Innocence Enslaved (26 page)

“Master, no.”

“I shall not warn you another time, slave. Remain quiet or I will get a gag and silence you that way.”

Ervin laughed with delight as the smith slipped a heavy iron collar around her neck and locked it in place.

“Is there a key?” Corbet asked the blacksmith, who shook his head sadly.

Ervin answered for him. “That wouldn’t make it permanent, now would it? To satisfy the letter of the law, and that you are a befitting master, we must ensure you are taking all precautionary measures to assure she does not attempt to flee from you again.”

With gleeful intent, he nodded at Fergus. Metal clanked as he took a length of chain from the chest and held it out to Corbet. “This is required as well, sir.”

With bitter resolve, he lifted his hand to take it, but Lord Ervin snatched it away first. “Allow me,” he drawled as he affixed one end to her collar. When it had locked in place, he stroked her tearstained cheek with the back of one finger. Cringing away from his touch, she sank back on her heels, sobbing. Ervin considered her with a smile, clearly enjoying her distress. “That’s what I like to see, a cowed slave in her place.”

When he reached out to stroke a lock of her hair, Corbet had enough. He clamped his powerful hand around the lord’s wrist and squeezed. After years of working in the leather shop, his grip could have broken the weasel’s bones with a twist of his hand. He refrained, unwilling to subject Emilia to Ervin’s evil mercies if he were imprisoned for harming the earl.

“You’ve been entertained,” he growled. “Leave my house.”

The earl looked at the powerful hand holding him captive, then his gaze rose to meet Corbet’s. The glint of arrogance in his bearing dimmed minimally before he twisted his arm and pulled free, though only because Corbet allowed it, no longer wanting to touch the despicable man.

Once released, Lord Ervin turned to take his leave. Corbet moved as he did, reaching the door first and throwing it wide, not with courtesy but rather with the intent to assist Ervin’s departure if he had other ideas. Ervin slowed and hesitated, a flicker of trepidation shadowing at the realization that he had to pass near Corbet to reach the outside.

“Yes,” Corbet muttered low, only loud enough for the earl to hear. “Be afraid. For one day, somewhere, somehow, I will have the opportunity to dispatch you to hell where I pray you will rot for all eternity.”

The man’s eyes grew wide for a moment and then narrowed into slits. “That is an outright threat.” He glanced at the other men in the room. “Did you hear that? You are witnesses.”

“I’m sorry, my lord, what was that?” Ranulf gruffly inquired, his perceptive gaze landing on Corbet briefly. “I didn’t hear you.”

Fergus also shook his head. “I was busy with my chest and my tools, Lord Ervin.”

“Mooney?”

Arthur stood where he had the entire time. He was staring at Emilia, where she knelt by the desk nearly naked. His hand was moving beneath the point of his tunic where he was blatantly aroused.

“I’m surrounded by useless incompetents!” the earl sneered in disgust. “The devil take all of you.” To Corbet, he issued a warning. “Watch your back, Mills.” He stepped out on the porch, but turned back, holding a finger up as he did so. “I almost forgot. Don’t think I didn’t notice the preparations you are making for travel. I am enacting a new law as of today with that in mind. I call it once of Lancore, always of Lancore. After you hear what it entails, you’ll want to think carefully before you wander too far afield.”

“What does that mean?”

He patted his doublet, searching for something. He glanced at his knight, who helpfully held out a rolled-up parchment. Ervin snatched it out of his hand and unfurled it, without so much as a by your leave.

“I was thinking of the revenue you bring the crown and to Lancore with your impressive leather works. You add a small fortune to our community, as do some of the other successful artisans and merchants. Your travel outside of Lancore is extensive. I got to thinking about all the valuable goods you take with you and the potential loss of income Lancore would suffer if you were accosted beyond the boundaries of the district where my knights and the sheriff couldn’t protect you.”

“You mean protect the gold that my wares bring in. And you provide no protection, what I have comes from my own sword or is bought by my coin.”

Ervin ignored him other than to shoot a scowl his way. “Because of that potential loss, which could put a strain on our already dwindling coffers, I have decreed…” He cleared his throat and began to read. “Henceforth, all citizens who travel outside the district with valuable resources are required to provide a written declaration of all properties being removed, this shall include all property of significant value, such as goods for sale, horses and other livestock, and slaves. In addition, we will require payment of a bond to insure the return of the assets and that taxes are paid in full on the sale price of said asset immediately upon return to Lancore. Violators will be considered guilty of theft against the state and the crown and dealt with accordingly.”

Corbet knew what accordingly meant: forfeiture of all properties, imprisonment, or worse.

“You will tax the travel of free men?”

“No, you are free to come and go as you please, as always. It’s your property that I tax.”

“If I go by horse?”

“You will pay.”

“And carry a wagon of costly leather goods?”

“You will pay more. We will set a fair and equitable fee based on the value and desirability of the property.” He looked meaningfully at Emilia. “The more valuable the asset, the higher the fee.”

“You are a tyrant,” she accused.

Corbet’s hand slipped around her head and clamped over her mouth. “Fetch me a gag, Charles,” he called out, before leveling a hard glare at the earl. “She is disobedient, yet right in her judgment. You are an oppressive tyrant. The people will not be pleased with more taxes.”

“It is in my authority to set taxes and fees, and also to keep tabs on the resources of Lancore. Present yourself to court to pay up and obtain permission before you leave, Mills.”

“Permission that you will not grant,” he accused.

“In your case, no.”

“You plan to levy a ridiculously high tax in hopes I’ll leave her here unprotected.”

“I don’t know what you mean. That thought never entered my mind.” His gaze swept over a chastened Emilia, the picture of compliance as she knelt with her face pressed to her master’s thigh. The leering appraisal he gave her, which lingered on her breasts partially exposed by the dipping of her ripped chemise, told Corbet all too clearly that he wanted her—badly. And what Ervin Ives wanted, he got, one way or another.

His gloating was short-lived as Corbet’s anger overflowed and an uncontrollable growl erupted from his chest. Ervin spun quickly, making good time as he crossed the porch and was down the steps before his small entourage had made a move to follow.

After the last one had left, Corbet slammed the door and set the bolt, before rushing to Emilia. Dropping onto his knees, he gathered her close. “Forgive me, sweet girl. Are you in much pain? I’ll get Alice to make some of her birch bark tea and we’ll apply the cooling cream.”

He felt her drag in air, pause a moment, and let it out with a shudder. “I thought he’d never leave. Thank heaven he believed us.”

“What?”

“Our play acting.” She leaned back, the beginnings of a smile tipping the corners of her lips despite her tears.

He stared down at her in amazement. “That was an act?”

She frowned. “Well, not all of it.” Her hands reached back and gingerly touched her bottom, making her cringe as she did so.

“I gave you twelve hard strokes with that cane.”

“Yes, sir. I counted every one in my head.”

“The shrieks of pain, the pleas for me to stop, and the tears, those were an act too?”

She shrugged.

“Emilia!”

“I haven’t mentioned that I have two older brothers who lived to torment me as a child. I became quite adept at creating a drama that quickly got my parents’ attention and spared me from their incessant teasing.”

He slumped, his head falling onto her shoulder as he buried his face in her hair. “From your screams, I thought I was killing you.”

“Oh, don’t mistake me, the heat and sting from that evil stick brought real tears to my eyes and it’s not something I’d like to repeat, but compared to a branding…” She shuddered with revulsion and her pink cheeks paled.

As he rocked her in his arms, he shook his head slowly in disbelief. “You amaze me, little one.”

“I must admit, my reactions to the evil earl were quite genuine—the fear, the crying, and how my skin crawled at his touch. He’s a horrible man and this is a terrible place. I can’t wait to see the last of it.” As she entwined her arms around his neck, the metal links of her shackle dragging along the floor made an ominous clanking noise. They both stared at it in dismay. “Can you remove it now, Corbet? It’s starting to choke me.”

He followed her fingers as they curled around the iron band at her throat.

“Sweetling,” he murmured, the sadness in his tone drawing her eyes.

“I don’t like the look on your face.” She began tugging at the collar, ineffectually.

His hand came up to stay her motions. “Emilia, don’t. You’ll hurt yourself.”

“Please, take it off,” she begged as she rose to her feet, the heavy chain rattling with the slightest movement. Authentic tears flooded her eyes. The difference between these and those of a few minutes past was clear to him now.

When he didn’t move to assist her, she spun and started toward the door to the hall. “I’ll go ask Charles.”

So desperate in her need to be free, with both hands gripping the collar, she began to run in her urgency to find him. Corbet caught her before she went far, his arms wrapping around her waist and lifting her.

“Let me go. I’ve got to get this off.”

“If it could be removed so easily, Emilia, I’d take the damn thing off myself.”

“No,” she cried as she struggled, her breathing becoming fast and erratic as she kicked and fought his hold. “I can’t stand it.”

“Shh,” he urged while he shifted her, one arm catching her behind the knees as he cradled her against his chest. He moved to a nearby chair and sat, rocking her gently, trying to soothe her. “There is no key. It’s designed so that once it’s locked, it doesn’t come off. At least not without considerable effort.”

“Make the effort,” she demanded, her words muffled.

“We don’t dare risk it now. Not when the bastard could return any time, or send one of his minions to spy. I imagine he’ll have us watched anyway having witnessed our preparations for travel. It will have to stay on until we are away from Lancore.”

She sobbed her despair. “It is truly awful, Corbet. Much worse than I expected.”

“I know, sweetling,” he crooned while stroking her hair, “it will only be for a short while. Can you endure it long enough for us to get away?”

Abruptly, she sat up on his lap, wincing as her bottom rubbed his leather braes as she shifted. “What about this new law he mentioned? Can he do that, label you a thief if you take me out of Lancore?”

“He is lord here, which means he can do as he likes.”

“Do you think he’d really come after us?”

“Not him specifically; he’d send troops. His desire for you was written clearly on his face. It’s almost as strong as his need to make me suffer.”

“And if we are caught?”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“But if it does, what could he do to us?”

He frowned. “A similar law existed long, long ago, in the dark ages, when feudal barons held more power than even Lord Ervin does now. Without special dispensation for the slave to travel beyond the boundary line, both slave and master became fugitives. Often a bounty was issued. Troops were sent to hunt them down and much like the theft of a horse, the owner was charged with a capital crime.”

Just thinking of it alarmed her. “Surely they wouldn’t hang someone for taking their own property with them when they travelled.”

“This is Lord Ervin we speak of,” he reminded her drolly. “Surely he would.”

“And what became of the slave long, long ago?”

He didn’t answer, his face tightening until a muscle twitched in his jaw.

“Tell me the worst? Whipped, branded, sold off to the highest bidder?”

“Why must you dwell on it when I have vowed to protect you?”

“I can’t help but dwell, please…”

“In your case, Ervin would take you as his own to further thwart me, he’d use you most cruelly with me as witness before he put me to death. It wouldn’t stop there, however; he would subject you to all manner of vice as he does any other pleasure slave in his household.” His cheeks were hot with anger imagining the things Ervin would do to her if she belonged to him.

“Then we must stay. We can’t risk it. Forget about taking me home. I’ll stay here as your pleasure slave.”

“You have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Yes, I do,” she whispered, softly stroking his forearm. “Nothing has ever seemed so right in all my life.” She turned into him, sliding her hand up Corbet’s shoulder. “I never planned to fall in love, it simply happened. Under the worst of circumstance, granted. I don’t care that I have to be a slave, so long as I am yours.”

He lifted a hand to her chin, angling her face up while he looked at her for a moment. “I don’t deserve someone like you, Emilia. And you don’t deserve the kind of life you will have as a slave in Lancore.”

“I like the idea of belonging to you.” She took hold of his hand, pulling it from her chin to place light kisses on the tips of his fingers. “I’ve dreamt about it at night, and daydreamed about it in your absence. My heart swells when I think of being with you and bringing you pleasure.” Her lips still on his fingers opened, her tongue darting out to lick the tip of one before sucking it into her mouth. She thought he might stop her, or yank his hand away; instead, he rewarded her with an ardent moan that made her sex throb.

“Emilia,” he said with a strained sigh as he pulled his hand away. “I want you, but I fear if I kiss you again, I won’t be able to stop myself.”