Chapter 1

Gazing into her looking glass anxiously, sixteen year-old Carmen MacGardenn tried to ignore the heavy dread settling in the pit of her stomach. She saw her own large amber eyes blinking back with thick lashes, and tried to swallow away the nervousness in her throat. Tim wouldn’t like it if she looked too timid, too scared.

She hadn’t wanted to go to the party in the first place, much preferring to go into town with Mother, or even just stay in her room until it was over. But Tim had told her to go, and there was no saying no to Tim. He’d invited three of his closest friends, and their cousin, Harry, was also in attendance. He’d come all the way from Oregon to visit for a few weeks, and it would have been impolite to exclude him.

Carmen was mostly nervous about the other guests. She didn’t need to worry about her cousin--Harry was really nice, polite and friendly in an open sort of way. It made sense, with him being a farm boy, the way he acted, all free and easy. It was the three “gentlemen,” from Tim’s private college that she was worried on. All three of them were like Tim, she just knew it. Cocky, arrogant, used to getting exactly what they wanted when they wanted it. Tim used to be nice once, but now he was their boss. He’d changed long before they’d met him.

The neckline on the dress is much too low, Carmen thought, her heart sinking. She tried desperately to tug it up, but was stopped by the two round, firm globes on her chest. Exactly the point. Tim had had this dress specially made for her, and of course he would have done it this way!

It was dark red and came just off her shoulders. The bodice was very tightly fitted, accenting and flaunting her breasts with the tightness and low neckline. The dress flared at the hips, cascading out with matching coloured bows. There were high-heeled shoes to go with it, not to mention the red bows for Carmen’s auburn curls.

Turning away from the mirror and trying to breath properly again, Carmen looked out the window, her eyes settling on the apple and pear-laden orchards a mile and a half away on the distance on their plantation.

‘Hey, Carmen!’

She knew that voice. It was Tim’s voice. Where was he? He wasn’t supposed to be out in the orchards with her! She wanted to just be alone.

Carmen got up off the ground, trying to dust off her skirt as well as possible so Mother wouldn’t get mad. She had just hidden behind an apple tree when Tim showed up.

‘Carmen?’ He was getting annoyed; she could tell. Carmen peeked carefully out from around the tree to look at her brother. He turned at the wrong moment and saw her hiding place immediately.

‘Carmen! There you are. What are you doing hiding? You know you have to climb the chicken coop.’

She came out of her hiding, pouting. ‘We’re not supposed to do that. Daddy says so.’

‘Aw, but it’s you, Carmen. He likes you better. He wouldn’t get mad at you, would he?’ Even at nine, Tim was a sweet talker with a slick way of going about it.

His three years younger little sister never had any defence of it. She was still pouting, thinking.

‘Do it for me, Carmen.’

She brightened immediately. She loved to make her brother happy. It was the best thing in the world!

‘OK, ‘ she said, and trotted off happily to the chicken coop, Tim in tow.

That was the first time he’d ever manipulated her like that. It’d made her willing to do it for him--but in the future, she wouldn’t always exactly be willing.

‘Hey, Carmen.’

She turned at the sound of her brother’s voice. He’d opened the door to her room; closed it.

‘Tim.’

‘Are you nearly done up here? It’s starting.’

Forcing herself to smile, Carmen gazed into her brother’s amber eyes, the ones just like her own. They were cool, collected, a mask. You could never tell what he was actually feeling, anymore.

Even in heels, Tim beat Carmen’s height by over an entire foot, topped off with a head of dark chocolate hair. He sort of loomed over her, waiting for an answer.

‘Yeah, sure Tim. I’m done. Do you--think I’m done?’ There was a timid edge to her voice; awaiting approval.

He swept her up and down critically, and then nodded.

‘Yeah, you’ll pass. Let’s go.’ He led the way, and he began to clatter down the stairs before Carmen remembered their cousin.

‘Tim, what about Harry?’ She said quietly, not sure what might set him off tonight.

‘Oh, him. He’s sick. Puking his intestines out and all that.’

‘What?’ Carmen was alarmed.

‘Not really, ‘ Tim said, as if he were talking to a three year-old. ‘He’s just in bed with a stomach ache.’

There goes my support, Carmen thought. The party would have been more bearable with Harry present.

‘Ah, ‘ she said vaguely, trying desperately to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Timothy didn’t say anything, so perhaps she had succeeded--or maybe not, and he was brewing something up for later.

Carmen quietly went behind her brother, head down, hands together in front of her, her shoulders slumped slightly forward. It was easy to see that she was intimidated by--or submissive to--him.

Tim led her into the brightly decorated drawing room. Mother and Daddy were both out; Daddy was away on one of his trips, and Mother was out shopping. They knew of the party, but left Tim to his own devices, putting their misplaced trust in him.

‘Carmen--’

She looked up obediently at her brother’s introductory tone. He was gesturing to a sandy blonde youth about her height and more broad shouldered than himself.

‘This is Edward Corrins. He’s the heir to a coffee plantation.’ Carmen lowered her gaze politely and gave the mandatory curtsy. Edward nodded back at her, a smug half-smile painting his face--as if he liked what he saw and was going to try to get it.

Meanwhile, Tim was moving onto the next attendee. He was tall and thin, with a shock of bright red curls.

‘This is Victor Garnet. His family came from England a decade ago and now run a major department company. Mother likes a lot of their merchandise.’

Interesting, Carmen thought. From England? Maybe he’s different.

Indeed, the young man was quiet and respectful, his gaze earnest as he bowed back to her curtsey. She wondered, with his seemingly impeccable manners and temperament, how he had gotten mixed up with Tim.

The last party guest was a rather familiar face to Carmen. He was their neighbour, many miles away, Theodore Boregrew. She’d attended school as a small child with him and Tim. They’d always been thick as thieves. Theodore had always been mockingly respectful, his lip curled into a sneer. He was brutal.

Instead of bowing, he snatched up Carmen’s hand and brought it to his lips. He replaced the customary chaste kiss with sucking some of the skin on her hand into his mouth. Carmen felt the blood rising to her cheeks, her horror and embarrassment--but Tim was laughing, not discouraging the behaviour whatsoever, so she endured it.

When Theodore pulled away, there was a circular red spot on Carmen’s hand.

‘Beautiful as always, Carmina, ‘ he crowed, winking tawdrily. He’d always insisted on calling Carmen that. Tim and Edward were cracking up.

She didn’t defend herself. She never did. It wasn’t her place to, and if she had, there would be repercussions.

‘Well, then, ‘ Tim said, recovering from his bout of laughter. ‘Let’s get this started, then! Carmen, serve us lemonade, will you? You can have a glass too when you’re done.’

Preferring to be quiet, but knowing Tim always wanted an answer, she said, ‘Yes, Tim, ‘ and went off to search for the lemonade pitcher.

She wondered if he would be excited, after tonight, if she’d have to help him out. Surely he’d be too tired?

Behind her, Edward and Theodore were already making friends, mocking her. (‘Listen to that! ‘Yes, Tim, ‘ like some puppet!’ ‘Yes, but she’s awful cute, even so.’) Tim laughed along with them.

‘Yes, she can be adorable, ‘ he said, ‘but don’t you prefer the sex appeal? Look at those lush titties on my sister. But just look, don’t touch.’ They all snorted.

‘And her legs are long and gorgeous, with a perfect ass. Very round. Would probably give you something to grab onto, hm?’

‘I’d like a piece of that, ‘ Edward said in a hungry voice, obviously imagining what it would be like.

Tim’s voice suddenly had an edge to it.

‘You can dream, Ed, but you’ll never get any of that.’ This was not a statement to be questioned.

Edward said nothing, but he’d backed off.

Carmen came back quietly, with two glasses in her hand. She gave the first to Tim, and the next to Theodore, keeping her eyes cast down the entire time, and went to fetch the last two.

Since Tim had told her to, Carmen poured herself a glass as well, and gingerly took a sip. It tasted funny. Was there not enough sugar? She took another to make sure. It burned going down her throat, and she sputtered.

Tim looked her way, all his friends turning to stare as well.

‘Is something wrong?’ He asked coolly, walking to stand beside his sister, towering over her, daring her to say something he didn’t like.

‘No Tim, nothing at all, ‘ Carmen said quickly, almost cowering. ‘It went down the wrong way, is all. I’m sorry for interrupting.’

‘I said, is something wrong?’ Tim repeated calmly. ‘You can tell me, it’s all right.’

‘Nothing, ‘ Carmen said. ‘I told you--’

‘Carmen. Tell me.’ Tim’s words were sharp. She’d put herself in a bigger mess than she would have otherwise.

‘There’s alcohol in this, ‘ she murmured, looking at her feet.

‘Yes, there is, ‘ Tim said. ‘That’s why you’d better drink the whole glass, honey.’

Oh, no. The other foot had dropped. Tim was calling her ‘honey, ‘ and that meant things had gotten really serious. He was planning something

‘It’ll help loosen you up for later, ‘ he suggested, grinning.

Later? What was happening later? She didn’t know. Of course she didn’t; he never told her what was going on.

Carmen swallowed, very frightened to talk back to him.

‘But Tim, I can’t--’

‘Drink it.’