The Bride Goes Missing

The trap bounced along the rutted dirt road, the driver was obviously under instructions to get me to my destination as quickly as possible for he had no regard for my comfort. The chest with my belongings was being bounced around and even though I had been assured that it was securely tied to the trap, I feared for some of the more fragile possessions that I had brought with me from England.

This was supposed to be the happiest time of my life when I was to be with my future husband, but alas it was not so. I begged and pleaded with my father not to send me on this journey, but he insisted that he had no option, for if he failed to do so he would forfeit his property to the Marquis of Featherstone, to whom he owed a fortune as a result of ill advised wagers on horses that were never likely to win at the races.

I probably would not have minded this situation had I fond memories of my future husband, the youngest son of the Marquis. He was an arrogant, obnoxious, self opinionated, obsequious young man and the least handsome person I had ever met. He was a short, thin, stooped and shuffling man with the countenance of a weasel and about as trustworthy.

I had tried to escape from the ship when it docked in Cape Town for provisions before the final leg across the Indian Ocean, but I was never allowed out of the watchful gaze of at least one of the crew. That final leg I prayed would be slow allowing me an extended final freedom, but the ship under full sail moved frustratingly quickly, pushed along by the roaring forties, those gales that prevailed in that part of the world. In no time at all we had skirted the south of the Australian continent, through Bass Straight and up the Eastern seaboard to Sydney Town,

Even on arrival at Sydney Town the opportunity of escape had again eluded me, for the driver of this ghastly vehicle was awaiting my arrival at the docks and whisked me away as soon as my chest had been unloaded. Last evening we stayed in an inn and again I had no opportunity to escape for my driver slept on the floor across the door to my room. I was filled with dread at the prospect of meeting once more than man to whom I was soon to be wed.

As the trap wound its way out of a creek crossing and up a winding hill road my thoughts of impending doom were interrupted by the voice of my driver, the first words that he had spoken since leaving Sydney Town. "Whoa there!" The trap lurched to a halt.

I looked ahead of us to see a tree had fallen across the roadway. The driver got down and stood scratching his head and trying to decide what to do next. "Hold up there sir and raise your hands above your head." The voice came from a lone masked rider who had come silently up behind us, he was seated on a fine black horse and had a pistol in his hand that was levelled at my escort. He dismounted and, taking a length of rope from his horse, he advanced towards the driver. "Sit if you will, with your back to the tree." Thus seated the driver soon found himself securely trussed.

The rider secured his horse to the trap and, after a series of manoeuvres, urged the horse in the direction from whence we had just come.

"Who are you impudent sir, and what do you think you are doing?"

"I am your saviour my lady, come to rescue you from a fate worse than death." His eyes laughed at me and under his mask a smile spread across his handsome face. He had a familiar look to him and I tried to remember where I had seen it before.

"I pray that you should reveal your identity to me for I sense that we are not unfamiliar with each other."

"You sense correctly my dear for we have indeed met in the past. My name is Roderick Mason and my family has an estate in the same county as yours."

"Ahh yes. If my memory serves me well, we met at the Marquis' masked ball the year before last, it was your eyes that I remember, they laughed at me then. What is it about me that amuses you so?"

"I am amused for every time I have been with you, you have had such a serious visage, I seek only to bring joy into your life."

"Then why have you abducted me?"

"For that very same reason. I know where you go and I have taken it upon myself to ensure that you do not arrive there. I pray that you will not tell me that you object to this strategy of mine."

"I will not object if the future that is before me is not as bad as the future to which I was destined."

"Any future must surely transcend that of being wed to that odious little toad Gerald Featherstone."

"You are obviously acquainted with man?"

"Alas yes, our paths have crossed on a number of occasions. I find him to be no less a scoundrel than his father, he even cheats at cards like his father. Why, just the other day we had words when I accused him of attempting to influence the outcome of a horse race. I told him that he didn't have the skill or finesse of his father who had been accused many times of the same offence. I also know that it is because of his father using those skills that you find yourself in your present situation."

We had been driving for over an hour and were approaching a farmhouse set at the end of a long path that had wound its way through the bushland from the main road. It was a single storey building with a veranda on all four sides. The walls were of stone and roof was of corrugated iron.

We drew up at the front of the house and a man came around the corner from the rear of the house and took the reins and led the horses towards the barn at the rear. "Make sure that they are rubbed down and fed well before you turn them out."

"Yes sir." The man said over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner of the house.

The front door opened and a woman emerged. She was not much older than myself, tall and slender. She stood with a straight back that spoke of self confidence. "Welcome to our home Madeleine." She came to me and kissed me on the cheek. "I hope that my brother has acted in a gentlemanly fashion."

"Yes, I could not have asked for a better companion. Have we been introduced?"

"No, we have never met, my name is Charlotte and I know of your circumstances because I have recently returned from England and it would have to have been the worst kept secret in the County. It was I that sowed the seeds in Roderick's mind to undertake this course of action."

"You could not possible comprehend the shame that has been brought onto our family by my father's gambling."

"Your father's problem was not his gambling but his gambling with a cheat."

"Are you saying that my father has been cheated out of his wealth?"

"Yes, and I mean to return it to him." Roderick spoke in the most frighteningly earnest manner.

"How do you propose to accomplish that?"

"I have something of a plan, it has not been fully developed yet, but, with luck we can ensure that justice prevails. Now, you must be tired and hungry from your journey, I suggest that we have a light meal and then you can rest up for a couple of hours before we have our evening meal, Charlotte, would you show our guest to her room, I shall set in place the first part of my scheme."

My room was spacious and situated at the corner of the house, and the light from the windows on two sides created a warm atmosphere. Against one wall was a large bed and a washstand on another wall had a large bowl and a jug of water beside which was a wash cloth and some soap, draped over a chair next to it was a large towel. My trunk had been placed at the foot of the bed. It appeared as if it was expected that I should be staying here for some while.

I washed my face and upper body before putting on a camisole top and a blouse which I left unbuttoned from my neck to just above my breasts, it was after all quite warm.

The kitchen was huge with a table in the centre that seated six although there were only three places set. Charlotte had just finished pouring the tea and there was a plate of small cakes in the centre of the table. "I don't know how long Roderick will be but we should start while the tea is still hot."

We sat down and had only just started eating when we heard Roderick kicking off his boots outside the kitchen door. Entering he sat down and helped himself to a cake. "Just in time I see. Is everything to your liking?"

"Yes it is very nice. Tell me, why do you hate Gerald so?"

"Later, let us not spoil this occasion by worrying about that slimy toad." We ate in silence for a while, "The calves down in the paddock near the dam will have to go to market next week."

"Do we have the men for this?" Charlotte asked.

"With my men and Fred Dalwood's we should have enough, I will have to lend him mine when his cows are ready for market." The conversation continued in this vein for some time, there was no mention at all of my predicament.

Roderick walked with me to my room, pausing at the door he took me in his arms, I could feel his strength, he bent down and kissed me, "Don't worry, we have everything under control."

He might have everything under control but I certainly did not, my knees had gone weak at his touch and I felt myself falling deeper into his arms. I put my arms around his neck and pulled his face to mine. My kiss was more passionate than his but his return kiss left me breathless. He lifted me off my feet and carried me into the room, kicking the door shut behind us. He lowered me onto the bed, it was so soft I sank into it, and knelt beside me. His mouth covered mine and his tongue pushed its way into my mouth. I had never been subjected to such passion before.

His hand entered the open neck of my blouse and cupped my left breast, his thumb gently rubbing my nipple causing it to harden. I could feel a dampness between my legs that I was somehow ashamed of, it had never happened before. I heard myself moaning softly under his ministrations, was this really happening to me?

He undid the buttons of my blouse and opened it up, lifting me up and undoing the lace of my camisole he pulled both garments from me leaving me naked from the waist up. "My you are an attractive young wench aren't you."

"Do you really find me so? Or is it just that you have no-one to compare me with?"

"I have many women to compare you with but you my dear surpass them all." His hand had moved to the tie at my waist and he soon had my skirt and undergarments in a pile at the foot of the bed. "The more I see of you the more taken I am by your beauty." His hand was resting at the junction of my legs.

A finger entered my most sacred orifice, "Please, I beg you to cease." My voice lacked conviction and that lack of conviction was enhanced by my hips lifting up allowing him greater access. "Please I beg you to, I beg you, I beg, oh, oh, aaahhhh." My body was wracked by a series of muscular contractions and juices poured from my hole. "Why is my body behaving like this?"

"You have never been with a man?"

"No, I was saving myself for my husband."

"I think I will enjoy taking that pleasure from him."

"I think I will enjoy that too. What are you to do now?"

He took my hand and placed it at the front of his trousers. There was a hard rod there. His hand guided mine up and down this shaft for several minutes, his eyes were closed and a rapt expression crossed his face. "Now undo the buttons and remove my cock from my pants." I obeyed, revealing a large cock, I would have said the largest that I had ever seen but I have never seen one before. I continued to rub it gently and it seemed to get harder, if that was possible.

I don't know what made me do it but I bent down and kissed the tip. "Oh my God that is so good." He sighed. So I took it in my mouth and began moving up and down the engorged shaft. The more I did it the more he moaned in ecstasy. Suddenly his hips lifted up and I felt a flood of hot liquid gush into my mouth. I swallowed as much of as I could but some escaped my mouth. I wiped the area around my mouth with my finger and licked it clean.

Roderick looked me in the eyes, and kissed me passionately on the mouth that had so recently milked his cock dry. He removed his clothes and stood before me, his handsome body took my breath away. He moved over me and kissed me again. The kiss lasted for several minutes before I felt him stirring once more. Placing me on my back he knelt between my legs. He placed the tip of his cock at the mouth of my hole and gently pushed it in. "Oh!" I cried out as the pain of his penetration shot up my body.

"It will only hurt momentarily." He said reassuringly as he pushed it in further. A sharp pain and then he was through the barrier to my bliss. He moved it in and out slowly and gently, every inch of my pussy tingled with pleasure as it moved back and forth.

The longer he penetrated me the less I felt in control of my body until I completely lost control, my body thrashed around on the bed almost unseating my lover, my juices flowed freely from me and I could feel the dampness on the sheets growing in size as I gushed. Suddenly I felt his cock grow slightly and then he spurted his juices into my throbbing body.

Slowly our passion abated and we found ourselves lying on the bed, the dampness on the sheets giving off the odour of passion. Mingled with our juices was the evidence of my deflowering. I buried my face into the soft hairs on his chest. "That was the most divine experience of my life, I have never felt like that before, I have never felt so out of control before, it was as if my body took control of my life and carried me to an existence, to a heavenly experience, the like of which I could not even have imagined, but one that I want to experience again, and again, and again."

"I feel the same way, I want you, I love you, I want you to be my wife, and by God I shall have you."

"You already have me sir, I am yours, forever."

"I think we should both get some rest, Charlotte will have dinner ready for us soon." He drew me to him and I drifted off into the most contented of sleeps.

There was a tap on the door and Charlotte walked in, she did not seem surprised that Roderick and I were in bed together. "You had better get up, we have a guest."

"Who is it?" Roderick asked.

"I'll give you three guesses."

"Gerald has come calling looking for his trap and probably Madeline."

We got out of bed and scrambled into our clothes, there was no way of disguising the aroma of our lust as it was still seeping out of me and running down my legs, and walked out into the living room. The weasel was standing there, sniffling as if he had a perpetual cold. "Where is my horse and trap?" He snivelled.

"Being well cared for, I'll ask my man to bring them around for you."

"So you don't deny that you stole them?"

"I didn't steal them sir, I merely borrowed them, after all you wouldn't expect this young lady to walk here do you, she is much too delicate for that

"You mean my fiancé don't you?"

"Oh, she is your fiancé is she, I wasn't aware who she was, I rescued her from some miscreant who had obviously taken her from whoever she was with."

"My man swore to me that it was you who waylaid him and took her."

"He would say anything you wished him to say. Does it look as if this young lady is here under duress?"

"What have you to say for yourself?" He darted at me.

"This gentleman rescued me from a fate worse than death and for that I will be forever grateful." Little did he realise that, while Roderick was lying, I spoke the truth.

"We shall see. Get your belongings and come with me."

"No."

"How dare you say no to me! You are to be my wife and you will do as I demand." His face reddened as the anger rose in him.

"I said no and I mean no! You cannot make me go with you against my wishes, we are not yet married and I do not have to obey you."

"You will obey me or your father will regret your decision!"

"I think not sir." There was a strength, an assuredness in Roderick's voice.

"This has nothing to do with you, this is between my family and hers."

"It has everything to do with me, for one this is the woman that I intend to make my wife and she has already agreed to the union, secondly the authorities in England are very much aware of how your father managed to deprive Madeline's father of his money. As my uncle has recently been appointed magistrate and one of your father's aggrieved former employees has spoken out against him there is evidence enough to convict him. Your father has crossed a few too many people."

"You lie sir! My father has the wealth to ensure that he does not have to suffer the fate of lesser mortals!"

"That may have been so, but once one person spoke out against him many others have come forth, it is written in this letter I have received just today from my uncle." He picked up a paper from a small table by the large stuffed chair, and waved it under Gerald's long nose. "By now he will be rotting in gaol, in fact it may transpire that he will receive an assisted passage to our fair shores. I think I shall enjoy having him as one of my convict labourers. Now sir I suggest that you get into your trap and return to your rat hole."

"You haven't heard the end of this!" He stormed as he left.

"I think we have. I intend to petition the Governor to have your lands confiscated on the grounds that it was purchased with stolen money. Good day to you sir."

I rushed into his arms. "Thank you my darling! I started this day in dread of what was before me but now I am the happiest person in the whole world." I kissed him and held him as tightly as I could. "I will never let you go."

"I'm afraid my dear that you will have to, Charlotte will have dinner for us shortly and we must keep our strength up."

"Will we have time to make love again before dinner?"

In answer, he carried me into his room. It had a much more masculine appearance than mine, the furniture strong and solid, there was a painting on the wall of a man in full military uniform that I assumed was an ancestor but, on closer inspection, I realised that it was Roderick. How strong he looked and how proud.

He again undressed me, this time I was standing at the foot of his huge bed; I trembled on each occasion that his hand gently brushed against my body. This time I felt no shame in my nakedness, it felt natural for me to be standing before him thus.

I removed his clothes from him and, as I knelt at his feet to take his trousers from him, I found myself staring at his cock, its eye looking straight at me. I took him in my mouth and sucked him, fondling his balls, until he filled my mouth once more with his seed.

He picked me up and lay me on the bed, he put his head between my legs and caressed my hole with his tongue. It entered me and he swirled it around inside me and then removed it until he was able to lick my sex button. I cried out in pleasure as I felt myself reach a climax. My darling removed himself from me only to lay over me and insert his cock into me once more. I was in a state of absolute bliss from which I never wanted to come down. He filled me with his seed and I reached the heights of ecstasy at the same time. We lay in each others arms, our souls and bodies joined as one. I felt safe, and where I belonged.

Charlotte had to keep our dinner warm for us.

Roderick was true to his word. It was three months later when we went into Sydney Town where he presented the evidence that he had received from England and petitioned for the Governor to confiscate Gerald's land.

His petition was granted and the land was given to me. We sold the land, the money raised we sent to my father in England on the understanding that it be used to repay his debts and not on gambling. In a last touch of irony, the very ship that took the money for my father was the one that Gerald sailed in on his return home in disgrace.

While we were in Sydney Town we stood before a priest and exchanged our marriage vows. My happiness was now complete. The priest smiled benevolently at us as he pronounced us man and wife. I whispered into my husband's ear as we kissed, "I am so happy my Darling, and I have something to tell you." His eyebrow rose in that quizzical expression that sent me weak at the knees. "It is just in time that we are wed, for I fear if we had waited any longer I would not have been able to hide my condition."