Chapter 14 #3
Chastity’s strength was gone. She hurt. She swayed with exhaustion.
Tears spilled out. “Please, gentlemen, I am not what you think!” She saw her highborn accent have some effect and scoured her mind for a story.
Why not a bit of the truth? “I am a gentle lady kidnapped from my home and sold into a brothel! Help me, please.”
The men shared a glance, then studied her again. They were listening, but she didn’t think her words were having the right effect. The thin one’s expression had become even more disgusting. She covered her breasts with her hand.
The fat one turned to the linkboy. “What do you think, eh? Lady or whore?”
The boy seemed to regard this as a sideshow designed for his enjoyment. “Looks a right whore to me, Captain.”
“My thought entirely.” The man turned to Chastity. “Your story may be true, my pretty, but it’s clear you’ve been at your trade a while. Why balk at a few more guineas? Let’s taste your wares, and then we’ll send you home to Mama, eh?” He guffawed at his joke, and the thin one sniggered.
“I’m untouched!” Chastity pleaded. “Oh, believe me, sirs! I’d only just been delivered to the place when I escaped.”
“Well then,” drawled the thin man, bright-eyed, “we are the lucky ones, aren’t we? Mrs. Kelly charges ten guineas for a virgin. Hold her, Pog, and I’ll toss you for it.”
“You’re on, Stu.” The big man wrapped Chastity in beefy arms. Chastity yelled, but only got one cry out before his fat hand clamped over her mouth, stinking of snuff and onions. She kicked, but he just laughed.
The thin captain took out a crown and spun it, gleaming, in the dim light. He covered it on the back of his hand and quirked a brow at his friend.
“Heads,” said her captor.
The thin man peered at the coin. “Damme, you win. Never mind, you’ll have her well-greased for me.”
Chastity’s captor spun her around. “Come here, me darling!” He plastered his hot, slimy mouth over hers. It was the end. Chastity bit his tongue and kicked again. He cursed and let her go. She went for his eyes.
He knocked her down with a savage blow to her head. She lay stunned for a moment, then scrambled to her feet. He tried to grab her, but his friend had the same idea. The two men tangled and fell. The linkboy laughed.
Chastity spat at him and ran, but a flailing hand grabbed her skirt and brought her crashing to the cobbles.
The hand dragged her back to the men. She kicked and pummeled wildly at everything about her.
She almost won free, but a new assailant grabbed her from behind.
She thrust back with her elbow and heard a gasp.
“It’s all right,” said an amused, if pained, voice. “I won’t hurt you.”
Chastity froze, then twisted. “Cyn . . .” she whispered.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Chastity flung herself into his arms.
Cyn was frozen with shock. This beautiful, bruised, bedraggled doxy was his damsel? What in Hades had been going on? He’d been scouring the town for her for hours.
“I say, get in line. She’s ours.” The two officers were on their feet and belligerent.
“A spicy one, ain’t she?” said the thin man. “Plenty there for three, but we’ve tossed and Pog won.”
She tensed and whimpered. Cyn wanted to kill them, but he couldn’t risk such drama. Her name might come out. “Alas,” said Cyn, smiling without humor, “Pog has now lost.”
“Damme, you can’t do that!”
“Indeed I can. Come, my dear.”
He had half-turned when the whine of a sword leaving a scabbard alerted him. He spun back, thrusting Chastity behind him, and slid out his own rapier. There was no time for niceties. He barely had time to deflect the thin man’s point from his heart.
Then he was balanced and engaging him, testing him.
He found no contest. The man had only moderate skill and was in his cups.
Cyn could skewer him any time he chose, but dared not.
Already curtains and doors were chinking open as people peeped out to see the excitement.
Soon the Watch would be on the scene. He set to persuading his opponent to retreat without bloodshed.
At first, Chastity stood in a daze, watching as Cyn’s blade flickered in the dim light, as the slender weapons hissed and snapped of death. Then she saw a movement and glanced to the side. The other man, Pog, was sidling toward her, his wet-lipped leer telling of his intent.
Chastity grabbed the linkboy’s torch and thrust it at the man. “Keep away!” He staggered back, cursing.
“Don’t set him on fire,” said Cyn, and danced back a few steps until he was close to her again. He flashed her an encouraging, even humorous look. He was even finding enjoyment in the situation, damn him!
“Look,” he said to his opponent, not at all out of breath, “I’m better and faster than you, and sober to boot.
I have no desire to draw blood, but I’m in something of a hurry.
How about it?” As if to prove his point, he severed a silver button from the thin man’s uniform and sent it flashing into the gutter.
“Damme!” the man sputtered, knocking the sword away.
Cyn returned in a flash to remove another button.
“Oh, let it be, Stu,” growled Pog. “The skinny trollop’s not worth the candle.”
Stu snarled, but he lowered his rapier and put on an air. “Damme, but you’re right, Pog. Doubtless a well-worn bag.” He slid his sword home and put on a swagger. “Let’s go find a better. But don’t cross me again, sir,” he said to Cyn. “I’ll remember this night.”
They strolled off, the linkboy with them, and within moments Chastity found herself alone with Cyn. It hit her like a fist that he’d not been surprised to discover she was a woman. “You know!”
He pushed his sword into its scabbard and flashed her a rueful smile. “Yes, but now’s neither the time nor the place. Let’s get out of here.” He placed an arm around her and hurried her along the lane toward the high street.
Chastity had a thousand things she wanted to say, but could understand there might be a need for haste.
How long had he known?
She was no longer alone.
He must know she was Chastity Ware.
The worst was perhaps over.
Had he known last night? Had she trapped him after all?
This drained the last of her strength. Her legs turned to rubber and her head began to swim. Only his strong arm enabled her to continue on.