Elizabeth's Education (Forbidden Lust) by Maggie Carpenter

freeing movement of the fragrant water. When satisfied she lifted her head, lounged back, closed her eyes, and relaxed.
    Her mind drifted to a bitterly cold winter night, snow on the ground outside, a large soft bed, and he was standing over her. The fire danced in the hearth, casting moving shadows around the room, and he leaned down, kissing her gently on the lips.
    ‘You are a very good girl,’ he said tenderly. ‘You need a firm hand, but you are a very good girl.’
    She moaned with pleasure, a shiver ran through her and her eyes popped open. She didn’t know how long she had been there, but now the water was barely warm. She was about to call to Grace when her smarting bottom reminded her that the maid was not available. She also realised she was hungry, so she got out of the tub, dried herself quickly, and wrapped her hair in a towel.
    Then she went to her dresser, chose a set of fresh underwear, pulled them on, tying them hurriedly, then opening the door of her wardrobe grabbed the first thing she saw. It was a very simple white cotton frock.
    Unwrapping the damp towel she then ran a brush through her hair to clear any tangles. Normally she would have spent an age making sure it was just right, but on this occasion vanity was the last thing on her mind.
    Finally she slipped on a pair of satin slippers.
    Almost running along the landing and down the back stairs she exploded into the kitchen, startling cook, who was just putting some dishes away.
    ‘Heavens, girl!’ she exclaimed. ‘You near gave me a heart attack, bursting in here like that.’
    ‘I’m so sorry, cook,’ she panted.
    Cook almost fell over; in all the years she had worked for the family it was the first time she’d heard the young lady apologise. She would never have spoken to Elizabeth in the manner that she had either, had it not been for Lord Michael’s attitude. Like a common girl from the neighbourhood, he had said. Well, if a common girl from the neighbourhood had come rushing in that way she would have spoken to her exactly as she had. And if cook had known her well, a sharp rap across the knuckles with her wooden spoon would not have been far behind. ‘Sit yourself down then,’ she said, bustling about, removing Elizabeth’s lunch from the stove.
    Elizabeth had rarely felt so hungry in her life, and everything she ate tasted delicious, and by the end of the simple meal she was showering cook with compliments.
    ‘My, you were hungry, Miss Elizabeth,’ said the bustling woman. ‘You’re usually such a picky eater.’
    Elizabeth sat back in her chair and sighed. ‘Well, I’ve had quite a busy morning, cook,’ she disclosed.
    The ruddy woman suppressed a smile, wondering just what Lord Michael had been up to. ‘His lordship is waiting for you in the sitting room,’ she announced, delivering his message. ‘He wanted to see you after you finished your meal.’
    To cook’s surprise the young woman jumped up from the scrubbed pine table, thanked her a second time and left the kitchen, obviously eager not to keep the gentleman waiting.
    Lord Michael was resting easily in a capacious armchair, the cool afternoon a perfect excuse for a fire. He had allowed himself the luxury of imagining how sweet it would be to feel Elizabeth’s lissom body laying submissively beside him, but the sound of the sitting room door opening brought him back to the moment. He looked up.
    ‘My lord,’ Elizabeth said, shyly entering the room. She looked quite angelic in her simple white cotton dress.
    ‘Come here, Elizabeth,’ he said fondly.
    She walked over, instinctively kneeling in front of him as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. The fire cast her in a warm glow.
    Her hair, still quite damp, was falling in haphazard ringlets to her shoulders, and the cotton dress showed off her figure enticingly, outlining her nipples. He felt himself stir, and allowed the comfortable silence to hang in the air as he inhaled the fresh scent of