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CHAPTER II
In the heat of midday, final respite came. Without warning, the exhausted Grace noticed that the dildo stopped pumping. An Imperial Guardsman came onto the platform.
“That’s it now,” he said, and set about extracting the dildo. Grace just let the relief sweep over her. She was assisted down off the grille and escorted into a waiting IG van to take her across the square back to the courthouse jail.
The court jail was in the foundations of the courthouse. Grace was led down the corridor of cells that were formed by putting bars and grilles between the arches of the foundations. She was put into the last cell, still handcuffed, and locked in, a Guardsman stopping back to watch over her. She collapsed onto the bare straw floor and the flimsy blanket to provide for her modesty. She was hardly comfortable, but her exhaustion led her to sleep.
She was woken not long after by her cell door opening. In was led another girl, like her totally naked and handcuffed. She was in her early twenties, highly bronzed but attractive skin, and scraggly peroxide blonde hair. She nonchalantly sat on the straw as the bars closed behind her.
“Laurie,” she said by way of introduction.
“Grace,” Grace replied, still groggy from her sleep.
“Awaiting trial?”
“Erm, no,” Grace replied awkwardly. She realised she would have to get used to this awkwardness – Judge Fair had also cruelly decreed that she would not be able to leave Greenville District for two years as part of her humiliating punishment.
A look of dawning comprehension came across Laurie’s face. She suddenly seemed more interested in her temporary cellmate. “Grace Cooper?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. I know what they did to you yesterday.” There was an uneasy silence. “I was in the stocks last night, that’s why I know,” Laurie tried to continue.
“I’m sorry,” Grace returned. “Why did they do that to you?”
“Prostitution. It’s my second straight offence for it in Greenville, so I am to be branded and flogged tonight before Greenville’s paying bigwigs and then banned from the town for life.”
“That’s awful.”
“Occupational hazard,” Laurie said to explain her unconcern, “it’s the only profession when you can’t feed and clothe yourself.”
The rattle of the cell door being unlocked disturbed the girls. A guard told them both to stand, which they did with some difficulty in their handcuffs. Half a dozen guards then escorted them from the cells to another part of the jailhouse. Through some doors, they were led to what was obviously a communal shower block. Their ankles were fastened in chains to the wall and then their hands released, giving them both relief. While the guards were temporarily occupied with something else, Laurie leant over to whisper in Grace’s ear.
“You know how the jailhouse works?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s only a holding jail for people like you and me and people waiting for trial, so they are not obliged to feed or clothe us, especially if you’re in for less than twenty-four hours like us.”
“Right.”
“Well I’ve never been able to afford that shit whenever I’ve been in and I doubt you’ve got easy access to cash right now;”
“Well I could contact my lawyer…”
“So I’ll entertain the guards and we’ll get what we need off them – it’s how it works. Don’t worry, just follow my lead.”
The guards came back and handed soap to the two girls. The guards stood back and the showers turned on. The water was predictably freezing. Grace obligingly started to wash herself. The guards were still stood over them, soaking in their naked bodies, giving no indication that they were going to afford the girls some privacy – this was jail.
Suddenly, Grace felt Laurie touch her shoulder. She turned round, and Laurie’s lips plunged into Grace’s face. It was a new experience for Grace, but she followed Laurie’s lead and kissed back. Laurie was now kneading Grace’s pert breasts. Grace hands were molesting Laurie’s midriff. Laurie cupped Grace’s sex, and Grace cocked her leg over Laurie’s to get closer. The guards cheered.
Later, when outside afternoon was turning to evening, Grace and Laurie relaxed after their meal. Today’s guards were obviously not very generous, and no clothes had come with the meal – which was clearly the leftovers from the guards’ meal - but they had been allowed to fashion loin cloths from some rags. Grace had not spoken since the shower except to thank Laurie.
Again the cell door was opened. “Cooper,” a guard said, “come with us.” Another two guards came into the cell to shackle Grace, and she was led out of the jail to the jailhouse preparatory room, where she had been taken when she was first brought to the jailhouse.
“You are scheduled in the courtroom this evening,” said the chief guard there. “You need to get ready now, you are scheduled shortly.”
“What for?”
“I was only told you were scheduled by Judge Fair. Now, I need you to change into this.” He held up an orange paper dress.
Grace loosened her cloth and took the paper outfit which she knew was the standard uniform of serving criminals appearing in court. She slid the dress on, careful not to rip it. It barely covered her and did not reach much lower than her crotch – she was sure her buttocks would be poking out. ‘Greenville Court’ was stamped on the back, the Imperial IG coat of arms on the breast, and a stylised W on the chest to identify her as a slut, whore and woman of loose morals.
She let herself be re-handcuffed and was escorted into a lift which opened onto a small wooden corridor. Through the doors at the end was the courtroom. She was led through these doors, and into the dock, which was a cage at the back of the courtroom, and she was forced to her knees, still shackled and stood over by two guards.
It was then that she realised that her husband was in the court. In the audience her entire in-law family had assembled for whatever Fair had devised.
“Grace Cooper,” Judge Fair announced. Grace looked up at the bench startled – she had not realised that her persecutor was there. “Cooper,” Fair continued, “I am to inform you that you have been divorced and your marriage terminated.”
Under new laws, women convicted of adultery could be divorced without their consent or even their knowledge, and this is clearly what had been done here. Fair had only summoned her to court to tell her to give her another slap in the face – she was quietly furious.
“I have decided that the terms of the settlement is as follows;” Fair continued, clearly enjoying himself. “Everything that is of joint ownership will now become the property of Mr. Cooper, with the exception of your clothes and belongings which were taken off you when you were convicted. You are to be barred from marrying again. You will not be allowed to use your married name. Understand?” Grace nodded. She wasn’t going to give the gloating in-laws the gratification of seeing her upset. She wasn’t hugely surprised – she knew the laws – but she was even deeper hurt. She had no property that wasn’t jointly owned – she had used her husband’s accounts for everything. Penniless, disgraced, her life had been ruined.
When she returned to her cell, Laurie had gone to meet her fate. She spent the night fretting over her next ordeal, to be spent in the pillory, her body freely available to any passing stranger. Not only that, her backside was to be branded with the mark of a whore, a stylized W.
To be continued…
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