Millie

By Hannah Lockhardt

When her father sells their house overlooking the family's private beach, Millie fears she will never be able to swim the way she always has – naked and alone, and always dreaming of a mysterious figure. But on the family's last seaside excursion, a chance meeting in the hotel dining room will change her life forever, even if she doesn't quite believe it herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: House of Erotica
• Release date: Oct 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781783333578

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Title Page

MILLIE

by

Hannah Lockhardt

Publisher Information

Millie

Published in 2013 by Andrews UK Limited

www.andrewsuk.com

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

The characters and situations in this book are entirely imaginary and bear no relation to any real person or actual happening.

Copyright © Hannah Lockhardt 2013

The right of Hannah Lockhardt to be identified as author of this book has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyrights Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Millie

by Hannah Lockhardt

At the height of Midsummer, Millicent rose before dawn and - with an ear always cocked for the sound of her father wandering restlessly in his own rooms - slipped from the house down to the secluded stretch of dunes beyond the gates. First she stood at the water’s edge and in the burgeoning light, tried to glimpse her toes as it lapped to and fro. On sight of the sun itself she lifted her nightdress over her head and laid it on a cluster of rocks, then stood in stillness as the sun warmed her bones, half wishing for someone to catch her displaying her bounty before the glory of God.

For she adored bathing alone and bare as a water nymph, and this would be the last time she completed the ritual. In the morning, they would be moving to the town, and the bay would be lost to her forever.

***

Stifling, that’s what this is, thought Millie as she sat in the seamstress’s parlour, watching her mother finger fabric samples. They selected a swatch and held it against her shoulder, nodding.

That will satisfy, I think. Her mother passed the slip back. And you’re sure it should take no more than two weeks?

Mrs Prosser bristled at this perceived slight on her skills. Quite sure, we run them up all the time. I dare say if you call in next week it will be finished, or close to. I’ll measure her now, if you don’t mind stepping from the room?

Of course.

The door shut, and Mrs Prosser wielded her measuring tape like a circus master’s whip in Millie’s direction and gestured towards Millie’s outfit of choice - a Spring walking suit in a pretty shade of blue. If you don’t mind, miss.

Millie shrugged and began to unbutton her blouse, Mrs Prosser disappeared on some unknown errand and returned some moments later to the unholy sight of Millie’s pert, white backside presented to the fragrant air, her hands busied below her waist, rolling down her stockings. Behind her, Millie heard the strangulated gasps of the older woman and somehow realised she had done the wrong thing. Again.

You knew full well she wouldn’t require you in a state of undress. Her mother remonstrated on the short walk home. You knew, and you did it anyway, regardless. And that poor woman. Quite how I’m to look her in the eye again, I’ve no idea. You cannot be trusted unless I am standing over you, and a girl of nineteen should not need to be chaperoned in the dressmaker’s studio.

Millie remained silent, allowing her mother to grouse. After all, she was getting her way in the end, Millie would be forced to wear the damned bathing costume whether she cared to or not. The wilful misunderstanding in the parlour would be her last stand. From here on in she would have to be a picture of piety and chastity, become marriageable and dull.

The Brownes were once one of the premier aristocratic families on the coast. Millie’s Great-Great-Great- Grand-papa had made a tidy sum importing fine cloths from the Continent and had built Miranda - the house, named