Naked countess, p.1
Naked Countess, page 1
The Naked Countess
Historical Romance
By Rachel E. Rice
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Published by Rachel E. Rice
on Smashwords
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©2013 Rachel E. Rice
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Cover ©2013 by Jimmy Thomas
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Smashwords edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission, except for brief quotations to books and critical reviews. This story is a work of fiction. Characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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The Naked Countess
By Rachel E. Rice
Chapter 1
Arrogance settled into Edward’s thoughts. The arrogance of food, land, and money as others struggled, starved, and died. He continued with his nightly pleasurable routine with Beth as Elizabeth escaped his castle with Colum. If he had known of Colum’s intentions, he would have sent Elizabeth to London with his mother. Yet he mistakenly bathed in his beliefs that he had an insight into Colum’s mind. Colum steeped in tradition and wary of criticism by the upper class would never consider the lowborn Elizabeth as his bride and his lady.
Edward’s arrogance muffled Elizabeth’s steps as she crept out of her room and down the stairs to meet Colum. His arrogance couched him in Beth’s arms on the night he should have been sleeping with and comforting Lady Elizabeth.
Edward consumed with desire and the need for sexual experiences, learned during his stay in France, there exist an alternative to the traditional ways of pleasing a woman as well as himself. The path he chose although dark proved satisfying. What choice did he have? He thought.
Some whispered about the cruelty of the last Earl in Ireland, not of the passionate handsome man with a heart. He had youth and he had needs. His needs overwhelmed him and he found himself in his dungeon of hell. Beth understood. When he tried to explain to Elizabeth that he had been wounded in the war, she was inconsolable and he thought her tears were of pity.
With Beth, it was different because she was his first love. It was Beth who helped him explore the only thing available that would give him sexual release as a young man who had no manhood.
* * *
Edward bent his strong, powerful, weak body forward, sprawled on all fours, and naked on a wool and silk red Venetian rug with Beth standing clad in a black leather corset brought from his stay in Paris. She leaned over Edward with a whip and a cat-o-nine tail lashing his pale buttocks with a wicked recessed smile, trailing the leather strap up his upper torso teasing his flesh until chills peeped through his skin. Then back again. Suddenly she gave him a violent “whack.” He trembled with sadistic pleasure.
With Beth completing this first round of abuse, Edward stood and walked to a wooden X with leather cuffs attached at the top and bottom. She fastened his wrist, first the left, she pranced around to his right wrist and tied it as he hung facing the wall. She stooped down to secure his ankles in place. Turning his head to get a quick glance, Edward swallowed hard from pleasure and excitement.
Beth knew the ritual. She moved to a large chimney to heat the cat-o-nine tail with coals until it was red hot. Suddenly she hit him with all her power. Her wrist shook, her hands trembled, her smile quickened. She peeped at Edward. His face smooth, his eyes now full of life. His back and buttocks bruised and burnt. A low moan came from deep in his chest. “Oh, oh, oh.” His eyes closed, his mouth wide, his tongue circling his dry lips.
He lived for this moment. Now he was a man again.
Entrenched in his sexual desires, Edward did not witness Elizabeth steal from Castlehaven with Colum, the Earl of Tyrone. He entered Beth’s body and heard his own greedy wanton thoughts as Elizabeth carefully crept to her room to retrieve her cloth knapsack containing her only possessions, placing her wedding ring near the jewelry Edward had given her.
Drinking to numb the pain of his physical and mental wounds, he did not see her rush to Colum and kiss him under a towering oak tree looming near his dungeon of pain and pleasure.
Beth untied the leather cuffs on his feet, one at a time, as he hung from his wrists. She slowly unbinds his right wrist and then his left. Edward fell to the cold stone floor and lay there for a few minutes as Beth prepared for the next round. She removed a leather cloth covering her breasts, and stood before him naked with all her hair removed from her body at Edward’s insistence. He took in her ample figure, her breasts large hanging like two full ripe melons, her thighs full, and her figure round taking the shape of a woman who had eaten too many meat pies.
Now when Edward gazed on her he found her wanting in many ways, she no longer had a youthful figure. His need became greater to bring him to a satisfied orgasm, so he experimented with light whippings on Beth’s buttocks. Now he had to inflict punishment to achieve the type of pleasure he desired. He requested a leather instrument from his blacksmith, to be used to enhance his excitement. Gathering the greatest pleasures and arousal, Edward’s breathing quickened when Beth bent down on all fours on the bed, as he prepared to insert an instrument into her.
Love made Beth agree to the most obscene acts. However, Edward had gone beyond what she could endure. Yet she would continue to participate because she could not deny him her body for fear he would replace her with someone who was more agreeable to his needs. She wanted Edward to have another outlet for his desires and the thought of bringing Elizabeth into their world was more her idea than Edward’s. Beth accepted his life especially since she was the dominant in their relationship. Nevertheless, through his experimenting, he began to derive pleasure from inflicting pain on her.
Edward passed his hand under her clit and his index finger found her opening. He inserted his long finger in and guided a device into her. She flinched and took all of it as she laid face down sucking her thumb. He commanded her to raise her body. She did as he requested. He stood behind her pushing and pulling it in and out as if connected to his body. Experimenting to one day find a way to please Elizabeth, he thought. She was after all his wife and the Countess of Castlehaven.
With the other hand, he took a riding crop whipping Beth until her buttocks glowed red and blue. She screamed.
“More,” I need more,” Edward insisted oblivious to her pain. He raised the whip when a frantic Beth turned her head. Her eyes full with panic and said, “Please Edward, no more.” A loud knock thundered from the door.
“My lord, my lord,” a servant screamed.
“What is it?” An impatient Edward gestured for Beth to remain in the same position. He opened the door where only a partial face shown through the crack. “I told you never to disturb me when I am disposed,” he said breathless and with sweat falling down his brow landing on his muscular chest.
“But my lord…”
Edward shouted and waved his hand, “Leave me.” He turned his head away from the servant and looked down on Beth’s buttocks, which were raw and bruised from the riding crop. At the point of achieving his ultimate orgasm, now he has to deal with this, he thought.
“She’s gone,” the old servant said peering into Edward’s eyes. Edward’s eyes narrowed. “Who? Don’t keep me waiting my man, who?” Edward said puzzled.
“The countess my lord, Lady Elizabeth.”
Pushing aside Beth, he slammed the door and rushed to find his robe. His eyes glaring and his voice weakening, he said, “Beth get your clothes on.” Edward’s face turned from calm pleasure to hard. Beth rushed to hand him his red velvet robe. He eased into it still bleeding from the lashes inflicted over his body with tiny specks of blood on his lips. He wiped his sleeve over his mouth.
Edward knew with love, marriage, and sex, bonds will be broken, but he did not know that it would happen so soon. That is why he relaxed in his dungeon satisfying his sado-masochistic desires with the only woman that he found would indulge him in all his fantasies and that truly loved him even with his deficiencies.
Before Edward left for war, he was a young man of eighteen, rich, handsome, and the most sought after Earl in all of Ireland and England. When he discovered how handsome a man he had become, he began to pursue young girls and young women. Beth, a girl of fifteen, began her employment as a milkmaid at Castlehaven.
Looking out of his castle window a bright cold spring morning Edward spied her carrying a milk pail. Her bodice white and hanging low on her ample young breasts brought him to premature sexual release. Immediately attracted to her small body and pretty, plump, dimpled, rosy cheeks, he dashed down the stairs and across the courtyard, following her into the stables and trapping her in one of the stalls. She tried to run but he stood in front of her with his manhood hard and bulging. Closer he got. Closer, until there was no room between her and his hard body. Her expression—her wide blue eyes, only excited him where he became more determined to have her.
He wrestled her on the fresh hay, holding her hands above her head with one hand, and raising her skirt with the other. He pulled her bodice down with his teeth and fondled her breasts with his mouth. Then running his hand down t
A surprised Beth said, “Why me my lord?”
He stopped and said, “I think I am in love with you.”
She squirmed around trying to push him away but he was too strong. He eased his head down her peasant blouse and kissed her neck; she bit his neck and drew blood. He smiled. She no longer moved about. Her blue eyes caught his gaze. He stared at her and she felt the seduction of his eyes, his hands, his kisses. There was complete silence when he placed his lips on her small sensual mouth and kissed her passionately. His tongue, coursing through her mouth. His lips captured her tongue and sucked it hard. Never did she know that lovemaking could be so enjoyable.
After a moment, she kissed him back with a hunger he had never experienced. Beth would be his first as it was Elizabeth’s first sexual encounter with Colum. Edward remembered how he received the greatest pleasure from Beth, and he would go on to have many more women before he left for his service in the Queen’s army. But Beth proved to be different. He could explore his sexuality with her. She was his first love, he was her first love, and they were bound by their sexual desires.
Edward opened the large wooden door and shouted, “How could you allow the Countess to leave? I will deal with you later. How long has she been gone?”
“My lord when the maid entered her room to bring her breakfast, she was not there. She took only her cloth bag.”
“Hours passed and now you tell me about the countess. Did it occur to you that I would want to know that my pregnant bride was missing?”
“But my lord…”
Edward, holding his gloves, slapped his servant. Lowering his head he said, “I didn’t mean to do this.” The old man servant stepped back and bowed. “Get my guards ready and my steed; I have no time to waste. Someone kidnapped my wife.”
“But my lord, the maid assured me that she ran away alone.” Edward’s brow furrowed and he stepped forward and whispered, “I said she was kidnapped.”
Beth watched Edward pace, back and forth, slapping his gloves on his riding pants nervously. She had never known Edward to be so upset over any woman except her. She remembered the young virile man she first laid eyes on in the stables—handsome and whole standing six feet to her short statue. On his face a short golden beard. His moustache above his curled lips. His mouth full of white teeth that was so bright they would render any woman motionless. She knew that he could have had any young woman or girl and she felt lucky that he chose her as a sexual partner.
She fell in love with him immediately after he had taken her maidenhead. He was so kind and giving. He refused her nothing. Her large family cared for as if they were royalty. She knew he would never marry her, but she understood, and would be happy to be his concubine for however long he desired. It did not matter that he had married Elizabeth because she knew that Edward would always need her especially since he had been unable to have normal intercourse and father children.
She bowed out of respect, “My lord why are you so angry.”
“Elizabeth took my son with her.”
“The child she is carrying is not your child.” Edward’s eyes glared in Beth’s direction.
“Don’t speak to me in that manner. Do you understand? She is my wife and I will have her back at any cost.”
Beth bowed and rushed into the kitchen so as not to be the target of Edwards’s wrath.
The four guards prepared for the journey, sitting tall on their horses, when Edward showed in the doorway. The groomsman readied his black stallion for a long ride. He knew that Colum would take a ship to get out of Ireland. Among his guards rode the sheriff of the province Edward paid to handle matters he deemed beneath him. The sheriff would collect taxes for Edward’s land, confiscate crops, and livestock if he needed extra food for celebrations grown by servants.
His duties also included canvassing the local brothels for woman who would take pleasure in being submissive and the ones who would want to inflict pain on noblemen. No shortage of women would object to punishing an Earl.
The groomsman held the steed in place as Edward climbed on the black stallion. He took the reigns in his hands and put his boots to the steed, it took off in a gallop with Edward’s guards following behind him. Knowing Elizabeth’s destination and who with, he stated, “We are going to the docks. With this fog, I dare say that not a skiff or vessel sailed last night or today. The sun will be high in the sky when that fog clears.” And they rode east, in the direction of the docks.
* * *
Elizabeth opened her eyes as the sun rose on the horizon. Looking over at Colum, she wiped her eyes. He had a strange look on his face--his eyes fixed and staring in the direction of the vessel. “Colum, I thought you were a dream but you are here with me.” She glanced around, “Why are we still sitting here, I can almost touch the vessel that will take us away from here. Why haven’t we boarded it yet?” She tucked her hand under his arm.
“Elizabeth, do not fret my love. We will leave soon. The fog is heavy now. As soon as it’s lifted, someone will come from the vessel and we’ll leave in the skiff.” He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her on the forehead.
“But Colum, Edward will notice that I have gone and come after us.” Elizabeth stated with a shaky voice. Colum felt her hand tremble and pulled her close.
“I will take care of you. I will not allow anything to happen to you and my baby.” He passed his hand across her stomach. “There is nothing I want more and love more than you. Not even my life.” Colum turned away and his heart beat fast. Elizabeth laid her head on his shoulder and she felt the quick beat. It felt like it would explode in his chest. She had never known his nervousness. He had been so calm and sure of everything. Now his face showed something different.
No matter how Colum tried to reassure her, she knew Edward would never let her leave, and if they managed, he would hunt them wherever they went. He had all the resources and they only had love and devotion to each other. Although Colum had his title, it meant nothing without money.
“I think the baby is hungry. It is not me Colum, it’s the baby.” Colum gazed at Elizabeth and she gave a faint smile. She had been hungry, but in her eagerness to run to him, she had forgotten to eat. Tears welled in Colum’s eyes but he would not let them drop. He had to be strong for Elizabeth and his baby. Determined to protect her at any cost, he now had second thoughts about taking Elizabeth from her home, and bringing her to a life of uncertainty and maybe poverty.
“I’m going to get you something to eat. There is a tavern across the road. I can probably secure some bread, cheese, and milk. He patted her stomach and kissed her on the lips. They lingered long with their kiss. He stepped out of the carriage and headed for a long walk down the pebbled road to the pub.
As he trudged on, he spied at a distance a dust cloud made by several horses with men sitting atop driving quickly in his direction.
Chapter 2
Trudging down the muddy rock covered road, Colum dressed in his long black cloak did not remember when he had been happier. All the money in the world would be of no use if he did not have Elizabeth in his life. Remembering his mother expressing her feelings, comforting him by explaining that he would meet the girl he would want to marry. She said how much she had loved his father who was lowborn. He realized that it was the lost of his father, which caused her sadness. It was the lost of her true love, which caused her to die of a broken heart.
She begged him to follow his heart. She understood his unhappiness because of the traditions he was born into. It was difficult being the son of the Earl of Tyrone. His mother was of noble birth, and that he had to do as his father, marry a woman of his mother’s distinction. However, he could never find one among the fine ladies in Ireland and England. He searched all of England, and then one cool spring day he met the love of his life. He had been engaged to marry when he rode his black steed up the road where he saw a beautiful young girl.
His heart danced in his chest and from that day, he knew she would be his. No matter if he would marry, no matter if she had married, there would be no way he would ever let her go. He sent her gifts, his mother’s jewelry, but Elizabeth’s mother did not know their value and would hand it over to her.
