Chapter 2
“Let me go!” Lydia yelled as she twisted and turned in the hands of the two guards holding her, but their grip was unwavering.Their hold on her hand was so tight that she could almost feel her bones cracking, the more she struggled, the more pains she felt. but Derek was following closely behind them, obviously enjoying her cries."What the hell is going on here?" A new voice suddenly asked, halting both Derek and the guards holding Lydia.It was his father, the resemblance between him and his son was uncanny. The man frowned when he saw Lydia still struggling in the hands of the guards, he came running towards them, and following closely behind him were Lydia's parents and Derek's mother. Apparently they had heard the commotion and they all came out to investigate."I was only looking for my cat when I bumped into him," Lydia began to explain without waiting to be asked, "He wouldn't even let me apologize or explain when he started hurling insults at me, then he asked his guards to throw me out." She didn't miss Derek's death glare or the disgust that registered in his eyes when their eyes met."Is that true, Derek?"He looked away and shrugged, "She is lying about chasing a cat, I found her snooping around my room, apparently looking for what to steal.""She was indeed looking for a cat!" His mother said as she came up behind him, in her hand was a small white cat curled in a ball. "I found her down the hall." The woman explained as she dropped the cat on the floor and gave her son a disappointed look.The cat ran for Lydia, when she still struggled to free her hands, Douglas Lincoln gave the guards still holding her a knowing look and they let go of her. She bent down and scooped the cat into her hand, kissed it's head with her eyes shooting daggers at Derek, who was looking at her with even more disgust now."You'll apologize to Lydia, now you know she is my guest!" His father told him sternly."Doesn't explain why she was snooping around my room…""I don't have time for your bullshit, son. You know better than to treat a lady like that!" He went closer and told him in a low tone, "I still have some unfinished business to discuss with my guests, whose daughter you just humiliated. I'll give you two the chance to talk this out."His father gave Lydia an apologetic look, "This was all a misunderstanding, darling. He's not always like that."She wanted to tell him that she didn't care if he apologized because she was not going to forgive him that easily. But the man was already leading his wife away and to her horror, her father followed while her mother gave her a reassuring smile before walking away too.She was left alone with him again, and this time, she was prepared to stick her fingers into his eyes if he continued to give her that disgusted look again. But since he was quiet and his parents had urged him to apologize, she waited. Anticipating his apology, she was so ready to make him eat his words.But nothing prepared her for what he said next, "So that was your excuse for trying to steal from me, huh?"Lydia was taken aback, "Excuse you? Are you serious right now?"He scoffed, "Wait, were you waiting for an apology?" He threw back his head and laughed scornfully, "I would never apologize to a slave. I know what I saw, and if you thought for a second that I was going to, then you must be the most delusional person I've met."She raised her hand to slap him, but he caught it mid air and held it there firmly, "Did you seriously just try to slap me? Damn! You are one feisty slave!"Lydia jerked her hand from his grip angrily, "Slave, really?""Yes, really."She sighed in frustration, "Let me tell you something you don't know, I'm Lydia Gates, daughter of Barry Gates. I've never had to beg in my life, I'm a princess, heiress to my father's estates!" She turned so he would see her, "If you don't see that, then you are either blind or psychic."He was looking at her with amusement, "So if you are as comfortable as you say, what are you doing here?""Were you deaf when your father told you? I escorted my father here on business! Perhaps if you were a good son, you would have noticed that earlier."He regarded her with an expressionless face for sometime, and she even dared to hope that he would apologize this time. Perhaps she would overlook and forgive him, but she would seriously have to teach him just a little lesson."Should I assume you are simply stupid or are you pretending to not know what your parents are really here for?"His insults no longer surprised her, too bad that someone this handsome had to have such a terrible personality. But she still asked, "How about you tell me?""You know, I have a feeling that your parents are up to something.""I won't tolerate you insulting my parents." She warned."What will you do?"Without warning, she lifted her cat and held it out in front of his face. The cat needed no telling, it jumped up and launched it's attack on Derek's face. It kicked and scratched and cried all at once like Derek struggled to pull it away from his face.Lydia watched with amusement as he struggled, the cat even went as far as pulling at his hair which made Derek even more infuriated. But the attack didn't last for long, because soon, Derek succeeded in capturing the raging cat."Very funny." He remarked as he held up the cat in front of her, several scratches were now lining his handsome face, "Let's see how funny you'll find it when I roast the stupid cat alive."She didn't doubt him at all, "No! Please! I'm sorry, okay? Forgive me, but please don't hurt my cat!Realizing he still had the upper hand now and with the cat still swinging in his hand, he moved closer to her, leaned down and said in a low tone, "I think I might know what business your father and mine might be discussing.""And?"He gave her an evil grin, "Something tells me it has to do with arranging for us to get married."Lydia stared at his back in shock, "That's not true!”"You'll wish it isn't. Because whatever intentions or plans it is that your gold digging parents are making with mine to tie us in marriage, I just want you to be rest assured that they are pricing your coffin and arranging your funeral.""What…"He raised her cat up, then stopped it without warning. The cat crashed violently to the cold floor and gave a loud yelp of pain. Horrified, Lydia bent to pick it up. When she looked up, he had a serous look now."Just keep that piece of advice in mind, you might need it later." Derek said before walking away.Chapter 3Derek Lincoln sat staring moodily out the window of his room. That peasant slave really, how could they even imagine linking him up with a girl like that? He scoffed, she was beautiful, but he wouldn’t take her to his bed even if she was offered to him free of charge! His parents had introduced many young ladies to him, but he did not find any of them appealing enough, so he showed no interest in any of them.His parents simply couldn't understand his attitude. His father knew he could be charming and polite if he chose to be because he treated the women in their family with the greatest respect. But Derek just didn't give a damn about other women or what people thought of him. He refused to play the gentleman, no matter how it embarrassed his parents. He had arrived last night from a month's stay at their estate in the country. "If you are planning on forcing some more of your different friends daughters on me, I swear I'll leave this town for good!" Derek hissed at his m
Chapter 4For Lydia Gates, marriage was bondage. To some women, it was a gateway to heaven but to her it was not something she wanted for herself, not even her worst enemy if she could help it. She had watched her parent's relationship deteriorate as a child, it had gone from bad to worse. Growing up in the care of her nannies, they told her stories. Stories of how loving their parents had been when they first got married, how inseparable they were, how strong the bond they shared had been. Lydia wanted none of that, and especially not with a man she barely knew. A rich white man would treat her like a piece of trash. Certainly not, she could get everything she wanted and she intended to. Without a man, and certainly not a white one. How her parents had managed to keep the family estate and the legacy going, she could not tell. It was probably the only thing her father still enjoyed doing- working. She had seen him work tirelessly over the years to ensure they maintain the position
Chapter 5Already tired of watching the same thing happen over and over again, she sighed impatiently for the sixth time in five minutes. But she knew she couldn't move, and shouldn't be seen. Sir Roberts had warned her against it, being seen by the crew members would only mean turning herself in as a slave to be sold across the sea or worse, as a sex slave for the crew men on the ship.The kitchen was not exactly the best place to hide, not with all the heat still hanging and the ocean breezes. Once they were out to sea it wouldn't be so bad, but now, with the huge brick ovens radiating heat since before morning, and steam rolling out of pots on the stove from what promised to be a tasty evening meal, it was hot as the devil's welcome.The cook and his two helpers had discarded most of their clothes by the time the crew started wandering in for a quick breakfast, a man or two at a time strolled into the kitchen occasionally, since the hours before takeoff were the busiest time aboard.
Chapter 6With Annoyance, he stalked down the hall, the thought of several ways to escape his father's devilish plans plaguing his mind. Of Course he could not think of any, it was not like his father to make empty threats, if he had said it, and in the presence of that coffee colored old man, then he definitely meant it. Three days had passed already and he had heard nothing concerning the matter from his father or his mother. It was on Daniel, his brother who tried to give him the reassurance that marriage was not as bad as he thought and tried to make him think it could work for him. "The fact that it's working for you should not make you think it will work for everyone, and certainly not me." It was all he could say to make his brother leave him alone, that too seemed not to be working. "You can look at our parent's marriage if you need another instance, Derek. They have been together for…" Derek rolled his eyes, "Spare me the sermon and get out of my room, Daniel. Your wife n
Chapter 7Dressing in a man’s clothes was not as difficult as staying with a man in the same cabin, or pretending to be a man and an errand boy at the same time. Nancy sighed for the umpteenth time, her patience was running thin by the minute, she had been standing by the men who had come in with Sir Roberts that morning, waiting for their breakfast to be over so she could have hers. It came with being a cabin boy, she was told. The men chatted on with no care in the world for the boy standing by them, not the least bit concerned if she had eaten. Only Sir Roberts spared her glances occasionally with pleading eyes urging that she remain silent to prevent the men from seeing through her disguise. Nancy understood perfectly, she was no stranger to hunger or starvation and she could not risk being discovered now. Last night, she had overheard a girl screaming in a distant cabin as men took turns on her. She could tell which class the girl belonged, for even on the ship, there was an hi
Chapter 8For hours after the men left, Nancy was still curled up at a corner in the cabin. She had lost track of time but she knew it was over hours. Victory lay curled in a ball at her feet, she had managed to get up and feed the poor little kitten. She still felt sorry for the way the lousy Luppet had kicked the cat, not like she had a say in the matter, the knot in her chest grew tighter by the minute. They had no regard for women, or blacks for that matter. And she was here, a black young woman, surrounded by men, a group of white slave traders, in search of a woman to satisfy their urges. Nancy had never felt so helpless, how long was she going to keep her disguise? What if Sir Roberts decided to spill? And what had he said about selling her off at the gates? He had said he'll think about it, and by God he would. Every single person on the ship knew what the gates meant, it was their worst nightmare and fear. The place where people were priced and auctioned like pieces of fish
Chapter 9For Nancy, the weeks slipped by really fast, it was like the flight of a butterfly. She had no awareness of the time, spending most of the days in the cabin. She knew that three weeks had gone by already since that started sailing only because she had asked Sir Roberts. She spent most part of the day in the cabin, with Victory being her only companion during the day and Sir Roberts during the night. Over the weeks, the bond between her and Sir Roberts had grown rapidly, it was almost like he was a friend turned brother. After the last night they had the conversation about Luppet, Sir Roberts had not tried to touch or even do anything inappropriate to her. He had even grown to love Victory like his own. When they did not have visitors in the cabin, they would both chat away for most part of the night. It was magical to Nancy, how two people from completely different races could get along so well, it would have been even better if he was a girl. She was convinced they would
Fire in paradiseChapter 10Maybe it was a stupid mistake, running off like that. But there was no way she would be able to take living with Sir Roberts in the same cabin again after what transpired between them that morning. What if he decides to switch on her and hand her back to his lusty friends to do with her as they please? Or what if he decides to damn all odds and take her against her will? Never! She was never going to live to see that day, when a lilly livered man would use her body for his useless pleasure or sell her off as a piece of clothe? Victory's cry of hunger brought her thoughts back to reality. She stared down at the cat with pitiable eyes, they had been walking for hours, she was sure they left the cabin around morning, but right now, she couldn't tell what time it was but she could tell it was evening. The kitten was hungry by now, they had both not eaten a thing after the early breakfast they had all had that morning. "I'm sorry baby, I know you are hungry. M