Master, An Erotic Novel of The Count of Monte Cristo by Collette Gale
ISBN: 978-0-451-22412-5
Signet Eclipse Historical Romance
REVIEW: Having never read Alexander Dumas’ novel, I can only base my adoration for the story of the Count Of Monte Cristo on the movies. There was a film in 1975 with Richard Chamberlain in the lead role and then another in 2002 with Jim Caviezel of “The Passion of the Christ” fame. Though I love Chamberlain, Caviezel is without a doubt my favor movie Monte Cristo. Therefore, he is the person I pictured when I read “Master.”
Master is a wonderfully written novel, which deals with Edmond Dantes’ time after his escape from Chateau d’If, a hellhole of a prison, where he was sent basically to keep his mouth shut, to protect the political career of Villefort and others.
The book tells the story of Monte Cristo’s need for revenge against five people, including the woman whose memory was the only thing that had kept him alive while in the rat infested prison. The thought of her waiting for him kept him sane. When he returns he finds she’s married Fernand Morcerf, one of the men Monte Cristo seeks revenge upon.
He ingratiates himself to all of Paris society and nobody, save one, recognizes Monte Cristo as Edmond Dantes, all the better to enact his plan. It is Mercedes, his lost love, who knows his eyes and had never forgotten the man. Her marriage was one forced upon her, all the while she mourned the loss of Dantes, the man she’d been told had died.
Collette Gale is a fine writer, who has also tackled a retelling of the Phantom of the Opera (Unmasqued) and Maid Marion (Bound by Honor). I’ve not read either but definitely plan to. I enjoyed the dark telling of the story, the mysterious Monte Cristo’s approach to his feelings toward Mercedes and the picture she painted of Paris. Monte Cristo’s anguish, and there is much, is understated but palpable.
The timeline was quite different from what I knew, but it worked. In that regard, Ms. Gale had to shift some relationships to fit, but they were minor adjustments and were not a detriment to the story.
The last thirty pages are yummy and anyone who enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo would likely appreciate this erotic telling of the story after the story Dumas wrote.
Serenity’s Dream Excerpt
Brita Addams
A somewhat disheveled Lucien Damrill entered the sanctified environs of his library, a well-outfitted cave for the bear he was becoming. It being Thursday, he’d just finished his usual session with Lady Amelie Foxworth, an insatiable beast of a woman, who could be thrashed bloody, fucked insensible and still beg for more. A more jaded woman he’d never met and he’d seen it all. He was tired, aroused and feeling rather beastly himself.
With a compelling need for the burn of his favorite libation, he walked directly to the rosewood sideboard and poured himself a generous measure of his finest French brandy. He turned to make his way to his desk when he was stopped in his tracks.
Before him, on a red and gold striped Hepplewhite chair sat someone whom he thought, nay, prayed never to see again. “How in bloody hell did you get in here?”
“Why, dear, is that any way to speak to your dearly beloved wife?”
Lucien cringed at the thought, feeling his aroused cock wither. “It is simply by an aberration that state exists between us. You are no more my wife than this glass is,” he spat out, holding up his cut-glass snifter with the figure of a nude woman as the stem.
“It may surprise you to learn I have returned and wish to make up for all of the years I have neglected you.”
Lucien affected a laugh, remembering how his beloved wife, the former Serenity Malin, had met him at the altar, stiffly consummated their union and promptly hied herself off to the country, where she’d resided uninterrupted for the last ten years.
“Serenity, dear, I have not felt neglected in the least. You really shouldn’t have troubled yourself with thoughts of my welfare, for I have given yours less thought than I would give a stranger. But wait, we are strangers, are we not?”
Serenity maintained a haughty mien. Lucien saw how her bottom lip quivered ever so slightly. Knowing his wife wasn’t given to dramatic displays, he knew he’d struck a chord.
He would also have been blind had he not noticed that in ten years his wife had matured into a rather lovely woman. Her chestnut hair was stylishly coiffed, with curls framing her heart-shaped face and tendrils flowing from the loose knot at the back of her head. Her breasts were nearly overflowing her bodice, making Lucien imagine releasing them from their bonds and burying his face between them. He quickly dismissed his licentious thoughts, remembering who this woman was and why he held not a single pleasant thought concerning her.
“I am serious, Lucien, I wish to be a real wife to you. That’s why I have come back.” He felt her icy blue eyes follow him as he paced the room.
“It would have nothing to do with the fact I am now wealthy and you wish to relieve me of some of my wealth?”
“How can you say such things? You have always provided for my needs and I could ask for no more.”
“Then why are you really here?”
“I have heard things about you and they intrigue me.”
Lucien laughed again. “It seemed nothing about me ever intrigued you before. Why now?”
“Oh, but you are wrong, my dear. You have always fascinated me, but just recently I learned about the club and what you do here.”
“The club? You have come back because of the club? Serenity, I have owned The Sapphire Club for five years and you have just heard of it? I must see to it my man of business does a better job of spreading the word.” He was more suspect than ever since the club wasn’t news, unless of course, one had been living under a rock for five years.
“I was attending a house party in Yorkshire and overheard some gentlemen talking. They said some very provocative things, and I was fascinated to say the least.”
“Provocative, you say. Such as?”
“Well, it would seem they were under the impression you ‘blister arses and fuck ‘em insensible.’ That’s an exact quote.”
Lucien chuckled at hearing his once prim and proper wife cursing like a gob in a sleazy tavern. “Yes, that’s what I do, among other things and I have a very satisfying life doing so. I fail to see how that would be impetus for you to return to hearth and home.”
“Well, when I learned of such things, I found I was curious. If you would perform such services for others, would you offer the same to me?”
If incredulity had a face, it would have been that of Lucien Damrill, for he was undoubtedly the very definition at that moment. “You wish to have your lily-white derriere paddled? My dear, pardon my foray down the path of skepticism, but as I recall, you had no interest in getting naked with me for any reason, a slight omission on your part when you accepted my marriage proposal, as I recall.”
“I will admit I was willful.” That earned her a loud snort. “I was wrong and I am willing to admit it. Many years have passed between then and now. I have changed. Then to hear you were so, ah, adventuresome, I simply couldn’t believe what I had heard.”
Feeling his deuced body betraying him as he spoke, he continued to pace, albeit somewhat less comfortably. “I have created a place where people can come to fulfill their sexual fantasies. As you can see, I have done well,by myself, I will add. Why would I want to have you around my neck, when I worked so hard to forget I even had a wife?”
“I wish to be treated like one of your clients, Lucien. I wish to submit to you completely. I yearn for your discipline and I wish to your satisfy your sexual needs. I am desirous of being all you would wish in a wife. I have much to make up for.”
“What has brought about this change of heart? You must admit it is suspect.”
“I have been lonely all of these years. When I heard you owned a club where people could go to see their sexual fantasies become reality, I realized I have needs and wish to have them fulfilled. Who better to do that than my own husband?”
“You have sexual needs, Serenity? I find that extremely difficult to believe. You had no use for my cock in the time, albeit one night, we lived together in the holy state of matrimony. I have suspected you found your ownfulfillment elsewhere in the time we have been apart.”
“Have you, Lucien?”
“I’m a man, what would you think?” He waved his arm and sloshed some of his precious brandy onto the red, cream and blue Aubusson carpet.
“I have never begrudged you. I know I’ve not been a true wife to you, but I wish to change, if you will let me.”
“So what you are telling me is you wish to be a wife to me in exchange for having your fantasies become realities?”
“Yes, dear. I believe you would find I am willing to do anything you ask. I have thought long and hard about this and I find the more I think of it the more I wish I’d never left you.”
“This would have nothing to do with wanting children would it, because I have no interest in such things.”
“No, Lucien, I am past my childbearing years; I was thirty on my last birthday. I gave up that dream about the same time I walked away from you and our marriage. I wish to come back and be a part of the life you have established for yourself.”
Lucien’s head was pounding from the long hours he’d put in at the club and most particularly from the conversation he was having with his wife. Traitorously, his cock had heard every word, too, damn it.
It was most unexpected she should suddenly appear, here, at The Sapphire Club. Somehow he’d never imagined that would happen.
“Yes, I would imagine my wealth would appeal to you. The country estate wasn’t enough to entice you to remain there?”
“Lucien, don’t be cruel. I understand you don’t trust me, but I swear to you, I am telling you the truth. I only wish to be your wife in every sense and I ask you allow me to demonstrate my sincerity.”
“Fine, if that’s what you wish, bend over the sofa and show me how sincere you really are.”
