Chapter 12. Inquisition
"Are you really ready to go back again?" Violet enquired. It was a week after
their return from witnessing her thrashing at the hands of the youths.
"I'm as ready as I will ever be. From what you say we are nearing the end of
this epic and I would like to get it over with now Vi."
"Very well dear. Just remember that I came through it and survived. I am sorry
now that I involved you in this but when selecting you I never expected to
become emotionally involved. Having gone this far, I know we cannot really leave
it unfinished otherwise you will always be wondering what happened not only on
the Saturday evening but afterwards."
*****
Linking their fluid hands, Eric shaking with trepidation, they went behind the
scenes and watched the girls prepare young Violet for her part in the
production. The girls had no idea of the torture to be inflicted on her. All
they had been told was to dress and make Lady Violet look like an innocent young
nun. Carefully they applied white make-up to cover the bruises still showing on
her body. Each time their hands touched the flesh Violet winced with the pain.
Polly had been forbidden to give her morphine that day, the Madame wanted her
audience to see her alert and feeling the all the pain. Sir Percy and his wife
were watching and they owned the premises. She knew they wanted to see her
ladyship suffer as well as to pay off her debt.
Lady Theyer cried out as the heavy dress was pulled over her and the headdress
put on. It had been chosen to conceal much of her facial scarring. Madame
Warboys entered. "You are to act the part of an innocent nun. They will try to
make you renounce your religion and you are to hold on to your faith until the
end." Violet visibly started at the words 'until the end' and began to ask if
she was to be killed but before she could get the words out, Madame Warboys
smiled evilly and went on, "Even if you do renounce your faith, you will still
be punished. That is what the people out their have paid to see and that is what
you are being paid to receive. Take her on to the stage."
Waiting in the wings were two burly, bare chested men of Mediterranean origin
dressed in Moorish trousers. Grabbing the 'nun' they dragged her screaming on to
the stage. Her screams were real as they dragged her tormented body to the claps
and jeers of the audience. Unceremoniously they dumped her in a heavy chair.
Violet looked around to see if there was any chance she might escape. There was
none. All she could see was the backdrop painted to look like a dungeon and the
apparatus and devices that might be used on her. A small brazier was alight in
one corner with a small boy operating a bellows that pumped air through it to
keep it glowing fiercely and to minimize the smoke although already the set was
shrouded in it from when the fire was lit. It added reality to the scene.
Another man, this time fully dressed in the costume of the Moors appeared in
front of her. Speaking with a foreign accent he said, "I am Ahmed and you are
now in a Moroccan prison after you were captured by our illustrious war ship
captain. I am sent to try you for openly showing your distaste for our faith by
displaying yourself in this garb; this uniform of the infidels, the unbelievers.
It is my duty to change this false belief of yours and punish you for such
indecent flouting of our laws while sailing through our waters."
"Please let me go....."
"All in due time. First you must renounce your Christian infidel faith and agree
to follow in the footsteps of Allah, the one and only true God"
At that period, Violet was a devout Catholic. She prayed whenever she was able
but since her marriage had been never been allowed by her husband to attend
church. Despite this she firmly believed in the power of the Almighty. She
quietly answered, "No," and then went on to recite some Hail Mary's in the hope
some Divine power might come to her aid. It was a grand gesture, one which
impressed the audience but the wrong thing to do in front of her inquisitor.
"So!" he screamed, "You reject our offer and then ask for help from your own
worthless deity. We shall see what it takes to change your mind and whether he
comes to your aid or not." Turning to the men standing at her side, he ordered,
"Cut her dress from her but to give her God a chance leave that stupid headdress
on so he may recognise her as one of his if he has the power to help."
Producing wicked looking curved knives from their waistbands, the men swiftly
shredded Violets clothing until she sat naked apart from the habit that covered
her face and head. In the flickering light her whitened skin shone pale. She
looked a virgin. Tears she couldn't stop flowed freely down her face.
"You believe that a so called prophet you call Jesus suffered on the cross and
then died. Let us see if your beliefs are as strong when you suffer the same
treatment. Bring the cross forward." A large wooden cross on a wheeled carriage
was pushed forward. It differed from the usual pictures of the crucifixion cross
by having a stout dowel seven inches long set into the main upright about four
feet from the floor. Its purpose became clear when the men were ordered to
fasten her to the cross.
Picking her up, they sat her firmly on dowel making sure her cuntal lips were
wide open so her weight was directly on the tender internal flesh that had so
recently suffered from the tawse. She could hardly bear to touch herself there
let alone put her whole body weight on it. A terrible scream came from her mouth
but Ahmed only laughed. "Well your God should have heard that!" he remarked.
Violet continued to scream and to call on God for help but to no avail. The men
now stood on low platforms that were set on the carriage either side of the
cross and buckled Violet's wrists to the cross beam and then fastened another
strap around each arm and the cross piece nearer to her shoulders.
Ghost Violet spoke to Eric, "When they first put me on the cross I panicked
because I feared they would nail my hands and feet but they used the straps
instead. In a way it gave me some courage because I felt they were heading
Geoffrey condition that I wouldn't be permanently damaged. However, it proved
false courage. I tried to see who was watching but most of the lights were on me
and I couldn't see much except a few candles. Thinking of all those watching
caused me to blush but I don't think many could see it under all the white
make-up."
Ahmed moved close to the cross and inserted his fingers alongside the dowel and
tried to force them inside her but there was too much pressure on the pole. "I
can feel you are sitting comfortably," he said, causing more mirth from the
onlookers, "Do you remember what they did to your saint next?" Violet either
didn't hear or didn't know what to answer so her inquisitor went on, "No? They
scourged him and that is what we are going to do with you. We will whip the
faith from you as the Romans tried to with Jesus. Show her the scourge!"
One of the assistants brought forward a knotted cat o' nine tails. Violet cried
out in horror at the sight of the weapon. It would surely tear her to pieces.
"NO! No! No! Please no. You'll kill me! You'll mark me for life!"
"I don't think your faith is helping much," Ahmed said. "We don't know what the
Romans actually used but they were a brutal people and would have used some sort
of heavy whip. This cat is of the type that was used in the navy on seamen who
tried to jump ship or mutiny. Often they would be sentenced to a hundred lashes
and died before the sentence was complete." He swished it through the air. It
made a horrible sound as he crashed it on nearby woodwork. There were gasps from
the audience at the sound.
"You'll kill me ......"
"Christ died. You too will have to take that chance. I am not giving you a set
number of lashes, we'll just go on until ... well until we've made some pretty
patterns on your body." He passed the cat to his assistant, "Abdul, show us your
skill with this. Whip her long. Make her wish you would hit just a bit harder so
death would come quicker." Abdul did just that. Slowly and painstakingly and
with deadly accuracy he swung the heavy whip back and forth over the front of
her body. It became a mass of bleeding welts. Each time she appeared to be
failing, a bucket of water was thrown over her and each time she revived the
assault began again. Although he worked from the front, Abdul's skill was such
that the tips always curled round the unfortunate victim's back leaving only the
area along the spine protected by the post untouched. There came a time when,
several douses of water failed to bring her round and Ahmed ordered the whipping
to be stopped and Violet was released.
By this time Eric was trying his utmost to distract the whipping but even though
he shouted at the top of his voice, only ghost Violet heard him. In his
frustration, he pleaded to be taken back to his home time but for once Violet
refused his request. "Not yet dearest. It is not quite over yet. Remember I did
come through it."
"Are you ready to relinquish your unworthy faith now?" Ahmed shouted. Violet was
once again in the hard chair. Only vaguely did she hear the words. "No?" Ahmed
answered for her. "Well then we must continue. I believe the women who wear this
uniform," he indicated the headdress, "Are supposed to be virgins. We know you
unbelievers will go to hell and Satan and his followers have their evil way with
all the women so we had better prepare you for him. We must warm up your tight
little cunt." Violet really had no idea what he was talking about but her fogged
mind knew it had to be unpleasant and very painful. Would she be raped again?
"Strap her legs over the arms of the chair so she is wide open and ready for a
hot cock." Ghost Violet held Eric tightly as they watch the scene. Young Violet,
her tender body criss-crossed with welts that were running with rivulets of
blood, now fastened open legged ready to be raped. No sound came from the
watchers.
"Abdul, get the hot cock." Abdul went to the brazier and pulled out a long rod
about an inch thick. The end sprinkled sparklers of hot metal as he tapped it on
the hearth and then strode and held it a foot away from Violet's cunt. Slowly he
advanced the fiery end towards it target. Feeling the heat get ever closer,
Violet's mind shut out the scene and she slipped back into unconsciousness. It
didn't prevent Abdul edging the end closer. Had she been aware, Violet would
have felt the intense heat start to scorch her flesh at two inches away.
"HOLD!!" Three men with rapiers, leapt on to the stage. The rod dropped to the
floor causing a momentary fire before the boy at the brazier collected it. The
Inquisitor and his assistants were driven into a corner and supposedly pierced
by the swords. Violet was released but she couldn't stand. The curtain closed.
Moments later it opened again to wild cheers from the audience. The three
musketeers, for that is who they were supposed to be, bowed and waved their hats
and then between them picked up Violet and carried her to the very front of the
stage where everyone could see her closely.
"Please Ladies and Gentlemen," boomed one of the musketeers, "Will you give a
big hand to the star of this show, Lady Violet Theyer."
*****
Back in the 1866 cottage, Eric and Violet comforted each other. They decided to
spend a couple of days there before returning to Eric's time so they could get
over the trauma of what they witnessed without interruption from Freida.
Eventually they were stable enough for Eric to ask what happened after the show.
"Polly looked after me that night and on Sunday I was taken back first to Sir
Percy's where he and Edwina examined my body closely, and then on to Studenhall.
It was a painful and nerve wracking journey. I couldn't sit, I couldn't lie.
They did put a feather mattress for me on the floor which helped a bit and I was
given the morphine but even the full dose seemed to have little effect.
Beyers, Martha and Grace carried me into the house and laid me in one of the
guest rooms. I was surprised at how much care Martha and Grace took of me.
Geoffrey looked in that first evening and even he was shocked by the state I was
in. He didn't check on me again for some weeks. I gather, he was actually kept
away from me. Very slowly I recovered but it was months before I could move or
walk normally and without pain.
