Chapter Six
2459 Words
Chapter Six
Dr. Addams noticed a change in his newest charge as they walked arm in arm out of the house. She suddenly held herself with grace. Her chin lifted, her mouth grew set and her eyes took on a quiet stare of determination. He’d seen it before and knew quite well it was all a ruse. Lucretia was certainly not the first to portray fake indifference. They all eventually lost it and went back to their old ways. For reasons only he knew, the doctor hoped that Lucy would hold her own far longer than the rest had. He admired strength and self-confidence in a woman. The longer she retained control over herself, the more pleasure he would get when she finally submitted and she would submit. He had no doubts. For now, he’d let her believe him deceived. They had a lot to do today. The tour alone had wiped the smirks off many a new arrival’s face. He was very interested in how long Lucretia would keep hers.
They stepped outside into the mid-October morning. It was chilly but not unbearable and after the previous day’s confinement, Lucretia appeared to enjoy the freshness of it all by taking in a deep breath. As they crossed the yard, women, black and white alike, peeled and cored fresh apples by the bushel. Others crouched in the large vegetable garden, harvesting the last of the corn, gathering pumpkins, or digging up potatoes. Bed linens and aprons dried in what was left of the warmth of a summer sun fast fading. Two women chatted together as they sat by the milk house doors, churning butter. Lucretia was introduced to none of them, but the few that came close enough to be acknowledged by the doctor, reverently lowered their eyes and paused in their tasks. If nothing else he had their respect. Even the black slaves smiled at him to which he returned the slightest of nods.
Beyond the barns, stables and a vast grazing field, a huge field of corn, was in the process of being harvested. “The corn field belongs to our neighbor. It’s the closest they ever come,” Dr. Addams explained. Between the two larger buildings stood the blacksmith’s station. Lucretia’s steps suddenly stopped. Her hold on the doctor’s arm clenched as he felt her sag at the knees ever so slightly. “Lucy?” he said with an inward smile.
Her stare was locked on the black mouth of a doorway across the yard, towards the flickering tongue of fire within and the offbeat clanging of a hammer to metal.
Her resolve seemed to have vanished at the sight of it. “I can’t,” she stammered.
He patted her hand. “Yes, you can. It would make me incredibly proud to see you do this one thing without a fight. Your father would be proud, too.”
“Would it?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard.
“Yes, it would. Very much.”
“Will it hurt?”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “Not at all. A bit hot, but he’s not going to brand you, little one. It’s a collar, that’s all, for while you are here with us.” He watched her eyes flicker with doubt and fear. Any moment he expected to see the tears well up again in those dark orbs, but they did not come. She was a determined one. The clutch on his arm slackened. “Are you ready?” She gave him the slightest nod, vision fixed on the blacksmith’s shop; and, when he took a step she took one as well, no longer frozen to the spot. Such a strong sense of self this one had.
The clang of the hammer stopped as soon as they entered the darkness of the forge. The upper part of the room was lined with open windows allowing for ample ventilation, but the strong smells of burning coal and melting iron still hung heavy. At first it was impossible to see the smith for he too was dark, like coal itself. He wore no shirt, but his chest was covered with a thick, leather apron. His arms were huge and muscular. As they entered, he set down his tools and quickly wiped his hands on a nearby cloth.
“Mornin’, Massa Beau.”
“Good morning, Thomas. I’ve brought Lucretia for her collar. Is it ready?” Lucretia’s fingers sank into his arm again.
“Yes, sah. It’s all set. Jus’ need ta puts that bolt in.”
Lucretia went pale as a ghost. Dr. Addams gently drew her over to a bench so she could sit, more than a little concerned she’d pass out on him. He certainly preferred her vocal outbursts to this fearful silence and pallor. At least when she screamed at him, he knew what she was thinking. With effort, Dr. Addams pried Lucretia’s bone white fingers from his sleeve to squat in front of her. He tried to catch her gaze, but it seemed she looked right through him. “Lucy, little one. I know you’re afraid; but, honestly, it won’t hurt you as long as you lie still, alright?”
“Lie still?” The distant voice again, but her eyes remained only on the flames of Thomas’ forge.
“That’s right.” He took her hands. “Come with me. Come.”
Thomas had already formed the piece of black iron into a circle that would fit around her neck. A ring had been attached to the front; and, where the back pieces met, they were bent out at a ninety-degree angle away from her neck. It was through two holes at this intersection that the bolt would be placed. It was just like the collars so many of the black slaves wore.
“Wants for me to get Max, Massa Beau?”
Though Lucretia seemed placid enough at the moment, who knew what was going on in her head. He’d not put it past her to suddenly panic and this was not the place for such things. “Not this time,” the doctor said, keeping an eye on his ward. “Let’s just use the table instead.”
“Yes, Sah.” Thomas went to work swiftly clearing a plain wooden table.
Dr. Addams saw Lucretia’s eyes following every move Thomas made. Some of the color had returned to her cheeks, but she still seemed dangerously pale. The blacksmith continued his task, drawing up through slots in the middle of the table a series of wide leather straps.
“Oh, dear God…” Was all Dr. Addams heard and turned just in time to see Lucretia’s eyes roll back into a faint. Rushing forward, he was able to catch her before she struck the floor.
The two men looked at each other, bemused for a moment. “I reckon, Sah, it’ll make it a whole lots easier to get her on the table if’n she’s out cold,” Thomas chuckled.
The doctor agreed; and, together, they lifted Lucretia to the table and placed her face down on it.
Dr. Addams ordered some water. Her being unconscious certainly did make it easier for them to get Lucretia’s ankles and wrists into the restraints, but the doctor didn’t want her to miss what was about to happen next. He was just retrieving the leather hood that would protect Lucretia from being burned when Thomas returned with a tin cup full of cool water. Dr. Addams dipped his fingers into the water and flicked the cool drops onto Lucretia’s face. “Little one?” he patted her face and dripped more water onto the back of her neck. “Lucy?”
Her eyes fluttered open, glazed with confusion at first, but eventually focusing on his face as he bent too close. Lucretia looked away, “I’m alright.”
“Good.” The leather hood was used to cover the back of her neck and head. It was quite thick and stiff. “This will keep you from being burned. Hold still.” Dr. Addams lifted Lucretia’s head just enough for Thomas to slide the iron collar around her neck. It was a perfect fit. Thomas went to the forge and pumped the bellows, heating the pin that would lock the metal band into place. Beneath his hands, the doctor could feel Lucretia’s muscles grew tighter and tighter until she shook. He rested his palm on her head, holding her hair out of the way while, at the same time, holding her head down firmly.
As Thomas passed the bolt by her line of sight, her eyes clamped shut and the trembling increased. The red-hot bolt was slid into place and then came the ear shattering pounding of the hammer, shaping the end of the bolt into a cap, flattening it, locking the collar on. Lucretia squeaked as she choked back a scream. Cold water poured over the fresh bolt and a rush of steam swarmed around her head. Dr. Addams withdrew his hold and removed the hood. Lucy remained immobile.
“Another excellent job, Thomas.”
“Thank you, Massa Beau.”
“I’ll send Lizzy over to you.”
“Oh, thank you, Massa Beau. Thank you very much.”
“Go take a break. I’ll tend to Lucy.”
“Yes, Sah, Massa Beau.”
The doctor looked at Lucretia’s fists, so tightly clenched the knuckles were bone-white. “I hate you,” she whispered.
“Do you?” His hand ran down her spine and patted her bare bottom. “Why?”
“I just do.” He could almost feel the heat of her hatred seep from her pores.
“There must be a reason.” Down his touch went, pressing his fingers between her legs and feeling those tender spaces again. “Have I hurt you?”
Lucretia’s body jerked as if she meant to pull away, “No.”
“Then why?” His other hand slid into the tangle of her hair while the first probed her deeper.
Her eyes fluttered open revealing the struggling cold stare. “I don’t know,” she hissed.
He bent and kissed the middle of her back then her shoulder then her ear. “Is it because I make it okay to feel physical pleasure when all you’ve been taught for twenty years is to suppress it?”
Lucretia whimpered but would not cry. “It’s wrong. God says it’s wrong.”
“God also says that a woman should be submissive to her husband. Even Sarah knew and called Abraham her Master.”
Closing her eyes, Lucretia shook her head slowly. “I’m not your wife. It’s wrong. It’s evil. It’s bad.”
“Does this feel bad, little one?” He knew just where to touch her, just how to coax the tiniest tendrils of pleasure from between her legs
Lucretia squeaked and bit on her lip, her brows furrowing at her internal struggles even as his fingertips fluttered over her s*x and made it pulse.
“Does it feel bad, Lucy? Tell me. Tell me the truth. If it truly hurts, I’ll stop.”
The word, “No,” gasped out of her. It wasn’t clear if the no meant it was good or bad or if she didn’t want him to stop at all. “…please…”
“Please? What do you want? Tell me. Tell your Master what you want, Lucy.”
But that word was all she could say over and over again and even when he did stop and removed her from bondage on the table, that single word was all she said. He pulled her up to sitting, cradling her against his chest as she shook with something between rage and lust. A smile played on his lips as she suddenly jerked away from his support to stand on her own two feet. “I can walk on my own,” she said, shivering as the cool air beyond the shop raised goose bumps over her damp skin.
They headed towards the stables, Dr. Addams insistent with his hold on her arm. As they walked, Lucretia took notice of the high brick wall that enclosed a large area of the grounds surrounding the main house. “What’s in there?” she asked.
The doctored followed her gaze. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he answered with a smile.
“When?”
“When I say so, that’s when,” he said mildly.
Lucy’s gaze turned to face him, hatred rising up to replace the curiosity. He could see in the way her lips parted then closed and in the clench of her jaw that she repressed some sharp retort. Such a peculiar young thing, he mused while looking at her.
“Eyes down, Miss Borgia,” Dr. Addams retained his stern expression on the outside; but, inside, he grinned at the flash of fire he saw in her eyes and even more so with the knowledge that she held back the urge to respond to his instruction with anything but a curt smile and suddenly looking away.
“Do you like horses?” he asked, setting them into motion again as if nothing had happened.
“I can ride.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“No, I am not particularly fond of them, sir.” Her tone was brief and clipped.
“Maybe you’ll change your mind after you see mine.”
The stables were immaculate. A black male slave swept at the far end while another followed with a wheelbarrow, filling the stalls with fresh hay. There were six of these stalls. All of them were empty at the moment. Lucretia remembered seeing horses grazing in the field before the crop of corn. She was far from impressed by any of it. Her father had better stables.
A wall and a wide, swinging gate divided the front part of the stable from the back. More stalls lay there. As they passed through this gate, Lucretia noted that these stalls were half the size of the others. “Ponies?” she asked, once again her curiosity overshadowed by her loathing.
“That’s what we like to call them, yes. Have a look.” He released her arm. Lucy approached the nearest one. She gripped the bars and stared, her mouth gaping. “That’s Gracey.” Dr. Addams came up to stand beside her. “Her owner wants her trained to pull a small cart.”
Lucretia inched back. “But she’s...”
“Yes.”
She walked down the row, looking into each one. In each, she saw a very similar sight, naked women dressed in halters and bit gags. All of them wore brown leather boots that ended in feet resembling horse’s hooves. Tails that matched each person’s hair color protruded from their behinds with no sight of a belt or harness to hold it in place. Most stood with their halters tied to a ring by a leather lead. One lay on her side, a beautiful blond with hair that fell all the way to her waist. She was unmistakably with child. Lucy looked at her the longest. Deep scars and fresh marks covered the sleeping woman’s bare back.
“That,” the doctor nodded at the pregnant woman, “was not our doing. She’ll be taken inside within the hour.” He took Lucretia’s arm and drew her away. “Don’t worry. Your father has not requested this type of training for you.”
She allowed herself to be led away, full of too many questions. “He knows about all of this, doesn’t he?”
“Of course, he knows. He’s paying me very handsomely.”
Their walk was slow. “What, if I am permitted to know, am I to be trained to do?”
“Cooking, cleaning, sewing.”
“That’s all?”
“Pleasure, little one. You are to be trained in the fine art of pleasing a man in every way womanly possible.”
- Writer
