Captured by the Count: An Abduction and Breeding Fantasy Read Online Free Page A

type of woman that you can give that choice to.”   If her answer had been in the affirmative, he would have been severely disappointed, but he would still consider her quite a prize.  The path she would take here at the Infirmary would have been a different one, however.
    Regardless, he would know whether Sissy spoke the truth in a matter of minutes.
    Then, suddenly, he left Cassie and came to stand near Sissy, reaching into his pock et and producing a n 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 sk irt of one of the dresses he’d gotten for her, inst antly 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 hono r 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 t ake 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 amaze d 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 predicam ent 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 l aying the world at her fe et, 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.
    Still somewhat befuddled by whatever it was that they had been giving her, Cassie nonetheless knew that what was happ ening to her could not happen.   Her reputation would be in ruins.   There was a strange man – well, one she barely knew, anyway – reaching for the buttons of her blouse while one of the other women in the room – who was not Sissy, who usually helped her undress at the end of an evening – began to unbutton the skirt of the rough clothes he had put her into after divesting her of that