Lucien's eyes flashed with a dangerous light at Violetta's taunting words, his jaw clenching tight as he struggled to maintain his composure. Violetta could feel the anger radiating off him in waves, could see the way his chest heaved with each ragged breath he took. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, provoking him like this, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.
With a sudden, sharp movement, Violetta placed her hand on Lucien's chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. She pushed hard, putting all her strength and weight behind the gesture, determined to put some distance between them. Lucien stumbled back, caught off guard by the sudden force of Violetta's shove. He lost his balance, his weight shifting off her as he struggled to regain his footing.
"Get lost, Lucien," Violetta spat, her voice dripping with disdain and contempt. "I have no more time for your childish games and empty threats." She sat up, the silk sheet falling away to reveal the full glory of her naked body, her skin flushed and glowing in the candlelight. Violetta made no move to cover herself, instead tossing her head back with a defiant toss of her hair, her violet eyes flashing with a fierce, unyielding light.
Lucien stood there for a moment, his fists clenched at his sides, his face a mask of fury and frustration. Violetta could see the battle raging within him, could sense the way he warred with himself, torn between the desire to throw her down and take what he wanted by force, and the knowledge that to do so would be to risk everything he had worked so hard to achieve. In the end, common sense and self-preservation won out.
With a final, harsh glare, Lucien turned on his heel and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the very walls. Violetta let out a shuddering sigh of relief, her body going limp as the tension drained out of her. She knew that Lucien would be back, that he would not let her defiance go by.
Violetta took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm the racing of her heart as she sat up on the edge of the bed. Her body ached, every muscle and sinew protesting as she moved, a testament to the rough treatment it had endured at the hands of Lucien. She could still feel the lingering heat of Lucien's touch on her skin, the cruel imprint of his fingers on the soft flesh of her breast. Violetta shuddered, a wave of revulsion and unwanted arousal washing over her as she remembered the way he had groped and pawed at her, the harsh twist of his fingers on her sensitive nipple.
With a grunt of effort, Violetta pushed herself to her feet, the silk sheet falling away to pool on the floor at her feet. She stood there for a moment, her head swimming and her vision blurring as a fresh wave of dizziness washed over her. The room spun and tilted around her, the opulent furnishings and ornate decor seeming to blur and run together in a dizzying kaleidoscope of color and light. Violetta blinked hard, her hand coming up to grip the edge of the bed as she struggled to regain her equilibrium.
Once the world had steadied around her, Violetta crossed the room to the bellpull near the door. She gave it a sharp tug, the bell jingling loudly as she summoned a maid to her chambers. Within moments, a soft knock sounded at the door, a hesitant, almost fearful sound that made Violetta's heart clench with sympathy for the poor girl on the other side.
"Enter," Violetta called, her voice still slightly hoarse from her earlier cries and moans. The door opened a crack, and a young, pretty maid with a cap of dark curls and wide, frightened eyes peeked into the room.
"Your Grace, do you need anything?" the maid asked tentatively, her gaze darting around the chamber, taking in the disheveled bedding. Violetta forced a smile, trying to put the girl at ease. "Yes, that's right. I have a task for you." She paused, considering her next words carefully. "Please go to Lord Roy and tell him that the Duchess has summoned him. However, there is no need for haste." Violetta's smile turned sly, a wicked gleam entering her violet eyes. "Tell him to take his time, to make himself presentable before he comes to me." She wanted Roy to be at his best when he arrived, wanted to see the hunger and desire that always seemed to simmer just beneath the surface of his cool, controlled exterior.
The maid bobbed a quick curtsy, her cheeks flushing at the implication behind Violetta's words. "Yes, Your Grace. At once." The maid turned to leave, her skirts swishing softly as she moved towards the door. But Violetta's sharp voice stopped her in her tracks, the commanding tone cutting through the heavy silence of the chamber like a knife.
"Love, who exactly gave you permission to leave without my express dismissal?" Violetta asked, her voice tight and sharp with barely contained annoyance. The maid froze, her body going rigid as she realized her mistake. Slowly, she turned back to face Violetta, her eyes wide and frightened as she took in the Duchess's displeased expression.
"Forgive me, Your Grace," the maid stammered, her voice shaking with fear as she sank to her knees, her head bowed in supplication. "I did not mean any disrespect. I am new to the household, and I am still learning the proper protocols." She clasped her hands together, the knuckles white as she gripped them tightly, as if praying for mercy.
Violetta sighed, a long and weary sound that spoke of the burden of her station and the constant need to maintain order and control. She could see the fear in the girl's eyes, the way her bottom lip trembled as she awaited the Duchess's judgment. Violetta knew that she should punish the maid for her impudence, should make an example of her to remind the other servants of their place. But as she looked down at the cowering girl, Violetta felt a sudden surge of pity and understanding.
"Very well," Violetta said at last, her voice still tight but no longer quite so harsh. "I shall let this transgression go, this time. But I warn you, there will be no further leniency if it happens again." She paused, letting the words sink in, allowing the maid to feel the full weight of her mercy and the implied threat behind them. "Now, before you go to Lord Roy, I have another task for you." Violetta's voice took on a new tone, a note of anticipation and longing that she couldn't quite suppress.
"I require a bath, and I need you to prepare it posthaste," she instructed, her gaze flickering to the ornate, gilded mirror across the room. She could see the disheveled state of her hair, the tangled locks falling around her shoulders in wild disarray. The sight of her own reflection, the hollow, haunted look in her violet eyes, made Violetta's heart clench with a sudden, desperate longing for solace and respite.
The maid looked up at Violetta, her eyes wide and startled by the Duchess's sudden request. "Yes, Your Grace," she said quickly, scrambling to her feet with a rustle of skirts and petticoats. "I will prepare the bath at once, just as you command." She turned to hurry out of the room, eager to fulfill Violetta's wishes.
"You never learn," Violetta called out, her voice sharp and commanding. The maid froze, her hand on the door handle, and turned back to face the Duchess with a look of trepidation. "I want hot water, as steaming as you dare," Violetta instructed, her voice low and intense. "And bring me the lavender bath salts from the silver jar in the dressing room. The scent will help...help me relax, now, go." Violetta's voice caught slightly on the last word, a hint of the emotional turmoil that still gripped her. She needed to wash away the lingering taint of Lucien's touch, to cleanse herself of the shame and humiliation that clung to her like a second skin. The maid nodded, her eyes wide and understanding. "Yes, Your Grace. I will see to it personally." With that, she hurried out of the room, the door closing softly behind her with a barely audible click.