Upon returning to her room, Abby was disappointed to see the dresser still as empty as she had left it that morning. She knew the drink had something to do with the man who had appeared in her dream. When she undressed, she decided to take off her chemise as well, just in case he would return after all.
Abby was stark naked when she got into bed. She had never slept nude before. The sheets were cool against her skin. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. While she arched her back and writhed under the blanket, the friction from the fabric made her feel sensual in a new way.
She recalled how frustrated she had been the previous night when the stranger could only touch her through her clothes. Abby made it up to herself by caressing her body while she thought about him. She remembered how much she had wanted to feel something inside of her. She spread her thighs and touched herself at the center, looking for the little opening. She frowned while she probed the soft, moist flesh with her fingers.
Where exactly was it?
She had found it once before, but felt no pleasure when she entered a finger in there so she always used to tease her little nub instead. Certainly the entrance could not have shrunk away! Abby pouted. Thomas was right then. She was uptight, literally. Abby sighed in disappointment and removed her hand. Perhaps she should consult the medical section of the library tomorrow. Her gaze wandered around the room while she let herself drift off. All of a sudden her heart missed a beat.
A man was standing on her balcony outside!
Abby's eyes widened. She could see him well enough since she had not drunk anything and the curtains were still open. It must be the stranger from last night! She was sure of it! She could not make out his face, but he seemed to be looking at her. For a moment she was afraid he would come in. The next moment she was afraid he would leave. Abby lay frozen under the sheets and stared at the dark figure, trying not to blink her eyes in case he was a dream after all. Abby no longer trusted herself to tell whether something was real or not.
She liked the look of him: those broad shoulders, the narrow hips, the nonchalant way he leaned against the wall. She wondered what he wanted. She did not have any precious possessions, except for her maidenhood. If he wanted it, she would give it to him. She wanted to give it to him.
Abby was not sure how much he was able to see. It was probably too dark to read her face, but he should be able to make out her body in the moonlight. In a series of slow movements she pushed herself upright to sit on her knees, letting the sheets slide down her back before stretching her legs while she turned around to face him. She leaned back on one hand to caress her body with the other, bending a knee to show the curve of her thigh and calf. Her head fell back when she arched her back to expose her slender torso. She lowered herself onto her elbow, emphasizing the curve of her hips in contrast to her waist.
From the balcony outside, Thomas was enjoying Abby's little show. He licked his lips while his eyes roamed all over the naked form she displayed without constraint. He grinned when he recalled Abby's failed attempt at pleasuring herself. She was probably trying to enlist some help in that department and he was more than willing to give it to her. Thomas had not intended to do anything tonight as a way of teasing her and making her more desperate for their next session, but the way things were going he found himself tempted to enter the room after all. Leaving was not an option, neither was standing there all night.
He reached for the door handle.
Abby was startled by the sound of footsteps down the hall. In a reflex, she turned to look at the door and covered herself. When she looked back at the balcony again, the man was gone. Abby blinked. He was either incredibly fast or she had been dreaming after all. Her heart pounded. She had to know. Abby wrapped herself in a sheet and got out of bed. She shivered in the cool night air when she walked onto the balcony. There was nobody there. Perhaps he could make himself invisible, but why would he disappear like that?
Abby cleared her throat. "I won't tell anybody if you come in... and I won't resist... I promise!" She felt silly talking into the night air like that. Even if he could hear her, the mystery man would not reappear out of thin air just because she said he could have his way with her. Abby decided to go back into the room before she would catch a cold. He probably was just a dream after all.
Thomas was clinging onto the rope under the balcony. He had a pretty good hunch Abby would come outside and he did not want to get caught climbing up the wall. He felt encouraged by Abby's words. This would change things. She was willing to have a rendezvous with a real man, not just some figment of her imagination.
This could get interesting...
~*~
Now Uncle Albert was back at Alder Hill, Abby's mind did not get the chance to wander off during breakfast again. The old man entertained his guests by asking each of them the silliest questions and giving equally silly replies to the answers. Abby welcomed the distraction. It felt as if she had known this family for a long time already. Except for Thomas, but she did not want to think about him.
Later that day, Abby went to the library. The encyclopedia she had been going through did not include illustrations on the subject of her interest so she had to look further. She took out a book from one of the shelves in the most likely section and browsed through the pages.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Robert!" Abby slammed the book shut at once and put it back, shaking her head. She hoped Robert would not be able to guess what she was looking for.
He peered down the same shelf, took out another book and handed it to her. "This one has pretty detailed pictures," he said. "Don't ask me how I know."
"Robert, I...!" stammered Abby while her face turned red. He gave her an understanding smile, instead of the mocking one she had feared. Abby breathed a sighed of relief. Robert was such a fine gentleman indeed! She realized she was quite fond of Robert and she was not afraid to tell him so. "Robert, I must say... I do like you a lot," she said. "Not romantically, you know. But I think we're very much alike and I'm really glad to have met you... even after that rocky start."
"Why, Abby! How sweet of you!" laughed Robert. "Then you really have forgiven me! So we're friends now?"
"Of course!" replied Abby. "If you ever need any help, just let me know."
"Well, I'd do the same for you," said Robert.
Robert and Abby smiled at each other for a moment.
All of a sudden a voice cried out, "Abby! How could you stab me in the back like that?"
Robert and Abby turned to see Lizzy standing in the doorway, shaking with anger while tears welled in her eyes. Abby gaped at her sister for a moment. "It's not what you think, Lizzy!" she cried. "Really, it's not!"
"Lizzy!" Robert called out. He moved towards the other girl, but she turned around and fled. He turned to Abby in dismay.
"Talk to her, Robert! If you care about her at all, then tell her so!" urged Abby.
Robert nodded and ran after Lizzy.
Abby let out a deep sigh. She thought about following them, but Robert should take this opportunity to declare his love to Lizzy. She should give them some privacy. If he messed things up again, she could always take care of it later.
~*~
Lizzy ran to her chamber, closed the door behind her and locked it. She could hear Robert running down the hall, but she was not ready to face him. She knew what was coming. Robert would give her a perfect explanation for what she had seen in the library, and then she would have to admit she had been a silly goose for shouting at Abby like that. Lizzy regretted her little outburst already and she wished she could take it back.
Her heart pounded. The footsteps had stopped. Robert was standing at the other side of the door!
"Lizzy..."
"Leave me alone, Robert! I don't want to talk!" She bit her lip, taken aback at how mean she sounded. How could she think about loving a gentleman like Robert? She was just a mean and silly little girl. She did not deserve him at all. The thought made Lizzy's heart ache again and she burst into tears.
"Lizzy! You're not crying, are you?"
The girl answered by turning up the volume. She hoped it would be enough to make him go away. Could nobody tell when she wanted to be left alone? The door gave a slight budge when Robert tried the handle. Lizzy was relieved she had locked it.
"Lizzy, I have a key! I'm coming in!"
Her heart missed a beat. She had not expected that! Lizzy ran away from the door and threw herself onto the bed. She buried her face in one of the pillows by hugging it with her arms and held her breath to listen.
A key turned inside the lock. The door opened a moment later.
Robert sighed. What was he doing? He had entered a young ladies' bedchamber without her permission. Even though this was his house and he could go wherever he pleased with the master key, he should have respected her wish. But now he was here, he might as well move on. Robert sat down on the bed behind Lizzy and put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. It only prompted Lizzy to start sobbing again. Robert looked at the door. He thought he heard footsteps down the hall. He hoped it was Abby.
Lizzy was choking from crying in her pillow. She needed to clear her nose, but she did not want to do something so unflattering with Robert in the room. She tried to tell him to go away, but she was barely audible with a stuffy nose as well as a pillow pressed to her mouth. "Muuh-umeeyy!"
"What was that, Lizzy?"
"Ggoohh-uuweeeyy!"
"Oh, baby..." Robert pulled away Lizzy's hand from underneath the pillow and turned her over onto her back. Lizzy knew her face must by a mess from all the crying. She shook her head at him while she tried to yank back her hand. She did not want him to see her like this. Robert grabbed her other hand as well, hunching over her to prevent her from returning to her previous position.
"Let goh uhv mee...!" she cried. She tried to struggle, but she was powerless against him.
"No, baby, don't be like that!" he said. "I love you, Lizzy. Don't you know?"
"Noh...! Nooooh!" sobbed Lizzy, shaking her head. This was not happening! Why did he have to say that at a time like this? How unromantic!
"Baby, it doesn't have to be like this!" said Robert. "I know you want me!"
Lizzy only pouted, staring at the floor.
Robert needed to try something else. He bent down to kiss Lizzy, but she turned away her head. When his lips smoothed over her neck, she struggled anew with all her might.
