Innocence Enslaved (27 page)

“Then don’t.” She put a hand on the side of his face, letting her thumb graze over his lower lip. The scruff of beard on his face was slightly scratchy, as she imagined it would be. It wasn’t a far leap for her overexcited mind to envision the feel of it on more intimate places—her nipples, her inner thighs.

“You are pure temptation, which is why we must risk all to get you away from this awful place. Do you think if you’re here, constantly beneath his nose that he’ll ignore you, leave you be? Leave us be?” His hand moved, his fingers hooking inside her collar. It was snug, yet there was enough space for him to slip in two fingers. He used it to pull her closer, demonstrating another use for the slave collar. “If we stay, you’d be expected to wear this for the rest of your life.”

She sucked in a chest full of air as realization hit, not having considered that.

“You’d also be subjected to more of what went on today. People watching us, ready to make accusations in order to satisfy the sick thrill they get at seeing others on display and tortured. I’d have to be cold and harsh with you in public, and whenever we went into town, or barring that, you’d never be able to set foot off this property again. Then there are the severe punishments, like the caning. Having experienced both, you can now attest that the spankings I’ve given you pale in comparison, and the cane is the least of them.”

“I will endure it for your sake. I won’t have you risking your life for me. I’ll be satisfied staying here and being yours.”

“You don’t understand, sweetling, Ervin will not be satisfied. Scenes like today energize him. Like ale or opium, he’ll crave more. He’ll torment and harass us whenever he can and will set others to do the same. He’ll demand that I attend him, and send guards to make sure I comply, ensuring I bring you with me. It will continue in that vein until one day, something will happen that will leave you vulnerable or, God forbid, alone.”

She stared up at him with anguish in her big green eyes. “Is that what he did to you and Sara? Did he come upon her alone? Oh, Corbet.”

He looked away. “I can’t prove anything. He chanced upon us in town one day and demanded we make an appearance in his hall. I wouldn’t subject Sara to the depravity that goes on behind those walls and sent her on home. I never saw her alive after that, or the two guards, both good men with families, that I sent along to protect her.” He ignored her shocked inhalation and continued, reliving the awful day in his head. “He was enraged that Sara hadn’t accompanied me, threatened that I would rue the day I ever defied him. We discovered their lifeless, broken bodies the next day.”

She cried for his tragic loss as her arms tightened around him, attempting to provide him some comfort, but he sounded ravaged as he went on.

“The sheriff determined it was runaway horses that made the buggy careen over the ridge. It was a lie. I saw the heavy hoof prints and the deep ruts in the road from their wheels that signified a chase had occurred.”

“That’s why you were so upset about the incident with the cart and horses in town the other day,” she exclaimed.

“The fear of losing you, of getting crushed beneath the cart, and later when I couldn’t locate you in the crowd, it brought back the terror of Sara being missing and finding her dead. Every day I live with the guilt that I didn’t do enough to protect her. I won’t make that same mistake with you and I won’t force you to live under the threat of Ervin’s harassment. The wheels were set in motion when you were captured and made a slave. There’s no turning back from that now, and if we stay, there will be no peace for us in Lancore. We have only one option, which is to flee as planned because I won’t countenance the alternative.”

“How, if he has spies watching?”

“I’ll find a way, don’t you worry. Right now, we need to get you seen to.”

The clearing of a throat from the doorway drew their attention. Alice, Muriel, and Charles all peered in with concerned expressions.

“Forgive the intrusion, sir,” Alice began. “I thought the lass might need tending. It should be done as soon as possible before the swelling and any bruising set in.”

“Thank you,” Corbet said as he stood with Emilia in his arms. “Some of your medicinal tea will ease her pain. Make it strong and add a liberal amount of honey.”

“I have a special salve that will help as well,” she added, stepping aside as Corbet carried her through the door.

“Not that cooling balm,” Emilia protested. “I don’t think I could suffer through the initial burn, right now.”

“There’s no liniment in this, girl, only soothing herbs.”

“Bring it up to my rooms. While I see to her, all of you can continue with your preparations. We leave at first light.”

“But Corbet,” she protested. “All that you have worked for is here: your inheritance, the house, the land, your business.”

“Do you think material goods mean more to me than you do?” he asked sharply, brooking no further dissent. “No arguments. As your current master and future husband, you will obey me in this, Emilia.”

He heard the surprised hums from his servants, yet paid them no heed as he listened for only one person’s agreement.

“Yes, sir,” she whispered worriedly as she laid her head back down, clinging tightly to him as he climbed the stairs.

Chapter Eighteen

In the large master chamber, Corbet set her down to stand by the bedside.

“Let’s be rid of this ruined shift, sweetling.” He bared her completely, then pulled down the linens and motioned her in. “Lie down on your belly.”

“I need a nightgown, Corbet.”

“No. I need to tend to you and as I prefer, you’ll be bare when in my bed.”

She arched a brow at him, though didn’t protest further as she wound the chain around her wrist and crawled in on hands and knees. Once settled in the center of his wide bed, she slipped her hands beneath the pillow and plumped it up as she turned her head to watch him.

His gaze swept from the crude collar to her marked backside and his banked anger rekindled. “I could kill him for forcing my hand and making me do this to you.” He put a knee in the mattress and leaned over her, his lips near her scorching bottom as he blew softly across the red inflamed stripes. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, the anguish in his words, communicating his remorse.

“It’s not your fault; you did what you had to do to save me. It seems you are forever acting the hero and doing that.”

There was a brisk knock on the door.

“Come in,” Corbet called. He wasn’t surprised when Alice entered with a tea tray and set it on the bedside table. As she poured, he advised, “I want you to drink all of this before I massage in the salve.” He assisted her to sit up on a hip, propping the pillows at her side, before pulling up the thin sheet and passing her a steaming mug. “It’s hot, be careful now.”

“I brought this for the chain.” Alice held out a thick velvet bag with a drawstring. He took it and coiled the heavy links inside.

“While I’d rather cut the damnable thing off, this will keep your skin from being bumped and bruised as you sleep. Thank you, Alice.”

“Yes, thank you,” Emilia echoed.

She nodded; to Corbet she asked, “Might I have a word, sir?”

“Only a quick one while she drinks her tea.” To Emilia, he murmured, “I’ll be back.” He bent and placed a kiss on her brow before walking to the door and exiting behind Alice.

In the hall, he pulled the door closed behind them. “What is it?”

“I’m concerned, if we leave—”

“We have to. I was a fool to think I could keep her free from Lord Ervin’s twisted games. She will never be safe in Lancore.”

“You will be imprisoned if we are caught, and not only will Emilia be taken and abused by that wretch, so will Muriel and I. And we’ll be separated again.” Tears spilled abruptly down the woman’s cheeks as she reached for his hand and fell to her knees. “Please, sir. I beg of you, don’t do this. I can’t go back to the manor or to have my daughter endure what I did at his hands, as his pleasure slave. It is too awful to imagine.”

“Alice, stop.” He clasped her hands and pulled her to her feet, then into his arms. Her body shuddered as she cried, like he hadn’t seen since he’d brought her here. “We’ve been together for years. Have I ever let you down in all that time?”

She sniffled, shaking her head. “No, sir, never.”

“Then you must trust me in this. I promised to keep you and Muriel safe and I intend to do so. We must get out of this hell Ervin has created. It will be better for us all, you’ll see. You will be a free woman, and your daughter will have a life of her own choosing, to marry without fear, children who aren’t at someone else’s mercy, just as you’ve always dreamed, for you, for Charles, and for her.”

Her breath hitched as she inhaled deeply. “After all this time, I thought freedom naught but a dream, sir.”

“Tomorrow it will become a reality.”

“I pray that it’s so, sir.”

Brushing away her tears, she looked up at him with a glimmer of hope and a wealth of trust in a face that had seen entirely too much pain. He knew in that instant he’d give his life to get her, Muriel, Charles, and Emilia safely out of Lancore and to a better future.

“It will be, Alice,” he assured her with an affectionate hug. “Now, I must get back to her.”

“Yes, she has endured much. I’ll see to the rest of the packing.”

When he walked back in, he found her staring at the door, eyes wide and luminous. So many tears she’d shed since coming to him. He wanted to see her smile.

He crossed to her, taking the forgotten teacup from her hands where it was dangerously close to spilling. “You heard.”

“She was a pleasure slave. I didn’t know. Is that why she took such a dislike to me?”

“Likely you reminded her of harsh days.”

“I can’t let you do this. Any of you. It’s best if you let me go. Give me a horse, a few days of food and water, and a map. I’ll find my way home. My father will pay you for all your trouble.”

“I care not about money and what you speak of, going off alone, is insane. No, this is for the best, the decision has been made.”

“It’s insane to think I can live with myself if you’re imprisoned.” She covered her face and wept into her hands. “Or if the others are beaten because of me, sold off, never to see each other again, and heaven forbid, if Muriel catches Ervin’s eye.”

“The risk is as great to Alice and Muriel if you were to escape again. I would be deemed an unworthy master and they would be taken from me.”

“Heaven help us,” she sobbed, “we’re damned if we go, and equally as damned if we don’t.”

Pulling her hands from her face, he held her dainty wrists in his grip while looking intensely into her eyes. “You have little faith in me, sweetling, but I will prove you wrong. There is no other option.”

“I don’t mean to doubt you, but I’m frightened. Lord Ervin is a very powerful foe.”

“I will protect you, Emilia. With my very life.”

“That’s what scares me most.”

He leaned in until their brows touched briefly, then he let out a long, heavy sigh and let go of her wrists. “Roll over and let me see to those welts.”

She did as she was told. Good thing, because his patience was waning and smart girl that she was, she must have sensed it and decided not to test him further. He opened the jar of salve and dipped two fingers inside, collecting a generous amount. It gave off a sharp, pungent aroma.

“That stuff smells foul!” Emilia protested, wrinkling her nose as she twisted to watch as he applied the thick herbal paste.

“It’s not that bad. You’ll appreciate it tomorrow when we have to ride from daylight until dark.”

With a grimace, she buried her nose in the pillow. “Any troops in pursuit will only have to use their sense of smell to track us. Or, follow the withered flowers where I have passed.”

He pinched her thigh, well away from the cane marks. And although he wanted to chuckle at the rebound of her wit and sass, he refrained. “Enough. We’ll put this on every four hours until the welts are gone and I don’t want to hear a fuss about it or there’ll be consequences. Understood?”

She twisted, gaping back at him. “You would spank me, after—? Surely not.”

“Perhaps not now, but I have an excellent memory. I also have other ways to see that you mind aside from swatting your naughty bottom.”

“In truth? Like what?”

“Never you mind!”

When she returned her head to the pillow, he murmured, “That’s my sweet siren.”

That drew a small smile, but she fell silent at last, relaxing under his massaging hands.

* * *

Heat along the length of her back awoke her. It was still dark, but a shaft of moonlight shining in through the double windows illuminated the room enough for her to see that she wasn’t in her own small room. She attempted to roll over, but a heavy arm around her waist held her in place. It flexed and drew her back, much closer to the hard muscled body behind her. Corbet’s head moved on the pillow, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder and settling there.

Smiling, she snuggled into him, tensing when the movement caused the lower curve of one breast to brush the back of his hand. Her nipples tightened instantly. How would it feel if that big hand flipped over and cupped the fullness in his palm, or pinched the tip lightly between his fingers? She wiggled slightly, pressing her bottom into the lee of his thighs. Although she was tender, when his shaft lengthened and nudged her thighs, she ignored it and arched into him, relishing the feel of his hardness against her.

“You’re playing with fire, naughty girl,” came Corbet’s husky admonition.

“I didn’t mean to wake you, sir.”

“You didn’t. How could I sleep with all that wiggling and squirming? Are you in pain?”

“I’m a little tender. Not so much, though. Alice’s stinky salve works wonders.”

He rolled and stretched, his long arm retrieving something from the nightstand. Upon rolling back an instant later, his body urged hers onto her stomach. The covers slipped away.

“It’s cold.”

“Nonsense. It’s the middle of July. I’m going to apply more of the wonder salve before you go back to sleep. We’ve at least another two hours before we must rise and begin our journey.”