Cecilia:

I had danced two dances and was quite eager to visit the table of refreshments but just as I had finished thanking my last dance partner another man took his place. The man was tall and had a mop of strikingly white-blond hair, his eyes were a stormy grey colour and matched his silver mask.

He was an attractive man yet I found myself comparing him to a certain copper eyed blonde and he didn't stand a chance next to him. I sighed, I really was losing it now.

"Lord Claffington, at your service," the man smiled a sickly smile and took my hand in his placing a light kiss on it. Unlike Rory's touch, this man elicited no excitement or heat when he pressed his lips to my hand. God, I had to stop comparing him to Rory.

"The Duchess of Wortley, charmed I'm sure." I withheld from wrinkling my nose, there was something about the man that I distinctly disliked.

"If your grace would do me the honour of a dance?" he asked, the saccharine smile still plastered to his face. I searched desperately for a good enough excuse but without finding a suitable one, I would have to concede to the toady man.

"Of course," I managed to stick a smile onto my own face as I offered him my hand. The orchestra struck up a new piece just as the Claffington man led me onto the floor.

"I must say," Claffington spoke as he began to twirl us around the floor, his hand holding my waist uncomfortably close to him.

"You look ravishing," his vice like grip on me tightened, inching me closer to him. I shifted uneasily in his grasp and scanned the room for any chance to escape the clutches of this foul man.

"Thank you," I managed to say, the smile still on my face. As he pulled me inappropriately close to him I had to fight the urge to retch as his nauseating scent threatened to suffocate me. God where was Rory?

Spinning around the room I forced myself to laugh at the appropriate times and keep the smile on my face, all the time praying for the dance to finish so I might seek out a friend to keep me company, instead of the odious men I had so far had made the unpleasant acquaintances of.

Suddenly I caught sight of him, his hazel eyes burned into the man I was partnered with with such anger as I had never seen on him before that even I was frightened. I watched him as he strode around the edge of the room, his eyes fixed the whole time on the blonde man.

Finally the music ended and the dance was over, I let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion as I applauded the orchestra along with the other dancers before making my way to the edge of the floor.

Standing on my tiptoes I could see Rory making his way towards us and I felt my breathing begin to calm, his presence was a reassurance I was in desperate need of right now.

Just before he reached us, a new man with shining auburn hair held his hand out towards me, "If I might have a dance with the lady," He smiled politely at Claffington.

"I'm afraid-"

"That would be lovely thank you," I interrupted, I couldn't bear to spend a moment longer with that obsequious oaf.

The brunette man smiled at me before taking my hand and leading me once more onto the dance floor. He introduced himself as the Earl of Bertram and was a much more agreeable dance partner than Claffington.

I turned my head to glance back at where Rory had been to see him say something quietly to Claffington before walking back through the crowds, the Claffington following.

What was that about? Maybe they were friends or knew each other well? Maybe Rory had put him up to dancing with me to embarrass and perturb me, but that didn't explain the look of pure hatred in Rory's eyes as he had glared at the man. I tried to put it to the back of my mind, it would do no good to dwell on it now.

After my dance with the Earl I was eager to find Sybil and Lacey, I knew both would be here yet I had not chanced upon them yet. I made my way to the table ladened with all of Mrs Stones beautiful creations and helped myself to a strawberry tartlet.

I had just finished the tart and was shaking the remaining crumbs from my glove when I was interrupted by yet another gentlemen. Did they not have better things to do? There were many other women to talk to, single women too.

Reluctantly I started up a conversation with the man and not soon after there was a swarm of men both young and old surrounding me. I was receiving questions and compliments left, right and centre and I felt more than a little overwhelmed.

"Gentlemen," I immediately recognised the deep timbre of Rory's voice and turned my attention to him.

"Rory," I breathed a sigh of relief, I had been hoping he would intervene and save me from the uncomfortable gazes and wandering eyes of the men, he took his time though. I refrained from letting out an unladylike huff.

Rory's arm slipped around my waist and pulled me firmly against his side, I relaxed feeling safe in his hold.

"I see you have met my wife," his voice was stiff and I could feel the tautness of his body as a barely withheld anger rolled off him.

"If you'll excuse us for a moment." He nodded his head at the men before guiding me out of the room and into a nearby corridor. What was going on?

He removed his arm from around my waist and stared down at me, his eyes livid as they danced with rage. The look in his eyes scared me and I moved slightly away from him.

He wouldn't hurt me, he wouldn't. I repeated the mantra in my head praying that I was right in my assumptions. He was nothing like my father so he wouldn't, would he?

Before I had time to contemplate the matter any further I felt his mouth on mine as he pushed my back up against the cold, stone wall behind me. One of his hands lifted to cup my face and the other landed on my waist. I was confused, but before I could register what was happening I was pulling him closer to me, my arms gripping the muscles of his arms.

I felt a fire burn in the pit of my stomach as a delicious heat flowed through me at his touch. "Rory," I breathed, trying to push myself closer to him. I felt his body stiffen before he pushed me back away from him. He took a step back and growled lowly.

"You're mine Cecilia," his voice was gravelly, "Nobody else's." I looked up at him in confusion, still in a daze after the kiss we had just shared. I nodded my head not knowing what else to do. Why did he feel the need to say that, did he think, after everything I had promised, that I would be off cavorting with other men? And why had he said I was his? I wasn't his possession, he didn't own me!

I lifted a hand to my head feeling the anger building up inside me. He couldn't just kiss me when he liked and then talk to me like he owned me. I was human, I was not a toy of his! I ducked under his arms and sprinted around him trying to put as much distance between us as possible.

We had been getting on better but he always had to go and ruin everything. I stole quietly up to my room where I knew I wouldn't be disturbed, the ball was almost over anyway and I was sure I wouldn't be missed. climbing out of my dress, I slipped beneath the covers of my bed and drifted off into a dreamless sleep as soon as my tired head hit my pillow.

**********

I had been the Duchess of Wortley for not more than a few months and I had settled into the position comfortably. I still helped in the fields every morning, sometimes I cut the hay and other times I helped pick the grapes from the vineyards, but I always made sure to make myself useful. In times like these idleness was out of the question, we needed as many hands as we could get.

I had avoided Rory for a few days after the ball but living and working together made it annoyingly hard to do so, not to mention the part of me begging me to run into his arms and apologise for my childishness behaviour. I couldn't bring myself to talk to him about that night though, or the kiss before that. I knew he did not care for me and hearing it myself would only make it harder to bear.

The weather was fine and after my mornings work in the fields I decided to go for a ride. After saddling up Shadow I headed up to the hill Rory had introduced to me.

I found it a peaceful place where I could step back from everything going on in my life and just relax. I took the opportunity to ride around the lower grounds of the estate before heading up to the top of the hill as I had the rest of the afternoon.

The sun was beginning to dip behind the horizon when I reached the top of Stillers Hill and the view was beautiful. I tied Shadow loosely to the large tree to allow myself to walk along the top of the hill.

The golden light transformed the landscape into a swamp of resplendent colours, greens, yellows, reds and umbers. I was stood watching the light as it moved across the stretching fields when I felt a large hand clamp onto my shoulder.

I spun around instantly, the man's grip making it harder to move. When I came face to face with the man before me all I could do was shake my head as fear gripped me. No, no, no. The word repeated in my head as my body began to tremble. No, he couldn't be here, this wasn't happening.

"Father," I spoke, trying my hardest not to let on the amount of nervousness that I felt.

"It seems you have something I need, daughter." A wicked smile danced across his lips.

"And what would that be?" I asked trying to control my voice.

"Your husband is a rich man and I am not," his lips twisted upwards as his evil smile deepened, "I need ten thousand pounds."

"No," I said, my voice barely belying the fear that coursed through my body. I felt the slap before I saw his hand move. My face stung badly from the impact, it had been months since the last time my father had laid a hand to me, I had been safe from him with Rory, but I had been naive to think he wouldn't return.

His words from the day he sealed my future returned to me, "You are going to make us rich..." So this had been his plan all along, force me to marry a wealthy nobleman and then demand money from him to give my father.

He would no doubt take it straight to the bar or the cards table and waste it away frivolously. I would not steal from Rory, not under any circumstance, of that I was certain, I would take the consequences of my refusal whatever they may be.

"No?" His eyes glinted at me as they filled with malice. "Would you like to rethink that princess?" I shook my head firmly.

"I will not steal from my-" He covered my mouth with one of his hammy hands before administering another blow to my face. I had not realised but he had pushed me back towards the tree where Shadow was whinnying loudly.

"You will if you know what best for you child." His voice, like his eyes, was cold and cruel as he pushed me against the trunk of the old tree.

I shook my head once more before biting his hand clamped over my mouth. He let out a howl of pain as my teeth sank into his flesh and he withdrew his hand from my mouth.

"Why, you little bitch," he snarled. The wind left me as his knee connected with my stomach once, then twice, then a third time. I refused to show him the pain I felt, I would not give him that triumph.

"You will get me the money, and you will bring it to me within the fortnight." I shook my head agin weakly, I would not do my father's dirty work and I would not steal from Rory.

I felt my father's hand punch my gut yet again and let out a small whimper, at the force my head flew backward and collided with the gnarled trunk of the tree.

The last thing I saw was the retreating hunched figure of my father before everything turned black.

Dun dun duhhhh! Don't hate me.. Very short A/N as am in a massive hurry to get out of the house - enjoy and please continue to comment and vote!

Much love

xxx