Say Yes

by Dahlia Rose

  Say Yes

  Copyright © July 2011 Dahlia Rose

  Cover Art by For the Muses Design

  ISBN 978-1-936668-91-5

  All rights are reserved. No part of this may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Chapter One

  The carriage moved with speed as lightning cut a swatch of light through night sky across the countryside. Kaila made a little sound of fear and closed the curtain when she saw the jagged lightning and heard the roar of the thunder. Storms had always scared her, ever since she was a child. A storm such as this had almost taken her life on the ship that brought her from the Indies. The island of Grenada was a home she could still remember, with the smell of fruit in the air and the salt of the sea. She could still remember playing in the river with her brothers and catching crawfish with a bucked trap made of strips of bamboo and baited with boiled chicken neck. That was a lifetime ago, because now she lived on the Queen’s isle, a lady in waiting to the duchess—or at least she was until tonight. A flash of lightning took her back to the memory of what had taken place only hours before.

  The lightning stuck just as her room door was slammed open. It woke her from her sleep, and she saw the looming figure coming toward her. It was Duke Carrington, and as he came closer, she saw his face was contorted with lust and she could smell the drunkenness on him.

  “You can’t hide from me tonight. I’ll be between your legs one way or another.” His words were slurred.

  None of his mistresses from the servant quarters were enough to appease him, not this time. She’d seen his eyes traveling over her body more than once. It was her job to tend to her mistress after his nights in her bed or after she’d been forced to watch their coupling. He rutted like a dog in the streets, and when she was there, it seemed even fouler. This was what he meant to do to her. The duke wanted what he was forbidden to have…her. The thought made revulsion claw at her throat.

  “You will not touch her!” Duchess Carrington said and grabbed his arm.

  She’d apparently heard the commotion from her own bedroom, which was right next door to Kaila’s. The petite, soft-spoken woman raised her voice louder than Kaila had ever heard before.

  “You don’t tell me what to do in my own home!” the duke snarled.

  For her disrespect, he slapped his wife in the mouth, and Kaila watched her mistress fall to the floor. Anger like nothing she had felt before bloomed in her chest. For the lady now on the floor sobbing had always been kind, had taught her and given her an education.

  Kaila barely recalled moving from her bed and taking the walking stick that had dropped on the floor in her hand. She snuck up on the duke looming over his wife on the ground, and with all her strength she struck him in the head. He fell to his side, and she ran to her mistress and they clung together, expecting his rage. He didn’t move; Kaila poked him with her toe, and still nothing. Finally he moaned and then scrambled back.

  “Ring the bell, Kaila, so it will bring Lucy and Sara,” the mistress said quickly. Two more of her ladies in waiting came in soon after, and together they all moved his heavy frame to the duchess’s bed.

  “He remembers nothing when he is like this. He fell and we cared for him in my bed,” the duchess explained hastily as she cleaned his wounded head. “Even so, this cannot happen again. Kaila, you are not safe here.” She looked at Lucy and rushed to her table and scribbled quickly on some paper. She rolled the note up and put it in one of the silver tubes to guard it from the rain. “Take this to one of the stable boys. Tell them to ride hard to Lord Hadley’s house—he is my cousin, and he will take Kaila in.” She turned her attention to Kaila. “Pack your things. You must leave tonight.”

  The order broke her heart, but she did as her lady bid. She rushed to her room and threw all she had in the small case that was kept under the bed for traveling.

  Duchess Carrington explained to her as they loaded her up in the carriage in the middle of the rain. “Lord Hadley is a good man. You will be protected there until he can find you safe passage back across the sea to your home. I should have left you when I found you as a child, but even then you held my heart, and I wanted you to replace the children I could never have.” A small sob came from the duchess, and Kaila clung to her hand tight. “It was selfish of me to take you. I cannot hold the duke back any longer. I love you like you were from my own womb, and I cannot sit back and watch him use your body like he…. Be safe, my child.”

  “I love you too. Please let me stay—he will hurt you now I’m gone!” Kaila begged.

  The duchess shook her head. “He will hurt me worse if I let him use you like the wenches at the brothels he frequents. No, it’s best you leave.”

  Hearing she could go home and see her family gave her great joy, but the duchess was the only family she’d known from the tender age of ten. Until she was on board a ship, she would be hidden away with a lord, who lived alone with only a few servants in his home. She’d heard the stories of Lord Hadley. He never socialized, and Kaila could not recall once seeing him at the manor. Was he a beast, a man who was deformed or disfigured so much that he could not be seen in public? Was she leaving the only home she knew to something much worse? Each though made her stomach clench with fear. Word had been sent by a lone horseman while they prepared for her to leave. Now her destiny lay in the hands of this unknown man.

  The carriage lurched and the horses seem to scream as the carriage came to a halt. The rain beat down on the top of the carriage and the storm unleashed its rage. Everything sounded ominous around her; she felt faint, and her corset felt way too tight. She wished for her warm bed and to have the damn laces untied. She heard mumbled talking from outside the carriage. They were yelling over the sound of the rain and howling winds. Even so, she still could not understand what was being said. The carriage door opened, and two hands reached out of the darkness and dragged her out. She screamed and struggled in vain against the strong grip that half dragged, half carried her along. The hood of her cloak had fallen over her eyes so she could see nothing. But she could feel the rain soak though her cloak and into her dress. She felt the rain cease suddenly, and while she could hear it outside, she could tell she was now indoors, yet the hands still held her.

  “Put her things in the room farthest down the hall.” The voice held authority and anger. “I don’t like guests, and this is certainly a bloody inconvenience.”

  He sounds cruel. Kaila made sure to set herself right mentally. She was the only girl of color among her mistress’s servants. Even among the servants in their quarters they were unkind, though she never said a word. Yet the duchess knew and moved her to quarters next to hers to be her lady of waiting. Then they hated her even more. She learned to keep her head and eyes cast to the ground. That was how she would greet this lord. His hands were removed from around her so abruptly that she fell to the cold stone floor.

  “Get up, get up,” he said impatiently.

  Kaila scrambled to her feet but kept her head low. “Sorry, my lord.”

  “Take that cloak off your face, unless you are so ugly that no one can see you.”

  Of all the… His words sparked defiance in her, and she swept the hood from her head. Kaila met his eyes with her own gaze and lifted her chin. “No sire, as you can see I am not…ugly.”

  The corners of his lips lifted slightly, and that was it before he inclined his head. “You’ll do. What are you called?”

  “Kaila Badeau, my lord. I apologize for my being in your home at my duchess’s request,” she replied.

  “You’ve got yourself in some trouble, I see,” Lord Hadley said.

  “None of my own choosing, sir—you must know the duke and
his appetites. My lady thought it was best I not be there when he awakes,” Kaila explained.

  “I don’t know why Abigail married that whore of a man.” Lord Hadley shook his head.

  “He hits her, my lord!” Kaila blurted out. Maybe he could do something to save her mistress from the duke’s hand. “He does awful things to her in the bed sometimes.”

  “You’ve seen this mistreatment of my cousin?” His eyes were cold as he stared at her.

  She nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen more than I should. He forces me be…there.”

  A harsh curse came from Lord Hadley’s lips. “Hence the reason you’re here. I shall speak with my cousin’s husband about this matter. Now I guess you’re my problem. Come along, I’ll show to your room.”

  The house was still lighted, and Kaila looked around curiously. It was a large manor house, larger than her mistress’s home. The paintings were held in ornate frames of carved gold and silver, and everything spoke of wealth and opulence. Kaila felt more uncomfortable than ever before, even though she’d always felt like she was walking on eggshells where she used to live. She made a mental note to stay in her room as much as possible so she didn’t break anything. On the way up the stairs she heard the horse and carriage leave and felt more alone than ever.

  “How old are you, Kaila Badeau?” Lord Hadley asked.

  “I’m twenty-four, my lord,” she answered automatically.

  “How come Abigail hasn’t married you off to one of her people?”

  “Sir, as you can see my color does not make me suitable for anyone in her household,” Kaila explained. ‘So she kept me as her lady in waiting.”

  “Your color didn’t seem to deter the duke,” Lord Hadley said.

  “No, my lord, he called me exotic and his prize to be had.” Kaila shook her head. “To him I was nothing more than that. I don’t think I’m anything special to warrant all this trouble.”

  “You speak well,” Lord Hadley commented.

  “The duchess taught me herself. I can read and write, my lord,” Kaila answered.

  He turned swiftly, and she made a small squeak as she stopped in her tracks. “Let’s get this settled before we go any further. No more my lord this and that. I abhor titles. You call me Garrick and we won’t have a problem.”

  Kaila lowered her gaze and stammered. “B-b-but I’m not supposed to. I was taught that it was wrong and beaten when I made a mistake.”

  “Abigail beat you?” he practically growled

  She instinctively shrank back. “No, the servants had their own kind of discipline—my mistress put a stop to that when she found out,” Kaila said. “It made the others hate me all the more. I am supposed to be beneath them.”

  “Do you feel less human than anyone you’ve encountered?” Garrick asked.

  She raised her eyes to his. “No, I do not. I was brought here as a child. I know my heritage and my worth. A few beatings would never make me forget that.”

  He seemed satisfied with her answers. “In my house you call me what I wish. No more of that nonsense; my name is Garrick. Come, you can go to your room and get some sleep. It has been a long night.”

  “Yes, my… Thank you, Garrick,” Kaila murmured.

  She looked at him while they walked down the hallway of the large house. He was tall, so tall that his shadow looked like a giant as it crossed the walls. His hair was black, so black that it reminded her of the sky outside. His face was chiseled and his eyes a shocking blue, not the dark blue one would expect from his coloring but ice blue. He was not by any means the most handsome man, but his face and his entire demeanor was one that said he was not to be trifled with. She saw kindness in his eyes; beneath the gruff exterior, he had a heart.

  If there was one thing she could sense, it was the true nature of people. Some smiles held malice—she’d seen it a few times when the servants who slept with the duke looked at her mistress. She wasn’t there to protect her now, and that worried her some. Still, there were people who were loyal to her, and the duke wouldn’t dare let anything happen to her. Kaila feared that if something did happen, the man who strode in front of her would take the duke’s head without hesitation. She was safe here; of that she was certain.

  He stopped in front of a room and opened the door. “Here is where you will sleep.”

  “Thank you, my… Garrick.” She stepped inside where lamps were lit to illuminate the room. It was fit for royalty down to the thick velvet covers on the massive canopy bed. “I-I can’t sleep here. This is not meant for me.”

  “You would prefer a pallet in the basement?” Garrick snapped. “I think again you are devaluing yourself.”

  ‘My apologies. I’m not accustomed to being in a room like this unless I am taking care of the duchess.” Kaila bit her tongue, not wanting to offend his generosity. “My room was furnished in simple terms compared to this.”

  “Sleep well.” He turned to leave.

  Kaila stopped him with her words. “Garrick, is there anyone who could help me with the laces of my dress? These laces are in the back, and I cannot reach them.”

  “My cook does not live in this house but across the garden in her own quarters with her husband and children,” Garrick responded. “There is no way I’m sending for her in this weather.”

  Kaila nodded. “I understand, sire. I can sleep like this until tomorrow.”

  She was not looking forward to trying to sleep with the corset bones pressing into her sides.

  “Turn around; I will get them loose,” Garrick said gruffly.

  Her eyes widened in alarm. “There is no need, sir! I’m sure I can manage.”

  “I’ve loosened a few corsets in my time. Turn around and let me help you,” Garrick snapped. When she didn’t move, he rolled his eyes heavenward. “I have no intention of taking advantage of you. My appetites run towards a more full-figured woman on top. Do as you’re told. I’m not prone to forcing myself on helpless waifs.”

  She whirled around, and her face felt hot as she felt his hand tug at the laces of her corset. With each pull it loosened, and she held her hand across her breasts so it would not fall to the ground.

  As quickly as he’d started, Garrick was done. “There. It’s completed; goodnight.”

  The door closed, and she let out the breath she was holding and let the corset drop from her fingers. This was her new life until she could get safe passage back to the Caribbean, so she had to resign herself to his grumpy personality. It was truly unsafe for any woman to travel on ships to the Caribbean, let alone a woman of color. She wanted it to all be over, yet patience had to be a virtue. Kaila undressed and got between the cool sheets in the bed that dwarfed her body. She was so tired she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

  * * * *

  Garrick went into the library and poured a liberal dose of scotch into his glass and downed it in one swallow. He poured another and sat down in his chair with a sigh. If he’d known what Abigail was sending him… Garrick knew full well he would have still said yes, because since they were children he’d protected the cousin who was raised alongside him like a sister. He would see to Duke Ackley’s mistreatment of his cousin. That was a certainty, because the duke would feel his rage. After he did so, the duke would never put his hand on a woman again without remembering the lesson he would soon be taught. But Kaila was not what he’d expected. When she threw that cloak back to prove she was not ugly, he forgot to breathe for a moment. He’d never seen someone that beautiful in his life. Her eyes were shaped like almonds, yet still wide and chocolate brown. Innocent. The word flashed across his mind. Her skin was dark and smooth. It reminded him of the ebony he’d acquired in Africa when he went on safari.

  Her lips were full and soft pink, so there was no need for rouge or anything to accentuate her mouth. It was perfect as is. He could hear a bit of her heritage in her voice that was husky and soft. He wondered how it would sound in the midst of passion. Her hair was brown and hung in long tiny plaits down her back. H
e wondered how long it took for her to do such things to her own hair. She had to do it herself, because there were no other colored women in his cousin’s household. He gave a short bark of laughter at where his mind wondered. Never before had he even cared to ask any of the women he had bedded how they took care of their hair. Even about the scent of their perfume. Desire coursed through him at those thoughts of Kaila; just thinking about her made his cock throb. His cousin’s leech of a husband was correct in one fact: Kaila was exotic in her beauty. One thought filtered through his mind: he had to possess her. Kaila would be his.

  Garrick knew many wondered why he lived alone with such a small staff. The rumors were many: Lord Garrick was crippled in one of his safaris to unknown lands. Lord Hadley secretly keeps a harem he wants no one to know about. He was a pirate, smuggler, and so many more stories that he’d lost count. He let them fly and watched as people avoided him while he was in town or asked him if he had knowledge of illegal items they could procure. It was a simple thing: he was just tired of the politics, the pompous attitude and the hypocritical ways the upper crust acted. There were a few like him, who really didn’t care to act like asses because there was money in their pockets. They were few and far between, however, so he preferred to be alone. He especially preferred to keep away from the women who saw pieces of gold when they looked at him. They practically drooled knowing what he was worth. He’d bedded many of them but refused to marry, even when their fathers came with offers of more wealth. Garrick knew his patience for such things was nonexistent, so it was better to leave him be.

  Kaila coming into his world now could be a good thing. He was feeling the wanderlust of traveling calling him once more. Maybe he would go see the Caribbean. How would she react to his advances? He knew there were women of color who were used by the men in their household. He was not that kind of man, and he hated hearing that some people still had slaves and that the Crown did not abolish the practice. London was growing, and yet people could be so simpleminded it made him grate his teeth. Be that as it may, with what the duke wanted to do to Kaila against her will, she might be revolted by his interest, so he would take it slow.