Kissing Cousins Ch. 10

Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction, and as such, any similarities to real people, places or events are strictly coincidental. This work contains graphic depictions of a sexual nature between consenting adults. The story also refers to aspects of sexuality that may be offensive to certain people, such as BDSM, consensual humiliation and lesbian themes. If these topics offend you, then stop reading now, moving on to stories that you might better enjoy.

Kissing Cousins is a multi-part work of fiction. Taking place in the late nineteenth century, it contains references to period customs and mannerisms and is written in a style closely resembling the age.
Enjoy!
Saphhia

Chapter Ten

I had heard of the masquerade through a dear friend. She was aware of the situation between my cousin and myself. She was also aware of the unfortunate wager, whereby I lost my dear sweet Elizabeth. Eloise had taken control, and many weeks had passed since Elizabeth was taken from me. I feared the worst, knowing the depths to which Eloise was capable of sinking. I still bore the scars on my breasts from the whip wielded by her ogre of a manservant. I sympathetically cupped them, remembering the intense pain of the flogging. Surely, Elizabeth had suffered much worse than that by now.

As the date grew nearer, I began to put together a plan. I had to rescue her. Somehow, there would have to be a way. I would have no idea how to proceed until I saw the circumstances under which she was being held. Would I even see her? I was confident however, that Eloise would be anxious to display her new slave.

Trying to accomplish this single handedly would be foolhardy. I would need at least one accomplice, preferably two. My friend, Marcia would be one, for certain. Two days before the party, she visited me at my home to discuss our plan. She had also gathered information concerning Elizabeth and her condition.

"Apparently, Sarah, Eloise has seen fit to make your dear cousin one of her pets." I was not all that surprised. I remember being serviced by one of her other pets, I believe his name was William. He was most attentive. Nothing more than a dog in essence, he never said a word, although his tongue was most talented. I tried to picture Elizabeth in the same condition, and it was worrisome. As much as I wanted to have her back, I wondered how well she was adapting to her new role, and I could not help but be a little aroused over the notion of her stooping so low. My once haughty and proud cousin, brought down to nothing more than a dog.

The day of the masquerade was at hand, and I travelled with my friend, Marcia. She was the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Devon. When he died unexpectedly, without an heir, his estate was entailed away to a cousin who had a sympathetic ear for Marcia. She was protected, but being left without any substantial dowry, had no marital prospects. A regular invitee to Markworth, she had an entrance which had been denied to me since my last visit.

The barouche box was comfortable, and was her own, a gift from her cousin. I was nervous as we approached the gates to the great estate. If I was caught in my ploy, I would most certainly be expelled, or worse. I had seen the wrath of Eloise, as an uninvited guest was escorted from her estate, naked and disgraced. After my last visit, nothing she could do would compare. I was more concerned for Elizabeth, for surely she would be punished if she cooperated with me.

We had deliberately arrived late, to avoid the push of too many prying eyes. As we prepared to leave the security of the carriage, I pulled my mask over my face, looking to Marcia for her approval. She nodded, and I knew that my identity would be well concealed under the extensive mask. Only my mouth was visible. I had borrowed one of the wigs I had purchased for Elizabeth, disguising myself as a blonde. The illusion was complete. I was to be Marcia's guest, a Miss Farnsworth from Gloucester.

The air was crisp as we emerged, my hand being taken by one of the wigged manservants, who assisted me down the steps of the carriage. Marcia followed, and we were escorted into the grand foyer of Markworth Hall. My skin crawled as I remembered my hasty ousting, rushed through those same doors, clothes in hand and naked as the day I was born. There was no carriage to carry me back to Exeter, and I was forced to walk the entire way, my clothing disheveled and self applied. The loose stays rubbed furiously against my striped skin, and I was in the most horrible pain. I wept most of the way, but not from the pain.

It was difficult to know to whom I was speaking, but most of the masks were revealing enough to give some hint of their occupants. Many of them were of the inner circle to which I once belonged. I worried that my identity would be revealed before I could make contact with Elizabeth. Drinks were served in the circumference of the great ballroom, and there was no sign of my cousin. I knew my disguise was adequate when I was introduced to Eloise, and there was no semblance of recognition. In fact, she dismissed me out of hand as being of no real consequence. What normally would have annoyed me, gave me some sense of security in my role.

Dinner was a somewhat somber affair, as we dined on quail and pudding. Although delicious, all I wanted was for the meal to finish and the celebration to begin. Near the end, I thought I saw Elizabeth on the opposite side of the huge table. She seemed to be begging for scraps, along with what appeared to be William. She never came close. The men retired to smoke in the parlor while the women were escorted into the library and brandies served all around. I took my rest in a large channel back chair, that sat in the corner of the room. Marcia looked my way from across the room, tucked partially into a small wing of the shelves. She was here.

When I first saw all of her, I was fascinated, ashamedly so, but still. She was completely naked, save for some sort of leg harnesses which seemed to hobble her. Her head shone in the dim light of the candle chandeliers, and was obviously freshly shaved. Her hands were encased in some sort of pouch, and it was obvious she had been quite thoroughly subdued. Her mannerisms were obviously sub-human. She never spoke, and her tongue seemed to be constantly out of her mouth as she sampled everything she came in contact with. She did not seem despondent or downtrodden, and I wondered if I might be making a mistake, attempting to remove her from this place. Was she truly content in her new role? I may have been too late to save her.

Elizabeth was slowly making the rounds, going from lady to lady, appreciated for her place. As she came closer, I grew more and more apprehensive. Would she do something to reveal me, unintentional though it may be. Finally, she approached me, and she seemed to perk as she rested her head against my gown. Her face came up for the first time since entering the room, and I think she could smell me.

"I've missed you cousin." I whispered, her mouth opened in shock. I reached out and held my hand out for her to lick. She did as expected, either out of habit, or cooperation. I ran my hand over her silky-smooth scalp, and it was as though a hair had never grown there. I was troubled by the reddened marks that overlapped her back. They were in various stages of healing, and I knew that she had seen the lash, repeatedly. "Do not speak, but if you want to come with me, show me by sniffing about my skirts." For a moment she seemed lost, her eyes wandering from side to side. Finally, she ran her nose into my lap, and sniffed.

Marcia seemed nervous as she looked my way, and I shooed Elizabeth away. It was Eloise, and I was certain she sought out her pet.

"Bessy!" Elizabeth suddenly turned away from me and skittered across the floor to her new Mistress. "You know better than to embarrass our guests." She nodded to me, as she took Elizabeth in hand by the collar, and led her out of the room. My opportunity may have passed, and I sulked as Marcia approached, taking the chair opposite me. Handing me a fresh brandy, she leaned to talk.

"There is a servant who is on our side, Sarah." She smiled as she spoke, and I wondered how this might serve to remove Elizabeth from this place. "His name is Vasily, and he is responsible for the care of the pets." I suddenly had some hope. "We must take our leave, as this night is not how we shall retrieve her." I looked at her with some puzzlement, but she assured me that there was a plan.

Marcia made our excuses to Eloise for our early departure, blaming the rich food and my relatively sensitive stomach. She graciously thanked us for our attendance, wishing me a speedy recovery from my illness. As we entered the waiting carriage, a pang of guilt overcame me, leaving my poor cousin who did indeed want to escape. Marcia apprised me of the plan. Each day, Vasily took Elizabeth for a walk in the garden. At one point in their usual circuit they were right next to the road, and it would be there that he would sneak her through the hedgerow. He has warned me that there can be no delay in our meeting, as Eloise has some dastardly plans for your cousin, and they would soon be carried out. We would return tomorrow afternoon.

I barely slept, imagining Elizabeth trussed up in some kennel, or worse. Perhaps Eloise would punish her for annoying me with her sniffing about. Would she be wearing fresh stripes on her back? I shivered. The only consolation, that I would soon be in possession of her. If all went well, we would be waiting shortly before three in the afternoon, in the lane that skirted the Markworth estate. Vasily promised he would mark the spot with a small red cloth. How he would accomplish this was beyond us, but we counted on his cooperation.

My house had been painfully empty since losing that wager, and I missed my cousin terribly. Only when our love for each other had made itself clear, was she taken from me. I had made no attempt to replace her, for she was more important to me in her absence, and I felt it keenly. The house had fallen into a shamble, and I lived guiltily on the money still sent to me by the new mistress of Pendleton. Diana had cemented her firm grip on the estate with Elizabeth's failure to pursue her claim. The attorney had voiced his doubts about her renewing that claim. The matter was not dead, but her absence had made our success that much more remote.

Having slept poorly, the morning arrived unwanted, save for the events which lay ahead. I dragged myself out of my bed, and did not even bother to bathe. I sat in silence in my parlor, and waited for the hour to arrive. I could not help but worry. What if this Vasily was merely playing a part? What would I do if we waited at that appointed spot, and Elizabeth never arrived? I tried to put the pessimistic thoughts aside when Marcia arrived, and an hour early.

"Sarah, you look a mess." She set about fixing me up, and would that I were not so enamored with Elizabeth, I might have actually tried to be more than friends with her for she was quite handsome. I think perhaps, she was of a different persuasion, but those feelings could always be worked on. She adjusted my stays and refastened my gown, even brushing out my hair albeit a little roughly. "You cannot go out into society looking like that Sarah."

"I am fearful of this plan. I worry for Elizabeth and her safety should it fail." She smiled as she finished her ministrations, giving me a slight peck on the cheek.

"You worry too much." Grabbing me by the hand she pulled me out into the street. She had borrowed a less conspicuous carriage, as a barouche box would surely garner too much attention, parked in a lane. It was obviously a carriage used by the servants, as the interior was tattered, and used. It smelled of the barn, as though it was seldom used, or cleaned. The one window, on the front side of the carriage had been broken out, allowing the cool air to blow into the box, and I was thankful for its brisk chill against my face. Marcia only huddled in the corner, her collar pulled up against it. "I hate this carriage, but it was a necessary sacrifice." I nodded with her reiteration.

It was just before three o'clock, when we arrived at the marker that had been left by our accomplice. No sooner had we drawn to halt, than the bushes to our right began to rustle, and out popped a very surprised and naked Elizabeth. She was still in her hobbling braces and was unable to stand. Both Marcia and I had to assist her into the carriage, lifting her by her arms. Marcia was quick to rush the driver, and the carriage lurched into motion, causing all of us to tumble into each other.

Even with the barnyard smells inherent in the carriage, Elizabeth's scent was overpowering. She was quite dirty, covered in a thin film of mud. "Are you alright?" She looked at me with a smile, but said nothing. I was just happy to have her back. I leaned in to hug her but the stink of her was overpowering. "You need a bath, Bessy." She did not appreciate the humor and gave me an unappreciative glare. I could see that she was trying to speak but was unable. I worried that Eloise had followed through with her threats to harm her.

I was correct in my assessment of Eloise the night before. Elizabeth did bear fresh lash marks on her back and sides, and I ran my fingers over the raised welts. She hissed with the caress, and I apologized. "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth." She nuzzled against my leg, and then surprised me by curling up around my feet on the floor. Marcia looked at me with a concerned countenance, and I felt her angst. What has happened to my cousin?

I did my best to remove the braces that encumbered her legs, but the locks that secured them were closed and not able to be opened. The leather sheaths on her hands were also locked securely. I finally gave up in a frustrated sigh. We drove around Exeter until evening had fallen, and the light was fading. It was the only way we would be able to move Elizabeth into my house. As we pulled down the Cul-de-sac, I was alarmed by the large carriage that sat in front of my door. "Eloise!" I yelled. "Stop the carriage!"

The driver quickly turned the carriage about, but not before the occupants of the other began to follow. Soon we were racing through the streets of Exeter under the dim gas lighting, being chased by a much heavier but better equipped carriage. Slowly, they advanced their pursuit, and it became apparent that we would not be able to escape them. "Police, we must go to the police!" I shouted over the roar of the two carriages. Elizabeth was sitting up and looking extremely frightened, as our capture became almost imminent.

We made a sudden curve, and I thought that the carriage might overturn, but we maintained our speed. The large carriage had been unable to negotiate the corner and disappeared from view. "Marcia, we must impose on your cousin." Her shocked expression would have been comical, had it not been so serious a situation.

"Very well, but if Eloise suspects you, surely she would also be investigating me as well." I could not disagree with her.

"Yes, but your cousin's estate is well protected, and it is doubtful that Eloise would be so bold." She gave me a guarded stare, but relented. We made for Tarnishe House. Having lost the pursuers, we were quickly out of the town, and soon found the back lanes of Devon the safest way to travel. Although Eloise may be put off the scent, she would be quick to assume where we were headed. Marcia instructed the driver to approach the estate via the brook entrance. I soon learned the meaning of that.

We paused momentarily, and I worried that our way might be blocked. It soon became obvious that the driver was merely assessing the stream, for we were soon in the midst of it. The water swirled about on the outside of the box, and threatened to pour in around the doors. It did not however, to everyone's relief. We were soon pulling up outside Tarnishe House, but there was no way we could simply walk through the front door. After Marcia exited the carriage, she instructed the driver to bring us round to the stables.

I had some trouble extricating Elizabeth from the box, so the driver assisted me, quite shocked by the state of her. She had no choice but to crawl on her hands and knees into the stable. I instructed the driver to fetch me a bucket and soap, whereupon I proceeded to wash Elizabeth thoroughly. She had yet to say a word to me, and this concerned me greatly. Had Eloise altered her. I could hear her trying to speak, but there appeared to be an impediment. "Why will you not speak to me, Elizabeth?" She stomped her hand on the ground and opened her mouth. There was something inside.

Wedged between her teeth was a wooden dowel which seemed to clamp her tongue tight against the floor of her mouth. How cruel. I reached in and tried to remove it, but it was solidly placed. Using more force, and warning Elizabeth of the possible pain, I succeeded in slipping the dowel from between her lower teeth. She yelped slightly with it's removal, but seemed relieved to be rid of it.

"Thank you, Sarah." Her voice was hoarse and raspy, as though it had not been used in some time. "You are in great danger." She lisped.

"Do not worry yourself over that. You are free of that witch, and I shall see to it that you never return there again." All the stable hands were well into their beds, so there was no danger of us being found out. I tried again to remove some of her bonds, but it would require the skills of a blacksmith to crack the locks. I grabbed a riding blanket from and empty stall and placed it over her shivering frame.

"Mistress Eloise will seek me out, cousin, and we will both pay dearly for this." She could not get that evil woman out of her head.

"Are you not happy to be away from Markworth, my love?" She nodded, but then a blank look overcame her, and she fell silent for a spell. It was as though some form of conditioning had been used on her. I feared that I had arrived too late to save her from this fate. Shortly thereafter, Marcia joined us, and showed us to a small bedroom that was not being used in the rear of the stable house.

"You shan't be comfortable, but it is the best that I can do at the moment. Tomorrow we will have to make alternative plans." She left us, with one small bed between us, Elizabeth offered to sleep on the floor, as it was what she was used to. Refusing her, I helped her into the frameless bed, and once having removed my clothing, I joined her. Her scent was still overpowering, and I wondered what kind of treatment she had been exposed to. Holding her as best I could with her braces, I nestled between her legs, enduring her redolence, our flesh pressed tightly together.

Hours later, I woke to the most exquisite sensation. Elizabeth had worked her way down to my sex, and was lapping away at it as if she had no choice in the matter. She was in fact kneeling at the foot of the bed, her face buried between my thighs. There was little I could do but allow her to please me, and in quite short order I was reaching my peak. As silently as I could, I crested, and a great wave of pleasure swept over me. Again, and again she insisted, and I soon had to push her away, from the sheer exertion of it all. As I panted on the bed, she curled up to my left on the floor, and I did nothing to stop her. She seemed comfortable, and I had no energy to dissuade her.

Morning arrived with the noise of the horses, just the other side of the wall. I could hear voices, and knew that the stable hands were at work with their morning chores. I dressed quickly, but did not wake Elizabeth, who seemed to be peaceful in her slumber. She was filthy once again, the floor being of hard packed dirt and straw. She seemed to have rolled in it during the night, and I wondered if this was the treatment she was used to. There was a soft knock on the door, after which, Marcia stepped in to join us. The opening of the door, caused Elizabeth to stir and awaken. She was immediately up on all fours, seemingly oblivious to our presence. I could not help but think she had taken on all the mannerisms of a real dog.