An Englishwoman's Arabian Night (Historical Romance Book 1) Read online

  An Englishwoman's Arabian Night

  Lizzy Black

  Copyright 2015 by: Lizzy Black

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted to any form by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Publisher except where permitted by law.

  Table of Contents

  ~1~

  ~2~

  ~3~

  ~4~

  ~5~

  ~1~

  “Most Preposterous.” The middle aged man sitting at the head of the table shook his grey haired head. “Skulking around in the decaying tombs of dead kings… I abhor the very idea.”

  “It’s a scholarly expedition, Papa.” The young woman seated across the table from him replied indignantly. “Professor Harold Prescott Coventry is a well respected Egyptologist and his lectures at the University are very intriguing. I have agreed to take part in his next field trip.”

  “Out of the question.” The older man furrowed his brow in irritation. “Such activities are not becoming of our station, especially for one far so young.”

  “But, Papa.” Helena protested hotly, dropping the soup spoon onto the spotless linen. “I am no longer a child. I will be twenty-two in a few weeks… and I know nothing about the world.”

  “That’s exactly the reason why you shouldn’t be so foolish to think you can travel around on your own.” Lord Percival Henry Ashenfelter said sternly. “When you have been married to young Lord Edgar Jerome Talbot the third next year, you may travel with him wherever he wishes.”

  “But I don’t wish to marry that arrogant man.” Helena stamped her foot. “I wish to have an adventure all by myself.”

  “You have been reading too many books that are filled with such nonsense, I see.” Lord Ashenfelter grated. “You will do as you’re told and not sully the family name.”

  “Next year is going to be 1900, the last of the 19th century, Papa.” Helena sighed exasperatedly. “The Twentieth Century is just another year away. Times are going to change, and if you’re not ready to adapt…”

  “That will be enough of that, young lady.” The red faced Lord boomed. “If your mother were still with us she would be very disheartened to hear you say such things.”

  “But Papa…” The blue eyed, blonde said, almost tearfully.

  “I shall hear no more of this.” Ashenfelter replied coldly. “Let us finish the rest of our meal in peace.”

  “I no longer have an appetite…” Helena pushed away the ornate dinner place and rose up swiftly.

  “Helena, sit back down.” Her father commanded but the young woman had already pushed back her chair and was walking away.

  She ran down the carpeted stairway leading out of the lavish dining room and all the way out of the mansion into the perfumed garden. Her mind was made up; she knew speaking to her father about anything she liked was never going to make any difference. He was the most stubborn man she had known, and she had inherited that virtue from him in full. Helena Lauren Ashenfelter was not a woman to back down from anything. She was going to have her way, in any way she could.

  ***

  “Port Said.” The skinny sailor up on the mast yelled, pointing at the busy dockyard as the ship sailed evenly onward.

  “Oh, thank Heavens!” Helena exulted; glad when the ship had finally sailed into port.

  Their final destination had arrived and the month long journey by sea to the coast of North Africa was finally over. The first few days of the journey were the most horrific experience of her sheltered life and she had often considered asking to go back, but the words of her arrogant sire added fuel to her resolve and she shouldered on. Professor Coventry was a kind man who did everything he could to keep her motivated.

  “And finally, we are here.” The thirty five year old Egyptologist smiled, walking up to her as the ship moored into the docking area.

  “Yes, indeed.” Helena replied, excitedly. “I just can’t wait to explore the ancient structures of great kings.”

  “In time, Lady Ashenfelter.” Coventry grinned. “After we disembark off this vessel, we have to journey another two weeks by road to the dig site.”

  “Oh, and how will we travel that far?” She looked at his rugged face searchingly.

  “By camelback or on horses.” He replied with a wave at some people in long flowing robes waiting on the dock. “My men await us.”

  “Oh, that… is exciting.” She looked around nervously at the mentioned animals being saddled a few yards away from the dock.

  “Yes, it is… and we will be camping along the way for several nights.” The professor nodded. “I must say, you are a very brave young woman to want to do this.”

  “Why, thank you, Professor.” She smiled and took his hand as he walked down the gangplank. “But I’m sure I’ll be safe with a strong, well-mannered man of high repute like you.”

  “Indeed you will, my dear.” He smiled back. “And there will be more opportunity for you to express your gratitude as you did the night before we sailed from England.”

  “Oh, yes.” She blushed. “I look forward to that too.”

  “So do I.” Coventry winked at her as he helped her unto the saddled horse, before mounting the next one beside her. “It is a fine day for riding.”

  Helena smiled silently. The sense of adventure excited her greatly. It wasn’t just the thrill of being on such an excursion but also to be with a man as learned and handsome as Harold Prescott Coventry. She had enjoyed the intimacy of his company before the sailing trip, not her first time with a man, and looked forward to it whenever privacy allowed. And a two week ride on the road and the many months after that on the dig site would allow quite a few moments of privacy, she mused.

  After a few hours of riding, they left the little port town and were on the edge of a vast desert. Helena’s heart skipped a few beats at the sight of the endless sea of sand and haze before her. Nothing could have prepared her for such immensity. She felt very small and intimidated by the overwhelming emptiness of the merciless desert.

  “Yes, I felt the same way the first time I saw the desert, almost fifteen years ago.” Coventry sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “In fact I still do. The desert is a harsh place… but once you know your way, it’s the same as any other place on Earth.”

  “Oh, Professor.” Helena said breathlessly. “It’s so grand, and I’m sure you’ll help me know my way around this desert.”

  “Indeed I will.” He smiled. “We will camp here tonight.”

  Helena nodded and looked around at the small party that accompanied them busily setting up tents and cook-fires for the night. The darkness fell over them suddenly, the heat of day giving way to a creeping chill. The twenty-two year old English woman wrapped her cloak around her body and sat before the fire. The large tent that she and Coventry would share was pitched a few good meters away from the three other tents for the rest of the party. Helena was sure that the Professor had instructed that arrangement. She found herself looking forward to being alone with him again. The entire month on the over-crowded ship hadn’t allowed them even a moment to be alone.

  “Here you go.” Coventry handed her a flask of water along with a bowl of steaming hot lamb stew and bread, squatting down beside her. “We’ll eat up and get some rest, we have a long way to go.”

  “Yes, thank you.” She said, noting the gleam in his eye as she took the food. “It’s so good to be able to sleep on land again.”

  He smiled knowingly and ate in silence for a while.
The trail to the dig site was well known to him, but it was rumored to have been taken over by an aggressive warlord from the southern tribes. Coventry shrugged it off, visions of the blonde beauty writhing naked under him filled his mind and loins alike and no other thought could deter him.

  “Shall we retire for the night?” Helena smiled at him, her eyes hot with desire.

  “Yes, indeed.” He swallowed hard, fighting the urge to rip off her clothes right there outside the tent. “After you.”

  Helena giggled and glanced around. Everyone else had already settled into their tents and an eerie silence had fallen over the area. She looked at Coventry once more before crawling into the tent. She was barely over the rugs on the sandy floor when she felt him grapple her from the back, his breathing was heavy and his lust of her overwhelming. She let him push her down and felt his erection press against her through her long skirt. Turning over to her back under his body, she kissed him on the lips; hungry, savage and passionate kisses that would shame any woman of her nobility.

  Coventry pulled away her blouse and his hands closed over each of her full, supple breasts, squeezing the yielding softness with animal hunger. He lowered his mouth over the erect nipples, licking and sucking them in turn. Helena moaned aloud, she had waited so long for this, her hands reached for his head, fingers clawing into his thick scalp.

  “Oh, Professor!” She whimpered. “Oh, I can’t wait… take me now.”

  Before Harold Prescott Coventry could reply, a loud bloodcurdling war cry erupted across the campsite amidst sudden bright lights and the thundering of footfalls. The two lovers looked up in horror as their tent was torn asunder by gleaming blades of steel. Shouts rang out all around as Coventry scrambled to his feet reaching for the rifle lying a few feet away.

  Before she could cover her nakedness, Helena felt a huge hand clamp over her mouth as a shrouded figure descended over her. She glanced frantically at the Professor, but couldn’t focus on him as a thick cloth bag enveloped her head covering her in darkness. She felt herself being lifted by rough hands and carried away. Her head began to spin at the sudden rush and she blacked out.

  ~2~

  “Where am I?” Helena whispered in fear as a pleasant odor filled her senses and her vision began to clear.

  “Ah, the sleeping beauty awakens.” A gruff voice reverberated inside her head.

  “What?” The blue eyed English noblewoman looked around in horror. She realized she was stark naked and had manacles on her slender wrists and ankles.

  “An Englishwoman.” A thick accented voice laughed. “Very rare in these parts and in demand. You will fetch my weight in gold.”

  “Who are you?” Helena demanded, glaring up at the large man in flowing robes towering over her.

  “It doesn’t matter who I am.” The man laughed through his face mask. “What matters is you are mine to sell.”

  “Preposterous… I am no one’s property to be sold.” She spat, straining at the manacles on her wrists.

  “A very spirited one; you will be a fine addition to the Kahn’s seraglio.” He grinned at her through the mask. “The procurer of the Kahn will be here soon, look your best, my golden haired goddess.”

  The man yanked her up to her feet and dragged her outside. The sudden bright light made her eyes water and she stumbled as he pushed her against a few others standing nearby. She looked at them with bleary eyes, all five of them were young women, of olive and dusky complexion and equally naked and manacled. Her mind raced—she was a slave. What she had read and about in books and journals she was now experiencing first hand. It filled her heart with numbing fear, even as a perverse sense of excitement also crept in with it.

  “Where is this place?” She asked the other girls but none answered or even looked at her. Cowering in fear instead, they stared down at their shackled feet. They were all young and tight bodied, just like her, destined for the pleasure pit of some rich and lecherous savage chieftain.

  The man who claimed to own her was standing a few meters away speaking animatedly to another smaller figure, waving his hands around and pointing at her. She knew he was probably bargaining a proper price for her rarity. The other one in a low hood was looking at her and nodding slowly, before handing the large man what looked like a medium sized pouch, possibly filled with gold.

  “What happened to Professor Coventry?” Helena murmured to herself as the figure in the hood stepped up to her, examining her closely. Helena was shocked as the other one appraised her like a horse up for sale. She felt her naked body being poked, caressed and stroked. Hands cupped her breasts, felt up her buttocks and thighs and even slid up between her legs to probe at her pussy.

  The hooded one nodded approvingly and moved on to the other girls, going over the same routine with each one of them. The large man was tossed another pouch of gold and he began to herd all of the manacled women to a large horse drawn cart. Helena noted that all of the women on the block with her were selected and she found herself seated on a rug covered floor of the carriage with the five other naked young women.

  “Do any of you speak English?” She whispered as the door was slammed shut.

  No one answered her.

  “Parlez vous Francias?” She pressed.

  Their silence filled her with a sense of doom as the carriage began to slowly move, bumping and grinding over a roughly hewn road.

  After what seemed like hours of suffocating silence, the carriage stopped and the doors were flung open, letting in pale light and fresh air. Helena looked up groggily and shuddered at the sudden chill biting her naked skin. It was already getting dark outside. The six shackled women were herded out and covered with bearskin rugs before being led away through a small door and down a narrow passageway.

  They entered a large room and were made to stand side by side in a parallel line, the bearskins were taken away leaving them exposed again. The hooded one walked up and dropped the cloak to reveal a very lovely face and ripe womanly body. She looked about thirty five and was dressed in full length pants of transparent silk and a blouse of similar fabric that barely contained her large breasts and pointed nipples. She had eyes that shone like emeralds and hair as dark as midnight, and her skin was a rich honeyed brown.

  “Where in the name of Hell is this and who are you?” Helena screamed, unable to restrain her frustration any longer.

  “Ah, Ingles.” The sexy woman smiled, looking at her. “I speak Ingles… a little.”

  “Then speak, what is going on?” Helena snapped. “Let me go, please.”

  “Oh no, no.” The other shook her head. “My master, he pay much gold for you… no let you go. I, Jad-Abelah, keeper of his Harem, will die first.”

  “Where am I?” Helena insisted, her shoulders sagging a bit.

  “You blessed now… to be in Harem of Great War chief Kahn Aris-Deram-Kahn.” Jad-Abelah smiled. “Be happy, he see you now.”

  “What?” She gasped. “I am to be paraded naked before a man? How utterly outrageous!”

  “He comes.” Jad-Abelah hurried toward the curtained doorway, after quickly speaking in a native tongue to the other naked women in the room.

  Suddenly the curtains parted and four heavily muscled men carrying large spears strode in, staring blankly straight in front of them. They avoided looking at the six naked women in the room, doing so was certain death. Following them in was an even larger man with skin as rich as chocolate, bald headed, built like a bear and his dark eyes intense and terrifying. Jad-Abelah bowed low before him and he nodded, taking the only chair in the room and leaning back as a servant appeared from behind a curtain to hand him a goblet of wine.

  He said something to Jad-Abelah in their native tongue and she nodded, walking up to the new additions to his harem. Helena watched in horror as the older woman displayed each of the young women to the grim man as if they were choice cuts of meat to be served at lunch. Her stomach tightened as her turn neared. Jad-Abelah had saved her for the final display. The best for last,
she was the main event, the headliner.

  Helena gasped as the older woman grabbed her arms from behind and pushed her close to the large man watching her intently. Jad-Abelah pulled her arms back and made her back arch, pushing her firm milky white breasts outward. Helena noticed the Kahn’s dark eyes gleam at the sight of her naked body as he sipped his wine. Next she was made to spread her legs and thrust her pelvis forward by the Harem keeper, exposing her pussy to the powerful war-chief. He nodded his approval and Helena was spun around and made to stick her butt out for his viewing pleasure. She felt like was some kind of object being displayed and along with disgust a strange sense of enjoyment coursed through her.

  Kahn Aris-Deram Kahn had a small smile on his thin lips and raised his goblet of wine at Jad-Abelah before he rose and walked out of the room, followed by the four bodyguards.

  “The Gods bless you, Inglesa.” Jad-Abelah whispered. “The Master favors you tonight.”

  “Favors me?” Helena sounded exasperated. “What does that mean?”

  “Come, you must be prepared for him.” The older woman led her by the arm and gestured at the other girls to follow them.

  Helena soon found herself in large room filled with scented bathtubs and over head showers. Along with the five other girls, her manacles were removed and she was pushed into one of the warm bathing pools. She sensed her body relaxing as the soothing water soaked her skin. Her mind began to ease too. She decided if she was compliant she wouldn’t be in any danger. And even though the Kahn looked like a very violent man, he was handsome and well built and his exotic dark completion seemed to excite her more than she could admit to herself.

  Two plump women attendants scrubbed her body down with scented soaps and washed her hair. They lathered her body with foamy suds and shaved the hair off her armpits, pussy and legs. She felt like a princess as her naked body was then wiped dry with soft warm towels and the two women led her to a table and lay her down, massaging her tired body with luxurious oils and scented herbs. Their large experienced hands rubbed the relaxing fluids into her smooth skin making her feel really tranquil for the first time after her long ordeal since she left her home a month ago.