Beauty and the Mercenary

"You can go now, Miss Cooper" he ended.

"It will not end here Percy and you know that already" she was furious, her insides were churning and boiling but there was nothing she could do, so she stormed out of the tent just overhearing him say, "Have a good day Miss Cooper."

Hours after the Frenchmen had run from the clearing Anthony and Sophia were once more alone. Anthony's eyes stopped on her jaw and then slipped on the sweet line to her chin and back to her lips. She took a sip of tea, he stared her lips opening and softly closing on the edge of the cup.

"What a view" he thought, picturing that sweet mouth on him."I was thinking, Miss Cooper" he cleared his voice "Why were you so desperate to seek help from a bad reputed man like me rather than your own fiancé? Not that I do not like the money but I assume he would have been a better choice."

Sophia looked at him over her cup, reflecting on how to answer. Percy's rejection was still burning inside her, more for how he had treated her than the fact no marriage was going to happen. "He has decided to steer clear from this issue."

"And you" he added.

Her eyes rested on his beard, examining the line of his mouth and trying to guess if he was teasing her.

Noticing her attention he continued "Do not think you are the only one who has been rejected, Miss Cooper. Things rarely go as planned." Their eyes met, as if they could read each other's thoughts, and Sophia wrapped herself tighter in her blanket. He noticed her cup was empty and crawled closer to fill it up. "The night is cold."

"It is," she confirmed and closed her eyes as his lips touched hers. Lightly as a feather they brushed against each other. He put the kettle down and his hand caressed her face. Starting behind the ear, he rolled her blonde hair between his fingers and their lips brushed again.

His touch was so soft yet the intensity of the feeling could have made her scream, if she just did not want that so much. Her heartbeat increased, feeling a rush of blood to her cheeks Sophia returned an inviting smile. Anthony needed no more encouragement than that to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight, finally feeling the soft roundness of her breasts against his chest.

She gasped in his arms and her lips looked for his, in the dark night they encountered each other's and kissed deeply. His teeth took a hold of her lower lip and sucked it hard, his tongue then explored every corner of her mouth and she felt his pleasure through his clothes. There was no more denying the attraction she would have never willingly admitted, it was too late when her fingers caressed his head, just as his were fumbling with her buttons, tearing one or two to get to her skin.

Lovely scented woman, even in a camp she could smell good. The soft skin under his fingers reacted at his exploration with a thrill. His manhood was swelling in his trousers and he wanted her more and more. They rolled in the grass, drunk in each other's passion and their eyes joined again, "She will push me off" he thought. But no, she had never looked more available and welcoming.

He inhaled more of her scent and it got to his head, the urge growing stronger, in a matter of seconds her lovely breasts were in his hands.

Full, soft with almost no firmness, in close sight they were even better than the vision he had before. He tasted one, the tip of his tongue leaving a wet trace around part of the large areola. It was like tasting the sweetest honey.

She quivered, another thrill running down her spine and he responded by squeezing her breast.

They were so extravagant, just like the rest of her body. He wanted more and moved down, unbuttoning her clothes and revealing her body inch by inch until she laid naked and ready. So many women had been before him just like Sophia but none of them was a suitable comparison.

Surprised herself to feel no embarrassment Sophia parted her legs with a desperate need of extinguishing the fire he had lit inside her. He jumped on her like a thirsty man in the desert who has seen water. Abundantly drunk in her female scents, his hands explored her body.

Her legs, long and voluptuously parted invited him to kiss their centre. She arched her back again experiencing forbidden pleasure, being touched where she had never before. His tongue circled around her rosebud then sucked it with eagerness, thirsty to drink her juices. A moan escaped her lips and a finger entered her wet fissure, feeling the membrane that divided them he moved around with soft touch, without forcing yet feeling her muscles contracting, ready for more. His fingers slipped out and massaged her rosebud, laying on top of her their tongues engaged again in their passionate dance and she rocked her hips.

With her eyes closed she bit her lips and let the passion take over, another fire arose from between her legs, with his expert touch he brought her to the peak. Her long fingers clawed the grass under them, for a moment there was nothing else in the world than their two bodies, clinging hard, panting heavily, relieving each its own fire.

His manhood had grown incredibly swollen, needing relief soon but it was not to come yet. She was laying under him, her eyes closed, eyebrows perfectly relaxed and a fulfilled expression in her face. He could be in her in a matter of moments, he could be buried to the hilt in her, beneath her fine blonde hair she was wetter than he had ever seen a woman. For an instant he imagined her soft breasts flopping around her chest as he banged into her. How her mouth would hang open, her whole body mercy to him. How dearly he had wanted to take her and make her a woman, so much it hurt. But he could not do it to her; despite himself he liked Sophia too much to treat her like the whore she seemed so content to be.

"One day" he panted, fighting to regain control on his body "this will be the gift to your husband. But may he not be Grantham or I will kill him with my own hands" he whispered into her ear.

She was staring at him puzzled, he felt a bit embarrassed to have let his disdain for the high-ranked man transpire. "You had better put your clothes on and get to sleep. It will not be long before dawn and we have a long day ahead of us, " he said, standing up and walking out of camp, towards the nearby river.

Sophia wrapped herself in her blanket and did not try to reach for her clothes, still enjoying the feeling of his body on hers. She laid on her side, by the fire and the memory rocked her into a sweet sleep.

The next morning smoke drifted up lazily from the large building in which Miss Sophia Cooper's father was being kept. Miss Sophia Cooper, now dressed in male clothing, which seemed to fit her in a most breath-taking way, had entered the small town in the early hours of the morning with her Mercenary. The town was quiet; the sleepy sentries had let them pass with a nod assuming that they were civilians returning from a hunting trip.

The house had been easy to find, it was the largest in town and unfortunately the one with the most horses in its stables, Anthony had counted fifteen, whichmeant at least fifteen men would be inside the house. That would be one man and a woman against the fifteen of them, Anthony did not much like those odds. However it was early and they had the element of surprise on their side.

"Miss Cooper, I think what is best is if I create a diversion out here, you can enter the building through the main door and find your father. Though

I suspect it might be better if you wear your dress once more rather than these clothes," he said firmly to her.

"Do you seriously think that you can hold off fifteen men on your own," she asked with a frown.

He was impressed once more; she had also counted the number of horses in the stable and reached the same conclusion.

"They will take a while to work out where my shots are coming from, I will make sure I move around and with your rifle and mine I will have five to use, you can take my pistol and knife," he said with a smile. "When you have your father do not wait for me, I will meet you back at the clearing, I know you can find your way back there. If I am not back by midday then head back to the British lines as best you can."

About fifteen minutes later Sophia paced nervously in her dress in the small alley way next to the house. She clutched the pistol in one hand and had the knife hidden under her dress, then the first of the shots rang out from the rear of the house. There was silence for a few moments and then the shouting started.

Seizing her moment she ran screaming to the front door of the house and banged on it as hard as she could. "Help me," she screamed, "The English are here," in French.

The door opened and she was in.

The French man who opened the door did not see her knee coming at all. He realised something was amiss when he felt the thud of the knee impacting into his groin and then he was down on the ground. She kicked him in the chin and he stopped struggling.

Sophia stopped and listened, she had to work out where her father was being held. As a gentleman he would probably be allowed free reign of the house and knowing him, he would be in the library.

Sophia heard shots at the back of the house, then a crackle of gun fire followed by shouts in French, there was a general commotion.

She looked at the doorways; she would have to quickly assess which way to go, which doors would she need to take to get to her father? The library would most likely be on the South side of the house to get the most light, so that would be the right side. Sophia made the choice and threw open the door.

Outside in the barn Anthony picked up the fourth pre-loaded rifle, he carefully aimed it at the French Officer leaning out of the ground floor window who was yelling something in French at his men cowering in the door way. The soldiers in the doorway clearly did not fancy crossing the ground between the house and the stable block. They knew they would be easy pickings for Anthony even if their officer did not.

Anthony's lips curled tightly as he sighted on the French Officer, like so many of his kind they were happy to send men to their deaths from safety but not so keen to lead the charge themselves. He brought the rifle to bear and gently squeezed the trigger.

The rifled gun kicked back into his shoulder and discharged the spinning ball of metal which hurtled across the distance between the two men. The man in the window looked confused for a moment and then collapsed.

Anthony was fairly certain the men in the doorway smiled and he quickly began reloading his rifles.

Sophia had been right, her father had been in the library, but he was not alone. Standing next to him was a French Major in full uniform. The officer had been surprised to see her; he had been even more surprised to find a loaded pistol pointed at his chest.

Without wasting any time Sophia gave her father the pistol and then proceeded to tie the French man unceremoniously to a chair.

When she was finished Sophia and her father left the library and headed out of the house as fast as they could. As they left there was a barrage of shots at the back of the house and Sophia found herself hoping that her Mercenary would be alright.

Anthony had thought that he should just leave Sophia and her father alone to cover for the last few miles to the base. His work for her was complete and he could once more slip into the countryside to continue his profitable work as a mercanary.

However, his luck had run out. He had probably used it all whilst causing the distraction at the French house.

About five miles from the British Camp they had met a small group of British Calvary. He was just about to slip away when the Captain of the group had recognised him. If he had been alone he could have run for it, he could have fought, but with Sophia present there was nothing he could do.

After the short ride back into camp they all dismounted. Two soldiers stood either side of Anthony.

"It has been a pleasure making your acquaintance Miss Cooper," he said, no more in his rough voice.

She looked at him in shock, not recognizing the voice that had just come from him, all of a sudden he sounded educated.

"Lord Tavistock would be ashamed of you, you bring shame to your father," the Captain of the Calvary standing between them said.

"Consider our agreement settled Miss Cooper," Anthony said ignoring the officer and with smiling as he was taken away.

Her father looked with disgust at Anthony and then he turned back the small building in which they were to be staying.

"Come in Captain," her father said to the Officer over his shoulder, "I have a lot to talk to you about."

She reached and grabbed the Captain's arm before he could follow her father in to the small building.

"Who was that man? You said he was the son of a Lord?" she asked referring to Anthony. Could this man who had been taunting her for days actually be a man of breeding. Despite herself she had become attached to him, she had started hating him and what he stood for, but now there was something else, something deeper. Several times earlier she had caught herself gazing at him on the ride here. How could she forget what had happened in the clearing.

"He was a Lieutenant once. They say his father lost a vast fortune on the turn of a card and left the whole family penniless, it was all kept quiet of course but you know how camp rumours spread. Apparently he became discontent with remaining a Lieutenant for the rest of his life and set himself up as a solider for hire. Luckily he seems to only work with us, I for one would not want to go against him," the Captain said looking after the Mercenary being led away by the two red coated soldiers.

"What will happen to him?" she asked as her eyes also followed the departing group.

"Depends on how important his friends are, could be a flogging or a firing squad," the Captain said then turned to look at her, "When I have finished conversing with your father I will take you back to Lord Grantham, I imagine you and he will have a lot to talk about, especially as your father has now been cleared."

She looked back at Captain, and then to the floor. Her world felt empty all of a sudden.

Night had fallen in Anthony's cell. He looked up from his slight daze as the heavy door pushed open. It was opened quietly, not with the force of the jailer. It was as if the person was trying to sneak in. This was going to be interesting he thought to himself, probably another one of Wellington's spy masters offering him a deal to save his skin. Or perhaps just a different jailer coming to fish for information, and eventually torture him?

Either way he was going to be ready, in the moments before the door opened fully his mind flashed back to Miss Cooper, he wondered if she had been worth all of this. She was probably lying in a warm thick bed at this moment. He cleared his mind and focused.

"Sir, if you mean to enter the room without my noticing then you have already failed." he said quietly. In the dark, he could only see a large hooded figure. The door closed behind the figure.

"Shut up" a female voice ordered from under the hood. The voice surprised him, he had been ready for most things but a female voice was not one of them. He did not recognise it, his hope flared for a moment that this might be a rescue attempt, but then there were not many men who would try and rescue him, and there were even fewer women who might attempt it.

"A female jailer, Wellington is always doing the unexpected," he mused out loud shaking his head.

"Oh," the voice sounded surprised "After all we have been through you cannot even recognize my voice? You are a strange man indeed! Maybe I should just go away then and..." she left the sentence unfinished.

"Miss Cooper, is that you?" he asked his smile fading and his shock becoming audible in his voice. His heart beat increased; he was pleased to see her. Though why would she be here now, to taunt him perhaps? He had not considered her to be so cruel.

"Of course it is me," she finished his doubts with a no-nonsense tone "Which other woman would step here?" she paused before asking "Did they decide your fate?"

"Miss Cooper, I am surprised most of all that you would step here, I thought after my arrest you would no longer need or want anything to do with me." Anthony said hoping the hurt was not too evident in his voice. "But my fate, no, I have had no word of that. I expect to find out at the last possible moment as Military tradition decrees," he said looking up to the high window in the cell.

"My father is not talking to me, and despite what we have done for them they have locked you up and are ignoring me. I have asked him to do something for you but he claims there is no way," she said biting her lip. "I assume they will keep you here until trial. If they have not judged you already and we just do not know. However, I am here to give you my last present."

"Your last present?" he said looking at her raising an eyebrow, "I thought our deal was concluded, I have received the ten pounds we agreed upon." He looked to the floor.

"You forget we have left something unfinished from that night in front of the fire," she paused and started to untie her cape. "I am guessing you would not want to know what you had given up will be taken by Percy, now that my family has been redeemed," the cape moved and showed some flesh.

"You did seem interested, at the time," she concluded.

"You are once more betroved to that weasel Percy?" he gasped in shock, paying more attention to the words rather than the brief flash of naked flesh.

"I would have thought you had more sense Miss Cooper!"

"There is little sense in this, you should not be surprised. Breaking any engagement will cause a lot of talking in Society, there is no reason to do that and start up a scandal. Considering we have also been alone and unchaperoned for so long the scandal would spread uncontrolled. If they just knew..." she paused, uncovering another bit of the flesh of her shoulders, "...that you are unable to finish what you have started." She was teasing him, he thought to himself.

"Miss Cooper, are you offering me the chance to take something that belongs to Percy? Are you offering me the chance to finish what I started and ruin something that should be a prize for him alone?" he said for the first time noticing her bare shoulders. Could she perhaps be naked he asked himself?

"It does not belong to Percy yet. But it will and he will find it exactly as he expects."

Her hand touched his unshaven cheek, even in the dark cell he could feel the heat radiating from her body. The heavy fluttering sound of clothes falling on the floor attracted his attention but he fought valiantly to focus.

"I am afraid I do not understand you Miss Cooper, what is it that you are asking me to finish if you say he will find you as he expects?" he asked as he felt her soft warm hand on his rough cheek.

Anthony could not help his eyes falling to her chest despite his confusion this damned woman was once more toying with him.

Her lips landed a kiss on his chin, then moving closer she whispered into his ear

"Do not tell me you do not know, even a naive clueless virgin like me knows there is just the backdoor to save what belongs to Percy," she said as her other hand moved down on his trousers, looking for the eager hardness she expected to be there.

There was, in fact, the rigid manhood pressing inside his clothes. He was tempted to move back, unwilling to reveal just how keen he was to slide inside her. But still, the feeling of her hands on him was too much to push her away. So relieving yet so exciting was her touch, an appetizer for more. In silence her hands moved on his belt just as if she was not the shy virgin he had once considered her to be. His trousers fell on the floor and in the dimmly lit cell his cock sprang up, already glistening wet.