Serenity's Dream (4 page)

but she knew she must move lest questions be asked as to why she resisted being so

close to Lucien, especially since she professed a wish to repair the breach in their

marriage.

Oh, this was becoming much too complicated.
She returned to her bed and lay

down. Her last thought was of the flaxen-haired young man in Italy and then of his

cold, dead eyes. Even closing
her
eyes couldn't keep that last image of him from her

memory.
It wasn't my fault
, she'd screamed hundreds of times.
It couldn't be my fault.

* * * * *

Lucien sat at his desk, taking care of some club business, but his mind was two

stories above. He would never trust Serenity, especially since she didn't trust him

enough to tell him the truth. In his line of work, it was an advantage to be able to read

people, and he'd become an expert. She was defensive, nervous, and evasive. The only

time she'd allowed herself to be truthful with him was when he was pounding into her

and forcing out every bit of emotion.

A knock on the door drew him out of his thoughts.

"Yes."

Hampton entered in his usual quiet manner. "Sir, the Marquess of Wycroft

wishes to see you."

Lucien's disposition brightened immediately. "Well, send him in, Hampton."

"Very good, sir," the old butler said as he bowed and left the room.

Within moments, Prentice Hyde breezed into the library, a breath of fresh air in

any circle.

"Prentice, old boy, so good to see you. When did you return from the continent?"

Lucien came around his large, rosewood desk and extended his hand to his long-time

friend.

"Not two weeks past and it seems like I was gone forever, instead of just six

months."

Lucien motioned for Prentice to take a seat, perching himself on the edge of the

desk. "Didn't enjoy the beautiful buxom chit you took with you?"

"It's the last time I take your advice. Her stamina lasted about as long as it took to

tour Rome. She couldn't take an arse-whipping worth a damn."

"She did seem rather timid, but I thought you were grooming her nicely."

"I really think she has eyes for
you
, old man."

"We had our time, but, well, no matter now."

"So tell me what you have been doing in my absence? How is the club?"

"All is well here. Membership has increased, and we have more private clients. I

also have a wife."

"You got married? Whenever did that happen?"

"About ten years ago, but she's just returned to the fold."

"You've been married all this time? How did I not know this?"

"I have never considered myself married, so I never made an issue of it."

"So she has returned. Are you happy about it?"

"More confused. I know she is hiding something, but she won't tell me what it

is."

"How long have we known each other, Lucien? I cannot credit I had no inkling

you were leg-shackled."

"Move on, Prentice."

"How will it affect your private clients? Does Mrs. Damrill know you fuck the

female clients after you put them through their paces?"

"No, she does not, but it's immaterial. My life won't change, and she will learn to

live with it. We have led separate lives up until now, and I dare say I find no reason to

change."

"Lady Foxworth shall be happy to hear that, I'm sure. She rather favors your

legendary cock."

Lucien laughed. "Just so. And yours too, as I recall, does she not?"

Prentice smiled knowingly. "Lady Foxworth was a lusty one, to be sure. I look

forward to meeting the esteemed Mrs. Damrill, though I simply cannot imagine you

married. How could you be faithful to any one woman?"

"The beauty of it is that I don't have to be. She has not been pristine in her

behavior, and after ten years, I truly thought she would sooner ask for a divorce than

show up on my doorstep offering her arse for my pleasure."

"Oh, so she shares the same interest in sport?"

"Newly minted, according to her. Says she heard about the club and me at a

house party in Yorkshire. It seemed to tickle her fancy, and she thought she'd come and

renew our acquaintance."

"Can she take it? I mean, did you blister her good?"

"I warmed her up, but I'm giving her a real one this afternoon. If she is to really

be my wife, her arse is mine, and I shall make good use of it."

Prentice laughed. "I've missed you, Lucien. I never thought there was anyone

who was as devoted to domination and submission as I was, until I met you. Others

play at it, but we, well, we are more demanding, are we not?"

"Yes, we are, my old friend. Will you be coming 'round tonight? There are a

couple of new clients you might wish to help me out with."

"Oh, yes, I shall be here. I have months of frustration to work off. My mistress is

nice to fuck, but she is a bit out of practice since my departure."

"Bring her with you. We can always use another courtesan around here."

"I am thinking of turning her loose anyway, so it might be the perfect place for

her to find another protector. I shall see what she says."

Prentice pulled his tall, lanky frame into a standing position.

"Come early tonight, and we shall have dinner before we get to work." Lucien

opened the door and led Prentice toward the front entry.

"I shall, but only if I get to meet the illustrious Mrs. Damrill."

"I suppose you will. I plan to show her around and get her acclimated to our

activities. It should be interesting."

"Not for the faint of heart, to be sure."

"We shall see how much heart she has."

Lucien walked to the portico and watched his friend board his shiny black

carriage, replete with two bewigged, liveried footmen and an ancient coachman. He

was still watching as the carriage rumbled down the oak-lined drive and finally back

onto the road into London.

Inspired to converse further with his wife, Lucien went in search of her. The

thought of seeing her was neither pleasant nor abhorrent, which didn't bode well for

the happy reunion Serenity so profoundly insisted upon. But one thing remained

unchanged. She would indeed submit to him.

Chapter Four

Lucien found Serenity and asked that she accompany him on a tour of the club.

"As you know, the third floor is dedicated to the private residence. The residence

is equipped with its own kitchen, dining room, morning room, a number of private

rooms and of course several drawing rooms. We have several bedchambers, which can

be used for guests, though I have not used them in years. Hampton and Marjorie are the

only servants I share with the club, because they are the most trusted. Marjorie has been

exclusively with the club until now, but she will also serve as your lady's maid."

They made their way down the hidden stairway to the library. "I use the library

as my office as well as a place where I greet callers. There are offices off the library,

which are usually occupied by the club's management staff, financial officer, and

security people, when they are not monitoring the goings on." He shared with her how

much he enjoyed the dark wood paneling in the room, the rich masculine smells of

leather, brandy, and smoke. The floor was covered with a collection of Turkish rugs, all

with prominent colors of red, blue, and gold. The furniture reflected the same colors, all

groupings very comfortable looking. "I had it masculinized when I first bought the

estate."

As they walked around the large room, Lucien pointed out the plasterwork

frieze, which depicted hunting scenes, completely incongruous with the artwork

crowding the walls. Without exception, the paintings consisted of some form of erotic

scene—bare breasts and bottoms as well as some very enticing male sexual organs in

their full, aroused glory.

The walls themselves were done in crimson silk wallpaper, rather plain, but a

wonderful background for the gilded frames and rich, dark bookcases.

"Your furniture is quite surprising."

"Really? I hadn't noticed. But then again, I am the person who selected it."

"What is this?" she asked, standing near a padded bench.

"That, my dear, is a spanking bench."

Serenity's eyes widened. "A spanking bench?"

"Yes, a person is laid on their stomach, their legs are spread wide, and they are

spanked. They can be restrained or not, depending upon the situation and their

willingness."

"You take spankings quite seriously, do you not?"

"Indeed I do, as do those who enjoy them. You would be amazed to learn what a

thrill it is to be spanked as a part of sexual activity."

"Yes, well, I have an idea, given what you did to me yesterday."

"No, my dear, that was nothing, believe me."

"Nothing? My bottom is still smarting."

"It shall be smarting regularly if I have any say in the matter. Keeping it so is as

necessary to my life as the air I breathe."

"Have you ever been spanked?"

Lucien's face colored perceptibly. "Yes, I have."

"Who spanked you?"

"I don't believe you need to know."

"Oh." She fell silent.

Lucien smiled, seemingly pleased she ended her questioning. Apparently, he

wasn't ready to share
that
much of his life with her in such an intimate fashion.

"The club has many members, from nearly every social class. If they can afford

the membership fee, they are welcome. My staff is made up of people I have known for

years, many from my military days. We very rarely have any trouble and certainly have

none that can't be dispensed with in short order."

As they left the library, he escorted her to a very large, elegant drawing room,

just to the left of the heavy walnut front door. "This room is for general socializing. On

any given evening, there are one hundred people or more in this room, all preening and

flirting. However, no sexual activities are conducted in here. This is for socializing and

setting up assignations."

The room was pleasant, with many blue and gold striped damask sofas and

chairs. There was a rosewood and gilt pianoforte, around which people could gather for

entertainment of a tamer nature.

Flowers graced every table surface, and large, licentious paintings hung on the

yellow-silk papered walls, depicting sexual acts of every possible ilk. When Serenity

became curious about a rather large area set off to the side, Lucien explained it was

manned by no less than three liveried footmen, and it was where libations of every

imaginable description could be obtained. The room was pleasant, with a faint smell of

flowers and lemon oil.

Along with large fireplaces on the two longest walls, all the walls had many

large empty niches. "It is quite odd you don't have sculptures or vases to fill the niches."

"I do, but only at night."

"Why are they not present all the time?"

"Human beings find it difficult to pose around the clock." His tone hinted at

amusement.

"You have people posing in the niches?"

"Yes. They are generally nude."

Serenity's face grew warm. "I should like to see that."

"You shall, that and so much more."

Across the entrance hall, was another set of rooms, which Lucien referred to as

public rooms. "The goings-on in these 'scene rooms' are for public consumption. Each

room has a theme—for instance, this particular one is where someone can play out a

pirate fantasy." Beside her stood the hull of a small ship, yardarm and all. The mast had

round metal eyes attached, with ropes strung through them. "The damsel in distress is

tied to the mast, and you can guess how the rest goes."

Serenity wondered if she would ever have the nerve to watch such things.

The next room was a gaudy affair, set up as a place where an orgy could take

place. There were plush cushions in a variety of jeweled colors strewn on the floor.

Curtains hung from the high ceiling, creating several smaller areas. Many people could

participate. "Partners are interchangeable here. Often times, there are as many as fifteen

gentlemen in here with up to thirty women. It can get very raucous, but everyone seems

to leave quite satisfied."

"I had never imagined such a place as this existed."

"Nearly every conceivable manner of sexual activity is sanctioned, and there will

always be men and women who wish to indulge. I don't allow perversions such as

abuse of children, but adults are welcome to let their imaginations run wild, so long as

everyone participating consents. Most of our members are very well-connected, titled

men and woman, as you shall see with time."

He had piqued her curiosity, for she couldn't conceive of stiff-rumped nobles

participating in activities such as Lucien had described.

"The rest of the rooms on this floor are along the same lines. We have a room

where men can chase a 'maid', and several rooms can be fitted with chains and bars to

suit the member. There are any number of costumes stored in two of the rooms, so our

clients can be as daring as they might wish."

The walls of each room had numerous paintings of an erotic nature hung on

them, usually representing something similar to the theme of the room. All depicted

spanking or other harsher discipline.

"Come, I shall take you to the second floor." She followed him up the wide, black