak,
and the thought of him coming inside her pushed her over the edge. She rolled her eyes, arched her back and let out a low moan as she felt a jet of warm semen flowing into her.
Afterward,
as they lay in each other’s arms, Emily began to cry. ''My love what on earth can be wrong? Did I hurt you?''
''No I liked it very much. It's just, I am afraid.''
''Why be afraid, I am here?''
''I am afraid I may lose you?''
''Dear Emily, please tell me why you would think that, especially after we have confirmed our need for one another, here in this bedchamber tonight.''
''I know about the auction you and the others are holding for the right to my hand. The thought you may not win is one that is too abominable to contemplate.''
He looked at her sheepishly. ''Emily I wasn't thinking
correctly
when we made that stupid agreement. I hardly knew you. Now I am mortified I had anything to do with it. If I could change it, I would but I made an
agreement,
and I am bound by it.''
''Of course, Dear, and I wouldn't want you to go back on it. You have your reputation to think of. I have a proposal if you may allow me?”
''Please, anything to get us out of this terrible predicament.''
''You must tell me after the fourth round of bids what your final bid shall be. I will use my womanly charms to persuade the others that your bid is much lower that it is. You will win
me,
and we can follow our hearts at last.''
''That is a splendid solution,'' he said.
*****
''Dear Mr. Carrington, please accept my apologies for interrupting your day, but I have some urgent business to attend to concerning Miss Emily Ashington.''
''She isn't ill is she?'' he asked, a genuine look of worry on his face.
''No, but she is very concerned for her reputation.''
''Why would she be that? She has an excellent
reputation;
everyone thinks her divine.''
''The auction Mr. Carrington,'' Beatrice said, looking at him sternly.
''Oh,'' he replied, not quite knowing what to say.
''She knows about your scheme with the other
two,
and she is desperately worried that if it becomes common knowledge, her reputation will suffer. After all, I think you may understand if you give it some thought, that men, wagering money over a lady, is hardly good for her reputation. It is marginally akin to prostitution. ''
''Oh, what a terrible situation. It was a silly agreement. I hardly knew Miss Emily then. We were in high
spirits,
and it all happened so quickly. I don't know what I am able to do about it. I cannot change it now. A gentleman's agreement is final.''
''Of course, Sir. Miss Emily fully understands your predicament. It is
just;
she needs your assistance. Of the three, she is most drawn toward you. She does understand, however, that because of your circumstances, there could never be a liaison between you. However, your actions have caused a danger to her
reputation,
and I must ask you to make amends.''
''Amends? How may I do that?''
''By stepping out with her until the whole sordid business is finished. If society sees her courting with a single man in a steady, proper manner, it will be much less inclined to call her reputation into dispute should your sordid agreement become public. They will think it a rumor when they look at the two of you.''
''But I am
pauper
and no use to her at all.''
''It is not common knowledge that you are a pauper. Indeed, it is only in your honesty toward Miss Emily, that you have revealed it to anyone. Society thinks you are the well to do son of the Earl of Rochester. You must make amends for you actions and step out with her until you and the others have concluded your actions.''
*****
Emily removed her bonnet as the sun beat down on the two cousins. ''This garden is the nicest I have ever seen,'' Beatrice said. ''Your mother is the perfect gardener.''
''And you, my dear cousin, are
the most perfect
schemer
?''
Beatrice looked at her with a humorous look
on
her face. ''Why Emily, how on earth could you think that?''
''Because I have noticed that Charles Carrington will visit me tomorrow. What on earth did you say to him.''
''He is a man of honor and I just called upon that honor. What of Mr. Masters? How did you find him?''
''Quite agreeable. In fact, he is handsome, witty and knowledgeable.''
''That is marvelous. Then you want him to win the auction?''
''I am not sure. He
is
let's say, a little too well versed in activities of the bedroom for my liking. I believe he has, in all probability, had a lot of
women,
and I am not certain I would ever be able
to fully trust
him to be faithful to me. Thus far, dear cousin, Mr. Carrington has made the best impression on
me,
and his circumstances won't allow us to be any more than friendly toward each other.''
*****
Charles looked at Emily as the maid placed the tea tray on the delicate table. He waited until she was finished and had left the room before he spoke.
''Miss Emily, how can you ever forgive me? Miss Beatrice told me you have knowledge of our silly wager and that you are desperately worried about your reputation.''
''Yes, Mr. Carrington, she was correct, I am apprehensive indeed.''
''Please call me Charles. Miss Beatrice rightly pointed out that such activities have a habit of becoming common knowledge. She also stated
that
should that happened, you would be protected if society believed you to be in a courtship of substance. I am prepared to make that pretense, to protect you. But I must tell you that my circumstances have not changed since the last time we
met,
and I cannot allow you and
I
to become any more than friends.''
''Charles, you have put my mind at ease. I have been desperately worried during the past few days. I cannot thank you enough for having the courage stand by me in this difficult time.''
''You do of course realize that I am unable to take part in this auction with any significant sums and that one of the other two will win? Are you prepared for that?''
''Yes entirely. Once a winner has been declared, I shall accept his advances in good faith. I must add Charles, that it is such a shame that you have no chance of winning.''