Betrothed

Chapter 7: Nikki

I leave Allie and Maddie in my bedroom and hurry down the hall to the kitchen so that it appears as if I have actually been doing something. I make myself look busy but really my mind keeps wandering back to Lord Quentin and how I am supposed to meet him at 13:00 tomorrow. I see a guard round the corner. He walks over to me.

"Nicole, " He says. "Lord Wembley would like to see you in his bedroom." That being said he turns around and walks away. I stand there stunned. My thoughts about Quentin dissipate and are replaced by thoughts of Lord Wembley. Why would he want to see me in his bedroom? Hardly anyone is ever allowed in there, except to clean it. I go back to my own bedroom.

"I have to go. Allie your father has summoned me up to his bedroom. Feel free to stay down here and hide for as long as you need just ne careful when you leave okay?" I tell them.

"Thank you," Says Allie. "And Nikki, be careful, my father rarely lets anyone into his bedroom and we already know that he is not in a good mood. This might not end well."

"Do not worry I will be careful." I assure her. "Maddie it was nice to see you again, I hope to see you soon." I hug them both and then leave to go and meet Lord Wembley.

***

I am nervous as I knock on Lord Wembley's bedroom door, still at a loss as to what he could want.

"Come in!" I hear him say. I enter the room, close the door and curtsy. As I look up I see Lord Wembley seated on the edge of his bed. He indicated that I should walk over to him, so I do. He stands up as I approach. Once I am right in front of him he looks down at me.

"Nicole." He says, "How old are you?" I am confused at the question but answer anyway.

"I am fifteen years old My Lord." I tell him. He nods,

"I thought so. That is old enough for me." He says as he grabs my wrist and yanks me closer so that I am flush against his body.

"Excuse me My Lord, but what do you mean?" I ask him, even though I think I know what he means. It is just hard to believe. I try to pull away but his grip only tightens, holding me against him.

"I mean that you are finally old enough to sleep with me Nicole. I have been dreaming of this since the day that I hired you." He whispers in my ear and my blood runs cold. I somehow manage to slip out of his grasp and back away, shaking my head no. So that is why he told me to meet him in his bedroom as opposed to somewhere else.

"I am sorry My Lord but I am not ready. I really do not want to ..." I tell him with a shaky voice. He stops me by grabbing my wrist again.

"What makes you think that you have a say in the matter?" I shiver, he is very bent on this; I have to try and talk him out of it somehow. I have to make him see reason. Before I even get the chance to speak he drags me over and pins me against the wall.

"But My Lord! You have a daughter that is the same age as me! It would not be right." I exclaim in hopes that He will change his mind at the mention of Allie and let me go.

"Alyssa will be married soon and out of my hair. Besides she is part of the reason we are in this situation. If she had not made me so angry earlier than I would not be having to take my anger out on you." He replies. "Now with that said Nicole. I am not a sentimental man; I will not hesitate to throw you out onto the street if you do not do what I ask. And we would not want that now would we..." He trails off as he starts to kiss down my neck; it looks as if I cannot escape. If I did manage to somehow then I would surely be fired, and that would leave me without a job or a place to live. I cannot believe that this piece of slim is Allie's father.

"He releases me from the wall and pushes me down onto the bed. I try to fight him, but quickly stop. I cannot risk losing my job; I just have to hope that someone will interrupt us before things get out of hand. He stops kissing down my neck and pulls back to look at my face once he realizes that I have stopped fighting.

"Good girl Nicole." He coos. "See, it is not bad. However, you must please me or you will have the worst tasks in this castle for a week. Do you understand?" He tells me.

"Yes My Lord." I say in a really weak voice. I avert my eyes away from his face, focusing instead on an ant crawling across the floor. I hope that Lord Wembley does not see it or else he will probably beat me as well tonight for not having his bedroom clean. His hands start to wander down to my chest and I fight the urge to scream. I still cannot believe that this is happening. I know that he hits his servants and even his own daughter, but I never thought that he could sink this low. This is going to be a long and dreadful night; I think as silent tears stream freely down my face.

***

I walk back to my bedroom shakily. I still cannot believe what just happened, no matter how many times I run it through my head. Lord Maxwell Wembley is a cruel, cruel man. He stole my childhood and my purity. Quentin, I remember, what will he think? He will probably lose interest. I am spoiled, dirty, used. I will never be anything more than Lord Wembley's unofficial concubine. Why would anyone want to court me? Much less Lord Quentin Queshire. These are the thoughts that run through my head as I walk into my bedroom. Lord Wembley had said that I had pleased him well enough but I feel awful inside. I walk into my bedroom and I am surprised to find Allie asleep on my bed, Maddie was gone though. I walk over and gently try to wake her,

"Allie... Allie wake up... Allie it is Nikki." Finally, she wakes up and looks around groggily.

"Nikki?" She says and then I see remembrance enter her eyes. "What happened in my father's bedroom? Is everything alright?" I look at her and now it is my turn to hold back tears, ironically (in a cruel way) caused by the same man.

"Allie, your father is the scum of the earth."