Chapter Fifty-One - Auction

Queen Clara seemed to favour the princess from above the border these days, perhaps because she had caught the eye of her so-called champion. Was it because she wasn’t a great beauty and the Dowager was scheming to get Augustus into bed?

Isabel had hated being the bearer of that news. Instead of a gladiatorial contest there was to be an auction. Even she was to line up to be inspected, whatever that entailed. She had heard Kurt was less than pleased. Already he was spreading the word that Ava was to be his. And what of Megan?

It was to be hoped there would be no demeaning inspection to determine their virginity or otherwise. Because she had lain with Lars and enjoyed being in his arms. There had been no pressure on her to submit. He had wooed her with his tenderness, followed by a more passionate manliness which led her to believe he was the one for her.

How would Hermione bear it? Ephron was probably unlikely to bid for her, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be roughly treated by the