Chapter 2

“I didn’t, ah, I meant money.”

“Really, well I’m not interested in your money, well I am, but I desire something else as well. You could call it a bonus for my help in a very dire situation. That is the true value you have to place on your husband’s freedom. Your choice.”

Unlike many women of her age and social standing, Lisa had been a virgin on her wedding day not many years ago, and an innocent one at that. Despite spending her teenage years in an English girls boarding school, where affairs with the local boys; or even staff were commonplace. Not to mention lesbian trysts.

Now she faced this horrendous dilemma. She was being ripped asunder by the very thing that motivated her to be there. The love for her husband. If that love forced her to refuse, remain loyal to her vows and beliefs, to turn and walk out, her husband would be taken from her and would suffer deplorable conditions for who knew how many years in jail; on what everyone knew were false charges. If her love demanded he be returned to her, and Lisa paid the incomprehensibly horrendous price, how would she face herself and live with her conscience?

The man was silent, unmoving, waiting for her to choose. Time seemed to stand still as Lisa’s mind whirled, measuring horrible against horrible. Her blue eyes, brimming with tears of shame, Lisa’s hands shakily went to the hem of her lightweight, pale turquoise summer frock. Clumsily undoing the first button, then moving upwards to the next and the next. Fumbling with the second last one as her fingers were trembling so much, she eventually freed it, and then the last one and Lisa let her frock fall open. The man’s eyes had followed the progress of her hands; button by button, his appreciative gaze intensified. A hungry lust darkening his expression as each one parted.

They made eye contact, and smiling, he nodded, acknowledging that a contract had been agreed upon. She was willing to pay the price he demanded.

Lisa was red with embarrassment as she saw his smile, but she was committed now and had to continue. Having come this far, the alternative was even worse to contemplate than what she knew she was going to do.

Lisa shrugged the frock off her shoulders, allowing it to slide down and pool on the floor around her feet. Embarrassment blossomed crimson on her cheeks even more as he gleamed at the sight of her white satin slip. Her fingers edged hesitantly to the hem, preparing to pull it over her head. Soon her delicate fruit would be divested of its outer layers of protection and would be his to savour and enjoy. A hand gesture from the man stopped Lisa. The hem was half way up her thighs, showing off the shape of her legs. Thank God, she thought, he has come to his senses and will relent.

The man remained silent, staring at her. The white satin did nothing to hide her body. In fact, it did the opposite as it clung to every curve and hollow, emphasising the narrow waist and flaring hips, down over her thighs to stop just above her knees. The scooped neckline gave a tantalising glimpse of cleavage and the swell of her upper breasts. Lisa watched him run his tongue over his lips to moisten them. Subconsciously, she mirrored his action, but her dry mouth was caused by her apprehension; and not as he assumed was excitement for him.