The following is a story that portrays two women in a sexual and loving relationship. If you are underage, offended by this or it is illegal where you live then grow up, open your mind or move. Everyone else, enjoy.

Additional disclaimer: There is a scene of rape in this story.

You are my lover and I am your mistress and kingdoms and empires and governments have tottered and succumbed before now to that mighty combination.
- Violet Trefusis

The joked insult and the mock chase ended with Andrea and Caroline roughhousing in the straw. Suddenly, the closeness was too much as they stared into one another's face from a space of a few inches. A flush rose up Caroline's neck and face as she tried to deal with her new found awareness of the woman pinning her to the stable floor. Her breath caught as Andrea slowly leaned down and kissed her. Closing her eyes, Caroline reached up and twined her fingers in Andrea's short dark hair. The kiss broke and the two women found themselves staring at one another again but for a much shorter period as they quickly resumed kissing.

Later, she would berate herself for being so caught up in enjoying the caresses and kisses from Andrea that she didn't hear the heavy step; didn't realize they were being watched until her father's curse and kick sent Andrea rolling off of her.

"You bitch," he spat as he advanced on Caroline. Andrea flung herself between them, drawing his rage. Mr. Stephen was like a man possessed. Striking Andrea again and again with his riding crop. At first frightened, then terrified Caroline screamed. Her cries brought the groom and head lad on the run and they pulled their master from the prone figure. He hung between them gasping for air. Coming to his senses, he stood up and turned to his daughter in fury and dragged her to the house.

Josh, the head lad, helped a bruised and badly shaken Andrea to her feet. "Lass, you had better be leaving this place. The Master is in a foul temper and looks fit to kill you if given the chance."

Dazed, Andrea agreed. Shaking off his supporting arm she climbed to her room in the loft and began throwing clothes into her rucksack. She had to stop when she began shaking violently and she lay down on the cot, thinking to rest for just a little while.

She woke up blinded. A bright light shone in her eyes. She flung up an arm and the torch was slammed down on her wrist. Crying out, she tried to sit up but strong, rough hands grabbed her. Fighting scared, she threw up her knee, catching him a glancing blow. He cursed and crashed the torch on her head, breaking the glass. The blow to the skull and the sudden dark were disorienting. Suddenly she was being pulled off the bed and onto the floor. She landed with a painful thump and she felt the dark closing in. His hands were ripping at her breeches. As she tried to push him away, he punched her, aiming for her stomach and face.

Forcing himself into her, he leaned down and bit her neck. "I know you enjoy this," he whispered. She was gasping in the pain of it, feeling a tearing. He put his face to hers and began kissing her lips, forcing his tongue between her teeth. Suddenly giving way, she opened her mouth and then bit down hard. He yelled and grabbing her head, began to slam in into the floor. Andrea was quickly unconscious and didn't move as he finished his business and stood up.

Andrea woke in incredible pain. Every muscle ached and she curled into a fetal position, gasping as the movement caused more pain in her chest. Suddenly violently ill, she passed out from retching and it was in that condition that Caroline found her.

Caroline had been locked in her room while her father shouted and raged in the library. Towards dark she left by way of the balcony and made her way to the stable. She hid when she saw her father ride out on his gray stallion. After he had ridden out of sight, she continued on her way. She couldn't stop her cry of dismay on seeing Andrea lying in a pool of blood and vomit.

Caroline hardly hesitated. She finished packing Andrea's things and tossed it down the ladder. Gently she coaxed the semi-conscious Andrea to a sitting position on the cot. "Stay here darling, I am going to saddle a horse."

Rushing down the ladder, she quickly saddled her mare and a gelding, tying Andrea's bag to the saddle. Deciding she had time, she ran back to the house and into her father's study. Opening the middle drawer in his desk, she took out a bag of coins. Not bothering to count it, she headed back to the barn. She skidded to a stop at the bottom of the ladder where Andrea lay, cradling her arm.

"I can't leave you for a minute," she said, almost in tears from the stress. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

She forced Andrea up and onto the mare's back. Grabbing the other horse's reins, she climbed on behind her. Wrapping her arms around the injured woman she lightly kicked her mount into a fast walk.

The night was cloudy and rain began to fall before they had covered much distance. Caroline pushed them until they had left her family's property. She vaguely remembered a small cottage standing near the outer boundary. As a young girl, the hunt parties she rode with sometimes stopped there for picnics and rest.

The cottage was in very poor shape when they found it; most of the roof was gone as was one of the walls. The main room was still waterproof. Caroline pulled the unconscious Andrea out of the saddle and half-dragged, half-carried her into the building. She brought the horses inside as well.

Too exhausted to do more than unsaddle the horses, Caroline curled around the softly moaning Andrea and fell asleep. She woke up in terror alone. Scrambling up, she saw Andrea lying half in, half-out of the door. Going over to her, she felt how hot Andrea was and was frightened by how weak she suddenly seemed.

Determined to get help, she managed to get the horses ready and her lover up onto one in only a mater of minutes. Caroline knew that there was one place where she could go and find welcome. Her mother had left her father when she was but a young girl. While she never knew the real reason behind her leaving and her father had forbad all contact, most holidays saw some small token delivered in the night. Caroline was determined to make it to her mother's home.

They rode throughout the day, Andrea occasionally mumbling or trying to move. Caroline began talking nonsense and singing songs to her, which made her thirstier but seemed to calm Andrea down.

It was late evening when she rode up to the estate that was the address on her mother's last letter. Quickly climbing down, she ran to the door and pounded furiously on it.

"Open up. Open up I say." she yelled when there was no answer.

Suddenly, the door was yanked open and a tall man stood over her. "What in blazes do you want?"

"Please, you must help me. My friend is badly hurt." Caroline sobbed.

The man took a step out of the house when another voice came behind him. "Who is responsible for this disruption?"

Caroline looked up at a tall woman, going to gray. She hiccupped and said, "Mother?"

The woman glared at her, "Unlikely, child. Answer me, who are you?"

"I am Caroline Makepeace. Please, will you help my friend?"

The woman was looking very strangely at her. At this time, Andrea who was lying across the steed's withers began slipping to the ground.

The man vaulted the steps and was able to catch her before she hit. He lifted her up and brought her back up the steps. The woman raised the candle she was holding and showed it upon the unconscious girl's face. Gasping in shock, she turned and led the small party into the hall.

Caroline trailed after them as the man carried his burden up the stairs. She tried to climb after him but her legs were shaking so. Giving up, she sat down on them and wept.

Edith Lankford directed the houseman to put Andrea down on the guest bed in the red room. This was the room her daughter had before she was taken away.

As she quickly but gently undressed Andrea she spoke over her shoulder. "Bring me up some hot water and some clean cloth." As the man turned to go, she added, "And see where Clara's daughter has gotten to."

Andrea's eyes opened as Edith's fingers felt around her chest, locating the broken ribs. She moaned and tried to sit up when Edith attempted to open up her legs.

"Not now, tiger." The woman said. But she moved on to examine other areas.

She looked up when Caroline approached the bed. The girl was near exhaustion and the worry of the last few days was etched on her face. She reached for the hand of her friend and brought it to her lips.

Edith came around the bed and placed her hands on Caroline's shoulders. "Go get some rest child. I will take good care of her."

"Please, don't make me leave."

Shaking her head she pulled the girl up. "Just come over to this chair and sit. I will do better if I know that you are not going to collapse over my patient."

The young girl sat and pulled her legs onto the seat, so that she resembled a small ball. It wasn't long before she fell asleep that way.

The houseman, Jimmy, returned with the water and towels. He also started a fire. Edith continued tending the girl, tssking at the damaged done to the young body. She thought that the left arm was broken and she was badly bruised around the throat and thighs. The back of her head was a bloody mess, which Edith finally had to get at by cutting the already short hair to the scalp. It was many basins of water and more towels before she straightened from the bedside.

"Ach, I am so stiff," she said good naturedly to the young man who had assisted her setting the bones by holding the poor thing down. "Well its almost morning. How about we go fix breakfast for our guests."

"Shouldn't we wake Clara and tell her what has happened?" he asked.

"No, let her sleep for a while yet. This homecoming will be a shock to her system. Maybe we should wake up this one," she said pointing at the dozing Caroline, "I would bet that she is rather hungry."

Jimmy went over and lightly shook Caroline's shoulder. She came awake with a gasp, pulling away from him. As she remembered the last few days, she quickly stood up and went to the bed.

Andrea looked very pale against the covers. Her head was bandaged and the bruises and welts on her face were in full color. Caroline reached out for her but stopped when Edith spoke.

"Let her sleep. Come down with us to supper and tell us how you came to be here."

Caroline turned to look at her. "Thank you. I was so scared last night."

"Enough," Edith said, waving a hand. "It was the only proper thing to do. But we must talk, so that I know what we should do about you next."

The three of hem left the bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen. Inside, one of the cooks was exclaiming to the maids over the mess--there were several teakettles and pans on the sink and water on the floor. When their mistress explained about their nighttime guests the women began exclaiming over Caroline. This was stopped when Edith took her arm and led her to the dinning room.

"Bring us breakfast," she commanded over her shoulder.

Caroline nearly swooned when she caught her reflection in a looking glass in the hall. Her hair was all in a state and she had lines on her face where she had leaned against the chair in her sleep. Her dress was in a dreadful condition; there was still dirt and twigs on her blouse from the night on the floor of the cottage.

Edith snorted, "At least you were able to look after the girl before thinking about looking after yourself."

Stiffening, Caroline retorted, "That is really rather mean. We have suffered a lot."

"Let us start with that. Who is the child I have lying in an upstairs bed looking as if she was beaten half to death?”

“Her name is Andrea. I must confess, I don't know the rest. She came to work in my father's stable. She was so good with the animals that no-one ever really wondered who she was."

Caroline looked up at the woman, who had turned terribly white. "Ma'am?" she asked. When Edith remained looking so bad, she got up and ran to the kitchen, startling the help. "Please, some tea or brandy." she called as she filled a cup with water and went running back to the table.

Edith drained the water glass without changing expression. She started on the brandy glass but began choking after only a sip or two. The cough brought some color back to her cheeks but her eyes were filled with such pain.

"Please, tell me what I said wrong?" Caroline begged, down on her knees in front of the older woman.

Edith reached out a trembling hand and brushed at Caroline's hair. "You have brought my daughter back to me." she whispered. "After my husband died, I was left alone for several years. Then, rumors started that I had killed him and that I was going to kill her. His family wanted to discredit me so that they could take the estate. One day, when my daughter was out hunting, they took her." Edith wiped a tear from her face. "I tried to find her but once I located the riff raff who had done the deed, she was gone. I always hoped that she had escaped and was happy somewhere."

Caroline hugged the woman's knees. "We were happy. She was the best thing to happen to me." A shadow passed over her face. "My father found us in the barn. He went beserck. She drew his attention away from me and he hurt her instead."

Both women were hugging one another and crying when another came to the room. "What the," came a soft voice. "Edith, darling, what is wrong?"

Caroline looked up at the still youthful woman that was crossing the floor. She had the same color hair and her eyes were the same beautiful green. Caroline stood up, nervously smoothing her riding skirt with one hand.

"Oh, my god." the woman breathed. "Caroline, it is you, isn't it?"

Caroline began bawling as her mother, Clara, pulled her into her arms. "Baby, oh my baby. How did you find me?" she asked, tears freely flowing from her eyes.

"I once searched his desk and I found a letter from you to me. He never gave it to me."

"I thought you didn't think about me anymore. I had no expectations, after leaving you that I would ever be able to hold you again."

"I am so glad that you were still here."

Clara looked confused. "Where else would I be, darling? This is my home, with the woman that I love."

"Really, Clara. Do you have to be so blunt with the child?" Edith asked.

"Oh, mama." Caroline cried. "I am so glad because Andrea and I are in love too."

"Andrea?" gasped Clara as Edith whispered, "Love?"

"Well, yes." she explained. "That is why Father go so terribly angry."

"She is here too?" her mother asked.

"Yes, she was hurt."

Clara went to her lover and cradled her head to her bosom. "Oh, my darling. Is she all right?" She leant down, "Are you?"

"I am tired," Edith said pettishly. Then she buried her face in her hands. "She is so frail, how could anyone have done those unspeakable things to her?"

“You knew he was a vile beast when you rescued me from him.”

Edith raised her head to look into the eyes of the woman who owned her heart. “I hated him for what he did to you.”

“I know.”

“I took no action against him for the sake of your child.”

“I know.”

“And now my child lies insensible in an upstairs bedroom.”

Tears running unchecked down her cheeks, Clara whispered, “I know.”

Edith straightened up and patted her hair back into place. “I don’t blame you, love. I blame him. This time he will pay.”

Clara reached out and took her daughter into her arms. “I’m sorry that we are brought back together under these circumstances.”

“Mama, I understand. Really, I do.”

Releasing one hand, Clara reached over and pulled the older woman into their loose embrace. “I finally have the two most important women in my life together.” She squeezed them and smiled. “Now, shall we go upstairs and have you two introduce me to your lover and your daughter? I want to meet the newest member of my family.”

The End