by Sky Winters
Lady Davina could feel her heart start to sink at the words, although the smile remained fixed on her face. If she did escape, where could she go? With no village and no house within walking distance there seemed nowhere to run to.
“Lord Edmond does ride most places Ma’m, perhaps it’s something that you could try? The Masters got a lot of ‘orses Ma’m”
She could have rushed to the girl and kissed her. Of course, horse riding, she had not thought of that. She wasn’t a great horsewoman but she knew the basics and had often gone out riding back home. All she would need to do was to find a good natured horse and a saddle and she could have at least half an hour’s advantage on him, maybe more if she was lucky. She could be miles away by the time they discovered she had gone.
A plan was slowly forming in her mind. Her aunt had made her pack some sensible clothing for the weather and she also had her old riding habit and boots. A couple of extra blankets from her bed would serve as extra protection against the elements.
Clapping her hands together in anticipation of her plan, Lady Davina realised that the young girl was still in the room.
“Will that be all Ma’m?”
“Yes Roberta, that is quite enough for now and thank you”.
Left alone Lady Davina began to devise a plan. She would need to find a horse that would suit her and the only way around that would be to somehow persuade Lord Edmond to give her a horse of her own. She would need to work with him and not against him and although the thought repulsed her, she would need to be agreeable to him whilst still keeping him at arm’s length. She was not worldly or womanly wise enough to know the art of keeping a man dangling, but she would have to try. It was her only hope.
The morning light had started to spill through the window and into the room and she stepped over to the casement to look out. There was a mist rising from the dark fields below and in happier circumstances the place would have appeared magical, ethereal almost in the soft early sheen of morning. To Lady Davina it appeared bleak and menacing, a lost place that she had to escape from.
As she was about to turn back into the bedroom, a figure approaching through the mist caught her attention. It was Lord Edmond back from his morning walk with both dogs at his heels, long pink tongues lolling from their drooling mouths. There was a knock at her door as a servant entered with her breakfast and she moved quickly away from the window before she could be seen.
Closing the door carefully behind her she paused for a moment before descending the stairs to seek out Lord Edmond. After spending the last hour arranging and re-arranging her dress she had decided on a gown of green velvet and wore a ribbon of matching colour in her hair. The darkness of her curls contrasted beautifully against her pale skin and the emerald of the dress set of her eyes perfectly. For one so innocent she had learned quickly and knew that her appearance would beguile. Still, underneath the layers of finery she was only a young and naive girl and her hand visibly shook as she smoothes down the front of her skirt.
Taking a deep breath she steadied her hands and headed downstairs.
The hall was deserted and as she looked around wondering which way to turn, the sound of laughter filtered through from the kitchen area. One voice was light, the soft yet shrill tone of a young woman, the other the deep bass voice of Lord Edmond. The laughter grew louder as the sound of footsteps echoed towards her. Lady Davina’s first instinct was to run and hide but she stood her ground. If she was to escape this place she would need to be brave.
At first he didn’t notice her, his attentions were too closely fixed on the young servant girl, who appeared in some state of undress. It was only when the two women almost collided that the young woman looked up in horror at having been caught red handed with her mistresses intended. Lord Edmond hid his initial surprise well, and as he let the poor girl out of his clutches he stood with arms folded, his lips curled into a sneer.
“Well well my Dear, I didn’t expect to see you up so early. I thought you might be exhausted after yesterday’s adventure?”
Everything he said seemed to hint at something sordid and unholy and Lady Davina could feel herself start to blush again. The young servant girl coughed embarrassedly as she adjusted the bodice of her smock. Her hair hung loose from the white cap she was wearing and her face glowed scarlet at her predicament.
“You may leave us Rosie, but don’t forget I will be back for something later.”
He smacked his lips and laughed as the young girl ran past him to the kitchen, relieved to be out of sight.
Lady Davina could feel his eyes burning into her, even before she raised her own eyes to look directly at him. He gazed at her from head to toe and then back again, taking in each savoury detail of his young captive.
“So my Lady, what will be your pleasure today?”
Ignoring the lewdness of the comment she tried to smile. It was difficult to act natural and as she opened her mouth her voice was shrill and stuck in the back of her throat.
“I thought I might explore the place a little, it is to be my home after all. I would like to explore the grounds too”
She lifted her chin a little higher and met his gaze. So, she was a feisty creature after all?
He approached her slowly and deliberately, and she stood her ground he reached over and cupped her breasts in his hands, watching her eyes for a reaction.
“Well my dear, I too feel like a little exploration this morning. Now, what would you like me to show you?”
Before she could answer he had taken her hand and was rubbing it against the crotch of his breeches. She could feel the swell of his cock against the heavy material and could not help letting out a small gasp of fright.
“What is it my dear, have you never felt such a large cock? Wait, I am forgetting myself, your pure and virginal hands have probably never touched a man before eh?”
With that he undid the buttons on his fly and pushed her hand inside the folds of material. Her fingers brushed the large and thick cock encased within and she resisted the urge to pull away her hand. Her eyes widened as his face lurched against hers and once again his sickly lips rubbed against hers. This time she accepted the attack with a grim determination, his sticky tongue probing her soft mouth as she tried to block out all thoughts of him and imagine she was far away.
Pushed against the wall, she could feel the weight of his body pressed against her, his groin grinding into her soft body.
“Well my dear, you are not the frigid convent schoolgirl that I first took you for. I can see that we shall spend some very pleasurable evenings together. I can teach you what pleases me and you will learn quickly, of that I have no doubt.”
Holding her very firmly by the chin he pushed her head against the wall, before reaching down with his wet and ugly lips. His breath was no sweeter than the evening before and she held her breath as his lips slobbered against hers.
If she didn’t manage to escape, she would be subject to this on a daily basis and worse!
The sound of someone knocking at the main doors saved her. Lord Edmond released her and straightened his clothing as one of the male servants approached to open the door. It was the Estate Manger, come to speak to the master on business. As he entered the hallway, Lord Edmond smiled slyly at his young bride to be.
“Perhaps we can pick up where we left off later this evening My Lady?”
She willed herself to smile sweetly back at him, and with some effort she managed to look natural and almost glad to be with him.
“Perhaps my Lord,” she whispered, as suggestively as she could imagine.
Edmond scratched his chin in puzzlement at the strange dark haired creature, before turning to his man.
She had heard the wheedling tones that women often used with their men folk and she needed every trick she could think of.
“Oh Edmond?”
It did the trick and stopped him in his tracks as he glanced over his shoulder, back at the girl.
“Edmond, I was thinking. I enj
oyed riding at home and seeing that the countryside is so beautiful around here, I wondered if I might go riding, if there might be a suitable horse in the stables here for me; something with a gentle temperament and not too feisty?”
It had not struck him that the girl might ride. He had expected sewing and playing the harpsichord and a little singing but nothing too boisterous. He liked his women with spirit as well as beauty and his expectations of his bride suddenly increased.. He walked back over to her and smiled.
“Well my dear, this is a surprise. I had not supposed that you were the outdoor type. It will be my pleasure to take you out riding sometime; unfortunately today I will be tied up in business, but maybe at the weekend?”
Lady Davina’s heart sank. She did not know how long she would be able to keep Lord Edmond at bay. She had been lucky so far but if she stayed too long, all would be lost; there would be no escape.
Seeing her eyes downcast, Lord Edmond seemed to be seized with an uncommon feeling of generosity; although it was probably that he wanted to be seen as the ‘big man’ in the eyes of both his steward and Lady Davina.
“I suppose there is nothing to stop you going into the stables today. Old McTavish will be there –I will have a word with him to saddle up Bess, she’s a gentle old mare that will serve you well. You can give her a try, but don’t go far; I would hate you to get lost”
The last sentence was spoken as almost a threat and Lady Davina stuck out her chin and smiled politely. Her plan was going well, so far, so good.
Lord Edmond kept to his word and soon Lady Davina was dressed in her riding habit and sat astride Bess, a beautiful white mare, flecked with grey patched across her flank. The large, brown trusting eyes looked gently into Davina’s and she knew instinctively that she would be safe with this old girl.
After 15 minutes trotting around the fields she returned to the stables, carefully noting where the saddles and reigns were kept. Old Mctavish didn’t start work until 8 o’clock unless the Master needed his mount earlier, but that was seldom. It fitted perfectly with her plans.
The rest of the day she spent preparing for escape. At every meal time she saved a little bread, cheese or meat to pack away for the journey. She didn’t know how long she would be riding for and needed to ensure that she would have enough provisions.
Lord Edmond had been busy for most of the day and she had hardly seen him, which was a good thing. As the sun started to set she heard his voice in the hall below. Her one mission now was to avoid direct contact with him at any cost. She had been lucky on two occasions, but dare not leave a third encounter to chance.
Calling for one of the female servants, she asked that her excuses be passed on to Lord Edmond, but that she had caught a slight cold from riding earlier in the day and would need to be excused from dinner that evening. A small plate of food would be sufficient, brought to her room, and after a good night’s sleep she was sure that she would be feeling better.
The evening passed slowly. Lady Davina paced the room before lying quietly on the bed to listen to the sounds of the castle around her. As the clock on the stairs struck 11 she could hear the thud, as Lord Edmond ascended the stairs. She held her breath as the footsteps approached her door and stopped. His breath was loud in the silence, heavy and oppressive and she guessed that he had been drinking. If he entered her room tonight it would be difficult to hold him off and she would be ruined, be his for life. She closed her eyes and prayed.
The moment seemed to be held, suspended in silence, with only the ticking of the old clock to count the seconds. At last his feet shifted, the floorboards creaking as he walked away from her doorway and on to his own room, and she sighed, almost crying with relief. Her prayers had been answered.
Now all she had to do was wait.
The chiming of the clock heralded the passing of night into early morning. Lady Davina did not sleep but lay wide awake, eyes staring into the blackness of her room, her plan whirling round and around inside her head. If her plan failed then she had no idea what she could do but accept her fate. The plan had to succeed; she would rather die than stay here with Lord Edmond.
With some relief the clock struck 5 and she climbed out of bed to dress in her riding habit and pack her smallest bag. Blankets, spare clothing, and food were all she could fit inside. It would have to be enough.
The castle was eerily silent as if deserted and she tiptoed carefully onto the landing and down the stairs. Heading for the kitchen she found some old bread and more cheese and stuffed them into her bag along with a flagon of ale for the journey, before walking into the hallway.
It was dark and silent, and she shivered slightly on the cold and drafty floor. The corners were filled with dark shadows and she did not feel safe. The clock on the stairs was ticking the time away and very soon Lord Edmond would be waking, walking down those stairs and out into the early morning air. She had to hide. There was a small recess leading off to the right of the doorway that she had spied earlier. If she could squeeze herself in there and stand as close to the wall as the small space would allow, then she should not be seen in the darkness. Slipping silently across the floor she pushed into the gap: a grown man could not have stood in there but there was just enough room for a slight 18 year old girl.
Standing in silence, her heart hammered in her chest until she was sure that the sound would awaken the whole house.
What if he did not come down today at his usual time? What if she was still standing here when the household awoke - what would she do then?
The waiting seemed forever, but as the old grandfather struck the half hour there was the sound of footsteps walking about on the floor above. Very soon his large booted footsteps could be heard clattering down the steps, followed by the lighter scratching of the two mastiffs.
"Reaper, Dylan, here boys," he shouted gruffly at the two animals as they raced past their master, only to quickly to fall back in place at his heels, their tails curled under their bellies in submission.
Lady Davina thought she would faint as the large, dark shape of Lord Edmond came into view, pausing only a few feet away from where she hid. Pulling a great key from his pocket he turned it slowly in the lock before unbolting the heavy oak doors.
For a moment he stood looking out into the cold air, breathing in the new day as she held her breath, not daring to move a muscle. One of the dogs moved across to where she was standing, its ears pricked at the scent of her.
"Come Reaper, Dylan" Edmond roared as he strode through the open door, both dogs hot on his heels. As the door closed she let out a sigh of relief, she had almost been found out.
She would have to wait for 10 or 15 minutes to pass until she could be sure that he was out of sight.
The waiting seemed an age and she dare not move until the clock struck a quarter to the hour. Venturing out of her hiding place she quickly slipped to the door, opened it quickly and was soon outside.
The air was damp and she was glad of the additional blankets she had packed into her bag.
Lord Edmond had disappeared into the early morning and she quickly stepped around to the side of the castle and into the cobbled courtyard and across to the stables.
As she approached, Bess pulled her long nose over the stable door and snorted her hot breath into the cold air. Lady Davina stroked the gentle face before opening the stable door, stepping over the straw to the saddles hung on the wall.
She managed to manoeuvre the saddle onto the horse and buckled the leather harness under the old girls belly before attaching the reigns and checking that all was in order. She had seen Joseph, the stable lad back home, do this job a thousand times before and she had learned well. All seemed safe, and placing her foot into the stirrup she leaned against the warm flank to heave herself atop the horse. Bess gave a slight whisk of her tail and a flick of her mane, but remained still and silent until Davina clicked her heels against the warm body and tugged gently on the reins.
They were away.
Lord E
dmond had set off from the front of the castle so her obvious course was to set off in the opposite direction. There were a couple of open fields before they entered a deep wood of pine and aspen, the sweet smell of the trees hitting her as soon as they entered the leafy glade.
As horse and rider moved into the depth of the wood the light changed from the grey of early morning to the dark bottle green of the forest.
She urged the old horse on, desperate to put as many miles between her and the castle before anyone noticed her absence. The terrain was soft underfoot, but low hung branches and the spreading gnarled roots of ancient trees all acted as obstacles to slow her down. Once they had reached a small stream she dismounted, letting Bess drink the cool water and rest for a while. Now the excitement and apprehension of her escape had lessened, she too felt hungry and sat against a tree to eat some of the cheese and bread. The ground was chilly and she wrapped herself in the extra blankets for warmth. All was still except the babbling ribbon of the stream and soon she fell into a light doze.
As she slept her fiery dream returned. She was still trapped in the tower, the beast somewhere near was approaching. Her skin was now covered in scales and she gulped in fear. She heard a whisper soft and low, a woman’s voice that was comforting her. She recognized her mother’s voice. “Now is your time to take flight.”
The snap of branches and the rustle of leaves awoke her. She could feel the tremor of the ground beneath her, men on horses were approaching. Lady Davina could not tell how long she had slept, it could have been minutes or it could have been an hour, how foolish to relax before she had found a safe haven. With no time to lose she gathered her blankets and quickly packed her things before mounting Bess, driving her further into the wood. Hearing voices close behind, she panicked, urging the horse on even faster. Bess could sense the urgency of her mistress and galloped as fast as her old legs would allow, deeper and deeper into the forest. She did not see the low branch ahead, poor Bess tried to jump, her old heart beating fast, but the old thing did not make it, catching her hooves and sending horse and rider into the air, tumbling into the undergrowth.
