Auctioned

1

"I give up! This is hopeless, Minnie!" Penelope Sheppard whined to her best friend and confidante, Minerva Kendrick. "We have both lined the walls of Almack's for four years. We have gone to countless balls, dinner parties, and plays. And we have nothing to show for it. Not a husband, fiancé, suitor or even a good time!"

Penelope was beyond bitter at her situation. Every year since she turned eighteen she came to London to partake in the marriage mart and the London season. Her father spent all his time in parliament and she was forced to spend her days with her mother and aunt. Both of whom recounted their one year on the mart. Their success in contradiction to her own.

Minerva was the only bright light during the months in town. They read the scandal sheets together trying to determine 'the who' that did 'the what.' Then they huddled at the balls and connected any stray dots.

The decoding taught them the name of every brothel in town. Every ruined debutant and craven widow. They knew the rogues, homosexuals and lechers. It was almost as if every person had a sign over their head that pointed to their debauched nature. Except for them.

"Penny, calm down! We still have some time before we are completely washed-up hags," Minerva said.

Minerva was always trying to sugar coat their situation. It was easy for her to say - she always had Thomas Whitby waiting for her. Thomas loved Minnie's petite stature and white blonde hair. He lavished her with gifts, and the girls were certain he poisoned the other men of the ton away from her.

"I can't do it any more, Minnie. I'm going to see that bawd that they mentioned in the scandals yesterday - Mrs. Ziegler. I'm going to see if she can auction off my innocence so I can travel to America and escape this place."

Mrs. Ziegler, or Mrs. Z as the scandal sheet called her, was known for her brothel that catered to the rich aristocrats of London. Her most recent scandal involved auctioning a virgin to a well known Earl. He evidently was a bit of a blabber mouth, and found himself in hot water - he had pregnant wife at home and a barely legal virgin. It was a delicious bit of gossip.

"You are going to be a whore just because you can't find a match?! Where is my friend Penny? She clearly is not here with me. This is nonsense!" Minerva had heard Penelope's countless ideas about how to escape the gentry, and she was clearly at her wits end.

"Oh Minnie, it's just a little piece of flesh. It means nothing to me. But perhaps something to someone else." And a enough quid to get her out on the next ship west.

The two of them stood off to the side of the Wickham ball. The crowd was too large to be having this conversation. Penelope grabbed Minerva'a arm and dragged her out on the terrace.

"I have to do this. And I need your help! How could you abandon me now in my time of need?" Penelope made a pout to show her sadness.

"Oh, fuck off you cow! This isn't your time of need! I swear if you go to that bawdy house..."

"Bawdy house? Oh my! Gentlemen, it seems we have a couple of naughty wenches in the crowd tonight," an aristocratic male voice interrupted them.

Penelope swung around to where the voice came from. Minerva's brother and three friends were laughing at the two innocent girls. They all knew each other from childhood, and it was clear that the girls were no wenches...naughty or otherwise.

"Minnie and Penny are going to go whoring tonight gents! Send a missive to the Tattler!" Minerva's brother added, never one to let an opportunity to tease his sister pass.

"Fuck off, Kendrick!" Penelope couldn't stand Minerva's brother. His only mission in life was to be accepted by his friends through whoring, drinking and gambling. All of his friends were clones of one another. All but one - the Duke of Cambridge, Alexander Howard.

Alexander was overly tall and handsome, but reserved and quiet. He was a brooding sort that never looked pleased to be wherever he was at the time. Rumor had it that his mother was Greek, and that was why he had dark features. But both his parents had died when he was very young, and he was raised by an uncle who was much more like Minerva's brother.

Penelope and Alexander had never truly spoken. She was pretty sure he didn't know her name even if he could place her face. He was the catch of the season, and there was no reason he would look at her brown hair and short stature.

Penelope felt plain compared to the other debutants. Her eyes were her only redeeming quality - they were a greenish blue color. Like the sea after a storm. Oh, and men liked her breasts - even though they weren't fashionable.

But he wasn't with this group of friends tonight. He must have been taking his role of heir seriously. Step one - find a wife. Step two - have a son. Duty done, and then most men employed a mistress or two.

"Such harsh language for a lady, Lady Penelope!" Kendrick said with a smirk. She just wanted to slap that smirk off Michael Kendrick's smug face.

"You clearly misunderstood, brother. I said 'country house.' Not 'bawdy house.' For heavens sake, what would she do at one of those?! I just telling her of your estate," Minerva lied like a professional.

"You two best not get yourselves in trouble. Mother would have you drawn and quartered if you set foot in any brothel, Min. And for you, Penelope, if you want to whore yourself..."

"Fuck. Off. Kendrick," a deep voice said from behind Penelope. It was like men were surrounding them for this very private conversation.

"Alex! I was just kidding about! Lady Penelope here was talking about going to a whore house," Kendrick said, even though he was certain it wasn't the case.

"I was not!" Penelope defended herself to the duke who had impeccable timing. She whirled around to where he stood. "Your Grace, Lord Kendrick misheard his sister and..."

"I don't give a shit. Gentlemen, let's get out of here," the duke said rudely. He signaled for the men to come with a snap, and like lemmings they did. It was almost like they were never there.

"Ass," Penelope whispered as they departed. "I hate your brother, too, Minnie. I hope he marries a complete nag."

"I'm pretty sure he is going to marry Lady Felicity. So you are in luck!" They both laughed at Minerva's brother's misfortune. Felicity was a grasping young lady, three years their junior.

"I'm going there tomorrow. Help me or not - I'm doing it," Penelope spoke about the bawdy house again as she walked back inside to dance with the only man on her dance card - her cousin.