Sweet Love of Mine

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Emily grunted as a burly arm collided against her chest with crushing brutality and promptly hefted her over an ox-like shoulder as if she were nothing heavier than a sack of potatoes. She squirmed pathetically, muffling her curses with the wind that gushed from her compacted ribcage, knowing her efforts were futile. The mulish henchman stepped into her chambers and deposited her carelessly at Celeste's feet.

"Don' be lettin' the door open so wide," he snorted disparagingly at the other girl. With a pointed, warning glance at Emily, the odorous lout left.

"Tha' wasn't very smart," Celeste hissed worriedly, wringing a damp cloth between her fingers. " 'E'll be sure to tell Mr Byrne's now."

Emily uncurled her form and detangled her limbs from the stiff cotton nightdress she had been given to wear the night before. It was abrasive and coarse, but at least it was clean and didn't smell like dirt and greasy male.

Clambering onto the cot, Emily shrugged dismissively at her companion. "You won't get into trouble," she told her carefully.

"Oh, yes I will! What with you tryin' to escape every chance ye get! Why must yer do somethin' so 'are-brained, I don' be knowing, but let me tell you tha' 'e's lashed us fer less!" Celeste bemoaned.

"I had to try," Emily sniffed and, for the first time that morning, scrutinized the girl and the items she had hauled into the chamber with her. Celeste looked worried and weary, partly due to the strenuous day and evening she had endured at Emily's expense, and partly due to Emily's bout of insurgence this morning. Oh, Emily couldn't very well blame the girl for looking after her own hide, even if that meant insisting Emily toed the line, especially after what she had learned the previous day.

If Emily had been innocent before, she certainly couldn't be anything less than jaded now. Celeste had spoken for hours about some of the expectations her "forced" trade would require of her and the emotional taxation had been exhausting- for the both of them. She had learned things she certainly wished she hadn't and then had been told, most sternly, that she was never to complain, never to utter one sound other than one of compliance.

It didn't bode well for her.

Indeed, she had been locked in this tiny, windowless chamber for an entire day and one night now. The longer the time stretched, the more desperate she was for escape, for rescue. Unknowing of how many minutes separated her from prostitution, Emily didn't like to think that there was time to waste, which is what spurred her courage to chance an escape a few moments prior.

Unfortunately, that brute Chester had been standing guard outside her chamber, like he always was.

"We're always watched," Celeste had said, "always."

Emily sighed, gesturing to the basin of water Celeste had brought along with her. "What am I to wear today then?" she asked, disheartened.

An imperceptible shadow crossed Celeste's face as she turned to another parcel she had carried in her arms earlier and set aside. From within she procured a wealth of fine gossamer fabric and shook it out until it unfurled into a shimmering length of colourful sapphire gown.

It was just about the most revealing thing Emily had ever seen in her life.

Dear God, was there even a bodice?

"You can't be serious!" she squeaked, shocked.

" 'fraid so, miss," Celeste mumbled and lowered the fabric delicately over her forearm and then carefully across the foot of Emily's cot. "Mr Byrne... 'e said ye must wear it fer him today. Yer to take lunch with 'im as ye've slept most of the morn away, ye has."