The Duke's Daughter -Wattys2014 Collector's Dream Award Winner-

Chapter Forty Five

Arianna came to with screams of pain echoing in her ears. Who was screaming? She held her breath, but the screams continued to tear through the air, fade on a sob, and ring out with new intensity once again. 'Twas not her screaming.

She opened her eyes, seeing first the small candle beside her. She blinked, trying to clear the blurry picture before her, she finally recognized the heaviness she felt as a devastating headache. Why did her mind feel so sluggish? Where was she?

Arianna fought the heaviness of her limbs, managing to lift herself into a sitting position.

"Easy, Señorita, you are safe."

Alejandro?! Arianna's heart leapt with joy at the sound of the man's voice. She lifted her head and fought to smile at him.

"Easy, Señorita. That evil man poisoned you. All is well, you are safe and will recover."

Another scream rent the air. "Who is screaming?" Arianna asked, a frown marring her brow as the scream reverberated inside her skull.

"I know not, Lady."

There was something she had to tell him. What could it be? Her mind was so slow and seemingly heavy.

*****

Derek and Thomas stood next to one another peeking over the ledge into Bailey's dungeon. The sight before them turned both men's stomachs.

A woman of Spanish descent stood naked in the center of the room, her hands in the cuffs that hung from long chains anchored in the ceiling. Bailey walked around her, berating her, whipping her thighs and breasts every time she failed to give him the answer he wanted. Derek listened closer to Bailey's monologue.

"You must have told her not to drink the wine, my dear. You are the only one who knew of my plans."

Was he speaking about Arianna?

"I did not know your plans, sir. I could not have informed her." She answered.

The whip cracked, drawing blood across the back of her thigh. Her pain filled scream tore through the air, the chains above her swayed and rattled as she tensed with the pain, bending her arms and raising her feet from the ground. She hung there tense for a moment, until the sobs racked her body once more and she hung limply by her binds.

"Of, course you did." He spoke while silent sobs shook her body. "You heard me tell Cook to supply wineglasses. I do not know why you insist on claiming you are not intelligent enough to know my next move. You have been with me too long for that, Carmelita, my love."

Carmelita? Derek's mouth hung open, he slid back on the rock before rising to his feet, intent on finding his first mate.

*****

Carmelita's anger rose with every lash of the whip. His lordship was showing no sign of letting up on his demented torture. She knew she could take the sick punishments he dished out, she had many times before. But this time would be different. For better or worse, she knew not, but it would not end with him finally having enough and sending her back to her duties. Her husband was alive, she would be no man's property any longer. He would never lay a hand upon the sacred places of her body again. He would no longer use her in the foul ways he had before.

He circled around her once more. He lifted the bottle of fine spirits to his lips, stopping mid drink, almost as if he had an afterthought. Please, God, let him come to his senses.

Unfortunately, such was not the case. He lifted the bottle above her wounded breasts and spilled the liquor over the angry slashes he had left there. A scream tore from her chest as the alcohol burned. She suspended herself once more as he repeated the process with the wounds at her thighs. He poured the liquor at the small of her back, watching, fascinated, as it rolled down over the swell of her derrière, down into the bloodied welts upon her thighs. His hand reached out to caress the swell of her bottom and she flinched away from him, teeth still clenched from the pain.

"Now, now, my dear, don't be shy. Have you not learned that it does not hurt nearly as much when you let me have my way?"

She did not reply, she simply scanned the area around her. There was not much she could see that would be useful to her, but she was bound and determined to escape.

For good this time.

Her first obstacle was getting out of these cuffs and to Roman. If Lady Kent was gone, and Mr. Bell was unaccounted for, it was up to her, to get herself and Roman to safety.

*****
"Wait!" Thomas hissed as he chased behind Captain Drake up the tunnel. The man was on a mission, and had been, since he had slipped from the ledge without a word, and began climbing the tunnel.

"What?" He stopped and turned, almost making Thomas collide with him.

"Where are you rushing to?"

"That woman down there is my first mate's wife."

"But she's a slave." Thomas's brow knit in confusion. Derek's face glowed an angry red.

"All the more reason to hurry, then, do you not think?" Derek turned and continued along the tunnel.

Thomas sighed and trotted along in his footsteps.

*****

Arianna's mind was beginning to clear. The heavy pressure in her skull had all but disappeared and the organ was almost working at full speed.

"Alejandro, I need to go back."

The Spaniard shook his head, "Nothing in heaven or on earth will convince me, or Derek for that matter, to let you walk back into that man's clutches."

"I'm the only one who can get them out, Alejandro."

"Get who out, my lady?"

She did not want to blurt such delicate news out to him in an insensitive matter.

"There are slaves here, Alejandro. One in particular, that I..."

Just then Derek and Thomas entered the small anteroom.

"Alejandro, Carmelita is alive, and here on the island."

"What!?" The Spaniard yelled as he leapt to his feet. Unfortunately, he was too tall for the small anteroom, and he hit his head hard against the low ceiling. Rocks that formerly made up the ceiling, crumbled around him, as Alejandro crumbled to an unconscious heap upon the cavern floor.

"Derek, really, what did you expect? Here I was, just about to break it to him gently, and you come in and ruin it all!" Arianna was irritated with him, her eyes narrow slits as they took in his dirty, yet attractive, appearance. His shirt hung loose, almost completely unbuttoned, revealing his soot covered chest and abdomen. Arianna's breath hitched as her glare rose back to his face.

"Hello, my love. Must you be angry with me, already?" His devastating smile assaulted her senses once more. His smell, mixed with earth and sweat, heated her from her chest outwards through her body.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her temper had cooled but she could not allow herself to lose her wits. "Yes, I must. You were completely insensitive with your friend."

Derek shrugged, taking a seat next to her, he lifted a lock of her hair and brought it to his nose before rubbing it against his unshaven cheek, "Alejandro will forgive me once we get her, and you, off of this island."

"Their son is here too." She replied worriedly, turning to face him and catching his hand in her own.

"Then we will get him, too." Derek smiled almost mockingly, as he lifted her hand, bringing it to his lips.

”But Derek, we will not get either of them away if I am not present to help distract Bailey. He is probably punishing Carmelita for my disappearance.”

“She is correct.” Thomas interjected drawing Derek’s attention. “I am here to serve treason papers to Bailey and return him to the King of England for the reward, but I can not do it alone. I have no way off the island as yet, though I could incapacitate Bailey in order to capture him.”

Derek grinned, “My ship awaits a signal to take us from here.”

“Then let me and Thomas worry about Bailey, once we subdue him, and perhaps the Admiral, we could easily take any of the slaves who choose to come with us.” Arianna pleaded with Derek.

Derek simply basked in her attention for a moment, glad that he had found her whole of body and spirit. His focus then turned to Thomas as he sized up the man he was being asked to entrust his angel to.

“I will need your word that you will keep her safe.” Derek prodded.

“I swear upon my life that no harm will befall her. We will move quickly and see this done before he even has a chance.”

“Well then, let us be about it. I must be headed back.”

“I will lead you out and point you towards the path, love.” Derek offered as he rose to a crouch and offered Arianna his hand. Derek pulled her into the main tunnel of the cave and lead her along to its opening.

Derek stopped and reached for Arianna’s hand as the sunlight warmed them where they stood on the edge of the orchard. His eyes searched hers for signs of duress or a shadow he may not have been able to see in the caverns but none was to be found. Staring up at him, she was as beautiful, strong and confident as ever.

“Be safe, love. We shall set all back to right as soon as possible. I will ensure that Thomas is able to find us at a moments notice should we be needed.” Her drew her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles affectionately.

“I will, Derek. Keep yourself and Alejandro safe as well. It would not due to have our plan spoiled before we can act.”

“We will await signal from the American and remain hidden until we are needed. I have every confidence in you. Now be off, the sooner you return, the sooner we can leave this god forsaken island.”

Arianna grinned and reached forward to place a kiss against his cheek but Derek’s face turned and his arms slipped around her. He kissed her tenderly yet thouroughly and left her breathless.

“Go love, I hear horses approaching. Head dead east,” he pointed to further clarify the way, “and you shall reach the road after a hundred yards.”

Arianna followed the direction he had indicated and just as she stepped out onto the path, two men on horseback rounded the curve before her. Arianna stumbled forward with an exaggerated shakiness in her step. It wasn't much of an exaggeration as her limbs truly were heavier than normal.

"Lady Kent! Lady Kent!" They cried, as they nudged their horses towards her.
They came to a stop just before her, and the larger of the two men slipped from his horse. "Are you injured, my lady?"

"I think not." She replied, she ran her hands up and down her arms, as if checking for injuries.

"Let us hurry you back before his lordship..." The man stopped, smiling shyly at her, and then continued, "Before things get worse."

Arianna gave him a tight smile. The man mounted his horse, then reached down a hand to pull her up behind him, turning the horse the way they had come. With one last look over her shoulder towards Derek and Alejandro's hidden cave, she gripped the slaves shirt, holding on as he spurred the horse towards the manor.