* * *
“Kneel on the floor, slave.”
Kale shot an incredulous look at Jason. He couldn’t be serious? An entire day’s journey on his knees on the hard floor of a carriage?
“You heard me.”
Jason tried to stare Kale down, but all Kale saw was a child playing at being a man. It was so tempting to return the stare, to intimidate Jason the way he would a fellow slave who had gotten to thinking he was better than the others. This pale, soft boy before him would never be able to make his way in a man’s world.
Closing his eyes, Kale shook the thought away and bowed his head. Of course he couldn’t do what he wanted. He needed to get used to the fact that his new master wasn’t the kind of man his former one was. It just felt more humiliating having to submit to a man he didn’t respect. Taking orders from a mere boy who couldn’t even hold his liquor was demeaning. Knowing that this was a battle in which he couldn’t even engage, much less win, Kale knelt on the floor. Even with his head bowed, his eyes still drifted up to see Jason’s smile of satisfaction.
Once they were under way, Jason cuffed Kale on the back of the head. “Don’t ever stare at me again. You keep your eyes lowered around me and other free men, you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
The beginning of the trip passed in silence with Jason gazing out the window, brows furrowed in thought. Kale, meanwhile, used all his willpower to simply stay still. The atmosphere in the carriage was oppressive, and he knew that fidgeting would bring unwanted attention. Still, how was a man supposed to kneel for this long on a hard surface? The Cartwrights had never been big on ceremony. They demanded respect and hard work from their slaves, but they didn’t put much stock in purely formal actions. They’d lay into you with the strap for no other reason than the fact that they were angry, but they never required this kind of behavior. Kale found himself wishing he were back with them. At least he’d understood that world.
After an hour, Kale couldn’t stand it anymore and began to shift his weight back and forth between his legs. This didn’t alleviate the pain of kneeling, it just turned it into a different pain, but any change was welcome. Kale was staring at the floor trying to will away the ache, so he didn’t see Jason’s hand strike his head for the second time that day.
“Can’t you keep still? Dear saints, Demetri was never this fidgety.”
Well, Demetri Wonder-Knees was welcome to take his spot on this journey. “Sorry, sir.”
“Just look at you. I could have been entering Perdana with a real gentleman’s slave, tall, blond hair, blue eyes; the kind of slave people pay good money for.” What was his fascination with this slave? “You, though, you look like Father went shopping in the bargain barrel. Demetri could have helped me climb the social ladder. Did you know that he once served a count? A count, for saints’ sake!”
Jason paused, as if expecting an answer. What was Kale supposed to say? “No, sir, I didn’t know.”
“No, you didn’t. I don’t suppose you know much of anything. Do you even have experience as a valet?”
“Yes, sir. I valeted for my previous master.”
“Ah, yes. Carter Cartwright. So I suppose I can expect to look like a backward country nitwit. Do you miss Carter?”
“Miss him, sir? No, sir. Why should I? He used to be my master, and now you are.”
“I can see loyalty is important to you.”
Kale bristled. Loyalty? Loyalty to what, the purse-strings that purchased you? “I tried to serve him well, sir, as I will you.”
“We’ll see about that. It’s going to take a lot more than just trying to please me. I expect you to be an asset to me. If you’re not, I’ll get rid of you. I’ve no use for a slave who eats my food and wears my clothes without contributing.”
A short while later, Kale began to hear the blasted snoring that had pushed its way into his dreams the previous night. Looking up, he saw that Jason had fallen asleep with his head perched against the side of the carriage. Seizing the opportunity, Kale cracked his neck and worked the muscles of his shoulders and back, getting out the kinks. Once he was as relaxed as he could be in his present position, he studied Jason. Guessing he was going to be out for a while, Kale took a chance and got up to sit on the bench opposite Jason and then stretched his legs. Realizing all he had to do was listen out for Jason’s snoring to keep himself from getting caught, he looked out the window. He had never been out of the countryside before, and here he was on his way to the capital. As rolling green hills morphed into mountain ranges, his eyes savored the sight of a world he’d never thought to see.
Chapter Two
Jason looked out the window of the carriage, awestruck. Having slept on and off through most of the journey, he perked up as soon as Perdana came into view. He had only ever been to the capital once before when he was a small child, back when his mother was still alive. That visit with her had stayed with him all these years. After she died, he’d clung to the memory of it, holding out hope that if he just bided his time, he would be able to return to this glittering city where he and his mother had always belonged.
Everything in the capital seemed better. The streets were paved instead of carved out of dirt. Buildings were more than just utilitarian, they were works of art. His mother had taken him to the theater, and all the beautiful people amazed Jason. People here wore nice clothes, spoke with sophisticated accents, and were interested in things more highbrow than calving.
He was finally returning, and this time it wasn’t for a visit, but to live. Instead of seeing the passing city with the eyes of an excited boy, he looked at it as a man appraising his new home. It was night, and gas lamps lit the city. Even at this hour, activity buzzed down every street. Excitement fluttered in his stomach.
Life in the city was going to be different from life on the ranch. There would be new opportunities. People would understand him. He wouldn’t be the misfit he so often felt with his father. If only his father had granted him Demetri. Jason wanted more than anything to be accepted into this new world, and Demetri would have been a help, having already served in high society.
Along the journey, Jason took plenty of time to study his new slave. Nothing about Kale was like Demetri. Instead of a tall, slender frame, Kale was barely taller than Jason and had a stocky build. Where Demetri was blond and fair skinned, Kale’s hair was a messy mix between blond and brown, and his honey-toned skin was too tanned to pass for someone who spent most of his time indoors. Instead of the blue eyes prized in personal slaves, Kale had pale green. In short, he came across as what he was: a backwoods slave. There was nothing worse. The last thing Jason wanted was for people to see through him, and Kale seemed a dead giveaway that Jason didn’t belong.
It wasn’t long before they pulled up to a white stone townhouse with blue shutters and a black front door in a posh neighborhood of identical three-story townhouses. Jason stepped out and stretched his legs, gazing up at the place that he would now call home. Walking up the front steps, he didn’t have a chance to use the big brass knocker. The front door swung open to reveal a short, middle-aged woman with wild black hair in a sloppy bun and blue eyes framed with crow’s feet. Despite her stained apron and disheveled appearance, she had an air of confidence and control about her, more like the lady of the house than a servant.
“You must be Mr. Jason Wadsworth. I’m Ms. Collins, the cook and housekeeper.”
Jason tipped his head in acknowledgement. “Yes, Ms. Collins, I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
For a moment she seemed to appraise him, as if determining whether he was worthy of entering her domain. Either he passed or she remembered that he was paying for the privilege, but she eventually turned aside and gestured at the house. “Please, come in.”
Stepping inside, he was struck by how cramped the place felt. It was elegantly decorated and looked like the respectable boarding house it was, but Jason was used to the sprawling cattle lodge he had been raised in.
“T
he parlor is off to the side here.” Ms. Collins indicated a room on her right. “This is where you may entertain female guests. To maintain our reputation, we don’t allow girls on the other floors. Over here is the dining room. You can either take your meals here or in your room. If you’ll follow me upstairs, I’ll show you to your suite.”
Jason marveled as he followed Ms. Collins. This place was immaculately clean. At home, dust dragged in by his father and the ranch hands covered everything. Once they reached the second floor, Ms. Collins pulled out a key and opened one of the two doors on the floor. “This is your room, Mr. Wadsworth.” It was strange being called mister; that had always been his father. “The other gentleman on this floor is Mr. Carl Bonham. Upstairs are Mr. Phineas Thalomew and Mr. Timothy Hatchett. Here is your key. I’ll send your slave up with your things.”
Jason had completely forgotten about Kale. “Where is his room?”
“The slaves sleep in the basement near the kitchen. Of course, you are allowed to keep your slave in your rooms if you wish. Now, unless you have any questions, I’ll leave you to settle in.”
After she left, Jason stood in his room relishing the novel feeling. In his hand, he held the key to his own place, separate from his father, in a city as different from his hometown as night from day. It felt good.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He didn’t look up as he said, “Come in,” but when the door opened, he turned to see who it was. Kale stood there with a large trunk on his shoulder.
“Where would you like this, Master?”
Jason looked around his room for the first time. The bedroom was quite large and had an en suite bathroom. Off to the left was a sitting area with a brown leather sofa, coffee table, and an overstuffed chair with its own side table. A table and chairs appropriate for eating, or perhaps entertaining, sat in the corner. To the right of the door was a desk, and beyond that, a large cherry wood bed with a plush hunter green comforter. Beside the bed, a wrought iron balcony overlooked the back garden.
“Anywhere is fine. I want you to get all of my bags up here and then start unpacking. At seven, you’ll go and get my dinner from the kitchen and serve it to me here.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kale put the trunk in the sitting area and left to get the rest of the luggage. Jason plopped down in the overstuffed chair, surveying his room. It was stylish and comfortable, and more importantly, it was all his. Tipping his head back, he smiled. His life had finally begun.
Chapter Three
When Kale woke up in the morning, only one other slave was stirring. After unpacking Jason’s things last night, he had been pointed to his bed by another slave, whose name he didn’t know, and promptly fell asleep. As much as he would have liked to stay in bed longer, the tension of sleeping in an unfamiliar place made it impossible. It would be a while before he felt safe enough to sleep peacefully.
“You an early riser, too?” Kale looked at the towheaded man addressing him and wondered what kind of crazy slave he was. Why on earth would anyone choose to wake up earlier than absolutely necessary?
“Nah, not usually. Not if I don’t have to be. What time is it?”
“It’s five-thirty. Simon and Jacob will both sleep for another couple of hours. They’re in the room across the hall. I’m the only one who gets up early. Gives me time to gather my thoughts.”
“And you are?”
“Oh, I’m Charlie.” He walked forward with his hand outstretched and a grin that made it nearly impossible to not like him, despite the annoyingly early hours he kept.
“I’m Kale.” Kale shook Charlie’s hand, liking the firm grip that met his own.
“You want to join me outside?”
No, what Kale really wanted to do was curl up and go back to sleep, but he knew he needed to get his bearings, and this seemed as good a time as any. At least he could get a feel for the place before he had to go take care of Jason. “Sure, that sounds good.”
Once outside, Kale was taken aback. Before him was a fenced in yard with a few shrubs and flower bushes. A gardening shed took up about as much space as the garden it was meant to serve. There was barely enough room for the wrought iron bench. His whole life had been spent in the country where neighbors couldn’t even see each other for all the acreage they had. He looked around at the small garden and realized this little bit of earth was all that separated them from the surrounding city. Kale felt almost claustrophobic as he saw the other townhouses that enclosed them.
“So, what’s your master like?” While it seemed that Charlie asked out of idle curiosity, Kale could tell he wanted to know how the balance in the house would be affected by the new arrivals.
“Couldn’t really say. I was just given to him night before last as a present from his old man. So far, he’s acted like a little boy trying to prove he’s a man. Keeps exerting his dominance, as if I don’t know I’m a slave.”
“That’s rough. I’ll try to steer clear of him.”
“I wish I could. Is there much work we’re expected to do besides taking care of our masters? Are there other slaves who take care of the house?”
“We all help out with the house. Marge does the cooking and what cleaning she can. Your first responsibility is to your master, of course, but you’re expected to do what Marge says as well. She’s a free woman and lives in her own apartment.”
“When do I get to meet her?”
“You already did. She goes by Ms. Collins to the tenants here, but she’s Marge to us. You’ll like her; she’s a softie, likes to act like she’s our mother more than our superior. Be respectful to the free men and you’ll be fine. Simon and Jacob are good guys, we all get along well.” And it’s going to stay that way. Kale could practically hear the words in the silence. It was easy to believe they all got along given Charlie’s easy smile, and Kale was not one to rock the boat. He was confident in his ability to fit in with the other slaves. The problem was going to be working out his relationship with his own master.
After a few more moments of watching the rays of sun begin to peek over the fence and between nearby buildings, the two men went back inside. Kale figured it would be in his best interest to be ready and waiting in his master’s room. He had no idea what time Jason would get up, but after the tense carriage ride, he didn’t want to be late.
When Kale reached Jason’s room, he held his breath and carefully opened the door. As soon as it was open, the sound of snoring wafted out, and he released the breath he had been holding. Apparently, the snoring was not just due to alcohol. What a pity. Once the door was silently closed behind him, he found a comfortable spot on the floor and lay down, trusting that he would hear his master wake and be able to move before Jason gained enough consciousness to notice.
Kale’s assumption proved correct. There was plenty of time between the cessation of the snoring and Jason being alert enough to be aware of his surroundings for Kale to stand up.
“Don’t just stand there, go fetch me some breakfast. Holy heaven, are you completely worthless?” Jason got up from the bed and walked to the en suite bathroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Kale thought it would be wise to refrain from mentioning the fact that if he had been given an approximate time at which Jason would like breakfast, he would have had it waiting for him. Instead, he just gritted his teeth and left.
When Kale returned with the breakfast tray, Jason was at the table in the sitting area in his bathrobe. He glared as Kale set down the tray. “I’ll expect to have my coffee waiting for me when I wake up from now on.”
“Yes, sir. And what time will you be rising each day?”
“Well, I don’t know what time I’ll get up every day. But you’ll know my schedule and you can figure it out from the first appointment of the day.”
Oh yes, this was going to be fun. Nothing like playing mind reader with the man who held your life in his hands.
“I’ll also expect you to have the paper waiting for me in the morning. I like to read during breakfa
st.”
“Yes, sir. Would you like me to get you one now?”
“No, it looks like this morning I’m going to have to teach you how to serve me properly. Demetri would have already figured this all out, but my father seems to think my time is worthless enough to spend on teaching slaves their own business.”
Kale clenched his fists and then flexed his hands, willing the anger to drain through them. If he heard one more thing about this damned Demetri, he was ready to walk back to Malar County and bring the man here himself. “I’m sorry I’m not better prepared to serve you, sir. I promise you, though, I’m a quick study. Once you show me what you like, you won’t have to do it again.”
“I find that hard to believe. Lesson one: you are to speak as little as possible and only when spoken to. Only relay relevant information. I’m not interested in conversing with you. Lesson two: you’re to be formal at all times. I know you’re used to serving in a home that is more like a barn than a house, but I won’t have you being familiar or informal here. That means when you’re not doing something, you should be standing as out of the way as possible with your hands behind your back. Lesson three: you’re to keep your language clean. No swearing, and speak clearly. Are all of these rules clear to you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now I’ll show you how you’re to help me get ready.”
The rest of the morning was much the same. With each additional rule and sharp remark, Kale further resigned himself to a miserable life with this boy. Kale did nothing to cause offense, yet Jason continued to act as if he was offended by Kale’s very existence.
“I’m here to not only further my education, but to further myself in the world. Perdana is the home of the elite, and I plan to be part of the elite scene. That means I’ll be busy most of the time I’m not in class, going to parties and different social functions. For the most part, you’ll stay here. You’re not nearly nice enough to be seen with. However, I imagine there will be some events where your attendance will be required. I certainly won’t be showing up to an event as the only man without a slave. So for those times, you are to be on your best behavior. If you embarrass me, you will pay for it. I’m finally away from Malar County, among my type of people, and I won’t have you reminding everyone where I come from. It’s bad enough Father felt the need to remind me by giving you to me. Do you understand all of this?”
[Measure of Devotion 01.0 - 03.0] Box Set Page 2