Fascinated

a fine gift on the occasion of your wedding.'

'I must go over to a friend's this morning,' The Master told Lucinda the next day. 'I fear I shall be gone for several hours. Do you mind being alone?'

'I should welcome it,' Lucinda said. 'I know the hardest of my lessons are to come very soon, my darling Robbie. It is already September first, and the full moon will be upon us shortly.'

He kissed her tenderly. 'If there were another way,' he said.

'I know,' she told him, and indeed she did. If The Master allowed Lucinda to escape, her suitors would take their revenge on him. Then they would hunt their prey down, and one of them would force her to the altar. No. If she was to have her revenge, she would have to pretend to be mastered and yield herself to the hateful trio.

He left her, and shortly afterward Lucinda, gazing out her bedchamber window, saw Dick and Martin hurrying off down the lane in brown homespun breeches and linen shirts, their livery left behind. She waited patiently until Polly came to say it was safe for her mistress to go downstairs into the library. Lucinda hurried down the stairs. How quiet the lovely old house was this morning. Curious, she wandered about for a moment, opening doors. There was a beautiful little Great Hall with a single enormous fireplace. The tapestries on the wall were dusty, but well woven. It was obvious that the house had never been modernized since it had been built in fifteen hundred and one, for that was the date etched into the fireplace wall. Sunlight filtered through the dirty high windows. The furniture was good country oak. Cleaning, polishing, and some accessories would do wonders, she thought. Then she smiled to herself and went to the library, opening the door cautiously as if she expected to find someone there, but the paneled room was quite empty.

There! There by one of the casement windows was the book stand, and upon it the volume John had spoken of to Polly. There was a simple crest upon it. A crescent moon d'or surrounded by five- pointed gold stars upon an azure field. It was artless, but unique, Lucinda thought. Slowly she opened the book. A History of the Earls of Stanton, the title page said. Lucinda wasted no time in turning to the back of the book, and it was there she found it. Lucian Robert Charles Phillips, born August nineteenth, seventeen twenty. And after that there were no further entries. His mother's and his father's births, marriage and deaths were registered as was his paternal grandmother's.

It was all she really needed to know, but her curiosity not completely satisfied, Lucinda returned to the front of the book to discover that the Phillipses were a very ancient and honorable noble family. Family deaths matched all major battles fought in the king's name. There were at least two Earls of Stanton who had gone on crusade. Before Lucinda knew it the morning had gone, and the afternoon was upon her. Polly came to seek her out.

'Have you found out what you need to know, m'lady?'

'I have,' Lucinda replied.

'Then come and have something to eat,' the servant said.

Lucinda followed Polly into the garden where a table had been set up with her luncheon. John was waiting to serve her. He held the chair for Lucinda as she sat down. 'I know what I need to know now,' she began. 'I prefer to keep my knowledge to myself for the interim. When we have returned to London, Polly, I shall tell you both. John, I want you to come with us until after the Countess of Whitley's ball is over. Then I will see you and Polly are transported safely to your father's home in Hereford. I think you should be married as soon as we get to London, however.'

Polly was disappointed, but John said, 'I understand perfectly, my lady. A London wedding would be most suitable. Your kindness toward us is appreciated, especially considering how we began,' he finished with a deep blush.

Lucinda's vivid blue eyes twinkled mischievously. 'I believe the less said about that small moment in time, the better off we all are, John. You may serve me now.'

'Yes, m'lady,' the footman said, all business again.

Afterward when she and Polly were alone, sunning themselves on the camomile lawn, the maidservant said, 'You'll tell me now that my John's gone, won't you, m'lady?'

Lucinda shook her head. 'No, Polly, I meant what I said. The Master's true identity will remain a secret until we are back in London, but rest assured he is a titled gentleman. But even if he weren't, I should be content.'

'Is his name really Robert?' Polly asked.

'It is one of his Christian names,' Lucinda replied, with a smile. 'He has two others as well.'

'He is a real gentleman,' Polly said, sounding impressed.

Everyone knew that only real gentlemen had several Christian names.

The Master returned from a successful day in an excellent mood. He and Lucinda sat that evening dining at opposite ends of the highboard in the Great Hall. It was the first time she had been invited into the hall.

'As I rode back from Lord Bowen's today,' he began, 'I had an inspiration, my pet. I believe I can save you from being publicly ravished by those three villains who seek to marry you. I cannot, however, be certain it will work, but I believe, knowing the personalities involved, that I can tweak their pride so that they will not embarrass you.'

'How?' she demanded of him.

'I do not want to tell you,' he said. 'Better it not appear as if you and I are in collusion, Lucinda.'

'As much as I should like to avoid having any of the trio use my body, if I do not allow it, how can I have my revenge upon them? I want them always to remember I was the best, and the most memorable, fuck any of them ever had. Each time they couple with a woman after, I want them to remember me and ache with my loss. If you save me from them, then how can I accomplish what I have set out to do?'

'I may not be able to save you,' he reiterated. 'Their lust for you may overcome their vanity and their hauteur. You may well have to yield to them, but if I can rescue you from such a fate, you can still accomplish your purpose. I shall tell the assembled that night that your brother will announce your betrothal the night of Whitley's ball. That ball celebrates the end of the fall hunting season and the return to London of society's most important denizens. Everyone who is anyone will be there, my pet. What a coup for the winner of your fair hand to have your betrothal announced that night. And you may keep your swains eager before that evening. Privately, of course, but if I can keep you from public humiliation, Lucinda, I should like to do it,' The Master told her. 'And then when no an-nouncement is forthcoming, what delicious public humiliation for the trio, for you may be absolutely certain each will have bragged to his friends that it is he you will choose. Then when they come to you outraged afterward, you can threaten to expose the Devil's Disciples and their wicked ways.'

She was touched by his concern. Perhaps she could accomplish her purpose without whoring before an audience. Someday she would have children. Those offspring must eventually be matched with their own peers. If the gentlemen of the Devil's Disciples remembered her most vulgar performances, who would her own children wed one day? 'See if you can save me,' she said to him quietly.

He nodded, and then said, 'But in the event I cannot, Lucinda, there is one more performance you must be taught. We will begin in the morning. In preparation I shall leave you to sleep tonight.'

The following day she was led early, and without her breakfast, back into the hall, clothed only in her night garment and house slippers. A device had been placed in the center of the room, the likes of which she had never before seen. It was his own design, he told her, and he called it the Maiden Tamer.

A sturdy pole, adjustable he explained, was set in a heavy marble rectangle of a base. Attached to the pole was a wide rounded bar forming a T shape The bar was well wrapped and padded with lamb's wool covered in black velvet. Lucinda saw the manacles at either end, also adjustable, he said. In the base were foot clamps into which she was to place her feet. It was a rather frightening contraption. Brave as she was, even Lucinda was a bit taken aback by The Master's Maiden Tamer.

'Come, my pet, and get up,' he said, taking her hand, and helping her onto the base. 'Now, remove your garment so we may make the necessary adjustments.' She complied as he lowered the crosspiece just slightly and carefully bent her over it, then raised her up again and lowered the bar a bit more. 'Now, try bending over it again,' he told her, and when she had done so, he nodded, satisfied. 'Stretch your arms out,

Lucinda, and let us see where the manacles are to go.' She obeyed, and in short order found herself neatly constrained. The manacles, however, were lined in thick, soft lamb's wool, and therefore did not chafe her. 'Lastly,' he said, his hand smoothing over her bare bottom, 'we must affix your feet into the foot clamps. Spread your legs, Lucinda, wider, wider, ah, that is perfect!'

She felt her legs restrained, but as she was wearing her slippers, and the foot clamps, like the manacles, were lined, there was no pain. The position she had now attained was one of perfect submission to The Master. 'Dare I