Lilly felt the silky fabric between her fingers, eager to wear it. Never before in her life, in all nineteen years, had she ever worn a noblewoman's dress, and the thought of it thrilled her. It was a light blue gown, which made her blush. She figured he would have her wear a color meant for a maid or a whore, but instead, hung in front of her, was an honorable color resembling purity. Below it laid a pair of embroidered shoes. She tried them on but found that they were just slightly too big, and she slumped her shoulders in disappointment.
"Nothing ever fits," she sighed. "Please let the dress be my size..." She looked at her reflection in the vanity table, inspecting her small frame. She wished she had a normal body so that clothes would fit her, or at least enough money to have something made. She could never hope to have a tailor made dress. Her eyes went over her soft features, the delicate curve of her shoulder looking bruised. She brought her hands to the red marks on her hips and winced. Looking away, her eyes fell on the selection of cosmetics and hair pieces in front of her.
Lilly had so much fun deciding on what hairstyle she would wear. She always loved playing with her sisters' hair before they married and left the household. They used to pretend to be princesses that had no cares in the world apart from deciding which feast they would attend. She decided on putting her hair up in a braided bun, a few strands of her bangs falling into her face. She settled on a crown-looking headpiece that was beautifully decorated with light green crystals formed into a butterfly. Playing with her hair like this brought the color back to her face. She slipped on the dress that surprisingly fit, and loved how it felt on her skin. The sleeves were short and draped off her shoulder, softly accentuating her delicate arm. She was unable to wear the corset laying out for her as she had no one to help her put it on, but her breasts were still pushing up to a tempting arc that emphasized the rise and fall of her breathing. The dress itself was simple and petite, a gown that fit both her body and her character like a glove.
By the time she was done, she was glad that the only marking you could recognize was the bruise on her right wrist, which was easily hidden as long as she placed her left hand over it. She looked in the mirror, a smile on her face, and saw an imposter. She quickly frowned, remembering who gave these things to her in the first place, and decided that the timing was as good as she was going to get in order to escape. William said he would be back in a few hours, not saying where he would go or what he would be doing. She was curious, but only for a moment, about where it was that he wanted to take her that he had to provide for her such beautiful clothing. She tip-toed to the door and opened it slightly, the creak causing her to jump. Peeking out of the doorway and seeing no one, she placed her bare foot on the cold stone, running down the hall.
She had to ask a few of the maids where she could find Lord Steele. They avoided her eyes as she once did with nobles, which made her uncomfortable. Lilly had guessed she wouldn't be recognized, as she had only been working there for a few days, but she didn't expect to be mistaken for a lady and not be looked at. She brushed it off, satisfied that at least no one questioned her sudden change in class, even if it was because they averted their eyes from hers.
The maids directed her down several hallways, and her surroundings became familiar. Lilly was right outside of the kitchen, watching the maids go in and out, making room for her as she walked forward. She felt as though it had been years since she was there, though it was only yesterday, and she felt her stomach growl at the thought of food. She hadn't noticed, but she had been sheltered in that chamber for a full day and a half deprived of any food or water. Tempted to head to the kitchen, she ran to the dining room, where she longed to find Lord Steele. She was overjoyed to hear his voice coming from the room to her left. She said a silent prayer to thank God before walking into the room, horrified at what she saw.
William was facing the wall away from her, amused at the story Lord Steele was telling. Her face turned pale, and she stood frozen in the entry. Lord Steele had seen her, his eyes growing wide. He had never seen Lilly look the way she did, and his confusion was apparent.
"Lilly?" he said, causing William's body to stiffen. "Is that you? Did my wife decide to dress up one of the maids yet again?" he laughed a care-free laugh, but it didn't console her fear in the slightest. "She's always doing that. It's as if she feels like a saint for allowing her handmaidens to wear her clothes for a day. Though I must say, I've never seen that dress before." He shrugged it off. "The woman can't stop shopping." He laughed again.
William took a sip of his wine, still not looking at Lilly. His blood was boiling. He knew that he explicitly instructed her to stay in the chamber, yet there she was, standing in the open doorway. He had the suspicion that she was trying to run away, which infuriated him. He warned her countless times about how gravely he thought of defiance, and he decided that she couldn't go unpunished. He stood from his chair leisurely, frightening her, and turned to face her, a grin on his face.
"Ah, Lilly," he said in a cheerful manner. "I must say, you look lovely." He wasn't insincere. The dress he had made for her fell delicately across her unblemished skin. It was almost like she was a doll, had she not had a bruise on her wrist. He was almost dazed at the sight of her, wishing that she hadn't ruined his plans.
"Lord Steele," he said calmly. "I apologize, but I think we should continue this discussion another time." He strode over to Lilly, grabbing her by her forearm, and leading her down the corridor.
"Wait-"
"No," he said harshly. "You insolent woman, I told you to wait in the room." Lilly was afraid of the coldness in his voice, of the determination in his step. His grip was tight, keeping her attempts at fleeing suppressed.
"No, William, I didn't mean to-" she hesitated in her protests. Didn't mean to do what, exactly? She had intended to run away from him and humiliate him in front of Lord Steele. She crossed the line, and she knew she was going to be punished for it. Escape was no longer a choice.
When they reached the wooden doors leading to William's chambers, he pushed Lilly up against them, kissing her forcefully. She instinctively parted her lips, her heart leaping when she once again felt his tongue join hers. As much as she hated him, it felt right to her that his lips were the only ones who had ever touched hers. She felt her wetness trickle down her inner thigh as she prepared for her punishment.
William opened the door, bringing Lilly inside with him. She looked at him, worried, as he locked the door and strode over to her.