Page 5 of Against Her Will

Then, suddenly, he left Cassie and came to stand near Sissy, reaching into his pocket and producing an official looking paper as well as a wad of bills, both of which he proceeded to press into her hand. “You have been an invaluable help, Miss . . .”

“Sissy. Everyone calls me Sissy.” She said it with her head down as she fiddled with the skirt of one of the dresses he’d gotten for her, instantly submissive.

Tipping her chin up until she had to look him in the eye, Victor asked, “And what name were you born with?”

“Cecelia, Sir.”

He instantly took her hand and kissed the back of it, as if she was some fine lady. “It is an honor to meet you, Miss Cecelia. Please forgive me if I don’t identify myself or anyone else to you, but that would not be very wise of me, considering the circumstances. But I am forever indebted to you for your assistance in getting your mistress here.” He turned and reached down to relieve Cassie of her reticule. “But she will no longer be requiring your services, and you are hereby freed. The paper with the money that states as much, and anyone with any questions is advised to contact me. Other than that, I would be glad to have the coach take you anywhere you would like to go, although I might suggest that that shouldn’t be anywhere in the southern United States.”

Suddenly faced with the reality of being something other than the slave she had always been, Sissy looked at once amazed and terrified. She clasped the small drawstring purse as if it were a lifeline, but stood frozen in place, as if she was afraid her dream would crumble around her if she so much as moved.

Victor’s tone was as gentle as anyone had ever heard it. “You can stay here as long as you like, Miss Cecelia, although I must warn you that you will see things that will disturb you.” He gave her an assessing look, then said, “You don’t have to answer this, my dear, but have you somehow managed to remain as innocent as your mistress?”

Sissy’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Her reaction to his question was all he needed to know. “I know what Cassie’s father does for a living. I know everything about it. And before you go wondering, I am running roughly the same type of business here – only the women I breed here are white. But believe me, they are just as unhappy at finding themselves in this predicament as you must have been being forcibly subjugated by the Winthrop family.”

She wasn’t all that sure about what subjugated meant, but she gleaned its meaning from the context.

It was too much to handle. She could never have conceived of such a place – or being handed her freedom so blithely - moments ago. She hadn’t imagined ever being free, yet here she was, with someone practically laying the world at her feet, going well out of his way for her. It was stunning.

As if to prove his point, he turned away from her had the matrons help Cassie to her feet and began to disrobe her as if Sissy wasn’t still there.

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