Bought By The Billionaire

Chapter 40: Bought By The Billionaire - Chapter Forty

My Master leads me through the long hallway, to the back of the house, past the kitchens, and to the rear staircase.

Once of a day, this staircase would have been for the use of servants only, so that their lords and masters did not have to pass them on the main, and much more glamorous, front staircase. Dark and dingy, it leads up to storerooms, utility areas and the rear servants’ access to the upper hallway. Also, I now realise, it must lead down too.

An oak door blocks the way, the timber ancient, and looking capable of holding off the Hordes of Genghis Khan.

My Master winks at me with an air of mystery, then produces a large skeleton key. “This is our private area.” The lock sticks and then grinds open. “I must get some oil on this.” he mutters.

The door swings back, and cool damp air wafts out. Cellars?

Of course, cellars. A house like this would have had butteries, cold storage rooms, the butler’s pantry, laundry areas. And they would all be in the basement areas, where the gentry would never go.

We descend a flight of uneven stone steps, dimly lit by a single bulb, to a long, arched hallway. Stone flagged and chilly, also badly lit, it leads perhaps fifty yards before ending in what looks like a small chapel. Looking up, the barrel-vaulted ceilings are quite beautiful. Several large wooden doors lead off the corridor to right and left. A glimmer of what my Master intends begins to dawn on me.

His mouth twitching at the corners, he waves me forward. “Want to explore?”

Do I! Yes indeedy!

by side with an enormous washing machine straight out of the 1950s. A smell of oil suggests there is a boiler room somewhere beyond. I

pipes, valves and complicated machinery weaves through cobwebs draped with the dust of years. A couple of drying racks for washing, hang

me, comments “All of this downstairs area needs refurbishing. We’ll get in the builders and decorators when you

occurs to me

detect a change in my Master. Expectation? What is he

the chill damp, which has greeted me from the previous chambers, warm air washes over me. The room is warm and glowingly lit, with dozens of fat candles, their light reflecting from polished brass sconces and holders. A fire burns in a huge hearth at the far end of the room, its flames casting shadows, that dance and play over stone walls cleaned and polished to a gleaming finish. Thick rugs scattered over the stone

at my Master. His eyes are gleaming. Then I step into the room, taking in more

the vaulting suggest that whole carcasses might have one hung

ceilings, it must have been brought into the room in pieces. It looks old. Solid timber, perhaps

to fully explore this wonderful room, my Master is behind me,

pull, hard. Buttons fly in all directions and the delicate silk fabric rips apart as he pulls the remains of the garment

wardrobe will remain by the end of our honeymoon. When I have protested his treatment of my clothes in the past, my Master has simply commented that it is one of the privileges of wealth. What do I think he works

of the room, centred between two of

like that.” he orders, before going to one of the

a ceiling ring. The other is snapped onto my left wrist. The cuff is padded with a soft suede and it won’t dig in, but never would I escape these. The snug way they fit my wrists suggests

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