Fiery Harlot Seduced by a Duke Read online

“So you do like a whore,” Mary shouted, as he tore open her bodice. Her large breasts spilled into his wandering hands. He bend forward and suckled one of her nipples.

  His hands caressed her whole body. He began to groan with desire. Mary sensed a certain kind of power over him. She was in charge of him now. It was no different to being a street walker.

  She reached out her hand and touched his face. She seen a vulnerability that she had not seen before. He looked deep into her eyes. Instead of turning her face away and waiting for the deed to be done, she felt a deep desire to kiss him.

  They engaged in a long, lingering kiss. Robert felt a warm sensation in his loins. He pulled up her gown and massaged her wet sex.

  Mary arched her back as a tingle of erotic sensations surged through her body. The more he did it the more she groaned with desire - how she ached for his body.

  Robert could not hold back any further. His manhood bulged with passion.

  “I want you so much,” Robert murmured in her ear.

  “How much,” she teased.

  “I can’t stop myself.”

  “Do you want a whore or a lady?”

  “..A woman.” He put his finger to her lips. “Quiet.”

  Mary sensed a sexual chemistry had developed between them. Was this love? She was delirious with happiness. “Do you love me?” she panted.

  “Love?” The passion in his eyes began to subside, along with his manhood. ”He felt she was luring him into a sexual trap. He would not have a whore ruling over him. Robert backed away from her and rolled to one side.

  “What have I done?” Mary was bewildered by his sudden rejection.

  “You witch! Spinning a sexual web to ensnare me.” He sat up in the grass and put his head in his hands.

  “I don’t understand? Why are you talking like this?” Mary sat up in the grass with a confused look. “Something wonderful is happening between us. Didn’t you sense something?” Robert turned away from her.

  “Tell me!” She clasped his arm towards her. “Is this what love is?”

  He stood up and pulled her off the grass. What a fool he had been to fall for her sexual allure. “Back to the cottage,” he snarled into her face.

  “And if I don’t,” she snapped.

  He pulled out his flintlock. “You will die!”

  Chapter 20

  A few days later in the fading twilight, Robert and William rode at break neck speed through the forest. Since the robbery they had been counting the days until Lord Clarkson paid up the ransom.

  “How is your mistress?” William remarked as they raced towards the ancient oak tree to collect the ransom.

  “Our hostage do you mean?” Robert corrected. “Still locked up in the cottage.”

  “It’s a shame to lock such a beauty away,” William smirked. “I hope you have looked after her well.”’

  “She has been fed and watered,” Robert bluntly replied. “With the same affection I would give my horse.”

  William gave him a curious stare. “Anything else?’

  “What ever do you mean?” Robert looked ahead as they steered their horses in the direction of the old oak tree.

  “You like wine, women and song as much as I do,” William sniggered with a tight grip of his reins.

  “She is a fine lady, I give you that.” Robert stooped his head beneath the swaying branches of the trees. “She has a sweet face and a ready humour.”

  William broke into broad grin. “And the main attribute?”

  “I thought that would come up.” Robert returned a coy smile. “Yes, a very agreeable figure.”

  “That you would like to explore at some point?”

  “When my debts are paid off,” Robert quipped.

  They pulled up their horses near the oak tree. William noticed a disturbance of the soil. “Someone has been here.”

  Robert jumped down from his horse and examined the ground for animal footprints. “It might have been disturbed by a fox looking for food.”

  “Don’t worry the ransom money will be intact in a small box.” William tied their horses to a small tree by the oak tree. He took out a small shovel from his bag.

  As Robert looked out for any intruders in the forest, William removed the top layers of soil with his shovel.

  “Anything there?” Robert enquired.

  “Not yet.” William dug deeper into the ground. But after another five minutes of hard digging there was no sign of a box. ”Damn.” He threw the shovel to one side. “We’ve been hoodwinked!”

  “No ransom from Lord Clarkson?” Robert replied in disbelief. “The highway robbery was all for nothing,” He threw his hands up in a rage. “Now we face the threat of being hung.”

  “What a fool he has made of us,” William snapped. “You must kill the girl.”

  “What.”

  “You heard me the first time.” He marched over to Robert by the ancient oak tree. “The girl in the cottage.”

  Robert felt the blood drain from his face. “Why?”

  “She knows too much.”

  Robert turned away in a quandary. He could easily kill a man on the battlefield, but to kill a beautiful, defenceless woman was harder. “I don’t think I can do it.”

  “You have to,” William snarled into his face. “She has seen your face and sooner or later my identity will be revealed.”

  “Can’t I just let her go?” He swept back his hair in a panic. “No questions asked.”

  William rolled his eyes in despair. “And you really believe she would say nothing.”

  Robert thought for a moment. “With all my heart.”

  “All my heart,” William mimicked. “Have you fallen for Lord Clarkson’s mistress?”

  “None of this is her fault.” Robert tried to reason with him. “She’s a streetwalker who fell into a life of crime by mistake.”

  “She’s a harlot?” William’s face took on a grave expression. “That makes our situation worse.” He turned away and punched the oak tree. “Damn!” he screamed with frustration.

  “Calm down,” Robert urged. “You’re scaring the horses.”

  William turned back to him. “You’re scaring me.” He gripped him around the neck with both hands.

  “Steady on old boy.” Robert tried to loosen his grip.

  “Can’t you see our lives are in grave danger?”

  “She will not reveal our identity,” Robert gasped as his grip tightened around his throat.

  “She will for money,” William seethed. “Harlots mix with hardened criminals everyday. One word to the underground and we’ll have every footpad in London hunting us down for a pot of gold.” William loosened his grip on him. “If you don’t do it, I’ll kill her.”

  “No wait.” Robert clasped his hand on his arm. “I will do it”

  William glared at him. “You swear.”

  Robert felt a deep pain in his heart. He had to find a way to kill a beautiful woman he had fallen in love with. “I swear.”

  “If you don’t?” William paused with a threatening scowl on his face. “I will kill you instead.”

  Robert gasped to himself. “You would kill an old friend.”

  “I am not your friend anymore,” William said bluntly. “The war has left its scars on my mind. This is the only life for me now.”

  “To kill innocent people for profit?”

  William returned a chilling smirk. “Welcome to life in the underground.”

  Robert gave a weary sigh. He had lost another friend to crime. Many battle-scarred soldiers ended their military careers in a life of vice.

  “Well?” William clasped his flintlock in one hand. “Are you going to kill her?”

  “I will kill her,” Robert replied in a grave tone.

  “A true soldier.” William walked over to his horse and untied the rein from a tree. “I bid you farewell.”

  Robert looked at his old friend with a forlorn expression. “Forever?”

  “I wish it could be different.” Willi
am climbed onto his horse. “You will never see me again.”

  “You still have a chance to redeem yourself.” Robert wished he could see the error of his ways. “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.”

  “Then I will take my chances.” William clasped the reins of his horse. “Once you kill the girl you can return to an idle life of privilege.”

  “Who knows,” he replied with a smirk. “I might get married and have children one day.”

  William laughed out loud. “Is this the new Robert?”

  “It might be.”

  “Don’t worry about killing the girl.” William began to ride away. “She’s just another whore no one will miss.”

  “Except me,” Robert whispered to himself.

  Chapter 21

  Mary gazed out of the cottage window. The trees in the forest were full of golden brown leaves. A sudden breeze scattered the crisp leaves over a meadow of wild blue bells. Autumn was her favourite season, but not this year.

  She wondered if Robert would ever return. She had been locked up for two days since she tried to escape. Her chamber pot was beginning to overflow and she had run out of food.

  But most of all she was sick of being on her own, especially at night when the wolves howled in the forest - how she craved the love and protection of a man in her life.

  She thought about their sensual encounter in the forest. How warm and secure she felt when his muscular arms wrapped around her.

  How she ached for his manhood and the erotic sensations that surged through her wet sex.

  She couldn’t stop thinking about his sweet caresses. Was this love she felt or lust? Maybe it wasn’t the love she had hoped for.

  Since their encounter he had become distant and aloof. Any chemistry that had passed between them had evaporated.

  She watched the rising sun burst through the clouds. How she longed to run free in the meadow. But most of all she wished she could go back home and hold her head high.

  She thought about her mother and her sisters. It had been five years since she last went to Ireland. It wasn’t unusual for families to lose touch. There was so much poverty in Ireland a lot of people sailed over to England for work.

  Mary felt a tinge of guilt - she had lost touch with her family deliberately. They thought she was still working as a governess for a respectable family, not as a common harlot in the back streets of London.

  If they knew the truth, they would certainly disown her – maybe Robert had done the same?

  She began to panic. Maybe he wasn’t coming back? What if no ransom had been paid? She felt a chill down her spine - I’m going to die here.

  Mary couldn’t stand being shut in any longer. She had to break out of her prison. She banged the table against the door, over and over again, hoping it might split the wood, but it stayed firm.

  In a fit of anger she pulled the table to one side and banged her fists on the door.

  “Some one save me,” she shouted. “I’m too young to die.” She put her head in her hands and pulled her hair in frustration. Would she ever get out alive?

  She heard the loud neigh of a horse. “Someone is out there,” she gasped in hope.

  She ran to the window and saw Robert jump from his horse. He unlocked the door and marched in. “Get your cloak on, were going back to London.”

  “I’m free.” Mary was overjoyed at her release. “You got the ransom.” She stretched out her arms to hug him, but he had a face like thunder.

  “We got no ransom,” he sneered. “I have to find another prison closer to London,” he lied. “And send another ransom message.”

  Mary’s heart sunk. “I thought I was free.”

  “I never said you were free you stupid woman.”

  “Don’t talk to me like that,” she shouted back.

  “I’ll talk to you anyway I like.” He paced the room in an agitated state. “You’re my prisoner and don’t you forget it.”

  “I didn’t ask to be kidnapped,” she protested.

  “It’s all been a waste of time.” He kicked a chair to one side in a rage.

  Mary backed away. His temper scared her. “What do you mean?”

  “Lord Clarkson has made a fool of us,” he snapped.

  “A fool of you.”

  “Quiet,” he smacked her across the face. “I’m in charge.”

  Mary clasped her cheek in shock. She really felt like his prisoner now. If he did care for her once, he didn’t anymore. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders and withdrew into herself.

  Robert clasped her by the arm and pulled her out of the cottage. As she followed him over to his horse, she wondered what kind of prison she would end up in.

  Robert climbed onto his horse and held out his hand to her. She was tempted to break free again, but knew it would not be long before he caught her. She reluctantly clasped his hand and climbed onto the horse behind him.

  “Hold on tight.” They raced away from the cottage in the direction of London. Half an hour later he pulled up his horse in a small meadow. “Why have we stopped here?” Mary remarked, as she glanced around a remote part of the wood.

  “The horse needs a drink.” Robert tied his horse to a willow tree. “I’ve been riding since dawn this morning.”

  “I thought we were riding to London?”

  “No,” he said sharply. “You won’t see London again.”

  Mary shook with fear. “What do you mean?”

  “No more questions,” Robert demanded. He clasped her shoulders and turned her around. “Do as I say.” He paused for a moment. “Walk forward.”

  Mary turned back. “What are you going to do?”

  He pushed her in the back. “I said walk forward.”

  “Where to?” Her voice trembled as she walked through the long grass.

  “Towards the well.”

  “The well?” She felt sick to the stomach as she seen a disused well. Didn’t Robert talk about girls being pushed down a well? Was this her fate? She swung around and clung onto his coat. “Please don’t kill me.”

  “Away with you.” He brushed her away as if she were vermin.

  “I don’t want to die,” she cried as tears fell down her face.

  He turned her around and pushed her forward. “To the well.”

  “I beg you, let me free.” Mary stumbled over a fallen log. “I won’t tell anyone about my kidnap.”

  “Stop,” Robert demanded.

  She stood at the edge of the well. She felt dizzy as she looked down inside. It was a long way down. The bottom was full of dirty water and rubbish. Her decomposed body would become part of the cesspit. “What a horrible way to die!”

  “I’m sorry.” Mary felt the butt of the flintlock in the back of her neck. “This will be more humane,” Robert said coldly.

  Chapter 22

  When Robert squeezed the trigger he hesitated for a moment. Mary swung around and knocked the gun to one side. As it went off Robert stumbled back on the ground in shock.

  Mary ran for her life without a backward glance, clasping her torn gown between her hands.

  Robert jumped to his feet in a rage. She had tricked him again. He didn’t like being made a fool of by a slip of girl. He ran after her determined to hunt her down for good this time.

  Mary began to get out of breath, but carried on racing through the trees. She would fight for every second of her life. She would never be anyone’s prisoner again. She would get over this and be someone.

  She glanced over her shoulder and saw Robert catching up with her. “No,” she shouted. “Leave me alone.” Robert dived forward and pulled her legs down. Mary fell forward with a gasp.

  “Got yer!” Robert shouted. He bundled her arms around her back and tied her wrists together. “You’ll never be free until I get that ransom.”

  “Damn you! Tying me up like an animal,” she screamed over her shoulder. “Did you do that in the army, tie up young girls for pleasure. Your mother must be proud of you.”


  “Keep my mother out of it,” Robert replied in a rage. “I was never that kind of Officer.”

  “No, you’re a common highwayman.” Mary sat up and glared at him. “Whose been tricked by an old drunken lord.”

  “Quiet!” He stared deep into her eyes. She had a defiant spirit that he could not break. But that’s what he found so alluring about her. She was a dangerous beauty with sensual curves that set his pulse racing.

  He was totally captivated by the fight in her soul. It was a rebellious streak that would lead to his downfall. He had to silence her before he got a noose around his neck. He had to kill her no matter how desirable he found her.

  Robert stood up and pulled her up off the grass. “Either you die or I die.”

  “What are you saying?” Mary asked in a trembling voice.

  “I have been issued with an ultimatum.” He pulled out his flintlock. “If I don’t kill you.” He felt a rising panic in his heart. “Someone will kill me.”

  “But who?”

  “By..” He stopped short of William’s name.

  “Do you mean the other highwayman?”

  “Yes.”

  Mary tried to fight back the tears as she gazed up to him. “I swear I will not reveal his identity nor yours.” He returned a blank look. “You must believe me.”

  “I have no choice.” He averted his eyes. “Turn around and stand still.”

  Mary slowly turned around and stood with her back to him. She was resigned to her fate. She broke out into a cold sweat as he pressed the gun to the back of her head. “I never thought my life would end this way.”

  Mary began to shake as she waited for the gun to fire, but nothing happened. She couldn’t stand the tension any longer.

  She turned around and stared at Robert. Her sudden movement unnerved him. Mary kept staring at him, almost willing him to shoot.

  The gun began to shake in Robert’s hand. Doubts began to plague his mind. How could he shoot the beautiful innocent woman that stood before him? Beads of sweat poured down his face. The gun began to wobble in his hand.