CHAPTER 1
Count Philippe de Grasse sat at the lunch table reading the message that had just been
delivered. His lunch, half eaten, remained getting cold in front of him. The expression on
his face changed from puzzled to deeply concerned. The message, sent by his solicitor in
Paris, had arrived unexpectedly and, since it had been marked ‘Urgent’ had been brought
straight in to him.
“Is there anything wrong, my lord?” asked his wife Suzanne.
“The situation in Paris is getting worse, my dear.” He muttered absent-mindedly, the
frown on his forehead deepening as he read on. “My solicitor says that he can not
guarantee the safety of my house and contents there much longer.”
“But that is absurd.” Suzanne said indignantly. “Why can’t he?”
“He says that Paris is on the boiling point with the common folk up in arms at the cost
of food and are likely to follow the example of their Dutch counterparts only with much
less restraint.”
“But surely the authorities will keep order.” Suzanne remarked sweetly.
“Authorities!” Philippe scoffed. “It seems that most of them are among the ones stirring
up the trouble, or else turning a blind eye.”
The rumours of the riots in the Dutch Republic had reached Provence some time ago but no
signs of trouble in the French Capital had seeped through yet. That was until the message
arrived that day.
“Rene Sarbon is not one to overestimate things and, if he suspects trouble, then trouble
there will be. I will have to go to Paris very soon and see what can be done to salvage as
much as possible.”
“Oh good!” Suzanne exclaimed happily. “Then I can go with you.” She had always wanted to
visit Paris. She had heard so much about the City and wanted to see it for herself.
“That is out of the question.” Philippe replied, sternly. “If there is likely to be
trouble then it is no fit place for a woman.”
“But I want to see Paris, and perhaps see the King and the Royal Family.” Suzanne
insisted.
Philippe raised his eyes and looked hard at his wife. She was only twenty years old, ten
years his junior and they had only been married for twelve months. She had been an only
child and her parents had spoiled her atrociously and she was used to getting her own way.
She had yet to understand that her husband’s word was law. It was a lesson she had to
learn and learn fast.
“I have already said that it is out of the question.” He repeated. “You will stay here
until I return.”
“I will not.” Suzanne said petulantly. “I will pack my things and go with you.”
“You will do as I say.” Philippe replied angrily. “Or do I have to call Mansour and
order him to bring me his whip and take you out to the post.”
Suzanne fell into a stunned silence. Mansour was their major-domo. An Arab that Philippe
had rescued from a Barbary ship, and thus saved the man from a lifetime of agony and
misery at the oars and eventual death. Despite the difference in their religions he had
converted to Christianity and become devoted to Philippe. He was the one responsible for
keeping order among the servants and peasants that worked their Lord’s estate and farms.
The post to which her husband had referred was permanently erected in the castle yard
and it was to this that any miscreant was bound for the flogging that the Lord ordered.
Philippe had inherited the castle and the neighbouring estate and farms when his father
had died several years before. He had earned the respect and loyalty of his subjects by
being a kind and sympathetic master but had not hesitated to enforce his authority on the
few occasions it had become necessary to do so. His judgements had always been fair and
just and even the offenders accepted his punishments without rancour.
To the best of Suzanne’s knowledge, a flogging had only been ordered once during the
time she had been married to him. A servant girl had taken a kitchen knife to the elderly
cook but had been overpowered before any damage had been done. Philippe had ordered
Mansour to beat her and the girl, striped to the waist, had been tied to the post and
received twenty lashes of the whip across her back. Even then, her husband had been
merciful, telling the major-domo to lay the lash on hard but not to break the skin.
The entire household had been ordered to watch the punishment and the unfortunate girl
had screamed loud as the sentence was carried out. Suzanne had shuddered each time the
whip cracked across the girl’s back but it was the strange look in her husband’s eyes as
he watched his authority being enforced that had remained in her mind. It was as if,
contrary to his normal nature, he was enjoying seeing the girl whipped. It was something
that she was to remember in time to come!
Whilst it was not unknown for the ‘Lady of the Manor’ to be put to the post at her
husband’s order, Suzanne had never come across an instance that, to her knowledge, this
had been done, but she had heard tales of wives suffering this punishment in the not too
distant past. But, even so, Philippe’s threat had stunned her to the core. She had not
seen him in such a masterful frame of mind with her before and decided to keep silent and
drop the matter in case he carried out the threat.
She had married later than was the normal; most girls were married well before their
eighteenth birthday. Although she had been promised to Philippe when she was only ten
years old, the delay where she was concerned was due to his absence from the country on
business for his father and it was only the latter’s death that had brought him back
earlier than expected. Suzanne had fallen in love with him on sight, an affection that he
returned. He had grown into a very handsome man and, to her joy, into a considerate and
fulfilling lover. In bed, he was tender and careful to ensure that she also received
pleasure from the coupling but, even then, she was left in no doubt who was the master in
the house.
Several days passed, during which Philippe made the necessary preparations for his
absence. He had taken Sarbon’s letter seriously and, in case the troubles escalated and
spread south, he made secret arrangements for his valuables and personal belongings to be
taken from Provence to the castle and estates in Southern Spain, which he had inherited
from his mother’s brother, for safety.
The night before he was due to depart he took her to bed and the sex that followed
seemed to please him more than usual. She thought he was making up for the time they were
to spend part. As he lay, temporarily exhausted at her side, Suzanne decided to risk one
last effort to change his mind. She had heard two of the kitchen wenches discussing their
mating with their boy friends and she recalled something she had heard them giggling
about. At the time, what they had said disgusted her but the girls had been adamant that
their action had re-stimulated their men into a wonderful frenzy. She decided to risk
trying it out for herself.
She stroked his thighs gently and slid down the bed until her face was level with his
groin. She could smell the aftermath of their coupling. Very gently, she began to stroke
his flaccid shaft which, despite his earlier exertions quickly began to grow hard and come
erect. Fearing that any minute he would angrily pull her back up the bed, she started to
run her tongue lightly up and down its length at the same time tickling his heavy sac with
her fingers. For the first time she tasted a man’s secretion mixed with her own. To her
astonishment she did not, as she feared, find it distasteful. After a few minutes, she
closed her mouth over the glistening crown and let her lips slide up and down his shaft.
Philippe was taken utterly by surprise and before he could stop her and demand what she
though she was doing, he felt his arousal rekindled. He had received this style of
pleasure before but that had been with serving girls. He wondered where his wife had
learned this art. She was even better at it than the serving girls and he decided to let
her continue and see where it would lead. She really was very good and it was not long
before he felt his penis begin to throb and he wondered what she would do when he lost
control.
Suzanne felt his lance start to throb, just as it did when inside her. She also wondered
what she should do when the moment came. She had little time to contemplate the question.
The unexpectedness of her action and the erotic effect of his wife performing such a duty
had caught Philippe by surprise. So much so that he was unable to hold back as he usually
did when taking his pleasure with her in the conventional manner. Suzanne felt his penis
suddenly stiffen even harder and swell. It began to pump and the first jet of his seed hit
the back of her throat. Rather than choke and spoil all her efforts, she swallowed hard
and kept swallowing until the last drop had been expelled. Somehow, she had managed to
contain it all without choking or letting any seep from her mouth.
She continued to lick at his cock until it was clean and beginning to soften. Then she
eased her way up the bed until she lay at his side. She looked at his face and, instead of
the anger she expected, it was relaxed with a contented smile playing at the corners of
his mouth. He turned his head to look at her.
“Where on earth did you learn to do that?” He asked softly
“Nowhere, my lord.” Suzanne replied smugly. “I heard two servant girls talking about
doing it to their men folk and thought I would try it. I hope it did not offend you?”
“On the contrary, my love.” Philippe replied. “I liked it very much. We must do it
again, often,”
Suzanne was taken by surprise not only by the unexpectedness of his reply but the
sincerity she detected therein. She decided it might be a good time to attempt to change
his mind about accompanying him on his planned journey.
“You wouldn’t really have sent for Mansour to get his whip and take me to the post,
would you?” She asked, as seductively as she could.
“I do not know.” Philippe replied. “A man must maintain order in his house, and not only
among the servants. If it means that his wife must be taught obedience in that manner he
must do so. Fortunately, you didn’t force me to make that decision.”
“But I would really have liked to go to Paris with you.” She said, as she let her hand
slide gently down his stomach to where his now flaccid penis rested among its furry bush.
“Not just to see Paris, but I hated the idea of you being so far away from me for so long.
Won’t you please change your mind?” She gave his manhood a tight squeeze with these last
words, feeling it start to grow rigid again and his breathing grew heavier.
Before she knew what was happening, he had rolled over on top of her, spread her legs
with his own and entered her. His taking was, this time, fast, furious and masterful until
they both climaxed together with a loud cry of satisfaction. As he withdrew and returned
to her side, she felt both of their juices seeping down between her buttocks.
“Does it mean so much to you to come with me?” He asked as he struggled to regain his
breath.
“Yes, my lord.” Suzanne replied sweetly. “I love you so much I can’t bear to be away
from you for one day.”
“Well, if it means so much then you can come. But remember, it is against my better
judgement and woe be tide you if I am proved right.”
Suzanne sank back on the bed, a contented smile spreading across her mouth. She had got
her own way after all. In marriage, sex was a powerful weapon if used correctly, as her
mother had once told her! At the time, she thought nothing of his final words but they
were to return to her mind at a later date!
Philippe delayed his departure for a day to enable Suzanne to pack and get herself
ready. Sitting in his study, he went over the arrangements he had made. Mansour was to
remain behind and organise the removal of as much of his property to Spain as possible.
Antonio, his head man in Spain was already on his way to Paris with carts and guards to
affect the transfer of the contents of his household in Paris to the estate in Spain. In
case of the worst happening in France, he had instructed Mansour to move all his valuables
and their personal belongings to Spain as well. He had gathered together his tenant
farmers and servants and placed the properties in Provence in their custody, telling them
that, until his return, any profits they made they could keep. In this way, he hoped to
safeguard as much of his property as possible if things turned as nasty as his solicitor
feared.
Philippe, Suzanne and an elderly maid, Marie, set out as planned, He had hired an
unmarked coach and they were both dressed in cheap, non-descript garments and they were
using forged papers in the names of Pierre and Nicole Reynard. In this way, he hoped that
their journey would progress without attracting any unwanted attention. In the event, the
trip passed without incident but for one occurrence. As their coach swept through the main
square in Lyons they saw a woman, naked to the waist, tied to the whipping post and being
flogged with a heavy birch across her back.
Three days later, they alighted from the coach outside his house in Paris. Throughout
the journey, they were conscious of the unrest that was gripping the Country. The common
people seemed angry and discontented and they saw slogans painted on walls, calling for
the rich to give up their wealth and feed those who were unable to buy food at the
exorbitant prices being asked. More than once, Philippe regretted allowing Suzanne to
accompany him and did not hesitate to let her know of his feelings.
Arriving at the house, they were greeted by the few servants that had been kept on to
look after the place. Whilst there was an air of resentment among them, the servants
continued to treat the pair with respect, albeit grudgingly. The next day, Philippe met up
with his solicitor and attended to the matters that had to be taken care of. Antonio
arrived the same day and the business of sorting what had to be taken to Spain began. The
day after that, the carts, heavily laden, and the guards armed with muskets and swords,
left on their long trip. It had been decided to head for the nearest border with Belgium
and then on through Germany, Switzerland and then making a quick run across the south of
France into Spain.
The day the couple were due to leave, Philippe called the few servants to him. He
thanked them for looking after the house and paid them their outstanding salaries, adding
a large gratuity and wishing them well for the future. The house was to be closed down
indefinitely. All the servants offered to remain and continue to look after the place but,
thinking that this may put them in grave danger, Philippe declined their offer. They were
sad at the outcome but, eventually, he Suzanne and Marie were left alone in the house
until the coach came to transport them to Spain.
Suzanne, realising that they needed some things for the journey, went out to the local
shops to get what she could. Times were hard in Paris and it was some time before she
returned with the purchases she required. She was looking forward to getting away from the
capital and was in a good mood as she entered the house. This disappeared immediately on
seeing Marie in tears and obviously distraught. It took some time and much soothing to
ascertain from the woman what was wrong.
The story that she managed to extract, bit at a time, from the woman, filled her with
dread and apprehension. Soon after she had left for the market, men from the police had
arrived and carted Philippe off to prison and were now looking for Suzanne. It was on
hearing this that Suzanne remembered seeing two or three suspicious looking characters
lurking near the gates giving access to the grounds of the house.
The maid had no idea of the reason for the arrest or to where Philippe had been taken,
but before he was taken away, he managed to remind Marie that he was still using his
alias. He had ordered Marie to make sure that Suzanne took the coach to Spain as soon as
possible.
Philippe had the previous day, in case of a emergency, shown her a secret passage that
led from the basement of the house, under the garden and emerged at a hidden gate in the
surrounding wall, well away from the main entrance. Suzanne collected together all her
belongings and told Marie to do likewise. Together they descended to the basement, passed
through the hidden door, remembering to close it carefully behind them and made their way
along the tunnel.
They emerged into the side street unobserved. Marie wanted to stay with Suzanne but was
persuaded otherwise. Suzanne said it was not safe for the maid to be caught with her and
it would be best if she made her own way to her sister in Brittany. Reluctantly, Marie
agreed and, having received some extra money from Suzanne made her tearful fair wells.
Suzanne saw Marie safely on her way before returning to the tunnel and hiding there all
the possessions she was carrying. Making sure the entrance to the tunnel was safely
concealed; she had set out in to the town. As she walked from street to street she thought
back on the events that had led to them being there in the first place.
France in the late 1780s was in a state of uproar. Extra cold winters, followed by
devastating summers had meant terrible lack of food and warmth for the common people.
These had looked to the aristocracy to come to their aid without avail. Consequently the
normally latent hatred of their betters by the people had fermented. Similar circumstances
had occurred in the Dutch Republic where the people had rebelled. There had been no
violence, as such, but Philippe feared that the French peasants, being of a much more
volatile disposition, would not be so restrained.
Suzanne, left on her own, suddenly felt a wave of despair and loneliness sweep through
her, Realising that she must not be seen near the house in case she was apprehended; she
began to walk away in the opposite direction. She was a complete stranger in Paris and
soon became lost. She walked and walked searching her mind for a solution to her problems.
How to rescue Philippe and get them both safely away from whatever danger threatened
them.
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