The sun had only just reached its zenith, yet Lord Bradshaw was already well on his way to meeting his target. It was a perfect summer’s day, the sky unblemished by any hint of cloud, the trees lush and the breeze refreshingly cool, and as was commonplace for a guest at Lady Carmine’s estate, he’d elected to spend the day hunting.
Not for foxes, of course; that practice had been banned for years now and rightly so. And even were it otherwise, Bradshaw privately knew he lacked the stomach for such sport, the idea of hurting another living being enough to make him rather nauseous. No, the game of choice in this region were damsels, and there was certainly a plethora of tempting targets from amongst her Ladyship’s servants and staff to choose from. Every young woman Lady Carmine employed knew that her duties included being bound and gagged on occasion, either for her Ladyship’s enjoyment or that of her guests, though naturally precautions were taken for their safety. It was all in good fun, after all, and the threat of being shut out of Carmine’s favour was enough to ensure that even the most scandalous rogue was dissuaded from taking things too far.
Not that Bradshaw had any intention of violating her Ladyship’s trust. No, the thrill of the hunt was enough for him, and he stepped back to admire his handiwork with his latest target, the sight of such a beauty helpless in bondage more exciting than he ever thought possible. “You are so ravishing, my dear,” he rumbled lasciviously, watching a blush spread across pale, delicate features in answer. “Truly, I have never beheld such a charming specimen as yourself.”
“Mmmmppgghh,” the young woman moaned, turning away in embarrassment. She was a lady in waiting if the fine green silk of her gown was any indication, the modest cut of the garment nevertheless highlighting the dimensions of her figure, her pose demure and elegant in equal measure. Rich brown locks cascaded down past her shoulders, beautiful blue eyes offered him a wary stare, and Bradshaw found himself entranced by her loveliness, every wide-eyed glance and soft murmur turning his blood to smoke. As befitting a gentleman, he’d tied her up with rope, one coil binding her wrists behind her back, more keeping her long legs tied at the ankles and thighs, and a final coil beneath her breasts completed the package. A length of silk cloth cleaved her soft pink lips, transmuting her words to helpless whimpers, and her blush only deepened at the intensity of his stare. “Mmmmppgghhh…”
“You must be the most beautiful woman on Lady Carmine’s staff,” Bradshaw blurted out, dimly aware he was making a fool of himself. He was still hoping to reach his target of tying up a full dozen women before sundown, yet he felt compelled to linger here, a hand tentatively reaching out to caress her shoulder through the fabric, “I know I said as much to the other three women I’ve tied up today, but in your case, it’s true.”
“Mmmmppggghh!” she grunted, flinching away from his touch. “Mmmmppggghhh!”
Pride stung, the nobleman rose and made his way out of the room, taking the opportunity to give her one last lingering look. Yes, she was quite lovely, but there was no sense in remaining any longer than he had to. He had an entire palatial estate in which to hunt, and he fully intended to make the most of it…