I really loved all the incredibly nice reviews I have received—I appreciate your feedback. Jack is going to be gone for a bit, but fear not, he will return within a few chapters. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 4: Lord Richard

I pulled on my red silk robe after getting out of bed. The room was taking a chill and I pulled the chord for the slave, Anna. She arrived shortly after, and I asked her to tend to the fire.

As she walked over to the marble fireplace, and built up the fire with the iron tools with the fancy gold scrollwork on the ends, I found myself realizing how far I had come. My slave wore finer clothes than I had just a few short years before. My slave. I had never approved of slavery, but Anna was a personal gift from Lord Richard, and it would have been very disrespectful to refuse his gift. The bed was empty now, but it had not been the night before. Lord Richard and I shared many nights in this bed—and in many other areas for that matter. He always rose very early, however, as he had a great deal of business to tend to. What irked me the most of his early business dealings, was that he always woke me when he woke up. "I just need a few moments of your time, my dear," he would whisper in my ear, as I tried to block out his voice and sleep. He would enter me quickly then, not giving me any pleasure, but only taking his own.

Of course, I could not object. That was what I was here for, was it not? I found myself thinking about my situation again. No, I did not work in a brothel like all the common women of the street, but I was still just a toy for a man. Lord Richard, the second son of a duke was my benefactor. That was the polite term for what he did for me anyway.

When I came to Tortuga three years before, I had been very scared. I was afraid to enter a brothel—I didn't want that life. I didn't was to be poor—living from man to man—each night of dirty, rough sex just to pay for food, clothes, and a place to sleep in a dirty smelly room above a tavern. No. I made up my mind I would not live that way. I wanted more.

That was when I saw Lord Richard. He had some "less than legal" business dealings in Tortuga—all of which added to his enormous wealth. I could see from his expensive coat with shiny gold buttons and his supple looking leather boots that he was a man of means. I later learned that he owned an enormous estate in Antigua. He owned hundreds of slaves—nearly all of them used to farm his vast acreage of sugar.

He was no longer a young man—I mused he must be nearly sixty years old. His dark hair was sprinkled with gray, and his face showed many lines of age—though it was still a handsome face. He was tall and he held himself with pride, and he looked at the dirty tavern with distaste—and gave the dirty man he dealt with an even more distasteful look. He had a black man with him—I didn't realize until later that he was the lord's slave. He was dressed in a beautiful suit of dark blue—though I doubted his shiny buttons were gold like his master's. His boots were also nearly equal to Lord Richard's.

I sat in the corner of the tavern, eating a meal which though not horrible, was far from good. Several men had come by, trying to sit in the seat opposite mine, and giving me sly looks. I glared at them and yelled at them to leave me alone. So far they had all complied.

I looked back at the wealthy lord and sighed—four or five women dressed in outrageous dresses—if you could call them such. They tried to tempt them with their goods—own of the women pulled down the top of her gown to give him a better look. He gave the prostitutes a look of disdain and finished business with the other man. As he left the tavern, he glanced at my pitiful self in the corner, and after pausing, he tipped his hat to me and left. My eyes widened in surprise and I felt a small smile come to my lips.

After finishing my dinner, I left the tavern and stepped out onto the street. It was dark by this time and I felt the nervous feelings come back over me. I had nowhere to go, except a whore house. I couldn't imagine dropping my dress for some stranger in front of all those people. I drew in a breath and realized that was all I could do. There was nothing else for an eighteen year old girl with barely any money, alone in Tortuga, to do. I walked down the street, thinking I would get a room for the night—alone. I had enough money for at least one more night of peace, I supposed.

As I rounded a corner, a man grabbed my wrist, and murmured, "How 'bout it? A quick fuck 'fore I have ta get back ta my ship?" He showed a couple brass coins and pushed them into my bodice, touching my breasts as he did so. This brought back the memories of my Henry's brutal rape.

"Let go of me!" I told the man through clenched teeth.

"I already paid ya." He pushed me against the side of the building and began to lift my dress up.

"Stop it!" I could feel my heart racing now. Tears were running from my eyes. "Stop!" I screamed and I struggled against his strong arms. I thought all was lost when the sailor suddenly went limp. I gasped as dropped down to the ground, a knife deep in his back, blood streaming from the wound.

The wealthy man from the tavern pulled out the knife and wiped the blood on the sailor's dirty shirt. I looked at the man in wonder and whispered, "Thank you."

The man took my hand and kissed it, "It was my pleasure miss. I am sorry for you're trouble. What is a lady such as yourself doing on the streets of Tortuga by herself?"

"I have no place to go my lord. I… I have nothing." I didn't know what to say—my thoughts all fled from my head.

"It's dangerous out here. Why isn't your husband taking care of you?" he asked.

"I have no husband, sir. I am truly alone," I said with a sigh.

I saw the tiniest hint of a smile come to his face after I said this. However, it was gone in an instant and I wasn't sure if I had only imagined it.

"Where shall you go miss?" He asked with concern.

I didn't know what to say. I swallowed hard, and murmured, "I have no idea." It was then that the idea entered into my head. I had heard of women who attached themselves to one man—one wealthy man—and lived off of his generosity to them for services rendered. And though I did not relish the thought of being at a man's disposal whenever he wanted me, the idea was not altogether bad.

"Well we can't have a young beauty like you alone on the streets of Tortuga. I hope this is not too forward miss… I cannot leave you on the streets by yourself. I could offer you a ride on my ship—I could bring you back to your family."

"I have no family sir," I replied. "I am alone in this world." Now why was I telling him about myself? He could be as bad as that sailor—only wanting to use me and then he could easily throw me back to the streets.

"The offer still stands…" he said. He offered me his arm and asked, "May I ask your name miss?"

"Caitlyn. Caitlyn…" I bit back the Harris. That was never who I was anyway. "Spencer."

"Well Miss Spencer, I am Lord Richard Livingston. I would be pleased if you would accompany me." It wasn't until then that I noticed his servant behind him. The man stood at attention, seemingly waiting for his master's slightest need. I pulled my eyes and attention away from the slave and looked back at Lord Richard. I put on a smile and took his arm and he escorted me to his ship.