Chapter Fourteen
Sophia~
When Master Adam leaves, I don’t try to talk to Jack. We’ve never really talked, so I wouldn’t even know what to say to him.
I think about the last days we were at the mansion. I’ve always known Jack and Master David had the same mother, but it never really mattered as only Master David was Master Cameron’s son. None of us ever questioned the way things were. We wouldn’t dare for fear of being beaten. You learn at an early age to accept everything you’re told and to not ask questions. The punishments weren’t worth being curious over things that didn’t matter.
I was really surprised when we both woke up here. I didn’t think we’d survive the beating.
I’ve never stayed in bed this long. If we got sick, then we weren’t allowed near the clients. It was so we didn’t give any of our filth to a Master or Mistress. But we had to clean the house. You had to work every day for your food and place to sleep.
I keep dozing off, but being in a foreign place, I find it hard to fall asleep. I feel like I have to be ready for anything.
It’s dark when Master Adam comes back. He’s carrying bags.
He places some at the foot of Jack’s bed. “I got you some clothes, Jack. When you’re ready, try them on and let me know if they fit.”
My eyes widen when he brings bags to my bed, too.
“I got you dresses. I think it will be comfortable for you to wear. When you’re better, we’ll get you some more stuff.”
I watch as he pulls something out of the bag. It’s light blue and it looks really soft.
He comes over to me and holding the material, he asks, “Can I help you to put it on?”
Put it on? I’ve never worn clothes. Only a panty during the week I bleed, or an outfit a Master or Mistress wanted me to wear. Other than that you’re always naked and ready to be of service.
Master Adam brings the fabric to my head and he slips it over. Taking my right arm, he pushes it through the soft fabric. He does the same with my left arm, then he pulls it over my breasts and down my body.
I look down at the dress and swallow hard as tears push up my throat. I don’t understand why I’m feeling emotional right now. It’s the softest thing I’ve ever felt against my skin.
It’s pretty.
“There,” Master Adam whispers. “The blue brings out the color of your beautiful eyes.”
Shocked, my eyes snap up to his. He called me beautiful. How can he think that I’m beautiful?
I’m overwhelmed and it makes my eyes water. I quickly look away so he won’t see how weak I am.
“Thank you, Master.”
“Adam.” He gently takes hold of my chin and lifts my face, until I’m looking at him again. “It will please me if you say Adam.”
More than anything, I want to please him. I clear my throat and whisper, “Adam.” It sounds foreign, not calling him Master. “Thank you, Adam.”
He smiles widely, clearly pleased with me, and it makes my insides feel warm. I pleased my Master. I have a purpose again.
***
Later that night, it’s just me and Jack. My body is stiff from lying down all the time. I sit on the side of the bed, staring out the windows. It’s seldom I get to see the stars. I love how they blink.
It feels different here. The normal harshness in the air is gone. I look back at Jack, wondering if he can feel it too.
I bring up my legs, and carefully wrap my arms around them. I rest my chin on my knees and look back outside.
It feels so nice. Everything. The food, the clothes, the way Master and Mistress Ryland are with us. It all feels like a nice dream. I never want to wake up.
“It feels different here. Master and Mistress Ryland seem nice.” I glance at Jack and smile. “I think we’ll be happy here.”
Jack turns away from me and growls, “In order to be happy I actually have to give a fuck.”
My smile drops from my face, and I continue to stare outside.
The old woman from earlier comes into the room, carrying a tray. She places it on the table between the beds before she pulls a chair closer to Jack’s bed.
“What’s this I hear of you wasting my soup, Son.” Her voice is gentle. I watch as Jack glares at her from over his shoulder. “My momma always said; waste not, want not,” she says.
“Now, I’ve brought you another bowl of soup and you’ll eat every last drop. I’ve also brought you some pills for the pain.”
I’m relieved when Jack sits up.
“I’m Miss Ella and that’s what you’ll call me. Don’t even try to call me Miss E. I’m nobody’s missy. My momma gave me the name Ella, and I expect you to use it.”
For a moment, it looks like Jack might refuse the food.
“Open your mouth. How do you expect to get any better if you don’t eat? Stubbornness won’t heal you.”
When he finally listens, I let out the breath I was holding. I’d hate to upset our Masters. Who knows what the punishment will be.
When he’s taken the last bite, she says, “My room is the one right by the stairs. If the pain gets to be too much, come wake me.”
She places everything back on the tray. When she’s done, she looks from Jack to me.
“You need to eat all your food so your bodies can heal. There’s a lot of work to be done. Everyone works here to earn their keep.”
Excitement starts to bubble in my chest, knowing that I’ll be able to work again. The harder I work, the more I’ll prove that it’s worth keeping me.
Miss Ella looks at me and says, “As soon as you’re up to it, you can help me in the kitchen.”
Oh good! So things work the same here then. I’ll clean when I’m not pleasing a Master or Mistress. Relief fills me knowing that I won’t have to be trained. I’ll be able to start with work immediately.
I lie back down, and this time it doesn’t take me long to fall asleep. I don’t sleep for long though. When I wake up, all the lights are off. My body is aching something terrible, and Miss Ella said we could wake her if the pain becomes too much.
I struggle out of bed and walk to the door. Only then do I notice Mistress Ryland.
“It’s okay. You can go use the bathroom,” she whispers.
I feel bad for deceiving her but I haven’t been given permission to talk to her yet. I slip out of the room and walk the passage until I reach the room by the stairs.
I knock softly.
“Yes.”
Slowly, I open the door, and peek into the dark room.
“Mistress Ella?”
A light goes on and Miss Ella sits up in her bed. “Come in, dear.”
I close the door, before I lower myself to my knees.
“Oh, dear Lord almighty! Get up, child. I’m not one of those heathens.”
As quickly as I can manage, I get up. “It hurts. You said to wake you if it becomes too much. I’m sorry, Mistress Ella. I hurt really badly. If I could just have something so I can sleep again. I would very much like to start working tomorrow.”
I hear a sniffle and my eyes flit over to her. She’s wiping tears from her eyes. I don’t know what to make of it.
“Come here, child.”
I walk over to her bed and watch as she opens a drawer. She takes out a bottle of pills and shakes two tablets from it. She holds them out to me and I take them gratefully. I place them in my mouth as she holds a glass of water out to me. I quickly swallow them down.
She moves back on the bed and holds the blanket up. “Come lie here. Miss Ella wants to talk to you.”
I sit down and then lie back, flat on the bed. I hope the tablets work fast before we fuck so I can show her how good I am.
She settles back on the pillows and then pats on her chest. “Come here, my sweet girl.” I position myself until my head is resting on her soft chest. Her arms go around me, and she starts to caress my hair.
“Now, Miss Ella wants you to listen carefully,” she starts to whisper. “You’re safe here, child. No one is going to hurt you. I want you to think of me as your momma. Momma’s don’t hurt their children. We take care of our children. You and Jack are now a part of this family, and that makes you my children.”
She presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Sleep, my sweet girl. Miss Ella will watch over you.”
I close my eyes and tears sneak out. I’ve never had a momma. I’ve never had anyone who just wanted to hold me, until Master Adam and Mistress Ella.
They make me feel safe. I’ll do anything to stay here with them. I’ll make them happy.
I don’t want to go back to Master David and Master Sven. I pinch my eyes closed, as tight as I can. I don’t want to think of them right now. I just want to lie here with Miss Ella.