Pre-Arranged Love Ch. 02

'Are you oka—' I looked up at the source of the voice; a young lord perhaps, concerned blue eyes turned to shock as his voice cut off abruptly. I had no time to feel embarrassed at my lack of attire, I needed to escape, but before I could make a dash for it, someone yanked me back brutally, the collar around my neck burned as I fell, my cry cut off as I chocked. My pursuer grasped my by the hair, pulling it back until I was gasping for breath and tears welled in my eyes, a crowd was gathering. 'You will learn your lesson well for this,' he hissed.

'My deepest apologies sire, this is a new one.' My pursuer spoke to the young lord whose eyes had narrowed, perhaps in anger, before I was dragged forward. I looked back, my eyes making contact beseechingly, 'please, help me!'

I knew, no one was going to step out and help me, but he did, 'Stop! Sir, release her at once!'

The man turned back to him. 'Sire,' he began carefully, 'these are whores, she is a whore, will be a whore, but she will learn her lesson and her position. Once trained, she will fetch a high price from the lords.' The man gave no disrespect, but clearly stated the matter here, the price of release.

'Very well,' the young lord walked up the steps, into the prostitute market. 'Let me meet your employer.' Behind him, his page offered up a protest, 'my lord.'

'Enough, save it, I will not hear it,' the young lord stood, waiting for the man to show him to his employer.

'If you please then sire, follow me. The man walked to the back and I was yanked forward if I failed to keep up, my cheeks heated. I was all too conscious of my underdressed state as the young lord and his page walked behind me. We headed up a flight of stairs, finally stopping in front of a door. There were two knocks and the man spoke, 'Mr. Herens, we have a buyer.'

'Come in.'

We walked into a luxurious office that overlooked Scotland's harbor. It was the business man that had brought us. He eyes skimmed over me, to the man that was my assigned 'trainer', noted the page, and finally rested on the 'buyer'.

Mr. Herens walked past the desk, extending an arm with a smile, 'a pleasure to make acquaintances with...'

'Llewellyn de Clare, Earl of Abercorn' the young lord offered, shaking the offered hand.

'Ah, Lord de Clare, have a seat, Mr. Herens gestured to the luxurious coaches that were placed in the room just for the making of such contracts. The man, holding me by the rope was told to leave, but Lord de Clare, stopped him. 'Remain please; this transaction will require only a couple of minutes. Jonathan,' he spoke to his page, 'get a carriage ready.'

'Yes, my lord.' The page left the office, his eyes carefully turned away. I did not know what to think, was this lord really going to save me? Out of kindness, pity or something else?

'How much do you want?' Lord de Clare asked, as he lounged freely in the seat, his voice friendly, as though this was just a discussion between friends and not newly made acquaintances. I looked at him, surprised, was he saving me or buying me.

'Well, flesh of this stock is rare. She has a 5'3 feet supple body and to add to that, she is young,' Mr. Herens' paused, smiled and continued, 'malleable and still a virgin, albeit untrained; however, you may find that to your liking if you want to train her up yourself.'

Lord de Clare's eyes flickered over to me and I blushed, quickly looking away.

'Elard, bring her over.' Mr. Herens commanded. Elard jerked me forward unceremoniously, bringing me to Mr. Herens, who stood up and walked to me. Elard stepped back, allowing Mr. Heren's the rein. Mr. Herens ripped the flimsy garment that I was clad in. Shocked by the action, I tried to step back, holding the garment, preventing it from revealing me in all my nakedness. However, Mr. Herens was having none of that, he jerked me back with the rope, but before he could do more that that, Lord de Clare was out of his seat, his hand gripping the rope Mr. Herens jerked.

'Please, none of this. I will purchase her, but I advise you, do not touch her furthermore.' Lord de Clare's voice remained polite, but I could hear the icy edge in it. He turned to me, sweeping his cloak over my shoulders. I glanced at him, but he only turned back to Mr. Herens.

'Name your price.'

'5 pounds and she's yours,' Mr. Herens replied.

Without a word, Lord de Clare handed over 5 gold sovereigns, my eyes widened at the sight of so much money.

'The key to her collar if you will,' Lord de Clare turned to Elard, who handed over the key with a mixed expression of surprise and deference. With that, Lord de Clare guided me by the small of my back, out the door. The garment I was clad in, slipped from my fingers, so now I was completely naked underneath the cloak, heat flushed my cheeks. Lord de Clare appeared not to have noticed.

Downstairs, we met the page. 'Jonathan, is the carriage ready?'

'Yes, my lord.'

'Good work. Let's go.'

Lord de Clare guided me to the carriage. I did not know how I was going to climb up without flashing my indecency, but the matter was resolved when Lord de Clare hoisted me up the step by the waist, allowing me to climb in without flashing my indecency, I was grateful. He climbed in after me, taking the seat opposite. The page must have sat with the coachman as the carriage began to move.

I did not know how to begin, what was I supposed to say to him? I settled for turning my head away from him, allowing my long brown hair to form a curtain as I huddled in my seat and held the cloak tightly wrapped around me. Not one word was spoken for the duration of the journey. When at last, the unknown destination was reached, Lord de Clare climbed down, waiting for me to do so likewise, holding out his arms. I bit my lip, before complying, he wrapped his arms around me and swung me down before turning to his page, his arms still around me, 'Jonathan, go ahead and announce my arrival, I want my bath and a guest room with bath prepared.'

'Yes, my lord,' the page boy ran off.

Lord de Clare turned to me with a wry smile, 'my estate, my manor is over the hill. The road is not suited for carriages, my apologies.' Without any more explanation, he picked me up and proceeded to carry me the length of the way to his manor in his arms.

Unused to this treatment I opposed angrily, 'put me down.'

Lord de Clare looked at me with surprise, but did so. 'Lord de Clare, thank you, but I have legs and I can walk.' I began walking; the coarse ground did not bother me as I went barefoot for most of the time, lest it was winter. However, Lord de Clare found objection because his only reply was to sweep me up again and continue walking. 'No! Put me down.' I demanded angrily.

Lord de Clare laughed pleasantly as he looked down at me. 'Same temper and not a whit different.' he grinned. His remark caught me off guard, same temper and not a whit different? What did that mean?

'Sorry?' I replied, confused.

Lord de Clare's expression changed as frown creased his forehead before he smiled again. 'Let us talk about this later. A hot bath and dinner awaits, see, there is my manor.