Page 5 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

He stood and held out his hand. She stared at it, not understanding what he was doing. “I’m helping you to your feet, as gentlemen do.” He bent down and put her hand into his, helping her up as he turned to Master Jack. “Thank you, Jack. I’ll take it from here. You’re coming Friday, right?”

“Of course. You have new girls for me?”

“Yes. Did you want a few days off before you begin again?”

Master Jack shook his head. “I’m ready for some new cunt.” He jerked his head toward Anna. “She’s definitely ready sexually, though she might need some help in social refinement. That’s not my area of expertise, but I did the best I could. She knows how to hold a decent conversation with a man, but she’s still terribly shy.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Master Devin beamed at her and then nodded to Ian. “You’ll take him to his new girls?”

Anna forced a smile. Why was Master Devin being so nice? Was it possible... She mentally scolded herself. No, it wasn’t possible that Uncle Devin had returned... was it?

“Yes, sir.”

“I think you’ll like these, Jack. Rare opportunity to have twins.”

Master Jack’s eyes lit up as Anna had never seen before. “You’re giving me the twins?”

“I think you’ve earned them. Train them well.” He turned back to Anna and held out his hand once more. “Let me show you to your room.”

Chapter 3

After several minutes of traversing hallways and staircases, Master Devin opened a door at the end of a long passage. “This is your new room.” He stepped back to let Anna walk into the most beautiful bedroom she’d ever seen.

The room was palatial. A glass door with tall windows on either side made up the wall on the opposite side of the room. The other walls were painted cream. A beautiful white oriental rug embroidered with pink flowers covered most of the light-grained wooden floor.

Anna’s heart soared at the sight of a large, pink-curtained canopy bed with a thick mattress and a beautiful white-and-pink comforter. It looked so much more comfortable than the thin mattress she’d slept on at Master Jack’s. Across from the bed stood a white marble fireplace with a flat-panel TV hung above it. But the best feature of all was the bookcase on the far side of the bed, its shelves full of leather-bound books and small china figurines of ballerinas. She bit her lip, wondering if she’d be allowed to curl into the oversized white chair that sat in the corner in front of one of the windows.

Anna hesitantly glanced at Master Devin, and her heart leaped at his affectionate smile. She recognized that smile, though it had been years since she’d seen it.

He motioned with his hand, and she took a few tentative steps forward. Curiosity and, strangely enough, Master Devin’s encouraging smile gave her enough courage to walk through a tall doorway and into a bathroom with white marble floors and countertops. The shower was as big as her entire bathroom at Master Jack’s! Under a plate-glass window at the end of the room stood an enormous claw-footed white bathtub.

She paused in the doorway and lowered her gaze, clasping her hands in front of her. “Thank you, Master Devin. It’s a beautiful room. You are very kind.”

“You haven’t gone outside yet. I think that’s the best part.”

Without thinking about it, Anna lifted her head sharply and stared at Master Devin. Then she gasped and lowered her gaze once more and walked to the door that led to the courtyard. She hesitated with her hand on the handle, then slowly opened the door and stepped out into the small grassy yard surrounded by tall, thick hedges.

Her eyes closed as she lifted her face to the sun, letting its warmth wash over her. She drew in a deep grass-scented breath and her entire body relaxed under the sun’s gentle rays. It had been so long since she had been able to soak up the sunshine that she had forgotten how it felt.

The sound of footsteps behind her snapped her out of her reverie, and she straightened and stepped farther into the grass to study the yard. A small flower garden had been planted under the bathroom window, and an iron-and-wood gate stood at one end of the yard.

Her brows twitched. “How is there a yard up here?” They had climbed several staircases to arrive at her new room. She squinted, trying to see through the hedges, but no light penetrated the heavy green limbs.

“The Manor butts up against the hill behind it,” Master Devin said from right behind her. “All the rooms on this floor have private yards carved out of it.”

Anna nodded and closed her eyes, unable to resist the sun’s welcoming warmth, but quickly clasped her hands in front of her and lowered her head. Master Devin’s gentle tone puzzled her to no end. “It’s beautiful, Master Devin. Thank you.” Maybe if she was polite, and he thought she didn’t like it too much, he’d let her stay. There was no way he’d let her stay if he truly knew how much her heart was dancing in her chest at the thought of being surrounded by all the space, all the glorious books, and sunshine.

An overwhelming stream of unwelcome emotion flooded Anna’s body, and she stared hard at the floor, blinking away hot tears, not understanding why she was crying. She wanted to jump for joy and scream in terror. She wanted to fall to her knees and beg Master Devin to let her stay in the beautiful room.

“I’ve been working to get the room right for you for a very long time.” He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I wanted it to be perfect for you.”

Anna blinked in confusion. Was this really Master Devin? Master Devin was neither tender nor gentle or... was he? Memories of how he’d been before that awful day when she’d turned sixteen invaded her mind. His smiles. His hugs. His kisses. Memories of him at her birthday parties and ballet recitals. He’d treated her like a princess.

Her jaw trembled. Who was this man standing before her, claiming he wanted something to be perfect for her? Master Devin demanded perfection from her. He didn’t give good, splendid things. He only gave pain.

Four years ago, she would have run into his arms and buried her face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent. Now she was frozen with fear and uncertainty.

Master Devin pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She stiffened, though tears spilled over, falling down her cheeks in waves. She clenched her jaw, her stomach spasming as she desperately tried—and failed—to get control of her body. The sobs escaped no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.

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