Isabelle
Alfred excused himself from the group gathered in the sitting room of Aswold Manor. He snuck through the servants passage ways until he reached the second floor. He exited and walked down the hallway near the nursery.
Miss Goodwin was reading English history out loud from a book. Behind her was a chalkboard full of simple mathematical equations.
Alfred walked to the next room and entered into it. He could hear the muffled sounds of her teaching, and questions being asked. He did not have to wait long for her to excuse herself to take a break.
As she walked down the hallway alone, Alfred crept up behind her unnoticed. He put his hand over her mouth and drug her into the nearest room. Which by luck, happened to be her bedroom.
The tutor struggled and tried to scream.
Alfred pinched her nostrils shut.
The young woman began to flail about in a panic. She could not see her attacker, or imagine who it might be. She felt herself began to suffocate.
Alfred waited til the movements stopped and she fell limp. He laid her on the bed and made sure she still had life. The key to her room was on the dresser, he took it and locked the door. He also blocked the servants entrance to the room with her sitting chair. He tied her arms and ankles to the bed posts, and stuffed a pair of her silken undergarments into her mouth to muffle her screams.
He sat on the side of the bed and waited for her to awaken.
When she did wake she stared with confusion at Alfred.
“You are lucky I came here.” he explained quickly. “Had I pulled you off the streets who knows in what sort of compromising position they would find you in.” He glanced at her restraints. There was no rope or string in the room to secure her, so he had to use her undergarments. “At least here you will still have your dignity and honor intact.” he sighed and then looked into her eyes, “Though I do not know why you deserve it. You dishonored your contract with me to be a tutor to my household.”
He looked at the terror in the young woman’s eyes. “Do you think it wise to break the hearts of the people I love? Do you think I will let their hurt and pain go unpunished?”
She shook her head as silent tears began to fall out of the corner of her eye.
“No.” Alfred agreed with her. “You still have a chance to make it right. As I said you are lucky I found you here and not wandering the city streets. I am willing to give you another chance to honor your contract with me.”
Miss Goodwin said nothing, she just laid there terrified.
“You come back to my estate and teach my daughter, as you have promised you would, and I will have no reason to persecute you. Do you understand?” he asked.
The young teacher nodded.
“Very well then, I will remove your restraints and muzzle.” Alfred started to untie her, “Just remember how easy it was for me, and how easy it will be again. There is no need for us to be anything more than employer and employee. Don’t you agree?” He pulled the underwear from her mouth.
She coughed lightly, “I agree. I apologize for any wrong doing I have done.”
“It is not to me you must apologize.” he left her to untie her own legs. “My Wife waits to hear it herself downstairs.”