Freeing Joslyn (Freeing Series)

by GG Shalton

  He scowled at Joslyn, stepping between her and Sara. “None of your business, wench.”

  Joslyn placed her hands on her hips. “You can’t just take her from her home. She is not a prisoner.”

  The man grinned showing his discolored teeth. “She owes me. The wench stole my dagger and I caught her with it. When I confronted her, she threw it off the cliff. She will work off what she owes me and then I will let her go.”

  Joslyn reached over and took the gag out of her mouth. “Sara, tell this man it isn’t true. Tell me that he lies.”

  Red-rimmed eyes met hers. “I only took the dagger, so he couldn’t use it on me when they dragged me from my home to find you. Later, when the guard told me to leave, I ran and forgot I still had it. Josie, I panicked when I saw him come after me.”

  Joslyn rubbed her arm and looked back at the soldier. “Please sir, you can’t treat her like this.”

  He snorted, looking Joslyn up and down. “I can treat her as I wish. She is only a farmer’s daughter, no one will care.”

  “How dare you!”

  She saw the man clamp his mouth shut and stand at attention. She braced herself knowing who must be behind her. A deep voice rumbled, “Joslyn? Why are you not in the carriage? I am growing restless.”

  She turned to face him looking up into his eyes. He stood closer to her than before with the toe of his boots touching the hem of her dress. “Your Grace, I beg for your help. Your soldiers have taken a dear friend of mine as a prisoner.”

  He turned his head and looked at the soldier.

  The soldier bowed respectfully. “Your Grace, she stole my dagger and when I caught her, she threw it off the cliff.”

  The duke glanced back at Joslyn. She nervously bit her bottom lip looking down at the ground. He reached out and took some of her hair, gently pulling it back from her face as she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. All the soldiers watched him not saying a word.

  Finally, he took her hand, laying a warm kiss on it, and watched for her reaction. She lowered her eyes unable to speak.

  “My dear, she must pay for stealing. She is lucky he didn’t ask for the ultimate penalty—to cut off her arm. His mercy should be commended.”

  The soldier smiled, reassured by the duke’s compliment. Joslyn’s shoulders fell, and she felt the duke squeeze her hand. “But I don’t like seeing you distressed. We will need a compromise.” He smiled and let go of her hand. Glancing at his royal guards, the sound of his voice rose through the ranks of the men with him. “The prisoner will work off her debt to me and be a personal maid to the lovely Joslyn. When her debt is paid, I will send her back to her farm.”

  The soldier lost his smile, visibly frustrated that he was losing his captive. Sara’s eyes widened with a mix of apprehension and relief.

  Joslyn gave a lopsided curtsey, shock resonating through her. Unprepared for such a gift, she stumbled through her words. “Thank… Thank you, Your Grace!”

  He smiled. “Now, can we please be on our way?”

  Joslyn smiled and untied Sara. Both girls entered the carriage while the duke chose to ride with the men. They were happy to be alone but frightened at the same time of their future.

  Chapter 5

  They held on to each other as the carriage drove along the bumpy roads. Both girls were shivering cold and unable to speak for at least an hour into their journey. Finally, Sara broke the silence. “Do you think we are we going to Locket?”

  Joslyn shrugged her shoulders and whispered, “I don’t know. I heard one of the guards say something about his residence in the mining towns. Rumors are that he spends much of his time there instead of the palace.”

  “I am sure any residence of his would put the whole village of Merle to shame.”

  They rode for several hours in silence afraid of their destination. Finally, Joslyn’s eyes grew heavy watching Sara sleep and eventually she gave up the battle and closed her eyes.

  She woke to the sun on her face and reached up to close the carriage curtains. Sara was snoring, and she kept trying to nudge her awake.

  “Stop, I am not ready to wake yet!” she swatted Joslyn’s hand away.

  Joslyn giggled. “Some maid you are.”

  Sara groggily opened her eyes. “Don’t remind me.” She groaned, sitting up. “Do you think your parents told my family they took me?”

  “I hope so. Maybe I can ask him if we can write, or at least if you can write. Ask your parents to let me know the welfare of my family.”

  “I could teach you to read. You never showed much interest before.”

  “My parents found it unnecessary. There wasn’t time for learning according to them.” Joslyn tried to straighten the wrinkles out of her dress and smoothed her hair with her hands. “Do you think the duke will agree?”

  Sara snorted. “I think you could ask him anything.”

  She furrowed her brow. “What does that mean?”

  Sara breathed in deep fighting back a yawn. “Josie, think about it. You know about his reputation; the villagers always spoke about his cruel ways. We have seen it for ourselves.”

  “My papa said the king is upset about his overindulgence and the way he treated some prisoners during the war which ruined his relationship with Burra.”

  “It’s true.” Sara agreed. “Rumors say that is why the payment to the country of Burra was so high. They demanded our cotton along with copper and coal.”

  “I didn’t know the Royal Duke was in the war?”

  “Please!” Sara sniffed mockingly. “He was not in the war personally. But when they brought a few prisoners of war to Mallard, I heard that the Royal Duke himself ordered the torture. The rumor is that one prisoner escaped and when the King of Burra found out about their treatment, he was livid. The peace talks that finally came were at a stiff price for our king. He is still furious with the Royal Duke. Not to mention the Duke of Norton, the King of Burra’s beloved cousin—one of the most feared men in all the country—has personally vowed to make him pay for his atrocities during the war.”

  A look of recognition came across her face. “Is that why they won’t make a marriage alliance with one of the princesses?”

  She shrugged and sarcastically waved her hand. “The last time I had tea with the queen she didn’t confide in me.”

  Joslyn laughed. “Perhaps we will dine with the king and he will tell us!”

  Both girls giggled.

  Sara’s smile faded. “But seriously, Josie, listen to me. As bad as the duke is, I saw the way he was looking at you. He acts out in anger because you don’t fall all over him. Only when forced. It’s like he wants to please you but gets angry when you ignore his attention. Everything is under his control and everyone jumps to do is bidding. You need to use this advantage while you can.”

  Joslyn thought about what she said, her memories taking her to his hurt-filled anger when she returned his gifts. Dismissing the thought, she turned to Sara. “He frightens me, and I could never like a man who holds my family’s life in his hands and uses that power to control me.”

  Sara shook her head. “Use the power back to get what you want. He is the Royal Duke and heir to the throne. Use that power to your advantage. We don’t know how long we have until his interest moves on.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

  Sara watched her but stopped talking and looked out the window.

  They rode for a little longer in silence. Feeling restless, Joslyn was relieved when the carriage slowed, and they stopped. One of the guards opened the door and escorted them to the woods to take care of private needs.

  It felt good to stretch and get away from the riding. Joslyn scanned the area but did not see the duke. In fact, the riding party seemed only half the size it previously was when they started on the journey. The guard escorted them back and handed them each some bread a
nd boiled eggs to eat. It felt good to put something in her stomach.

  “We will leave in an hour and should arrive in Preston after lunch.”

  “Preston? We’re not going to Locket?”

  “I have my orders and I don’t question them. We go to the duke’s estate outside of the mining towns near the village of Preston.”

  “Where is the duke?” Joslyn couldn’t help but ask. She figured it was better to know than not to know.

  He paused a second before answering, “He rode ahead last night, we slowed him down and he wanted to get there by this morning. Traveling by carriage takes a lot longer.”

  Joslyn nodded her head, accepting his answer. Taking a bite of bread, she strolled away with Sara back to the carriage.

  They arrived midafternoon in Preston, a famous mining town known for its prestigious inhabitants. Joslyn had heard of the village and looked forward to seeing it with her own eyes.

  The smell of food cooking greeted them before anything else. Rows of merchants selling food, vegetables, and wares crowded the streets. The buildings grew nicer as they traveled the cobblestone street toward the duke’s residence.

  Sara stared out the window, so engrossed with the sights. “Do you think I could see James?”

  Joslyn smiled. “That would be nice. But his wife will probably deny our visit when she finds out we are slaves to the duke.”

  “I am a slave. That is not the word I would use for you.”

  Joslyn bit her tongue and did not answer. She knew what people would say when she was brought into his home. And despite what her family and friends thought, she knew what was expected of her. It was embarrassing to be wanted in such a way. Especially in front of her father who wanted to protect her but was unable. It was better she didn’t speak about it with them or anyone.

  The carriage veered off the main road onto a path less traveled. The roads were muddy, and the brush grew thick, obscuring the view on top of the hill. A few miles away from the village and they finally crested a ridge looking down at a sprawling estate. The grounds were breathtaking and surrounded by lush green fields next to the mountains. As they got closer, the stones covered the grounds with high fences they could not see over. Joslyn mouth fell open at the size and grandeur of the home.

  The gates creaked open as royal guards motioned for them to enter. Joslyn could feel the men’s curiosity as they were trying to catch a glimpse of the occupants inside. Sara straightened her gown and tried to comb Joslyn’s hair with her fingers.

  The carriage slowed, and the doors opened. The guard escorted her inside with Sara a few steps behind. The entrance to the castle was formal and the ceiling was higher than any building she had ever seen. Captivated by the detailed artwork, she didn’t hear the duke come up beside her.

  “Joslyn.” He beckoned.

  She jerked slightly in surprise, calming her racing heart as she met his gaze. “Your Grace.” She curtsied and lowered her head.

  “I trust your journey was safe?” He took her hand and kissed it.

  “It was. Thank you.”

  “Let me show you to your chamber. Your maid can sleep in the servants’ quarters. Miss Reynolds, my housekeeper, will show her where to stay.” Joslyn looked to the side and noticed an older woman in a black dress, her hands resting together in front of her stomach.

  Sara curtsied. “I will see you later.”

  The duke offered his arm and Joslyn took it. They walked in silence until they reached her chamber door. He smiled as he opened it.

  Joslyn’s stared in wonder at the beauty of the chamber. Golden tapestries with dark green markings welcomed her at every turn. The rugs on the floor were green with gold trim. Several dresses hung in a wardrobe closet in the corner along with at least twenty pairs of slippers on the bottom shelf. A vanity with lotions and perfumes lined the table by the door. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, afraid to touch anything.

  “It pleases me that you like it.” He held out his hand for her to step deeper into the room. Her heart pounded in her chest erratically spying the bed in the corner of the room. Would he expect payment now?

  “I will leave you to rest. I have ordered you a bath and request that you wear the rose-colored gown for dinner. Please be there by eight, one of my men that I assigned to guard you will escort you. His name is Chester and he can be trusted.” He hesitated for a moment as his eyes roamed over her body. Feeling exposed, she had to fight the feeling of covering herself up. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything and turned to leave.

  Joslyn let out a breath of relief and sat on the bed. Thinking back over the last few weeks, she would never have guessed that she would be inside a beautiful bed chamber in the home of the Royal Duke. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

  She opened the door and two men entered with a big tub followed by a few servants carrying steaming water. What a luxury! Her parents did not own a bathtub and when they were little, they would wash in a barrel. As she got older, she only washed her hair occasionally in the barrel and bathed from the bucket.

  After bathing, she brushed her wet hair in front of the fire. Sara came up after her hair dried and helped her into the rose-colored gown. One of the servants named Abbie joined them as well to help fix Joslyn’s hair. She was skilled with braids and ribbons and was able to get her hair to curl up with tendrils.

  Abbie was young, around her and Sara’s age. She had a meek personality and reminded Joslyn of the mayor’s wife. Wearing her hair in a tight bun, her clothes were very neat and clean with nothing out of place. She didn’t speak much about the duke but only talked about her training with women’s hair. Her mother had been a personal maid to one of the princesses and taught Abbie what she knew.

  She seemed satisfied with her work and escorted Joslyn to the looking glass. Looking at her reflection, Joslyn’s mouth dropped. “It doesn’t even look like me.”

  Sara grinned. “It’s you. Just better.”

  Abbie watched the friends snicker together looking bewildered at their closeness. Joslyn could feel she was uncomfortable and stopped giggling. “Abbie, who do people say that I am?”

  Her cheeks turned red. “I… um… can’t say.”

  Joslyn reached out and touched her arm. “I need to know, Abbie. Does the duke’s other women have specific titles or names they go by?”

  Abbie scrunched up her face. “Please Miss, I have been forbidden to speak about it.”

  Sara tried coaxing a response from her next. “Abbie, we won’t tell. If you are to spend time with us, we have to trust each other.”

  Abbie bit her lip and then seemingly changed her mind. “He doesn’t have other women for him in this home. This is a first for us and the staff is up in arms on how we address you. Forgive me, but they say you are his mistress.”

  Hearing the words out loud made her stomach drop. Having relations before she was married was a sin. All these people would think she had loose morals and chose to sell her body to a nobleman for nice dresses and a fancy home. Thinking back over her life, that was how she viewed those type of women. And now she was one of them.

  Sara sensed her distress and began rubbing her back. “Abbie, Joslyn is a friend of the dukes. Her status has not been defined, but for now, let’s think of her as a guest and not a mistress as you delicately put it.”

  Abbie lowered her head in shame. “Of course. I meant no disrespect.”

  Joslyn heard a knock on the door and looked up to see a man in the doorway. “Miss Rhodes, I am Chester, your escort.” She smiled at him, taking in his fatherly appearance and felt a tug at her heart thinking of her own father.

  Sara and Abbie wished her a goodnight and she took Chester’s arm and followed him to the great hall not knowing what to expect.

  The great hall was filled with guards and noblemen. A few wives sat
by their husbands, eyeing her as she appeared with Chester. Joslyn scanned the dais looking for the duke and found him speaking to a few men dressed in the latest fashions of nobility. He stood when his gaze fell upon her and smiled as she came closer to the table of honor. Chester walked her past several tables filled with various stations of people who must be acquaintances of the duke. She figured she would sit with some of the other women at a table in the corner, but Chester steered her toward the dais. Her body tensed, and she pulled him back. She whispered in his ear, “I can’t sit on the dais. I am not a lady.”

  He patted her hand on his arm. “The duke commands it and I must oblige. He wants you to sit next to him.”

  Feeling more nervous with each step, she braced herself against their haughty stares as the duke stood before her and pulled out her chair personally. “Joslyn, you are a vision. Please have a seat beside me so we may dine together. The cooks have prepared many dishes.”

  Joslyn curtsied and then sat in her chair. The duke held up his hand as a signal to the servers and trays of food started parading out—more food than she had ever seen in her life. Her stomach already ached watching the delicacies being served on her trencher. The duke made a point to fill hers before his. The kind gesture did not settle well in her stomach. She knew he was a cruel man that enjoyed taunting others with his power. He could threaten to sell her sisters and kill her parents, then offer her a room full of gowns.

  Keeping her feelings to herself, she complimented each dish and made a point to taste all the food set in front of her. Most of it was delicious and she savored each bite. The duke occasionally asked her a question, and she nodded and agreed with whatever he said. Most of his conversation was with the men on the other side of him. They were dressed in uniforms she did not recognize but gathered they were of some importance given their seats at the duke’s table.

  “There is no doubt King Harrick will be at the wedding with his entourage. The country of Burra is growing stronger. Napery wants their ties to remain strong and invited him to the nuptials,” the man with red hair said, taking a long drink of wine.