The Harlot Bride Read Free Page A

be necessary to call for a lamp, although adding that bit of embarrassment might have amused him. That matter settled in his mind, he looked about for the girl, and it took a surprisingly long moment for him to find her, a trim figure standing very still at the side of the window. She was wearing a dark blue frock of almost the same color as the curtains, which was, he understood, the reason he hadn’t spotted her immediately.
    “Good day, Miss Farquhar. I am Doctor Randolph,” he offered by way of introduction, setting his black medical bag on the end of the neatly made bed while he looked her over more closely. He thought to himself that he would have enjoyed today’s errand under most any circumstances, but he certainly hadn’t expected that he would be given the pleasure of a proud young beauty to toy with.
    “I trust you have been informed of the purpose of my visit this morning?” Doctor Randolph queried.
    The girl did not reply, or even look at him. She stayed at her place by the window, one hand on the curtain, pointedly maintaining her gaze on the carriages passing in the street outside, as if no one had entered the room.
    “No answer? Well, never mind. I imagine you are very well aware why I am here, Miss Farquhar, but since you have chosen not to answer my question, I am forced to state the nature of my visit quite explicitly.”
    He saw there was a pitcher of water and a clean towel folded on the washstand, so he poured some water into the basin and washed his hands as he spoke to her.
    “I am here, Miss Farquhar, at the request of Lord Tazewell, Earl of Chiltenham, to confirm, prior to the conclusion of negotiations for your marriage, that your maidenhead is intact.”
    Doctor Randolph did not bother to look at her. He knew full well the effect his words would have on her.
    “For this purpose, Miss Farquhar, I will require your cooperation in removing your clothing and positioning yourself such that I may conduct a proper examination.”
    Doctor Randolph took up the towel and dried his hands. He looked at Lucy even if she would not look at him, and considered whether he would do her the favor of adding some pat phrase about regretting the distress and embarrassment such an intimate inspection would undoubtedly cause her. But since he didn’t regret it –– in fact he would take a great deal of pleasure in precisely that distress and embarrassment—he decided to say no more on the subject.
    “We will begin, Miss Farquhar.”

 
    Chapter 2
     
     
    Doctor Randolph moved around the bed so he could view Miss Farquhar’s entire figure and ascertain what manner of clothing she was wearing, his eyes sweeping quickly and professionally from her collar to the tip of her toes. Her skirts were slightly longer than the current fashion, as if she had chosen her dress this morning in the hopes of concealing as much as possible. Even so, from below the hems of her skirts, he could see trim ankles encased in tightly laced boots, a sight that always stirred him.
    “You may leave your boots and stockings on,” he said, having decided at once that the soft black leather and delicate lacing of those boots would provide a most erotic contrast to her bare thighs once he had her on her back with her knees drawn up and open.
    “And the dress. That too you may leave on. But everything underneath, and I do mean everything, Miss Farquhar, must be removed.”
    At last, a reaction.
    Lucy turned abruptly from the window, a look of defiance mixed with unconscious entreaty upon her face. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it as a deep color rose from her neck. No doubt she was intelligent enough to realize that no manner of magician, let alone physician, could make a fair inspection of the part in question with all her under things in place.
    It pleased him to see her blushing. He promised himself he’d have her face beet red before he finished.
    “I do hope you are not wearing a corset,” he