Chapter Three
Chapter Three
It had been three days since Sophie arrived back at the abbey in Abingdon, a small village in Berkshire. The crumbling structure did not seem any more welcoming now than it did when she first moved there two months ago. One of the men from the village came and patched the places in the roof that were leaking, so at least it kept her dry. She did not have the money to pay him for it, she had offered to pay him once she received the funds from her brother, but he had kindly refused. She did have a small allowance her mother had left her, and while it was enough for food if she ate sparingly, it barely covered other basic necessities.
The evenings at the abbey were cold and lonely. She had hoped that after a few nights, she would grow accustomed to the isolation and loneliness of living in the small structure with its cold stone walls and sparse furnishings, but how did one truly assimilate to such surroundings? Although the nights still bothered her, it did not take her as long to fall asleep as it once had. Occasionally, the wind would whistle through the openings between the doors or through the cracks in the windows and a cold shiver would move up her spine.
This morning, however, the sun shone brightly in the front room. She had planned on walking into the village to visit the widow Slater. If she were to make a life here, it would behoove her to make friends with the people in town. She grabbed her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. Just as she reached the door, she heard voices outside. A ripple of fear went through her as she wondered who would be at the abbey so early in the morning. When she opened the door, she had to shield her eyes from the sun and squinted to adjust to the brightness, but one voice she recognized all too well.
“Edward?”
Her brother staggered closer. “My dear beautiful sister, do you have a kiss for your brother?”
The breath was nearly knocked out of her lungs as her brother crashed into her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and swinging her around. Sophie wrinkled her nose at the strong smell of alcohol that permeated from him. “Where have you been, Edward?”
Her brother pulled back, wavering on his feet. “I have been with my friends.”
“I went to London, Edward. I searched for you everywhere.”
Her brother frowned. “I don’t need a governess, Sophie. I don’t have to keep you apprised of my comings and goings. You are my sister, not my guardian.” His deep frown slowly curved into a grin as he turned back to his friends. “I told you she was a beauty.” He jerked her arm and hauled her forward and for the first time, Sophie saw the other two men that were standing behind her brother.
She immediately dipped into a small curtsy before turning to look at her wayward sibling. “Why are you here, Edward?”
Her brother pulled her aside, away from his friends. “Does a brother need to have a reason for visiting his sister?” He clucked her under her chin. “Now, we have traveled far, and we are hungry and thirsty. Go prepare something for us to eat and bring us whatever drink we have.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes, clearly irritated at her brother who obviously didn’t need anything else to drink. “We have water from the well, and as food, I have some cheese and bread in the kitchen.”
She winced when he squeezed her arm painfully, hard enough to leave a bruise. He leaned closer to her ear and whispered harshly. “If you embarrass me in front of my friends, I will make you regret it, Sophie. Go into the village if you must and get something decent to serve our guests. And when you get back, put on your loveliest gown, one that showcases your exquisite figure.”
Sophie sucked in a shocked breath, appalled at her brother’s suggestion but refused to comment on it. “How am I to pay for the food you want me to acquire, Edward?”
“Put it on credit, I’m a Viscount for God’s sake. I’m good for it. It is how members of our station do things, Sophie.” He looked back and gave his friends another smile before turning back and squeezing her arm again. “I have some business with these men, business that will be profitable for both of us, Sophie. Do not do anything to jeopardize it.”
For a moment Sophie had hope, hope that her brother may have found a way to repay his debts, but from the looks of the men traveling with him, they didn’t seem as if they were there for a business meeting.
“Now go fetch us some drink and be on your way. Do not keep us waiting, Sophie.”
There was a pitcher of water in the kitchen, and she would have to try and purchase a bottle of something stronger when she went to town. Sophie had an uneasy feeling about the reason her brother had decided to pay her a visit to the abbey, but she would think of that later. Surely his friends would seek more pleasurable accommodations at the inn in town and once she and Edward were alone, she would speak to him about their situation and the company he was choosing to keep.
Later that evening, Sophie’s uneasy feeling grew stronger as she watched her brother and his friends as they sat around the table. They were loud and boisterous, and she had on more than one occasion felt an uneasiness at the way they watched her as she moved about the room serving them the meager meal, she had hastily prepared. Thankfully, she had managed to talk the butcher in town into giving her some pork on credit and Mrs. Thatcher had already said she could have some vegetables from her garden. What little money she had tucked away, she used to purchase a bottle of wine. It wasn’t of the best quality, but if her brother and his friends wanted something better, they would have to find the money to buy it themselves.
She had hoped that her brother’s guests wouldn’t eat everything she had so there would be some left over for the rest of the week, but at the rate they were consuming everything she put before them, there would be nothing left for her after they departed and returned to whatever tavern they crawled away from. She would be fortunate if they didn’t eat every crumb in the house. She left the room to go hide a loaf of bread so she would not go hungry in the upcoming days when she heard her brother call for her from the dining room.
She felt her chest tighten and her hands shook a little as she slowly moved toward the room where her brother and his friends were drinking after their meal.
“Sophie!”
He bellowed for her again just as she came through the door, and she moved to stand off to the side away from them.
“Come here, Sophie, and stop looking like a frightened animal.”
Sophie raised her chin a notch higher. She would not allow them to see the fear she was feeling internally. “I have things to do, Edward. What do you want?”
She clenched her teeth when one of the men whistled low at her comment.
Her brother held out his hand and she moved toward him. “I have been telling my friends all about my beautiful sister. Let down your hair, Sophie. Show them how truly lovely you are.”
Sophie’s lips narrowly parted in disbelief at her brother’s demand. “I will not! You’re drunk, Edward. I’m going to my room.”
She turned to leave the room, hoping to escape the gentlemen without further incident, but her brother reached out and grabbed her wrist, effectively stopping her retreat. “You aren’t being very friendly, dear sister. Have a seat and get to know my friends. After all, they did come all this way to get a look at you.”
Sophie didn’t have another chance to refuse. Her brother stood from his chair and moved behind her, roughly pushing her down into a seat.
“You are very lovely, Miss Pettigrew. Your brother’s descriptions do not do you justice. It is a crime that a woman with your looks should be forced to rusticate here in Berkshire. You should be in London, on the arm of a man that appreciates your beauty. One that knows how to care for a lady.”
Sophie lowered her eyes but didn’t respond.
“She is a bit shy, but I’m sure she has a fire burning inside her, a fire no one has been able to spark yet.”
Sophie tried to stand, but her brother shoved her back down again. “My friends aren’t ready for you to leave us just yet, Sophie. We wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”
Sophie looked at her brother. “They are your friends, Edward, not mine.”
One of the men leaned closer to her. “We would like to be your friend too, Sophie, more than your friend, in fact.”
At his words, Sophie shivered in revulsion. All three men were well into their cups, and she was feeling uneasy with the way they were leering at her.
Her brother moved from behind her seat to refill his glass and she took that moment to jump to her feet and move quickly to the door, praying they wouldn’t follow her. She could hear their laughter as she raced down the hall to the small room where she slept. There wasn’t a lock on the door, but she did manage to push the wardrobe over to block the entrance into her bedroom.
After exerting all her energy moving the heavy furniture, she sank onto the small bed and covered her face with her hands. Her brother had always been selfish and cruel. When she was a little girl, he tormented her constantly. He had put salamanders in her bed, or placed bugs in her food, and he was always pushing, shoving, or pinching her. The bruises she received from him as a child were nothing like the heartache and trouble, he was causing her now.
She could still hear their loud laughter coming through the closed door. When she had first realized Edward was at the Abbey, she had felt a moment of relief, a moment where she wasn’t alone in the world. Her mother had died when she was sixteen and her father just last year. When Edward assumed the title, he immediately disappeared to run amuck in London leaving her alone at their estate in Hertfordshire.
It did not take long for things to go from bad to worse. After being in London for about a month, Edward began gaming. He had made friends with a fast set and in order to keep up with them and their wild promiscuous habits, he had to spend money. Then he discovered The Devil’s Lair, the infamous gaming hell that finally was his complete downfall.
She had gone to London to find her brother, to see if she could put a stop to his reckless behavior. Perhaps he didn’t realize how bad things were or that she was having to live in such meager conditions. After having no success finding Edward, she decided to go to the source of his demise. When she had finally developed the courage to visit the Lair and confront the owner, she had already created an image in her mind of what the man would look like, but Mr. Kingston was nothing like she imagined and when he told her that he had tried to stop her brother from gaming, she believed him. She had no doubt about Edward’s refusal.
The voices from the dining room were getting softer. Hopefully, they would drink enough to sleep, and she would be safe. She pulled the quilt up over her and sat up in the bed staring at the barricaded door. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but sleep would not come tonight, at least not as long as her brother and his rakish friends were at the abbey.
The first rays of sunlight beamed through the small window in her room. She had been awake most of the night. It had been very early in the morning when she heard horses leaving. She assumed her brother’s friends had decided to go into the village for more suitable accommodations at the inn there. She did not know if Edward had gone with them, but a part of her hoped he had. The wardrobe seemed even heavier this morning as she pushed it away from the door so she could leave her small bedroom. The door creaked as she opened it to peek out into the dark hallway, the abbey was once again quiet and peaceful. She walked into the kitchen and opened the cupboards. There was the loaf of bread she had put away last night, but not much else. Her stomach grumbled as she cut a piece of the crusty bread. She took a bite and closed her eyes thinking how wonderful it would be to have some marmalade or even some fresh butter. She finished the bread quickly and then thought she had better go outside and get some water to clean up the mess her brother and his friends had left for her.
When she opened the front door, she almost tripped over a rather large basket waiting outside. She moved the cloth that was covering the contents. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw a half dozen eggs, a pound of butter, four sweet pastries, and some apples. She picked up the basket and looked around wondering who could have been by so early and left this for her. The people in the village had been very kind and sympathetic toward her since she moved into the abbey. She had not spoken to anyone of her circumstances, but a person would have to be a fool not to guess things were not good. Regardless of who sent her the basket, it was a welcome sight. She went back into the kitchen and put everything away and out of sight in case her brother and his friends returned.
Moving into the dining room, she sighed heavily as she looked around at the mess left behind. She moved to the table and began gathering the glasses and dishes to take into the kitchen when she was startled by her brother’s voice.
“Bloody hell, Sophie! Do you have to make so much damn noise?”
Sophie’s lips turned into an exasperated frown. “I have to clean up your mess from last night. I thought you had left with your friends.”
Her brother looked terrible. There were dark circles under his eyes, and they seemed to be sunken back farther in his head. His hair was mussed up and his coloring seemed a bit yellow.
“Are you feeling well, Edward?”
Her brother rolled his eyes. “Don’t start with me, Sophie. I’m already upset with you.”
“With me? What have you to be upset with me about? I’m not the one gambling away everything.” She stumbled backward quickly when he lunged forward grabbing her arms tightly. Her brother had always had a mean streak, but she had never feared him as she did now.
“Stupid bitch! You have no idea what it’s like.” He shoved her away and staggered toward the table. “Is there nothing else to drink in this blasted place?”
Sophie rubbed her arms where his fingers had dug into her flesh. “No, I had a hard enough time procuring the bottle you and your friends drank last night.”
She watched as he dropped his head into his hands.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep up, Sophie. I have lost a few of my friends because I no longer have the money to do as I would like. I must stand aside and watch as the other men of my station carry on living the life I should have and will have again.” He turned to look at her. “I’m sorry if I have been harsh with you, Sophie, but there is a way that you can help us both.”
Sophie wanted to feel sympathy for her brother, and maybe she could pull a small measure of pity from deep inside her, but his past actions did not lead her to believe that he had changed so she was wary of his true intentions.
“Please, Sophie, sit with me.”
Sophie put down the stack of plates in her hands and moved to sit beside her brother. “Edward, if you would just stay away from London. I know you enjoy the camaraderie of the friends you keep, but gambling is not your strong suit.” His lips thinned into a severe line as he tried to maintain his composure. He held up his hand to silence her, and she decided it was no use talking to him about his vices. It would only make him angrier.
“There is a way that will provide for both of us. It will see you in the luxury you deserve to be surrounded by, not this crumbling old building. You will be draped in luxurious silks, jewels, and furs. You will have your own carriage and a townhouse in London. You can have everything you deserve, Sophie. Your own money to use as you please and we will have no more worries.”
Sophie couldn’t stop the soft if not scornful laugh that escaped her. “You can’t be serious, Edward. You sound as if you have a prince waiting in London to marry me.” She shook her head as another giggle escaped her.
“I’m serious, but it is not of marriage that I speak.”
Sophie wrapped an arm over her stomach as a wave of disgust moved through her. “What are you saying, Edward?”
Her brother reached for her free hand, but she pulled it away quickly.
“You are beautiful, Sophie. Men have been glancing in your direction since you were fifteen and now that you have matured, your figure is curved in all the places men like to see and touch.”
Sophie had an intense desire to wrap something around herself, to hide.
Her brother sat back in his chair. “The ladies of the demi-monde are wealthy. The gentlemen that keep them provide nicely for them and they are free, dear sister. You will be able to make your own decisions, and in time, will even be able to choose the men you take to your bed.”
Sophie could feel the color draining from her face and while her brain was screaming at her to say something, the words would not come from her lips.
Her brother smiled as if she was accepting of such an arrangement. “There are men that will pay an astonishing amount of blunt for being the first to have you. Of course, we will be very selective. We could even hold sort of an auction to drive the price higher.”
Sophie felt as if she would be sick, and she had to speak now before he continued with his evil scheme. “Stop! You want to sell my virginity, turn me into a whore?”
Her brother’s smile faded as anger set into his eyes. “Being a courtesan is a decent arrangement for you. What other possibilities do you have? I don’t see a line of suitors outside vying for your hand in marriage.” His eyebrows drew together tightly. “You are still a virgin?”
Sophie stumbled backward until her back was against the wall. “I’m your sister! You would truly do this to me?”
Her brother didn’t seem to be listening. “Once my friends return to London, they will spread the word of your beauty. There will be men willing to pay handsomely.” His brows drew together as he contemplated the idea. “Of course, with the amount of money they are expected to spend, they will more than likely want proof of your virginity. When I return, I will bring a physician with me to confirm it. Or I could fetch the doctor from the village to examine you.”
Sophie felt her knees getting weaker, but she had to let her brother know there was no way she would go along with this plan. “There will be no need for you to return, Edward. I will never consent to such a plan.”
Her brother turned to face her. “You would rather stay here? Eating stale bread, freezing in the winter, looking for charity among the villagers?”
Sophie raised her chin. “Yes, I prefer all of that to what you are suggesting. I will never do it.”
Her brother moved fast, pressing her into the wall as his hand wrapped around her throat. “You will do as I say, sister! I will not suffer your refusal.” He squeezed her throat tighter, and she clawed at his hands as she struggled to draw breath into her lungs. “I’m leaving today and returning to London, but I will be back and when I do you will be ready and there will be no more arguments or refusal. Once the doctor has examined you, we will leave for London and you will smile and laugh while I introduce you to the men interested in having you, and when it is time, you will willingly spread your legs or there will be consequences you don’t want to imagine! I will have what you owe me, Sophie.”
Sophie felt a tear sliding down her cheek as he loosened his hold enough for her to breathe. She turned her head as he leaned in closer. “Goodbye, dear sister. I will return within the month, and you had better be here when I do.”
Sophie fell to the floor when he released her. Her hands immediately went to her bruised throat. When she heard her brother’s horse ride away, she pulled herself to her feet and moved to the kitchen where she poured herself a cup of water. Her hands were shaking almost uncontrollably as she raised the glass to her lips, letting the cool liquid slide down her bruised and injured throat.
What was she to do? She knew her brother would not hesitate to carry out his threats if she refused, but how could she submit to something so perverse? She had to think of something even if she had to leave England. Her mother’s sister lived in France, if she could get passage there, maybe she would take her in and save her from what her brother had planned. But that would take time and she had to think of something quick because her brother had only given her a month and if he thinks he can get the money for selling her body sooner, he quite possibly could return at any time. No matter the threats, she would never submit, even at the cost of her life.