Hidden Places, Book 1 of Autumn Club Series

Chapter 4

Beatrix, Sybil, Camilla and Katrina had another unofficial meeting of the Autumn Club. This time it was at the opera a few nights after the ball. Katrina's brother arranged a large box that not only fit their family but six others.

Lady Hughes played matchmaker, having Katrina bring her friends and Reggie bring his. The fact that Reggie's friends were drunks was not the only reservation Katrina had for the evening. Katrina fretted half the day that Reggie asked the duke to join them. Then the other half fretting that he didn't ask him to join them.

After Reggie's three wastrel friends joined the party, she was a bit crestfallen. Not only would she not see the duke, but she was stuck with Reggie's best chums. She could smell the alcohol already wafting off of them.

As the orchestra warmed up, Katrina searched the crowd with her mother's opera glasses. Sitting three boxes away was a beautiful blonde girl, Lady Eleanor, and her mother. Eleanor came out this year to a great deal of fanfare. She was considered incomparable.

How easy things must be to be "incomparable." Katrina sighed, and then heard her brother bellow "Gabe!"

Katrina looked to where her brother yelled. Standing next to Eleanor was the Duke of Harrington. He looked like a foreign king with his bald head, dark eyes, and tall build. He raised his hand slightly, and then his gaze drifted to Katrina. And her heart stopped.

He was with the incomparable. Of course he was. He was incomparable - a rich, handsome duke.

Katrina shook the cobwebs out of her head, and focused back on her friends. But they were lost in frivolous conversations with the wastrels.

Her eyes started to drift to the duke's box. He was bent over Eleanor's ear whispering. But his eyes were on Katrina. Why is he looking at her? Is he showing her that he has no interest? How could she be so jealous? Gah!

The lights dimmed and the opera began. Katrina could barely pay attention with thoughts of the duke and Lady Eleanor. Was he touching her or whispering sweet nothings to her? Of course he was.

During the intermission, the lobby was wall-to-wall with people trying to socialize and drink as much as possible. In the crush of people, Katrina stepped back to steady herself and strong hands grabbed her upper arms.

She audibly gasped and looked up in to the eyes of the duke. The crowd made it so her arms were pushed against her side. His fingers began to move up and down. Caressing the sides of her breasts.

He backed them both back up until he was against the wall and she was in front of him. He continued to rub the sides of her breasts with his long fingers. Why wasn't she stopping him?

He lowered his head to her ear. "Good evening, kitten," he whispered. "You are always such a good girl for me, aren't you? Allowing me to pet you without complaint."

His wrapped fingers moved so they rested over her covered breast, and a gasp again escaped Katrina's lips. She leaned back a little in to him. She wasn't sure if she was trying to move away from the touch or closer to his body. She knew this was wrong and she should run away, but his touch was addictive.

"Purring little kitty Kat," he mused. "Now that I have your attention I have some questions for you." Questions? At a time like this?

"But-but we aren't in a garden and you are touching me...where you should not. I can't think, sir." He squeezed her breast harder and she moaned.

"Where I should not? But you seem to like it, and I know I do. The shadows along this wall shield us from sight but here we are...in the open...intimate." He squeezed and smoothed his fingers over the silk. "Now to my questions, yes? Be good, kitten."

"Yes-yes, s-sir." Heat was rushing to her core. Her eyes closed out the world.

"Lady Katrina, do you feel some men deserve to be in full control over others?" He whispered near her ear. What kind of question was that? The gossip from the ball filled her mind.

"Ummm, well, like in the military..." she began knowing that was not his intent.

"No, Katrina, not careers, not jailer, or other inherently controlling circumstances caused by hierarchy. Just one individual having controlling rights over another," he said harshly. Upset she was being obtuse.

"Umm, I-I think some men d-deserve to be given control. It's how they carry themselves. Act. They have natural power. Not all men deserve it, sir. Some are weak, stupid...ugly." What was she saying? Society already gave men power by nature of their sex. Why allow them more? But for her, it felt right to say even though it betrayed her gender. It was her truth, liking the idea of someone making hard decisions for her, exerting their experience and certainty to her inexperience and uncertainty.

"Ouch, fierce little kitty with tiny claws. I'm so glad I'm not weak, stupid or ugly then." He chuckled, but she couldn't see his smile from her position. But he immediately became serious again. "Do I deserve it, kitten? Do I deserve to have control over others if I desire it?" Did he? He exemplified the type of man she described that deserved control.

"Y-Yes, s-sir. I don't know of any f-flaws, sir." His right hand dipped under the fabric covering her left breast, and he pinched her nipple.

"Good girl. I plan to control you. I plan to own you, possess you. Mind, body and soul." As he continued to massage the nipple, his other hand smoothly trailed down to lay flat on her stomach. "Now thank me, Katrina. Thank your master." Master? What did he mean? Only servants used that word.

"For wh-what, sir?"

"For this touch. For your arousal. For being mine, kitten." He pinched her nipple hard and she gasped out.

"Y-Yours? I don't under-understand." She gasped.

"We'll get to that, Katrina. In good time. Now thank me." He pulled her closer with his hand on her belly so she could feel his erection at her back.

"Th-thank yo-you, m-m-master," she stuttered out. She could almost feel a smile form on his lips as they brushed by her ear. She loved to make him happy. His pleasure was her pleasure.