It had been hours since Felice had met Kitty, conversed with her, and gotten to know the little handmaid. Felice had not been summoned by Buckingham or Milady, which surprised her. It was nearing supper time, surely, but her tummy had no desire for food. "What am I to do?" Felice spoke to herself, peering out the window as dusk descended on the city of London. "I suppose I must keep Buckingham happy. Or Milady will hand me over to Rochefort!
'But...I don't trust him! I don't like the way he looks at me! It makes me feel...oh, Charles! How will you even know where to look for me? I don't intend to stay here. But forming a proper plan of escape would come so much better if only you were here with me! Charles, what do I do?'" Felice moaned quietly. What would Charles do? What would he do?
The door to her chamber opened, without the visitor knocking. Felice whirled around suddenly, and the visage of the intruder did not squelch the worry going through her head."M-my lord Buckingham!" Felice yelped in surprise.
"I'm afraid I have startled you." Buckingham said gently, closing the door behind him.
For such a lordly 'gentleman', he has poor manners in host etiquette, Felice thought. She slightly shook. But she said, "I am sorry, my lord. I...I was not expecting you."
"Obviously." Buckingham grinned. "How do you like your quarters? Exquisite, are they not?"
"Wi. Yes. They are quite lovely." Felice nodded nervously, her hands fidgeting. "Although, rather lavish compared to what I am accustomed to."
"Such was my intention." Buckingham slowly advanced toward her, pulling apart his high collar, and unlacing the lapels at his neck. Felice's eyes bulged with fear, her heartbeat almost deafening her ears.
Oh my l-! She thought, growing pale. What is he-no! He can't be! He wouldn't! He's a lord, not a thug. He wouldn't..."You w-wished to negotiate w-with me, m-my lord?" Felice gulped.
"Perceptive." Buckingham praised, his hands running down his silken jacket, unbuttoning it, exposing his white undershirt. "I have, yes. I trust we can come to a reasonable arrangement?" He hinted, inching closer.
"If...if…" Felice struggled to command her own shaky voice. "If you see s-s-so, m-my lord." The last time she'd felt cornered like this, alone with a man, had been in the stable with Aramis, when he'd tried to help her breach the misunderstanding with her brother. She had not thought on that day for a while, but now she remembered the fretting she'd felt at being alone with an armed man. That seemed ridiculous now, when she thought of Aramis. He had never granted any indecent advances toward her. But she hadn't truly known him then, as she did now.
"As to terms, well…" Buckingham chuckled, "I do not believe we shall have any trouble forming a settlement." He was now standing in front of her, gazing down at her hungrily.
"I…" Felice's head began to spin. She stumbled and quickly sat down on a chair to stop the whirling. "I feel r-rather faint, my l-lord. Perhaps a...another ti-time?"
"Come now." Buckingham grinned, gripping her arms and bringing her to her feet. She let out a small gasp as he tugged her closely against himself, the scent of wine on his breath filtering down on her face. "Let's remedy that, here, right now! Shall we?" He eyed the bed then led her toward it.
Felice stiffened, resisting. "P-please, my lord!" She pulled back.
"Shh. Relax, love." Buckingham creeped his hands up her arms, towards her neck. "Why, you tremble under my fingers! Relax, my dear. I assure you, you are in safe hands. Come." Felice raised her fists up but he clenched them. "Easy there, love. We shall commune into the night…" He maneuvered her, wriggling, down onto the bed. "And bask in each other's company." Buckingham purred.
"N-no! P-please!" Felice cried, struggling. She kicked his shin. He gasped and doubled over. Felice began to shove him away but, having forced himself to regain composure though his ankle throbbed, he was faster and once again gripped her arms. "Let me go!"
"Clever." He said through gritted teeth. "But not prudent. Don't be so anxious to retreat from me, my little garden flower." He chimed, running his hand through her hair.
"M-my lord, please let me go!" Felice cried. He held her down flat on her back in the bed, firmly but not roughly. "No, no!" Felice panted, quivering with terror and flailing. He was doing it! He was going to seduce her whether she could stop him or not! Not again!
In her mind, she was back in Meung, those Cardinal's b-s holding her helpless to the ground as they groped at her clothes, eagerly trying to be the first one to touch her bare skin. They'd laughed, and sneered, more so the harder she'd fought against them. "Please...let go of me!"
"I am not going to hurt you, love." Buckingham said calmly, although surprised at how terrified she appeared under him. He wasn't accustomed to that. Most women fawned over him and even dared to throw themselves at him if they believed they could get away with it. Not this one though. Strange that. "Calm yourself, and we shall lose ourselves in exceeding bliss." Buckingham murmured as he hovered closely over her.
"My lord, I beg you! Release me!" Felice pleaded, shaking violently, and hyperventilating. "Do not do this! Please! Let me go! Let go of me!" She wept. "Release my hands!"
"Easy, love…" Buckingham whispered, sure he could win her over, nuzzling her neck with his beard. He started to roam his other hand around her waist, and began to loosen her stays.
"Oh, g-! Oh my g-! No! Away, please! Get...away...from me!" Felice sobbed shrilly, writhing helplessly under his grip, trying to shove him away. "Let me go! Let go of me! P-please! I beg you!" Icily struck with terror, she kneed him in the stomach, well, barely. But enough to dig a sharp nudge into his belly. He grunted. Felice slapped him across that pretty face, yelping with fright as she did so. Buckingham was stunned, and straightened up, gazing down sternly at his uncooperative little pet. "Pl-please…" Felice could barely speak.
Buckingham wanted to have pleasure with her. He'd expected her to voluntarily yield to it, like Milady. But he was not so dense as to ignore her vexed state. He saw how profusely her form shook, as if her bones were ice, and her struggle for breath like a fish out of water. The lass was clearly terrified, to the point that she would take violent measures to reject him from touching her, as if he were a barbarian.
Milady had informed him that this Rochefort fellow was brutish, implying that he'd had a run-in with Felice. For once, the harlot speaks truth without me fathoming the need to question it, Buckingham thought. Well, I shall not torment the poor girl any longer. Captain Rochefort has clearly left his mark on her, and what a dark mark at that. She may faint dead away if I persist any longer. And where would be the fun in that?
Buckingham released Felice's hands from under his own and stepped back. Felice scrambled away from him, stumbled off the bed, and huddled against the wall in the corner, hugging herself. Hot tears ran down her fair face, and she trembled so hard that the duke was surprised the walls were not rattling.
"Very well." Buckingham sighed, taken aback at his own words. "I will not force you, love. We can speak another time. My apologies for having stricken such mortal terror in you. Calm yourself. I shall have your maid tend you. If you desire anything, my servants will be at your leave." He closed the door behind him, feeling extremely disappointed. He may be a cavalier, and a man of the world. But he was also a lord, a gentleman and even he could see that the girl had been traumatized back his actions, as if he were a monster! No, he would not subject her to that. A slap in the face from a stubborn wench was preferable to what he had just undergone. She was clearly not ready for rendezvousing around with him. Well, that would change with time, he had not doubt.
Felice dropped to the floor, bracing herself against the wall, hugging her knees, struggling to gain control of her own breathing. "Charles!" She wailed. "Charles! Take me home, please!" This was the first time she'd been separated from her brother like this. "Charles...will I ever see you again?" Her body was whirling with panic from Buckingham's actions just now. The last time she'd been held down like that by the male species, against her will, she'd been...they'd nearly…
Felice clutched her chest, trying to force it to breathe like it should. It was so hard. Her hands frenzied with tremors, and the tears kept coming. No, Buckingham had not actually seduced her. But he'd intended to, ignoring her pleas, intent on getting what he wanted, even if her sentiments were to the contrary. And he might do it again! What if next time she couldn't fend him off?
"Miss?" Kitty murmured softly, peeking inside the room.
"Ohh," Felice swallowed hard, quickly wiping at her eyes. She heard the soft pitter-patter of the younger maid's small feet.
"Are you alright, Miss?" Kitty asked.
"I'm...I'm alright." Felice lied.
"You're weeping, Miss." Kitty said, patting the older girl's shoulder. "You are shaking. Are you ill?"
"N-no." Felice shook her head. "I...I just had a shock, that's all."
"Bad news?"
"N-not exactly. It really frightened me…" Felice tried to explain.
"Shall I fetch a doctor, Miss?" Kitty offered.
"No! No, it's not that." Felice said quickly. "I just...I miss my brother. Very much!"