Owned by the Duke

Three

                       Sebastian lit his pipe as he relaxed in his study. His study was his safe place. He had all his favourite books in place, a massive wine cellar, large windows overseeing his entire estate and paintings hanging on the wall. His favourite item, most priced possession was a framed art work of his mother on his desk. He picked it up and stared. He admired her smile and the sense of freedom she dispelled in the picture. She could not have been more than eighteen when the work had been done. How he wished he had known her, how he wished she was the one living the life of comfort he was living. He felt like an intruder, a stranger to this life. His mother deserved it. But what had happened? She had been rejected. 

                       He traced his finger on the picture and admired her dark hair. It was beautiful. Just like the girl from two nights ago. Her hair had been dark and when he had touched it, it was silky. The way she had moaned, she had wanted more he knew. But she had stopped. Why? All London women were whores. But why had this one stopped. He felt his manhood go hard just reflecting on her. He had asked about her, but no one had seemed to know who she was. He regretted not having asked her for her name. Had she just disappeared into the thin air. A woman who made him ache this way. When was the last time he had felt this way? He could not recollect and he doubted he ever had. He hated to admit, but she he stirred something in him. He did not know what she did or how she did it, but he wanted her. 

                       Worse, he was to wed today. Wed to a woman he had never seen. Of course after he had been coronated Duke, he was going to annul the marriage. He was going to lure her into signing the annulment. Philip had not been particularly in support of it, but he did not care. It was not Philip getting married to an unknown woman.

                        The door swung open and Philip stepped in. "The dashing groom in person."

                        Sebastian rolled his eyes. "You must be enjoying this."

                        "Every bit of it."

                        "Have they all arrived?"

                        "Yes. Everyone is waiting for you. I am here to take you as the forever bachelor bestman to the handsome groom."

                        "I refuse to believe that I am to wed today." 

                        Philip laughed. "You had better believe it. Are you coming or not?"

                        Sebastian rose to his feet and went along with Philip down the stairs. In the reception hall, the few forty guests were already seated. Philip's mother and siblings were there, a few of his own acquaintances, the lawyer, a number of his father's friend and all of his staff. He heaved a sigh of relief when he did not see Veronica. As he walked to the altar, he saw that the bride had not yet arrived. He snickered at Philip. "You said everyone had arrived."

                        "Yes, but where have you seen a groom arrive after the bride."

                        Sebastian took his place at the altar and waited for the arrival of the bride. It did not take long before the music announcing the bride's arrival began to play. Sebastian watched as the doors opened and everyone rose to their feet. He watched Henry stroll down the aisle with a young lady in an overflowing white veil holding white lilies. He stared as they walked, until they reached the altar and she let go of her father's arm. Sebastian took her hand in his arm and led her to the alter. 

                        "Dearly beloved." The priest began.

                        Sebastian watched his bride and tried to decipher her face under the veil. He could not. Despite how much he did not want to wed, he really hoped she was not ugly. It would be horrible for he to marry an ugly woman. 

                         The priest went on with the sermon and it was lengthy. Sebastian never had any patience. He hated the word itself. He wanted to tell the priest to shorten the sermon, but he knew he was going to be reprimanded by not just Philip, but everyone in the hall and so he remained silent. 

                         "Do you, Sir Sebastian take Miss Abigail to be your lawfully wedded wife?". 

                         Sebastian almost stammered but retained his composure. " I do."

                         The priest turned to the bride and said "Do you, Miss Abigail take Sir Sebastian to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

                         There was a small "I do."

                         The priest carried on.  "With the power bestowed upon me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

                         Sebastian walked to his bride and slowly lifted the veil. Staring beneath his gaze was the girl from the night of the dinner. He was shocked. He just stayed there unable to move until the priest had to step in and ask if everything was alright. Sebastian snapped back to reality and bent down and pecked her cheek. There was clapping and that was it, the end of the wedding ceremony.

                         He was led with his bride to the reception centre. He didn't speak to her, neither did she. When they were seated, he excused himself, jacked Philip up and out of the reception.

                        "She is the one." Sebastian announced as soon as they were inside the tea room and out of hearing. 

                        "Who is what?" Philip asked rather confused.

                        Sebastian raked his hair. "The girl, the girl from two nights ago! The one I spoke to you about!"

                        "Yes? What about her?" Philip asked looking even more confused. 

                        Sebastian sighed "Thee bride, my new wife. The girl from two nights ago. They're the same person."

                        Philip fell very silent. Then he said "Do you think she was aware of who you were?"

                        "Of course she did! She damned well did! How could she not know?! She fooled me from the very start! She took I, Sebastian, for a fool. Who on earth does she think she is?!"

                        At that moment, the door flung open and his father's sister, Aunt carol came in. "Sebby!" She rushed and engulfed him in a hug like she had always done when she had come visiting.

                       "Child." She cupped his face in her hands. "It is so good to see you. I got news about the funeral. And only for me to arrive and discover my favourite nephew has wed today. I am most sorry."

                        "I'm sorry too for your loss." He hugged her once again. He had sincerely missed her, she was his father's sister, the only family he had. The only woman he had loved after his grandmother. "It is so good to see you aunt."

                        "I spoke to your father before he died. I knew was dying. He had wanted to see you." Her eyes were teary. 

                        When he made no response, she immediately changed the topic and lightened up.

                        "I've seen the bride. I must say, I am quite startled to see you wed your Father's best friend's daughter. Did you always have an eye for her?" Aunt carol chuckled.

                        Sebastian grunted something and Philip greeted Aunt carol. "The most beautiful and never aging woman in England." He took her hand and kissed it. 

                        "Oh my! Philip, up to no good flattering the entire London."

                        "A gentleman can not turn down beautiful women."

                        "If I was thirty years younger than I am, I would certainly be first in line." Aunt Carol laughed and turned to Sebastian. "Your honeymoon. Have you decided where exactly?"

                        Sebastian shrugged. The idea of the honeymoon was unnecessary to him, but Henry had adamantly refused when he had offered to refuse the honeymoon. "In the family estate in the country."

                       "Wonderful choice." 

                                                                                             *

                       In the carriage, Abigail and Sebastian were seated, they had waved their goodbyes, mainly her, and were on their way into the country for their honeymoon. Sebastian had not said a single word to her since the wedding. He had looked very shocked when he lifted her veil. She watched him from the corner of her eye, afraid to look at him directly. After a few minutes of silence, she couldn't take it anymore. 

                       "It is quite lovely do you not think? The weather." He did not utter a word and Abigail felt extremely foolish. Why was she talking about the weather? She went ahead. "In the winter, it is quite cold and you always have to be in doors. I have always preferred the summer to winter."

                       There was still no reply. How on earth was she going to stay quiet in a carriage for almost four hours. She finally lost it. "Will you not speak to me?!"

                       He rose his brow, leaned back and closed his eyes in pretense sleep. Abigail was furious. She started to say something, grumbled and shut her mouth in anger. Eventually, she turned to the window and counted trees. How she wished she had not left her books in the other carriage!

                   As time went on, Abigail did not know when she slept off. Neither was she aware when she was lifted up and laid to sleep or when her clothes had been taken off leaving her in her transparent chemise. She felt the movements, but was too tired to protest the disturbance. 

                                                                                                  *

                   She awoke to the rays of sunlight penetrating her face. She tried to push it away, before realizing she could not send the sunlight away. Her eyelashes fluttered and she found herself in a large bedroom. She became confused as to how she had gotten into the bedroom. She adjusted her ruffled hair and suddenly looked down at herself. She was not dressed! Had she taken her dress off herself?

                 Then there was a knock at the door and before she could answer the door flung open and an elderly woman came in. "Ah! The lady is finally awake. Good morning my Lady. Did you sleep well?"

                 Abigail massaged her temple. "Good morning ma'am. I did. Forgive me, but who are you and how did I get here?"

                 The woman walked to the windows and flung open the curtains. "I am Frau Helen. I am German and I am the head of staff in the Kent country home. You do not recollect how you got here? Such a shame. It was the most romantic sight I had ever set my eyes upon. Your husband carried you in his arms all the way to the bedroom. You were so tired you see. He requested you were not to be disturbed."

                "My husband?"

                Frau Helen looked at her mistress like she was mad. "But of course. The soon to be Duke of Kent. Sir Sebastian."

                "Oh my husband." Abigail had hoped the wedding was all a horrible dream, alas she was wrong. "My clothes? Did I take them off?"

                Frau Helen's face became red. "I...I...I believe your husband was of assistance."

               Abigail became very ashamed. "Oh, I see." She quickly changed the subject. "And where is he? My husband I mean."

               "Horse riding perhaps. It is so wonderful to have a single mistress in the house." Frau Helen gasped. She regretted her sharp mouth. "Would you like a bath?"

               "Yes, please." 

                Frau Helen rang a bell and soon two maidens came with hot water and poured it into her bath. One of the maids gave Abigail a haughty look and almost splashed the water on the floor. Frau Helen was furious.

               "Be careful!" Frau Helen snapped.

               "Do not be so hard on her." Abigail pleaded. 

               The girl was more infuriated at Abigail's pity. She tossed her blonde hair and walked out. She slammed the door hard, everyone jumped. 

                Frau Helen looked like she was going to blow. "She is going to get it today, ja!" 

                This time, Abigail did not plead on the girl's behalf. Something was obviously wrong with her. Frau Helen turned to Abigail. "Would my Lady like anything else?"

                "I am quite hungry."

                "Of course. You can ring for us once you are done with your bath. If you may excuse us." Frau Helen along with the other maid curtsied and left the room.

                 Abigail stretched her body and tied her hair in an untidy bun. She walked to the bath and opened the curtains separating the bath from the room. She walked to the tub stepped in. She moaned as she relaxed into the warm water. She washed her body off the dirt of the previous day's travel and rinsed herself. As she was about to rise, the door flung open and Sebastian walked in. She docked inside the water and tried to cover whatever part of her body she could. He did not even notice her presence. He pulled off his white shirt. Abigail's eyes went straight to his body. She watched him from his dirty blonde hair, down to the pronounced muscles on his tummy and her eyes went to the way his breeches were hanging lightly on his waist, giving away the well defined lines of his manhood. She felt her stomach make unnatural knots. They were not uncomfortable, but pleasing in a strange way. 

                   As though aware someone was staring, he turned around and spotted her. He stared for a while before turning away. He sat on the bed and took off his boots. Abigail hurriedly stepped out of the bath and wore a towel and began to dry herself in speed. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, his feet still dangling from the bed. She took peaks at him to be sure he was not looking, then she hurried to the chest of drawers and found one of her dresses already folded in place. She wore it hurry. When she was done, she greeted him.

                   "Good morning my lord.”

                   He ignored his new wife completely, but rose up and rang one of the bells. The same girls who had brought her water came in and took away her bathing water. They came back with clean water and replenished the tub. The other maid bowed and left, while the blonde one stayed behind. Abigail watched as the girl shot her dark looks and then the girl turned to Sebastian. "Master, should I give you a bath?"

                   Abigail froze. Unable to move, she saw the girl, who had not waited for an approval, walk up to Sebastian as though it was a common routine and begin to undo the buttons of his breeches. Abigail unable to withstand the humiliation, fled out of the room.