Auctioned

11

"Jaz? How cute," Penelope muttered after the door closed on the blonde.

"Can you stay a bit to ensure I don't drown?" He asked ignoring her snippy comment.

"You truly are like a child," she huffed. She mumbled a few swears and complaints as she helped lead him to the bath.

"My clothes..."

"Undress yourself," she grumbled as he turned around and began to undress. Penelope walked over to the stack of bath sheets. She grabbed one and brought it to where he was struggling with this cravat. "Oh bother! Let me!"

Penelope helped the duke remove his clothing. She averted her eyes as his skin came in to view. Well, she did glance over a few times. Out of pure water safety of course!

He had managed to get in the water and use the soap. "I'm not a child, Nell. But if I was, shouldn't you be bathing me?"

Ah! Here we go! She knew he would try to start something. So she splashed him.

After the surprise left his face, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward into the sudsy water. "Youuuu!"

She tried to get out of the water but his thick arms wrapped around her holding her in. Water covered her dress and hair.

"I can't go out like this. I can't leave the room like this!"

Between his laughter, Alex held her tighter to his body. "Our rooms adjoin."

"What?!"

"Yes, it helps to know the host well. Plus I told him I would pay you back for snubbing his mistress proposal."

"Ah revenge. Perfect," Penelope said as she again tried to remove herself from his grip. "I hate you."

"No chance in that, love," he said near her ear.

"You must be feeling better," Penelope grumbled to her captor.

"Feeling a lot of things," he teased as he brought her hand to his hard erection.

"Alex, this is not appropriate!" She pulled her hand back.

"Come on, Nelly! You didn't say that before..."

"I fulfilled my part of the bargain! Plus you smell of booze and vomit. And I'm sure Jaz, wouldn't like this scenario!" Penelope hated that her jealously was on display.

"Yes, what she doesn't know..."

"You are a monster!" Penelope finally broke free of his arms. She stood dripping on the bath sheets that lined the floor. "You are the worst type of man! To think I was helping you..."

Alex stood from the bath and spun her around. "I'm not done with you, pet. I want to see you bouncing on my cock. Your full tits on display. Your head tossed back with your hair falling down your back. I want you saying my name like a prayer. I want you doing as I say because you truly can't help yourself."

Alex was looking deep in her eyes. His prior drunken state was unnoticeable. He was a man on a mission. And she couldn't be that mission - no matter how much she wanted it.

"Unhand me, your grace," she stated firmly. "Where is the door to my room?"

He pointed to a panel in the wall. "This isn't over, Lady Penelope."

Penelope made it to her room, dripping and cold. She decided to skip all of the evening activities. So what if rumors started about her? At this point, she was just glad to be away from that man.

She couldn't watch him with another woman. It made her feel queasy just thinking about it.

Morning came too quickly after a night tossing and turning. At three separate occasions Penelope had to stop herself from going into the adjacent room. Blasted man!

The men went for a hunt that morning, while the ladies walked the garden and some played some lawn sports like croquet. Minerva and Penelope found themselves at the fishing pier on the large pond on the property.

"What happened last night with Cambridge?" Minerva finally asked.

"Vomit is what happened. And your brother put me in the adjacent room. I'm completely over this entire weekend and the blasted whole of English gentry!"

Minerva giggled at that. "Well, I saw my footman," she looked around to ensure they were alone. "And I dropped him a message. I asked him to meet me at the stables tonight!"

"What?! What about Thomas Whitby? You are basically betrothed!"

"That bore? Bloody hell, Penny! I want to live - like you did!"

"I'm a poor example to be sure," Penelope said. "Just be careful. Use one of those french letters or whatever they call those things that wrap up his manhood."

"Kendrick tells his friends that he never uses them because he can't feel anything. Is that true?"

"Uh, I-I am not sure..."

"Penelope! You didn't use them with Cambridge?! Did he at least pull out when he did his...you know?"

"Um, see the thing about..."

"Holy shit, Pen! He could have gotten you pregnant! Wait...when will you know for sure?"

"Next week," Penelope felt ashamed that she hadn't heeded her own advice. She was too caught up in the moment. Too caught up in a certain duke.

"What will you do if you are?!"

"I don't know. I really don't want to speak about it. I'm just going to hope that I'm fine."

"It will be fine. It has to," Minerva gave her friend a squeeze and they continued their conversation as they always did about the on-dit.

On their way back to the house, they saw the hunting party walking up from the stables. Walking beside the duke was Lady Jasmine in her riding habit. Did she go hunting with the men?!

The couple was laughing at something being said, and they both looked beyond attractive. They were a perfect couple. Although Penelope knew she never had a real chance with Alex, seeing Jasmine with him confirmed that he was far out of her reach.

Then Alex turned her way and caught her staring. The smirk on his lips told her all she needed to know. He knew his power over her. He knew she would do anything he wanted. He knew she was jealous and he could exploit that. He just knew. And she hated that.

Dinner was seated a few hours later. Kendrick did not use the proper seating as one could expect - using rank as a guide. Clearly following directions from Alex, she sat to Alex's right while Jasmine sat to his left. How quaint!

She reminded herself how much she loathed Kendrick. Luckily Minerva was on her other side. This would make ignoring Alex a little easier - she hoped.

"Look at what we have here. Lady Penelope! It is so lovely that you will be my dining companion," Alex said with a wink. "I recall our first..."

"Don't."

"I was going to say first dinner party. What ever could you be thinking of," he said slyly. He leaned over and whispered, "Perhaps fucking? Kiss? Or maybe the time I finger..."

"Enough. Yes, dinner party. You were just as charming," she said dripping with sarcasm.

"You loved it," he said unfolding his cloth napkin. "In fact, I could say that about all of those..."

"My lord Duke, please remember where we are, and who sits beside you," Penelope said tilting her head toward Jasmine.

"Jaz doesn't care, Nell," he said smiling over at the blonde. "In fact, she told me you are quite beautiful and likely too good for me."