Page 5

“Pay the fee or get out, it matters not to me. But make your decision now. My man just rounded up the last of the members fees and we are to start momentarily.”

Amelia watched with dreaded horror as her father muttered a string of curses, then proceeded to put the notes in the man’s outstretched hand.

“Take her to the back,” the man said, closing his fist around the money.

He then glanced over to Amelia, and again, that slight pity passed through his eyes.

“Best of luck, my dear.”

Amelia had then been guided, surprisingly more gently than her father had done, to the back of the stage, where she was put into a long line of women and tied to their hands. She hadn’t even a moment to beg for help before the lead woman began walking, tugging the others along with her out onto the stage.

No,she mentally screamed as the emcee started calling out prices for the first woman.No, this cannot be happening! I do not belong here! Someone please, stop this!

She thought, for a moment, to scream such things aloud, to beg for help from the audience before her, but she was too frightened to do so. What if they liked her fear? She’d heard some men were attracted to that. And even if they didn’t, would any of them care enough to actually get her out of there?

“Sold for seventy pounds!” The emcee shouted, clapping her hands together.

“Please go to our dear coordinator and pay your fees to collect your prize. Next we have…”

Amelia’s anxiety and fear only grew as the line of women before her seemed to dwindle faster and faster. Seventy pounds. Sixty pounds. Eight-five. One-hundred and twenty. Forty pounds. Three-hundred and seventy-five pounds. Each woman went for a different price, and when the emcee clapped her hands, they hurried excitedly off the stage toward their winner.

Silent tears began to track down her cheeks as the line grew shorter; her thoughts a jumble of self pity. She should have tried harder to find a husband. She should have kept her temper in check when it came to the rumors spread about her. She should have-

“All right, gentlemen, would you look at this beautiful young lady!” The emcee shouted as Amelia’s turn came far too suddenly.

“Obviously from noble birth. Fair skin, healthy hair, and surely we must admire her figure! A chaste woman, no doubt, so a special treat lies ahead for her winner! Let us start her bidding off at one-hundred pounds!”

Heat flushed through Amelia’s cheeks as dozens of black cards shot up into the air.

“Two-hundred?”

Again she saw a multitude of cards go up in the air, but slightly less this time.

Higher and higher the number went, with less cards being held up each time.

Finally, when the emcee reached eight-hundred pounds- the highest price of the evening thus far- only two cards remained.

“Enough of this nonsense!” One of the men shouted, glaring through the card at the other man bidding against him. “A thousand pounds for the girl!”

A collective gasp went through the crowd, followed by shocked murmurs as the emcee yelled out, “Sir, might I remind you this is asilentauction! Decorum is mandatory. One more outburst and I shall-”

“Three thousand pounds,” the other man shouted, striding through the crowd toward the stage.

The entire room suddenly went silent again, and this time no scolding was delivered by the emcee. Even Amelia looked at the man in stunned, wide-eyed silence as he came closer.

“Three thousand pounds,” the man stated again, coming to the edge of the stage. “For this young lady. And a five-hundred pound donation to the house for me breaking the rules of your silent auction.”

Grey eyes flashed like liquid silver through that black mask as he looked at Amelia; and she suddenly quivered at their familiarity. Sheknewthis man.

“W-well,” the emcee breathed out, clearly still startled at the offer.

“There we have it! Thirty-fivehundredpounds for this lovely bird. Does anyone wish to counter?” She then asked, her voice loud and clear.

A tense silence was the only answer, and after a few seconds, the emcee nodded.

“Very well, My Lord,” the emcee announced, clapping her hands with finality. “We not only have our winner, but our highest bid ever!”

Amelia drew in a shallow breath as they all then turned to her. She knew she should move. But she couldn’t. Her feet refused to do so.