Page 21 of The Time Of Queens (An Afterlife Story #2)

21

SERVING A KING

“ O h no you don’t,” Draven said, and at the same time he reached to stop me from jumping out of the moving carriage. However, it was also in this moment that the coachman must have found a place to turn around. The movement caused the carriage to tip enough that during our tussle, I ended up falling on top of Draven as his back landed on the bench seats. This meant I was now facing him with my body against the full length of the man I was admittedly obsessed with.

“I… I…” I scrambled for something to say, but with the feel of his hands at my waist, holding me to him, it was as if my mind was short-circuiting.

Our eyes locked and, once more, we were caught in this irresistible pull we both felt powerless to escape from. I felt the way his fingers flexed against my sides as if itching to travel the length of me. As if he was fighting against some Godly force to stop himself from exploring my body. But this was also when my insecurities came rushing back to me. I asked myself if he would be here now if he had another lead on his Chosen One to follow?

It was enough to jar me back to my reality as I placed my hands on his chest and started to push myself up from lying on top of him. Once more, his hold on me tightened and I, in turn, froze as my mind questioned if he would let me go or not. Half of me wanted him not to. To never release me from his arms.

The other half won.

I knew no good would come of this.

I was leaving.

And he was searching for another woman. So, with my mind made up I told him,

“Let me go.”

My whispered words caused his eyes to flash purple for a split second. A reaction that I would have questioned had I been who I was pretending to be. But in the heat of the moment, we both let it pass us by without explanation. Yet something in my gaze must have been enough to get him to comply. As I felt his fingers relax before lifting enough to signal that he was allowing me to move. So, I shifted off him and instead of lunging for the door again, I took the seat opposite him at the same time he rose back up to sitting.

After this, he started to rid himself of his long black jacket that was still soaking wet through. I knew this because my clothes were now damp from being plastered against him.

He tossed it to the space next to him without a word. The sound of it slapping against the seat made me flinch. An action he must have taken as my being cold. Something that had him realising the window was still open, so with a grit of his teeth, he reached over and slammed it shut.

“What are you doing?” I asked when he reached for my bag and started to rummage through it. He didn’t answer me, instead pulling a woollen shawl from it that Pip must have packed. Then he dropped to one knee and before I had time to react, he reached out and wrapped it around my shoulders.

“I am keeping my maid warm, that is what,” he stated firmly, making me swallow hard with the way he declared me as being his.

“I… I am not your maid,” I declared, trying to keep my voice steady when I said this. But with his hands still held either side of the shawl, he used it to purposely tug me closer to him. And he was so much taller than me, that even on one knee he was looking down at me.

“It’s cute that you think you have a choice,” he told me, making my mouth drop slightly. Something he didn’t miss, as his eyes soon lowered to the sight, enticing an arrogant smirk to grace his lips, making my pulse quicken.

Finally, he took pity on me, letting go of the shawl and retaking his seat across from me. The space gave me the strength needed to argue.

“So, what, you’re just going to force me into servitude?” I asked and again, his smirk only grew with my question.

“Did you have permission to use my carriage?” he asked, making me frown at the turn the conversation had quickly taken.

“Your sister gave…”

“Ah, but it was not hers to give.”

I shook my head a little before asking outright,

“What is it you’re saying?”

“That you didn’t have permission to use this carriage and did so under false assumptions.”

I blinked a few times, unsure whether I had heard him right as my head jerked back.

“False assumptions?” I repeated incredulously.

“They are, after all, the mother…”

I rolled my eyes at this.

“…From where all mistakes are born, yes, yes I know,” I snapped, interrupting him as I had heard this come from my husband’s lips many times before. However, my mistake was that I was not facing my husband, and the second his eyes widened in surprise, I knew my error with this little slip up of mine.

“How did you…?” he started to ask with a narrowed gaze, one I purposely ignored so I wouldn’t have to explain myself.

“I did not use this carriage under false assumptions, as your sister gave me permission,” I stated quickly to steer the conversation back to this madness of his and, thankfully, it worked as he replied,

“Then it was her mistake, as well as your own in believing she had any say in the matter.”

“Fine, we made a mistake, but I don’t see how this affects me or forces me to become your maid,” I questioned with a frown.

“It is quite costly to use a stagecoach, you know, and despite not knowing where you are headed, I would at a guess say it to be quite a substantial distance,” he replied in a knowing tone.

“To the nearest town is not substantial,” I said, the lie out before I could think that he would call my bluff.

“And if that is true then I will discover as much, for I merely have to ask my coachman when we stop for the destination he was given.”

“But… but…” Okay, so it wasn’t my best comeback and his smirk told me he knew it too.

“But it matters not, for I would say that you are in my debt regardless.”

I tossed my hand up at this and questioned in a dubious tone,

“In your debt?”

“Yes, for if memory serves, you left without settling any wages or compensation paid,” he reminded me, and I was just about to rummage in my bag and get out the money that Sophia and Pip had given me when I stopped myself in time. Because what if it only ended up getting them in trouble?

I had no idea what a lot of money was or not. So, I didn’t know if it would look suspicious if I had too much for this journey and knowing my girls, then they no doubt would have given me more than what a simple lady’s maid would have earned.

“But I…” I started to try and make some other excuse, but it was pointless when he beat me to it.

“Which would put you at a great disadvantage as I can assume you are without funds, or soon will be after you have paid for the use of this carriage.”

My eyes widened at the realisation that Draven was about to blackmail me.

“You’re joking?!”

“I do not jest, for I am quite serious.”

My mouth dropped once more before I accused, “So, you’re actually bribing me?”

“No, I am merely giving you a choice, for you can pay your way or I can take matters up with the authorities.”

I actually scoffed at this, which admittedly came out as more of a choking sound.

“The authorities?!” I cried in outrage.

“You heard correct,” he confirmed calmly, totally unaffected by my anger.

“So that’s it then? You are bribing me.”

He tilted his head a little and gestured with his hands out before stating in a nonchalant way.

“No, I am simply getting what I want, for if you wish to fight me on it, then I assure you, it is a battle you will not win.”

I huffed before snapping,

“Your arrogance knows no bounds!”

He simply shrugged his shoulders in an unapologetic way before telling me,

“I am a business man, and those successful in business have to…”

“…Exploit people’s weaknesses?!” I barked back, interrupting him, to which he simply released a frustrated sigh.

“To use the actions of others to their advantage,” he corrected, making me scoff and fold my arms across my chest.

“The simple fact, Miss Williams, is that I ordered you to wait until my return and you failed to do so. Now, had you obeyed my instructions, then the matter would have been settled…”

My mouth dropped again before I screeched,

“Orders…? Obey?!”

“Yes, for you were employed under my roof and seeing as I am master of that home in which you occupied, that does mean I am within my rights to command such of you,” he told me with a tone of indifference… and just like a man used to getting his way.

“Jesus, unbelievable,” I muttered in exasperation.

“Believe it, Miss Williams, for you owe me a debt. You disobeyed an order and now you must face the consequences of such.”

“But it isn’t like I stole from you! You asked me to leave, so I left… this is madness!” I argued, getting even more incensed.

“No, I asked you to wait until morning and you didn’t. You took this carriage and left like some thief in the night.”

I scoffed and muttered, “Hardly.”

“Look at this any way you wish, Miss Williams, the simple fact of the matter is that you are in my debt…”

“Yes, as you keep saying,” I muttered sarcastically, and his response to this was to raise an expectant brow before continuing like I hadn’t interrupted him.

“…Therefore, your employment is not over and has been transferred to me as your new master.”

Honestly, the gall of him! Although was I really that shocked? It was Draven, after all. The man who had a Scottish tower set up for me and was all too ready to take me prisoner after first meeting me… had things not gone his way. But then I had to question why he was acting this way now if he still believed me not to be his Electus.

“Great… and just how much servitude are you expecting for the hour’s use of your carriage, my Lord?” I snapped and again, he seemed to be enjoying this argument of ours. As this time, he tried in vain to hide his grin, doing so with his hand at his chin and two fingers covering his lips.

“Try four hours,” he corrected.

“I have not been gone that long?!” I cried, disputing this.

“I had to travel here to retrieve you, did I not?”

“Not that anyone asked you to,” I muttered, something he ignored.

“The inconvenience aside, my time spent has been two hours at least, meaning that is two for you and two for me, you’re a smart girl, you do the math,” he replied with a sarcastic tone.

“Yes, it equals extortion and blackmail,” I retorted with a sneer, making him shrug once more.

“So, four hours as your servant. Fine, that’s going to be oh so worth the trip.”

He laughed at my sarcastic comment.

“Oh no, little maid, that equals ten weeks, at least.”

I baulked back.

“Ten weeks?! Are you crazy?!”

Again, he looked to be enjoying my outraged response.

“I can assure you I am sound of mind, although I do worry for yours if you do not know how much a maid earns, nor how expensive a stagecoach is,” he said, and it was where I stumbled in my argument.

I had no clue as to how much I should earn, nor how much it would have cost me to get to London. And something in his expression told me it was expensive indeed.

“But just in case, I am happy to break it down for you.”

“Oh, please do!” I said, rolling my eyes as well as my hand in mocking.

“With pleasure. A maid earns ten shillings a week, which generously includes room and board. As you know, there is twenty shillings to a pound and a stagecoach costs five pounds per hundred miles. For like I said, you are an intelligent girl, no doubt, so I am sure you can equate the rest.” His reply totally floored me. Ten weeks!

“That’s… that’s…” I stumbled for words and again he seemed pleased by the fact.

“Ah but, but I haven’t travelled a hundred miles,” I argued, making him smirk as I scrambled for my words.

“No, but you intended to, no doubt. I can check with my coachman for who knows, it could have been further, in which case…”

“Fine! Ten weeks, whatever!” I snapped, knowing I wouldn’t be here for this long anyway, so what did it actually matter? And besides, being his maid might afford me more chance to steal one of his coins, so why I was continuing to argue this, I didn’t know.

“Excellent. Now that our business is concluded, we can move on to your duties.”

“Great, can’t wait,” I mumbled, again making him grin.

“You will be my personal maid, so I will need you to remain close and at the ready to do my bidding.”

I rolled my eyes once more and grumbled.

“Ah, so a personal slave is what you are after. Wonderful, for that is just what I have always wished to be in life,” I snarked sarcastically, making him throw his head back and laugh.

“Gods, but you are a delight, my dear.”

“Gods? Well, I guess you must sin a lot if you are in need of more than one god,” I quipped, making him chuckle again.

“Oh, my sins are great indeed,” he replied and for once, I didn’t doubt it, seeing as he was half Demon and had just essentially kidnapped a maid.

“Then I would suggest employing a priest, not a slave,” I suggested, making him laugh again.

“Why? When I can just confess my sins to the one I intend to sin with,” he replied, making me nearly choke on a swallow.

The wink he added made me mutter,

“You’re insufferable.”

“Am I?” he asked, feigning innocence.

“Yes, and anyway, the joke’s on you,” I told him, now forming my own plan in my mind.

“How so?”

“I am a crappy maid, and I have a feeling that by the time I get back to Witley court, I will have forgotten everything on how to serve my new insufferable employer.”

Again, his hand covered his smirking lips as he ran his fingers along his day-old stubble.

“Then no doubt we will have to add extra time on to your employment. For training purposes, of course.”

I sighed and let our tit-for-tat go long enough to say,

“Honestly, I don’t know what you are hoping to achieve in all of this.”

Which was when he looked to the window and told me,

“Time, Miss Williams, sometimes all a man needs…”

“…Is Time.”