Chapter Four
No matter how long she begged or protested with her aunt, Annette was still bundled up the next morning and sent off to Blackthorn manner to meet with that wretched man. It was that or live with the guilt of ruining the entire theatre and destroying all the lives that depended upon it existing. (At least according to the older woman it was. To Annette it was nothing short of trading purgatory for the lowest level of hell). There was nothing left to be done. She would have to spend the day at Blackthorn now.
Out of spite she made sure that she dressed herself in the least appealing dress that she owned. From a glimpse it seemed like the type of attire a widow might wear; stiff and black, and virtually lacking in sexual appeal. It covered nearly every square inch of her body; adorned in a long skirt that dragged onto the floor and a collar so high that it reached her chin. Though it had been in her wardrobe for some time she had seldom ever worn the garment out of resentment for how old and haggard that it made her feel. Wearing it made her imagine herself as some kind of old maid; covered to the brim in thick fabric and completely bland. In other words it was the perfect choice for her to wear for a day in Lord Derricks company, and no doubt gave the illusion of a dull and uninteresting woman. After pulling her hair up into a simple bun with no ornaments and denying her Aunts request to apply a small hint of perfume ("You want to look nice don't you?") she headed outside where a carriage was waiting to whisk her away.
In all the long years that she had been away from it Blackthorn manner had not changed a bit. Though the grounds seemed to be much less muddy and the pathway leading up to the magnificent structure was now adorned by rows of decorative shrubbery everything else had remained exactly the same. The driver stopped right in front of the door, bidding her farewell with a tip of his hat as she climbed down from a carriage and clambered up the front steps of the manner. A woman was waiting at the opened door to greet her when she came in and Annette smiled when she recognized her as Mandy. She wanted so badly to say something to the other woman- other rather; she wanted to seize Mandy by the collar and violently shake her while she poured out all of the anger and frustration that she felt in regards to being there and how stupid it was for any girl to work for that demon. So much for that secret vow of never returning to this awful place. With a low sigh she stepped inside, surprised to see a few other servants waiting in the front hallway for her.
“Welcome to Blackthorn Miss Annette. Lord Derrick has been expecting you for some time now. He will be pleased to hear news of your arrival.” One of them chirped as she pulled herself into a graceful curtsy the likes of which Annette could never muster. “Shall I take you to see him now?”
“Yes.” She responded gruffly, embarrassed by the formal address that she had received. Unable to suppress her distain she found herself groaning bitterly when the maid scurried around the nearest corner, beckoning her silently to follow in pursuit. “Do you know how long his Lordship intends to have me as a guest?” She asked as she trailed behind the girl. The noise of her heavy skirts dragging across the floor were impossible to ignore and she twinged with a hint of embarrassment when she realized just how obnoxious of a sound they made. She should was had the train removed before heading out. Maybe walking around with an uneven hemline would make Lord Derrick think she had gone mad and never looked in the mirror before setting out for the day.
There was a slight hesitation in the girl as she looked over Annette to shake her head. Something in her eyes radiated concern, as if she was harboring a dark secret that had slowly begun to poison her. “I am certain he will not keep you for very long Miss.” She mumbled hesistantly from out of the corner of her mouth as she guided Annette on a rather long stroll through the mansion, passing by a variety of rooms that the older girl could vaguely recall from her times spent working there. Eventually they ended up standing in front of a large oak door with lions carved across it. Looking at those grizzly looking creatures, permanently captured in the wooden grain, made her shiver uncomfortably. “If you would please, Miss Annette.” the young maid piped up as she gently nudged it open, beckoning for Annette to go inside. Like a swimmer before they are about to dive off a cliff she sucked in a long, shallow breathe and held it firmly as she ducked into the room.
The fireplace was what she saw first. It crackled softly on the other side of the room, filling the air with the faint scent of smoke. The room itself seemed to be adorned as some sort of tea room. A table was neatly set up. The fancy china dishes that she recalled scrubbing clean on multiple occasions had been laid out and there was a pot of tea steaming on one side of the table. She licked her lips when her eyes fell upon the plate of rather delightful looking sweets. Her stomach rumbled with protest, enticing her to reach out and steal one of them. A vase of flowers had been left out to mark itself as the tables centerpiece. The hordes of vibrantly colored flowers entranced her in ways she could not describe. It was the low coughing noise that startled her just as she was reaching out to stroke one of the delicate petals that snapped her out of whatever daydream she had fallen into.
He was standing near the window with his hands clasped behind his back. She had seen him like this before, but it still brought fear to her heart none the less. There was something about him that just bothered Annette in all the wrong ways. Pinning her hands firmly against her chest she took a step back, forgetting about the table and the flowers for a moment. He did not turn to face her initially. In fact it seemed as if he had not noticed she was even in the room yet. The air got colder as her feet shuffled gently across the polished floor, trying as hard as they could not to make any noise. It did not work. He must have seen her movement out of the corner of his eye. Or heard that faint sound over the crackling of the fire. Irregardless he turned his head slowly and smiled at her, exchanging a knowing glance with Annette like they shared some sort of secret together that no one else knew. “So you have finally arrived. ” She heard him say as she lowered her eyes to the floor. “I must confess I expected you to come here much later. Closer to nightfall in fact.”
Every part of her body told her to turn and run away as quickly as possible but she couldn't. To stop her hands from shaking she griped onto the heavy skirt of her dress, griping it firmly as she lowered her body into a deep curtsy. It was probably nothing like the one the maid had given her. For some reason Annette was feeling particularly oafish today. Even the smallest movements to her feel clumsy and ungraceful. “My Lord.” She greeted him, mindful of the obnoxious way that her voice chirped through the musky air.
“Annette...” His boots clicked loudly across the floor as he turned around to face her. Somewhere outside a bird whistled, announcing itself to the rest of the world. “Was the journey safe? I cannot imagine how chilly it must be out there. These days it seems that even the sunlight won't warm this wretched city.” She stood firmly where she was, pretending to be cemented to the floor in hopes that it might give her a look of confidence. Even with her eyes glazed over with coldness and her hands balled up into fists he was not dissuaded. When his eyes fell upon her dress and the sheer hideousness that it seemed to radiate he made a low snickering noise and continued to approach her. Every step that he made seemed like agony to her ears. When he was finally in front of her she found that there was absolutely nothing she wanted to say. He seemed indifferent to the sheer hostility of her stance, nodding in the direction of the table that she had been admiring only a moment ago. “Well then, now that you are here you must be in need to something warming. Would you care for some tea Annette?”
“I do not know if I care for it.” She replied mutely, focusing on the table arrangement. “I have never tried it before My Lord.”
“Is that so?” He seemed surprised, as if it were a common thing for a human being to ingest. Her cheeks flared with a twinge of anger, annoyed by the fact that he was so distant from the rest of the classes that he couldn't realize how much of a luxury most things were. Tea was not something that just anyone off the streets could have. Not these days at least. Though Annette had seen many of the elites enjoying it during the time that she worked in Blackthorn she had never actually tried it herself. Some of the other maids used to steal the leftovers she recalled, and expressed delight for having just a morsel of the 'high life'. She could bring herself to lower to such desperate measure. The upper classes and the things they consumed just didn't awe her very much. “Well then you must try it. I insist. It's something that every human being should have at least once in their life.” She heard Lord Derrick chime as he placed his hands on top of her shoulders and nudged her closer to the table. “Have a seat then. I'll pour you some.”
She did as she was told, relieved to be nestled into a comfortable chair after spending so much time in that bumpy horse carriage. He took a seat directly across from her, lifting up the bone white tea pot that had been idly left on the table all this time and pouring some of it's contents into her teacup. The liquid that came out was rich amber, and though she would not say it out loud it had a very wonderful scent. “Would you like anything to go with it? Some sugar perhaps? It's not fashionable to have it right now apparently but I couldn't care less for consumable fashions. Not when I'm trying to relax.”
“Hmmm?” She blinked stupidly, observing as he casually dropped several white clumps of sugar into his own cup. When he was finished he pushed the container in her direction, smiling as if there was absolutely nothing obscene about his offer. “I have never seen sugar like that before.” Annette muttered as she reached out and touched the sugar holder, tapping it as if she thought it might explode. “If fact I do not think I have ever seen true sugar at all. My Lord, where did you get this from?”
“Hmmm..." He strained his eyes for a moment, staring off into space as he thought about the question. "I honestly don't know where they come from. I have more important matters to worry about. My servants are the ones who fetch me these things.” He admitted, lifting his cup to take a long sip as she continued to stare at the delicate container in front of her. “Are you going to sit there like that all day? Go on. Have some. It's the sweetest tasting thing on this earth. I reckon that even honey doesn't hold a candle to it.”
“...You really don't interact with any of us do you?” She hissed with her hands clenched together on her lap. No, she would not be having any sugar. Not any that belonged to him at least. Knowing that she liked it would only give him a smug feeling of satisfaction. “I always knew that the Elite kept their distance from the lower classes. But I never imagined that you would deliberately isolate yourself from us. It's as if the people who provide for you every day are just meaningless strangers. ”
He didn't seemed shocked by her words. In fact it was as if he didn't even care. His expression remained just as humored as it had been before, successfully surviving the moment of dull seriousness that Annette had attempted to pull him into. “Well that is exactly the point my dear. Those of high upbringing don't want to meddle in the affairs of the lower classes. We would much prefer to stay within our own social circle. That is where we are the most comfortable. We're too pristine to be mingling with such barbarians.” He was laughing now. A cruel, wicked sounding laughter that made it feel like her blood was boiling. “Honestly my dear, do you think that I could relate to any of the people out in that city? Could you imagine me striking a conversation with someone on the street? It's not like a shoe shiner or a chimney sweep can properly chat with a Lord.”
“No. And you really don't care do you Sir, about those who provide things for you?” Annette replied, feeling cold all of a sudden when she caught a glimpse of that sarcastic way that he smirked at her. “That's who probably fetches all these fancy little things that you take for granted so easily. It is not a fellow elite that gets them, it is someone of lesser status.”
“I care about you don't I?” He asked as he took another swing from his cup, laughing softly when she nudged hers aside. “Well this is quite an interesting way to begin your visit. I never imagined a poor little country girl would be so political.”
“I'm not from the country...”
“Really?” He said with an arched brow, curiously leaning forward with the cup still dangling in one hand. “Then where were you born? In the city perhaps?”
“Yes my Lord. That is correct. My mother was a laundress. She had me on the outskirts of the city. I have lived there all of my life. I've never even visited the country side.”
“Yes, I think you mentioned something about your mother when you used to work here.” Lord Derrick replied with a nod of his head. “I never heard any mentions of a father though. Does he live somewhere else now that your mother is gone?”
Annette flinched, defensive about the idea of revealing so much of her past. “I never knew my father.” She whispered softly while griping onto the edge of the table. “My mother says that he used to drive horse carriages for rich people in London. The winter before I was born he ran away. After that my mother had to take up more work to make sure she could take care of me. She never told me anything about him, or what he was like.”
“Hmm, This deceased mother of yours sounds like she was a hard working lady. I imagine that you have inherited some of your stamina from her.”
“No.” Annette answered him, growing a little colder now as she squirmed in her chair. “She was... a very unfortunate soul. A woman who was cursed in her youth with having to care for a child with no husband around. I remember her when I was small; working her fingers to the bone just to get by, and always being taken advantage of by any man who came along. No matter how many hours she worked it was never enough. There was always some leech demanding payment from her, be it coins, or laundry, or her body. My mother was never hard working by her own choice. She would have never done the things that she did if there had been some other option for her.”
He looked indifferent once again, shrugging his shoulders as he listened to her speak. “That is a shame.” He eventually added, but it came out sounding half-hearted and forced. As if he could see nothing wrong with the things that Annette had just poured out to him. Curiously he glanced up, peering across the table at her untouched cup before commenting; “I cannot help but notice that you haven't touched your tea yet. Does it not meet your satisfaction?”
“I am not thirsty right now my Lord.” She lied, pushing the cup even further away now that he had made her aware of it. “Can I ask why you were so persistent about me coming to see you? It seems like you would have been much happier if you had simply invited an elite lady to spend the day with you. ”
“Let's not play dumb now Annette. I have already told you everything that you need to know. You're here because I want you. ” He answered, failing to notice her cringe when she recalled the wretched things he had done to her the previous evening. Just then Annette's lips started to itch, remembering the sensation of his pressing against them. They were quite tender when she woke up this morning. But after inspecting herself in a mirror she found no signs of bruising on them. Whatever damage had been done by his so-called 'kiss' it was all internal. Except perhaps the scraps on the palms of her hands from when she tripped.
“So you have not changed your mind then... ” Annette found herself saying as she lifted a hand up to her lips. They did not ache as badly as they had this morning but when she applied enough pressure she could feel a distinct stinging sensation. “When I woke up this morning I was praying for a miracle to happen. I wished harder than I have ever wished in my life for a letter to arrive at my doorstep from you, telling me that you had lost interest in pursuing me. ”
"Well you shouldn't have. ” Lord Derrick replied to her as he set his empty teacup down on the table. “If there is one important thing about me that you need to remember Annette it is that when I want to have something I will stop at nothing to get it. I don't care who I have to destroy, as long as it's mine. ” She was waiting for something to happen. In her mind she imagined a repeat of the events last night. Bile rested near the back of her throat as she hazily recounted it; his hands touching her, groping at the various parts of her body, his lips kissing her so fiercely that afterwards it hurt. If she screamed would a servant here and come to her rescue? Provably not. And that was what frightened her most of all. She was alone, outmatched, and out of her comfort zone in a duel of head games with Lord Derrick. Try as she might she could not hide just how scared she was.
“I see that you're not enjoying our little tea time together." He proclaimed with a heavy sigh. "Shall we do something else now?" The chair beneath him groaned as he stood up, casting a dark shadow over Annette that made her feel even smaller than she had before. “The weather outside is a little too gloomy for my liking but I think a quiet stroll through the manner itself wouldn't be too awful. I recently had a few of the corridors redecorated. Everything was starting to get too old fashioned. It didn't suit my taste at all. Most of the junk hanging up in here was just leftovers from my father, and his father before him.” Annette chewed on her lip, too embarrassed to admit that she actually enjoyed the older decorations that adorned Blackthorn. Something about it just seemed so charming to her. She could not imagine everything being removed for the sake of fashion
“Do you plan on redoing all of them my Lord?” She questioned while scrambling quickly to her feet. A difficult task when your dress is as stiff as a wooden block. She nearly fell over on the first try. Luckily he had his back to her and did not have the pleasure of witnessing her embarrassment.
“Perhaps. It all depends on my mood. ” He admitted with a casual shrug, opening the door and beckoning her to step out before he did. When Annette shuffled past she caught a glimpse of his ever watchful gaze, looking her up and down as if he were inspecting a prized hog. “I imagine they will eventually all be replaced as the years progress and I get tired of looking at my fathers belongings. I had planned to renovate the entire manner the very moment I inherited it but unfortunately I became rather distracted by some other parts of my life. I only just recently realized how much I hate everything in here.”
“I see... ” She murmured, content to listen to the sound of their footsteps thumping down the hallway. Any servant passing by must have been alarmed by the spectacle. Though she had not noticed it earlier, when she walked side by side with Lord Derrick they appeared as if they were on their way to a funeral. Both dressed in black and stiff looking as they paced across the floorboards together.
“You liked it the way it was before didn't you?” He said, catching Annette so off guard that she did not have the time to shield her surprise. “There is not reason to feel alarmed. Most of the women who have visited me since I began making changes have expressed dismay about me removing all of my fathers old things. They say that it sucks the life from these old walls. I imagined you would have a similar reaction. I suppose that is one thing that can be distinguished in the minds of women; irregardless of your class you all seem to adore the same things. What simple creatures you are.”
“Does his Lordship always stroll around inside Blackthorn manner on windy days?” She asked suddenly when the subject they had been discussing together previously became a bit too annoying. Annette was never a radical when it came to her role as a female in this world. She knew her place rather well, and what was expected of her during her lifetime. Being a mother and wife was an exceptionally virtuous job. But there were times when she felt as if the entire gender as a whole was being needlessly patronized for no good reason. As if they were all mindless drones who felt and thought the same thing and possessed no individual thought.
“Only on days when I am restless.” He confessed to her with a shrug. “Most of the time I am quite content to be confined within two or three rooms in a single day. But every now and then I get this strange urge inside my mind that makes being in one room for too long simply unbearable. I'm surprised that you never noticed it back when you worked here. I was particularly fitful during those years. And I ran into you quite often during those instances. ”
“I'm afraid I was not very attentive during those years my Lord. ” Annette droned, mindful of the fact that the more she insulted herself the better his mood tended to be. It was one of the quirks about Lord Derrick that she still knew. He thrived on the inferiority of others and the assurance that they were aware of it.
The rest of their conversation seemed harmless enough. While they paced down corridor after corridor he forced her to engage in a series of mindless chatter. He spoke of everything and anything that came to mind it seemed, and though she did not understand some of the topics or was not paying attention throughout them he kept his pace going steadily. For the most part Annette was just a mute, an oversized 'ear' for him to dump all of his thoughts into, except to nod or toss in a “Yes my Lord” in between pauses she said very little. Minutes ticked by unnoticed. She could not help wondering every now and then if they had already passed through some areas more than once. Something about that vase just seemed so familiar. Or one other time it was a painting. And a third instance it was a decorative statue that had been placed in a corner to collect cobwebs and dust.
Then suddenly he came to a halt, standing in front of a door that Annette did not recognize. By then it felt as if they had been walking around for hours. Her legs were tired and her feet had begun to ache. A nearby window proclaimed that the sun was beginning to set and the birds which had been chirping happily when she first arrived had gone completely silent now. “What does that lead to?” She murmured while gazing up at the fine details that had been etched into the wooden frame. This one was far less sinister than the lion door she had been forced to brush past earlier. There were no sinister creatures in it. Only a serious of delicate looking vines and roses.
Lord Derrick smirked, clasping the handle and pushing it open. “It is a surprise. I wanted to show you it when you first arrived, but as I mentioned earlier I had been expecting you much later.” Annette felt a lump gather in the pit of her stomach as she forced herself to step inside. No point in turning back now. Whatever was lingering in that room couldn't have been any worse than the Lord that she had been forced to spend her day with. With she stepped inside she was immediately hit by a gust of warm air. Though there was no fireplace anywhere in sight it seemed like the entire room had been heated to a pleasant temperature. As she looked around she noted the sheer extravagance of the decor. The walls were coloured rich shades of purple, a 'regal' colour as most would say, and it seemed as if every item that had been placed within it had been built specifically to abide to this theme. The curtains which adorned the rooms two arch windows were an airy shade of lavender and sat motionless across the glass panes waiting for a breeze to rustle them. On the floor a series of rugs in varying shades of lilac and plum continued this colour scheme, matching perfectly with the cushion that someone had place over the seat of a vanity chair. In one vase a bunch of irises huddled together like a group of young children. It another an intense batch of lavender and orchids. It was all so overwhelming that she could do nothing at first but stand in the middle of the room in awe. Every single detail was absorbed by her wandering gaze. The lovely looking table for two nestled off in one corner. The pale coloured bookcase that appeared to hold more trinkets than literature. But then she fell upon something that made her heart feel like it had been dropped over the edge of a very tall building; a bed. It huddled to one side of the room like some terrible nightmare, striking her attention with it's deep purple blankets and solid wooden headboard.
“Why did you bring me here?” She whispered even though a part of her had already guessed the reason. Inside a voice was screaming for her to run; turn around and run while she still had the chance. But just as the moment settled into her thoughts she heard the distinct click of the door being closed behind her. “...My lord?!”
When she turned around he was right there, inches away and smiling in that sinister way of his. If it hadn't been for the fear keeping her heart racing a mile a minute she would have probably fainted at that very moment. Instinctively her eyes darted towards the door, pondering for a moment whether it was safe to risk trying to run towards it. “Do you like it in here Annette?” She heard him say as he stepped past her, pretending like he had not realized that she was frightened. The monster. He was a devil when it came to playing with the sanity and well being of others. Annette watched him as he paced casually across the floorboards, pausing at the window and gingerly nudging aside one of the billowy curtains. “The other day I was trying to decide which room would be best suited to you and immediately this one came to mind. It has a subtle grace to it don't you agree?”
“What on earth are you talking about?!” She exclaimed, ignoring how loudly her voice had become. She kept an eye on the door more persistently now, examining it while she waited for an answer. Arms pinned up to her chest, Annette could feel the frantic racing of her own heartbeat. It seemed to get faster and faster as the minutes ticked by. “My Lord please tell me; why did you bring me here? There must be a reason.”
“I brought you here because this is your room now Annette. Every young girl deserves a place that can be their own sanctuary to escape from the rest of the world. And this one was just so pretty. It's very much like you.” In spite of the obvious alarm that she expressed Lord Derrick remained completely relaxed. He fingered one of the drapes as she winced softly, repulsed by the sickly sweet way that he said the word 'pretty'. “Did I fail to mention this when I requested that you come here today Annette? My reason for inviting you was so that you could reside here.”
“You must be mad! This is impossible!” Shaking uncontrollably she stumbled towards the door, crying bitterly when she realized that it had been locked. When she looked over her shoulder she caught a glimpse of him standing there, dangling a large brass key in one hand as he chuckled at her desperate attempts to break free. “No! I'm not living here. Not if it means having to be around you. And I swear when my Aunt finds out about this you will be-”
“Your Aunt will neither protect you nor aid you if you attempt to escape. She has signed away her guardianship of you in exchange for a large sum of money.” His words rang softly through the air, sending shivers down her spine as Annette slowly turned to face him. “It seems that shortly before I began courting you she had been struggling to survive. Just like you mother. And when I came to her; a Lord wishing to court her only living relative, with an offering of vast wealth and the promise of a lifetime of comfort in exchange for you and your body, she found that she simply could not refuse. The other night when I came to see you, it was only a last minute decision...” He was stalking her now, pacing across the floor like a cat that had stumbled upon a wounded mouse. When their eyes met Annette wanted to find the nearest rock and crawl underneath it for safety. “What I was really there for was to ensure that you Aunt signed the appropriate paperwork that would entrust your care into my hands.”
“M-m-my care? But that means-”
“Yes that is exactly what it means Annette.” He replied before she even had time to finish. “Since the previous evening I have been your legal guardian. Your Aunt has entrusted me with protecting you.”
“No.” Annette whispered, her lips quivering as she pressed her back up against the door. With only a few words he had made her entire world unravel. She was trapped now. Lost in a nightmare that nobody would come to rescue her from. Not even her Aunt; the one human being on this earth that she had always felt like she could trust. So much for kinship. Or loyalty for that matter. Inside she burned with annoyance, wondering just how much money it took to break the older woman's resolve. What a fool she had been. She should have known when her Aunt had started trying to entice her to accept Lord Derricks courtship attempts that something was wrong. And now she was here, locked in a room with the one man she hated more than anyone else, and she could not stop crying. “Please.” She begged as she sunk to the floor. “Lord Derrick I beg you! I just want to go home. Please, let me go!”
“This is your home now Annette.” He responded icily, unmoved by her tears as she wept softly into her hands. With her eyes covered she could only listen as he padded over to her, stopping when the toes of his boots were an inch away from touching her. “Now, as you guardian there is one thing that I would like to do first. Something that has been on my mind all day.” He began while seizing her by the arms, forcing her up onto her feet. Annette squirmed uncontrollably, stubbornly refusing to budge until he eventually slung her over his shoulder. A loud scream erupted from her throat when she saw that they were moving in the direction of the bed. Her heart sank and the images of her naked body being brutalized suddenly invaded her mind.
“No! Please, anything but that! Anything but that!” She cried bitterly as she was flung onto the mattress like a lead weight, sinking into an ocean of fluffy pillows and blankets. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something silver gleaming in his hands; a small carving knife that had been pulled from the depths pf his pocket. The sight of it made her skin crawl, fearing what he planned on doing to her with it. Would he kill her for refusing him for so long? No before he violently raped her of course, she thought as she trashed and kicked violently on the bed. “My Lord!” She whined bitterly, tears prickling the corners of her eyes again as he leaned forward to grasp the front of her dress. There was nobody there to help her, and knowing this made it feel as if the walls were closing in.
“Calm yourself Annette.” Lord Derrick scorned her as his fingertips griped the black fabric. “If I had wanted to violate your body I would have taken you by force the very instant you stepped through the front door. Now keep still. Lest I cut that lovely flesh of yours. ” Trembling fearfully Annette clamped her eyes shut, whimpering when she felt the front of her dress being ripped open. That knife was not your ordinary blade. It was sharper than anything Annette had come across in her lifetime. It sliced through her dress like it were made from butter, destroying many yards of stiff black fabric and gradually tearing it away from her body. By time it was completely removed it had been shredded beyond recognition. When Annette peeked one eye open she caught a glimpse of the tattered remains huddled on the floor beside Lord Derricks feet.
“Don't...” She cried softly, forcing herself to sit up now that the chaos of her dress being ripped apart was over. She was still left in her undergarments though she suspected that they would soon follow. In all the frenzy he had ripped the front of her corset. It was still tightly bound to her torso but she could feel the rip when she placed her hand across her chest. The bottom of her chemise had been ripped as well, though at the moment she did not care. All she could think about was the fact that she was trapped. Nobody was coming to rescue her. And there was no stopping Lord Derrick from violating her now that her own guardian had been whisked aside. Her thighs quivered expectantly, dreading the pain that she would surely feel. Would he be rough when he did it? Or would he go slow just to prolong her suffering. After he was done would she be allowed to live? Judging by the gleam of that knife she imagined that he planned to slit her throat after he was finished. After all when her body was used what good would she be? Instinctively she clutched her neck, shaking uncontrollably as she lifted her gaze to meet him.
“My lord, please don't!-”
“I'm not going to do anything that you're thinking about right now.”
Annette's eyes widened as she watched him stick the knife inside of one pocket, pattering it gingerly just to make sure it was safe and snug. “Did you really think I would spoil something as precious as your virtue in some barbaric fit of lust? I am aware of my temper but I imagine that even a common girl like you could see that I have an impeccable level of self restraint. It is bellow my status to resort to violence against a woman. Even if she is stubborn and annoying.”
“B-b-but my dress!” She cried while hugging herself tightly. “You ruined my dress. Why would you do something like that unless you planned on violating me?”
"Correction; I destroyed it. And rightly so for it did nothing besides offend the eyes. ” He replied, kicking the shredded heap of black fabric with one foot as he stepped away from the bed. “Normally I find dark colours attractive on a lady but that loathsome garment made you seem as if you were born a hundred years ago. It was hideously out of date, and smelled like dust and mold. So I decided that I needed to wreck it. That way I can be ensured that I will never have to see you wearing such unpleasant attire ever again.” When he said this he dusted his hands together, smirking at her as if he thought it was some kind of amusing joke. “I shall have to have one of my servants escort you to buy yourself some new clothing later but for now you will find a few things in the wardrobe to your left. I believe most of the gowns that in there are roughly around your size. And as you can clearly see it has grown late into the evening now...” He paused as he looked towards the window, which had gone dark now that the sun was gone. “I'll leave you to get some rest. Have a good sleep Annette.”
“No, wait!” Annette yelped as she tumbled over the edge of the bed. “My Lord please. I don't want to be here. Please let me return home to my Aunt again. Let me go!”
He was unlocking the door by the time she got back up onto her feet. Smirking as he looked over in her direction he yanked it open, taunting her with a brief glimpse of the hallway. “You have a very poor memory Annette. Did you not hear me before? This is your home now.” In a flash he was gone, whisking away like the phantom that he was. The only thing he left behind was the dreaded thump of the door closing behind him and a distinct click that made Annette's skin crawl with fear. He had locked her into that room, sealed her away like she was some kind of artifact, something that needed to be stored and spared from the prying hands of thieves.
Something snapped in her that she couldn't quite explain. One moment she was standing there helplessly cowering with the morbid images of being viciously raped floating across her mind and the neck thing she knew she was racing over to the door screaming like a banshee. “Nooooo!” Her voice echoed throughout the room as she slammed her fists against the solid wood door, banging so loudly that she hoped it disturbed the entire manner. “LET ME OUT! PLEASE LET ME OUT!” Her pulse raced wildly as she slammed her fists again and again. They ached painfully after only a few moments but she found herself unable to stop. She just kept shrieking and wailing, pounding and rattling her bare hands across that wretched door until they were bruised and bleeding. And even then she kept going. On and on. For hours it felt like. Her lungs ached and her throat was sore. Tears streaming down her cheeks like a faucet, staining her face and stinging her already damaged lips. “Lord Derrick, Let me go!!” She cried but he never answered. When Annette had exhausted every ounce of her strength her body went limp and slid onto the floor. She wanted to keep going for a bit longer but found that her body just wouldn't move. Through half lidded eyes she gaze at the door until at last, tired and bleeding, she drifted into sleep.
