When Serena had not returned home before dusk like she always did, Scarlet was furious and Norman worried more than ever.
"What if the horse has thrown her? What if brigands befell her? What if-"
"What if! What if! There are a million possibilities Norman!" Scarlet spat the words coldly. Norman seemed stunned at his wife's tone but quickly forgot it.
"I must go and search for her!" he said and spun to leave the toasty warm Library. Scarlet caught up to him and pulled his sleeve halting him.
"The storm ever rages, Norman. You will not be able to see in the heavy blizzard. Surely she's smart enough to take refuge someplace." Scarlet tried to encourage him. She was torn between hoping that the wench was frozen stiff in the snow and hoping that she returned safely home.
Norman sighed and made his way to the cushioned settees. There in the midst of his wife, he uncorked a bottle of ale and raised it to his quivering lips. Scarlet smiled, secretly hoping that tonight she could bestow her plan to her husband.
"Celebrating so soon?" she asked coyly as she tiptoed to her husband's side, the silk skirts of her gown made soft swishing noises as she walked. Norman looked up at his wife and smirked.
"What do you mean? Are you happy that my daughter is out there lost somewhere in this bloody blizzard?" Scarlet sat down beside Norman and patted his knee. She let out a little laugh.
"Of course not. I am merely attempting to have faith as should you. She will return." The tension that had etched lines on Norman's face eased and he relaxed into the plush cushions, gulping down more ale.
"Have some, will you?" he held out the half empty bottle. Scarlet raised her hand in refusal.
"Filthy peasant drink. I much prefer a nice brandy or aged wine." she said softly with a hint of arrogance.
"Of course you would." he muttered and shrugged returning to his ale.
Scarlet waited patiently till her husband had downed two bottles of ale. When he turned to talk to her she noticed that his eyes were blood shot and his speech was slurred.
Perfect! she thought to herself and leaned closer to her husband. She immediately found her charm and set forth to seduce him.
"Norman...." she said in a soft airy voice and placed her hand on his leg close to his inner thigh. "...my dear handsome husband." She leaned even closer till her bosom was pressed against his chest. She caressed his face with the palm of her hand.
"Scarlet...." his voice was low and husky. She could smell the stagnant ale on his breath. He rubbed his coarse hand along her back, lust slowly crept inside him.
Scarlet played her charm, teasing him and tantalizing his dulled senses. When the time was right and Norman felt as though he would burst, she lay her plan open before him.
"I have a plan for Serena." she said slowly. Norman gazed at his wife longingly.
"Yes my wife?" Serena continued to caress his chest and arms.
"Serena has no desire to marry. She has made this clear. Don't force her to marry, Norman." she said with pouty lips. "She is after all only seventeen."
"But all young maidens must marry. She cannot provide for herself. She needs a man." Norman said then raised his hand to fondle his wife's soft breasts. Scarlet slapped his hand away then recovered herself when she noticed Norman's saddened look.
"Not yet, my precious." she smiled seductively. "Serena does need a man and a man she shall have. My plan will surely ransom quite a fortune for our daughter." she put great emphasis on 'our daughter' and found it pleased her husband.
"Then what is this plan of yours, beautiful Scarlet?" he said huskily encasing Scarlet in his arms.
"Sell her virginity." the words were quick and precise. Norman released Scarlet abruptly.
"What?" Scarlet knew his first reaction would be coarse. She showed no alarm.
"Serena is the most beautiful woman in all of England. Why she is even more fair to look upon than that sad faced wife of King Edward III's! And you know this Norman. We can make a pretty penny for her purity. Men will come from all over to place bids on her virginity, and after the deed has been done, no man would care to marry her and she'll have her pretty little heart's desire to remain unmarried and she'll be rich at that!"
Norman contemplated the notion turning it over and over in his head. Would he have been sober, his logic would have disagreed instantly but in a drunken stupor, his mind could not think clearly.
Scarlet set about to caress Norman's thighs to rekindle his lust then reached her hand to her bosom. Norman's eyes widened when her small hand disappeared between her two rounded breasts. Scarlet smiled and retrieved a folded piece of parchment paper.
"I have the document already written, my love." she said sweetly. "All I need is your signature." she stood and made her way to a small writing desk in the corner, swaying her inviting hips and she walked. Norman followed behind his wife.
"And if you sign this document my sweet, then you shall have me for as long as you please." she said seductively smoothing her hand across her chest and down the bodice of the snug silk gown of rosy pink. Norman watched as her hand glided gracefully over her voluptuous curves. She looked breathtaking with her pale complexion, plump red lips, and golden curls that hung loosely to her waist. His eyes filled with lust and desire. He walked to the desk and dipped a feather quill into a vial of ink.
"Where do I sign?" he said in a hurry. Scarlet pointed to the dotted line and watched as her hungry husband scribbled his signature onto the brown parchment paper. Her plan had worked, she had won. Serena would never marry and live a life of bliss. No man wanted to wed a damsel who had gave away her purity and innocence.
"Now, come here wife." Norman growled and turned to take Scarlet into his arms. She gave in helplessly, even somewhat enjoying his lustful desire. But as her husband devoured her body, taking his fill of pleasure, two thoughts filtered through Scarlet's mind; that she had won and that no one could ever again make love to her in such a way as did Owen Castleheart, not even her own husband.
"What if the horse has thrown her? What if brigands befell her? What if-"
"What if! What if! There are a million possibilities Norman!" Scarlet spat the words coldly. Norman seemed stunned at his wife's tone but quickly forgot it.
"I must go and search for her!" he said and spun to leave the toasty warm Library. Scarlet caught up to him and pulled his sleeve halting him.
"The storm ever rages, Norman. You will not be able to see in the heavy blizzard. Surely she's smart enough to take refuge someplace." Scarlet tried to encourage him. She was torn between hoping that the wench was frozen stiff in the snow and hoping that she returned safely home.
Norman sighed and made his way to the cushioned settees. There in the midst of his wife, he uncorked a bottle of ale and raised it to his quivering lips. Scarlet smiled, secretly hoping that tonight she could bestow her plan to her husband.
"Celebrating so soon?" she asked coyly as she tiptoed to her husband's side, the silk skirts of her gown made soft swishing noises as she walked. Norman looked up at his wife and smirked.
"What do you mean? Are you happy that my daughter is out there lost somewhere in this bloody blizzard?" Scarlet sat down beside Norman and patted his knee. She let out a little laugh.
"Of course not. I am merely attempting to have faith as should you. She will return." The tension that had etched lines on Norman's face eased and he relaxed into the plush cushions, gulping down more ale.
"Have some, will you?" he held out the half empty bottle. Scarlet raised her hand in refusal.
"Filthy peasant drink. I much prefer a nice brandy or aged wine." she said softly with a hint of arrogance.
"Of course you would." he muttered and shrugged returning to his ale.
Scarlet waited patiently till her husband had downed two bottles of ale. When he turned to talk to her she noticed that his eyes were blood shot and his speech was slurred.
Perfect! she thought to herself and leaned closer to her husband. She immediately found her charm and set forth to seduce him.
"Norman...." she said in a soft airy voice and placed her hand on his leg close to his inner thigh. "...my dear handsome husband." She leaned even closer till her bosom was pressed against his chest. She caressed his face with the palm of her hand.
"Scarlet...." his voice was low and husky. She could smell the stagnant ale on his breath. He rubbed his coarse hand along her back, lust slowly crept inside him.
Scarlet played her charm, teasing him and tantalizing his dulled senses. When the time was right and Norman felt as though he would burst, she lay her plan open before him.
"I have a plan for Serena." she said slowly. Norman gazed at his wife longingly.
"Yes my wife?" Serena continued to caress his chest and arms.
"Serena has no desire to marry. She has made this clear. Don't force her to marry, Norman." she said with pouty lips. "She is after all only seventeen."
"But all young maidens must marry. She cannot provide for herself. She needs a man." Norman said then raised his hand to fondle his wife's soft breasts. Scarlet slapped his hand away then recovered herself when she noticed Norman's saddened look.
"Not yet, my precious." she smiled seductively. "Serena does need a man and a man she shall have. My plan will surely ransom quite a fortune for our daughter." she put great emphasis on 'our daughter' and found it pleased her husband.
"Then what is this plan of yours, beautiful Scarlet?" he said huskily encasing Scarlet in his arms.
"Sell her virginity." the words were quick and precise. Norman released Scarlet abruptly.
"What?" Scarlet knew his first reaction would be coarse. She showed no alarm.
"Serena is the most beautiful woman in all of England. Why she is even more fair to look upon than that sad faced wife of King Edward III's! And you know this Norman. We can make a pretty penny for her purity. Men will come from all over to place bids on her virginity, and after the deed has been done, no man would care to marry her and she'll have her pretty little heart's desire to remain unmarried and she'll be rich at that!"
Norman contemplated the notion turning it over and over in his head. Would he have been sober, his logic would have disagreed instantly but in a drunken stupor, his mind could not think clearly.
Scarlet set about to caress Norman's thighs to rekindle his lust then reached her hand to her bosom. Norman's eyes widened when her small hand disappeared between her two rounded breasts. Scarlet smiled and retrieved a folded piece of parchment paper.
"I have the document already written, my love." she said sweetly. "All I need is your signature." she stood and made her way to a small writing desk in the corner, swaying her inviting hips and she walked. Norman followed behind his wife.
"And if you sign this document my sweet, then you shall have me for as long as you please." she said seductively smoothing her hand across her chest and down the bodice of the snug silk gown of rosy pink. Norman watched as her hand glided gracefully over her voluptuous curves. She looked breathtaking with her pale complexion, plump red lips, and golden curls that hung loosely to her waist. His eyes filled with lust and desire. He walked to the desk and dipped a feather quill into a vial of ink.
"Where do I sign?" he said in a hurry. Scarlet pointed to the dotted line and watched as her hungry husband scribbled his signature onto the brown parchment paper. Her plan had worked, she had won. Serena would never marry and live a life of bliss. No man wanted to wed a damsel who had gave away her purity and innocence.
"Now, come here wife." Norman growled and turned to take Scarlet into his arms. She gave in helplessly, even somewhat enjoying his lustful desire. But as her husband devoured her body, taking his fill of pleasure, two thoughts filtered through Scarlet's mind; that she had won and that no one could ever again make love to her in such a way as did Owen Castleheart, not even her own husband.