Falling for the Wrong Man (Mature 18+)

Chapter four - Punishment

Jess sat in her room and waited. Below her, she could hear her mother's voice speaking quietly and slowly, occasionally interrupted by her father's furious words. He was beside himself with anger and Jess knew the punishment would be severe. She also knew that her arranged marriage was now in great jeopardy. In her society, people believed that the only reason a woman would be outside her father's house all night was to be with a man. She thought back over what had happened earlier that morning.

She had woken and discovered that Adriel was gone. Her body ached all over and she felt bruised from her fall. Her head hurt and she felt confused about Adriel. There had been great lust between the two of them, but he had not forced himself on her. Jess had felt feelings within her that were so unexpected and powerful. She actually had wanted him to take her, to claim her and reduce her to a fallen status, but Adriel was a perfect gentleman who was full of virtue. He had taken care of her so well, keeping her pure and ready for marriage.

While she was thinking about her situation and how she was going to climb the bank, some of the men arrived from her father's household and worked to get her back up the bank and take her home. The ropes they tied around her had chaffed her delicate skin and she caught more than one of the men staring at her as she was lifted up the steep bank. She knew that it was only her position, both as Abner's daughter and as one who was contracted in marriage to an extremely powerful man, that kept them from mistreating and taking advantage of her. Yet in their eyes, as the men looked at her on the way home, she saw shame and danger that she had brought to all of them.

Now she was summoned before her father and a number of his wives. Her mother Lydia was there, as well as Sarah and her daughter Chloe. The other wives looked at her with judgement and disgust while Sarah seemed to smirk and enjoy the spectacle that was coming.

"Daughter, have you been alone all night?" her father began to question her. Jess knew that if she told the truth it would be the end of her. She would never mention Adriel. She would never tell anyone that he had been with her throughout the night. She began to waver and quickly pushed all thoughts of him from her mind. Later, when she was alone, she could begin to process what had happened between them, but for now she needed to be alert and save herself.

"Yes father, I was alone. I was injured from the fall and I had to wait for our men to find me and bring me home."

"Filthy, brazen harlot! A woman who brings this disgrace to her father's home should be put outside forever, raped, killed, destroyed. A woman who behaves this way is not my daughter!" her father screamed. His face was red and his fury greater than she had ever seen it. The other wives and daughters began to pale, no longer enjoying the spectacle but fearing what the outcome could mean for all of them.

Jess hung her head, knowing there was no way to assuage his anger. This was not about her virtue but the fact that her arranged marriage might be rendered worthless. If that happened and Jabez rejected her, it meant he would also reject her sister Chloe as a seed wife. It also meant her father would struggle to find another husband for either of them and her bride price would be very low. All his hopes of rising up the ladder of society through powerful connections might be ruined both now and into the future. He would be considered a man who did not control his women in a suitable manner.

"Please Abner," Lydia began to plead for her daughter, but she was pushed aside.

"Jabez is coming here today and he will tell me how we will proceed" Abner warned, "now all of you – GET OUT! And stay in your quarters for the rest of the day." The women scattered as quickly as they could. None wanted to share in Abner's wrath during this time.

Jess and her mother retreated into their family area. They had a small sitting room with two bedrooms which were used by Lydia and her son Gabriel. The two girls slept in the virginal daughters sleeping area which was a large dorm room was locked at night and guarded by the household matrons to ensure the girls remained pure. Jess didn't like the matrons or being locked in a room, but she had lived this way since she was a young girl and she was happy to have her sister Tabitha beside her in the next cot.