Chapter Six
Jacob knocked on the door and heard a quiet "Go away." But he was insistent.
"Princess, please open up. I need to speak with you. And you can't possible lock me out of a room in my own house." He said smartly.
"Watch me." Joey replied. He could tell she was right against the door.
"Listen, I'm sorry about earlier. But you must understand that not everything is as it seems please let me explain." He asked, but to Joey, it sounded like he was pleading with her.
She gave in and unlocked the door. She cracked it and paused, then opened the rest of it. She stepped back and allowed him to enter the room. She walked backwards, and stood behind one of the pink chairs.
Jacob stepped inside the room and closed the door. "You have one minute." She said seriously.
He didn't doubt her, so he began quickly. "I'm not really what everyone thinks I am."
But she didn't believe him. And to his statement, she rolled her eyes and shook her head and began tuning him out.
Jacob marched over to her and grabbed her arms, "Listen to me! I'm not a murderer or any of that!" he yelled, shaking her.
"Yea right! Let me go!" she yelled back, her arms beginning to hurt from his tight grasp.
"Fine! If you don't believe me, maybe I'll become the monster you want me to be!" he yelled and threw her over his shoulder.
His head was pounding with rage, and his heart was racing. He carried her down the stairs earning looks from all his people. His grandmother eyed him in shock. He walked straight out the front door and down to the servants quarters.
Without any hesitation at all, he dropped her into a puddle of mud, and looked down at her. "Now you listen, and you listen good. I don't care who you are, or where you came from, but from now on, you are my servant. You will do as you are bid, and if you don't you will be beaten." He yelled.
Joey glared up at him, but sat unafraid. He barked out orders to some of the serving wenches and then turned on his heel and strode away.
Joey picked up a handful of mud, but thought better, and let it go. She stood up and looked around. All the servants were staring at her dumbfounded. A young lady came forward and held out her hand.
"Come child, we'll get you settled in and out of those wet things." She said kindly and ushered Joey into the house.
It was small and cramped, but it was warm and inviting. She was given and old tattered gown and a basin of water, to cleanse herself with. She wiped the dirt off her face and arms and slipped on the old gown. It was a too short for her, and it made her look like a child, but she didn't care.
A few days passed and Joey felt that it was time she did some real chores, like everyone else.
"It is time to go serve dinner, do you wish to stay here, or go my lady?" a young lady asked.
"Do call me Joey, after all, I am a servant. I think that it is about time that I learn what I need to do. What is your name?" Joey replied.
"Martha, I work in the kitchens, and help with the cleaning. Come we shouldn't want to be late." Martha added and left.
Joey followed her out and into the main house. She watched maids hustle about with trays or food and drinks. She was handed a tray to take and pushed out of the kitchen and into the dining room. She held her chin high as she served everyone seated at the long oak table.
Jacob didn't look at her, instead he kept talking with Logan, who was looking Joey in confusion. When Joey served an older lady she had never seen before, the lady patted her hand gently and smiled at her. Joey smiled shyly back. "Don't pay any attention to the serving wench, Sabrina." Jacob said harshly, and eyed his grandmother.
"I will pay attention to whom I want, whenever I want." Sabrina replied. "You forget who your speaking to grandson." She added.
'So he has a grandmother. That must make the other lady his mother.' She thought to herself as she surveyed the other people at the table.
As she was about to step through the door into the kitchen, she heard the pitter patter of little feet and the sound of Cary's voice.
"Joey Joey! Why are you dressed like that?" the little girl asked, tugging on Joey's skirt.
"Cary come here, you musn't speak to Joey anymore do you understand me?" Jacob said to the little girl.
"Why can't I?" she asked, her big baby blue eyes shining brightly.
"Because, I told you to."
Joey let out a deep breath and strode right up to Jacob and dumped the tray of fish with tomato sauce right on his lap. She smiled, thrust up her chin, and strode out of the room, heading straight for the front door. When she opened it, she heard Jacob roaring and getting out of his chair, and the ladies in the room laughing.
She ran outside and didn't stop, even when she heard Jacob calling for her. She didn't know where she was going, but all she wanted to do was get away. She heard Jacob running after her and tried to speed up, but it was no use. He grabbed her bout the arm and pulled her to a stop.
"What the hell was that?" he yelled.
"I don't know! The only thing I could do at the time!" she yelled back.
"You are going to pay for that!" he yelled and swung her over his shoulder. "Damn you to hell! Why must you always carry me like this!" she yelled.
He reached the servants quarters and took her inside. He threw her down and grabbed her wrists and held them over her head. He pulled off his belt and let it come down over her back. His rage had finally driven him over the edge. He struck her eight times before letting her go. Joey bit her lip to keep from crying. The back of her dress was in shreds from the blows, and he could see drops of blood on her back.
He'd struck her. By all that's holy he struck her. Never before had anyone pushed him like she did. And instead of holding back his anger, he released it all, on her. He turned quickly and ran from the house, knocking some of the servants out of the way.
Sabrina Lyndhurst stood stunned at the brutal actions of her grandson. She hurried into the house and saw the crumpled figure lying on the floor, crying softly. She called for one of the men to come and pick her up and take her inside to the main house.
Joey was placed gently, face down onto a soft bed, and her gown was torn off. Sabrina gently put cloths of cold water over the welts, and dabbed at the droplets of blood. Joey cried silently at the pain.
"There there, it's ok now." A warm voice told her.
Joey opened her eyes and saw Sabrina staring at her and rubbing her arm. She was back in the contesses room. And that meant that Jacob could come at any moment! She told herself and tried to move, but the sharp pain in her back prevented her from doing so.
"What my dear? Is something wrong?" Sabrina asked.
"Jacob, don't need to be here." Joey mumbled.
"Here drink this child. Twill help you relax. Jacob will not harm you I promise. You let me handle him." Sabrina said and lifted a glass of water and laudaman and water to her lips. Joey welcomed the sleep and was out very quickly.
Sabrina stood up and walked from the chamber and downstairs, she found her grandson in the drawing room sipping on some brandy. "You are a cruel bastard!" she said calmly walking ino the room.
"You don't think that I know that? Sabrina I love her. That is what I realized when I hit her. Nobody has ever made me react like this. And look what I've done to her. I am a bastard. I wish I could take it all back, but I can't and now she is afraid of me." Jacob said clenching his glass.
Sabrina softened just a little. "Then you need to prove to her that you aren't what you seem. Underneath it all, that girl is afraid. And by your actions tonight, I doubt she'll be the same around you."
Jacob set down his glass of brandy and strode out of the room and up the stairs. He walked into the Countess' room and froze at the sight of the pale, lifeless creature lying on the bed. He walked to the side of the bed and sat down. He clasped her hand in his and pulled a strand of hair out of her face.
Joey felt suddenly warm, and safe. Her eyes fluttered slowly open and she saw Jacob sitting beside her, his face in his hands. Shots of anger surged through her, but they soon disappeared at the sight of his guilt. He looked distraught; his hair was disheveled, and his clothes were messed up. Jacob looked up and saw Joey staring at him. "I'm so sorry princess. I just let it all out on you." He said as he gazed into her big sea green eyes. He'd never really noticed how beautiful she was, until now.
"It's ok, I guess that I deserved it. I did after all pour fish on your lap." She added quietly.
"No," he began and gently caressed her cheek. "It was all my fault, but you must understand one thing. I have never meant to kill or destroy anyone's life or town."
"For some strange reason, I believe you. It's just that. My best friend tried to help one of the villages that you ransacked, and caught a deathly illness. I promised her I would never let that happen to any other place." she replied, staring up at Jacob.
Edward stepped out onto the deck of a ship, that was on it's way to Burbank Island, the supposed resting place of Captain Blood. Brent was lived up to his word, and found every bit of information of Jacob Lyndhurst, or Captain Blood, that he could. They also finally had a plan. The good thing about the people of Burbank Island is that nobody knew what Edward looked like or knew that they were coming.
He gave a sigh of relief at the fact that in a week's time, he would have his daughter safely beside him. He looked up at the sight of Terence walking towards him.
"How is everything coming along?" Edward asked.
"Quite fine, we should be reaching Burbank in about four days. Everything is going according to plan, my lord." Terence replied.
Edward nodded and looked back out into the broad expanse of the ocean.
Jacob knocked on the door and heard a quiet "Go away." But he was insistent.
"Princess, please open up. I need to speak with you. And you can't possible lock me out of a room in my own house." He said smartly.
"Watch me." Joey replied. He could tell she was right against the door.
"Listen, I'm sorry about earlier. But you must understand that not everything is as it seems please let me explain." He asked, but to Joey, it sounded like he was pleading with her.
She gave in and unlocked the door. She cracked it and paused, then opened the rest of it. She stepped back and allowed him to enter the room. She walked backwards, and stood behind one of the pink chairs.
Jacob stepped inside the room and closed the door. "You have one minute." She said seriously.
He didn't doubt her, so he began quickly. "I'm not really what everyone thinks I am."
But she didn't believe him. And to his statement, she rolled her eyes and shook her head and began tuning him out.
Jacob marched over to her and grabbed her arms, "Listen to me! I'm not a murderer or any of that!" he yelled, shaking her.
"Yea right! Let me go!" she yelled back, her arms beginning to hurt from his tight grasp.
"Fine! If you don't believe me, maybe I'll become the monster you want me to be!" he yelled and threw her over his shoulder.
His head was pounding with rage, and his heart was racing. He carried her down the stairs earning looks from all his people. His grandmother eyed him in shock. He walked straight out the front door and down to the servants quarters.
Without any hesitation at all, he dropped her into a puddle of mud, and looked down at her. "Now you listen, and you listen good. I don't care who you are, or where you came from, but from now on, you are my servant. You will do as you are bid, and if you don't you will be beaten." He yelled.
Joey glared up at him, but sat unafraid. He barked out orders to some of the serving wenches and then turned on his heel and strode away.
Joey picked up a handful of mud, but thought better, and let it go. She stood up and looked around. All the servants were staring at her dumbfounded. A young lady came forward and held out her hand.
"Come child, we'll get you settled in and out of those wet things." She said kindly and ushered Joey into the house.
It was small and cramped, but it was warm and inviting. She was given and old tattered gown and a basin of water, to cleanse herself with. She wiped the dirt off her face and arms and slipped on the old gown. It was a too short for her, and it made her look like a child, but she didn't care.
A few days passed and Joey felt that it was time she did some real chores, like everyone else.
"It is time to go serve dinner, do you wish to stay here, or go my lady?" a young lady asked.
"Do call me Joey, after all, I am a servant. I think that it is about time that I learn what I need to do. What is your name?" Joey replied.
"Martha, I work in the kitchens, and help with the cleaning. Come we shouldn't want to be late." Martha added and left.
Joey followed her out and into the main house. She watched maids hustle about with trays or food and drinks. She was handed a tray to take and pushed out of the kitchen and into the dining room. She held her chin high as she served everyone seated at the long oak table.
Jacob didn't look at her, instead he kept talking with Logan, who was looking Joey in confusion. When Joey served an older lady she had never seen before, the lady patted her hand gently and smiled at her. Joey smiled shyly back. "Don't pay any attention to the serving wench, Sabrina." Jacob said harshly, and eyed his grandmother.
"I will pay attention to whom I want, whenever I want." Sabrina replied. "You forget who your speaking to grandson." She added.
'So he has a grandmother. That must make the other lady his mother.' She thought to herself as she surveyed the other people at the table.
As she was about to step through the door into the kitchen, she heard the pitter patter of little feet and the sound of Cary's voice.
"Joey Joey! Why are you dressed like that?" the little girl asked, tugging on Joey's skirt.
"Cary come here, you musn't speak to Joey anymore do you understand me?" Jacob said to the little girl.
"Why can't I?" she asked, her big baby blue eyes shining brightly.
"Because, I told you to."
Joey let out a deep breath and strode right up to Jacob and dumped the tray of fish with tomato sauce right on his lap. She smiled, thrust up her chin, and strode out of the room, heading straight for the front door. When she opened it, she heard Jacob roaring and getting out of his chair, and the ladies in the room laughing.
She ran outside and didn't stop, even when she heard Jacob calling for her. She didn't know where she was going, but all she wanted to do was get away. She heard Jacob running after her and tried to speed up, but it was no use. He grabbed her bout the arm and pulled her to a stop.
"What the hell was that?" he yelled.
"I don't know! The only thing I could do at the time!" she yelled back.
"You are going to pay for that!" he yelled and swung her over his shoulder. "Damn you to hell! Why must you always carry me like this!" she yelled.
He reached the servants quarters and took her inside. He threw her down and grabbed her wrists and held them over her head. He pulled off his belt and let it come down over her back. His rage had finally driven him over the edge. He struck her eight times before letting her go. Joey bit her lip to keep from crying. The back of her dress was in shreds from the blows, and he could see drops of blood on her back.
He'd struck her. By all that's holy he struck her. Never before had anyone pushed him like she did. And instead of holding back his anger, he released it all, on her. He turned quickly and ran from the house, knocking some of the servants out of the way.
Sabrina Lyndhurst stood stunned at the brutal actions of her grandson. She hurried into the house and saw the crumpled figure lying on the floor, crying softly. She called for one of the men to come and pick her up and take her inside to the main house.
Joey was placed gently, face down onto a soft bed, and her gown was torn off. Sabrina gently put cloths of cold water over the welts, and dabbed at the droplets of blood. Joey cried silently at the pain.
"There there, it's ok now." A warm voice told her.
Joey opened her eyes and saw Sabrina staring at her and rubbing her arm. She was back in the contesses room. And that meant that Jacob could come at any moment! She told herself and tried to move, but the sharp pain in her back prevented her from doing so.
"What my dear? Is something wrong?" Sabrina asked.
"Jacob, don't need to be here." Joey mumbled.
"Here drink this child. Twill help you relax. Jacob will not harm you I promise. You let me handle him." Sabrina said and lifted a glass of water and laudaman and water to her lips. Joey welcomed the sleep and was out very quickly.
Sabrina stood up and walked from the chamber and downstairs, she found her grandson in the drawing room sipping on some brandy. "You are a cruel bastard!" she said calmly walking ino the room.
"You don't think that I know that? Sabrina I love her. That is what I realized when I hit her. Nobody has ever made me react like this. And look what I've done to her. I am a bastard. I wish I could take it all back, but I can't and now she is afraid of me." Jacob said clenching his glass.
Sabrina softened just a little. "Then you need to prove to her that you aren't what you seem. Underneath it all, that girl is afraid. And by your actions tonight, I doubt she'll be the same around you."
Jacob set down his glass of brandy and strode out of the room and up the stairs. He walked into the Countess' room and froze at the sight of the pale, lifeless creature lying on the bed. He walked to the side of the bed and sat down. He clasped her hand in his and pulled a strand of hair out of her face.
Joey felt suddenly warm, and safe. Her eyes fluttered slowly open and she saw Jacob sitting beside her, his face in his hands. Shots of anger surged through her, but they soon disappeared at the sight of his guilt. He looked distraught; his hair was disheveled, and his clothes were messed up. Jacob looked up and saw Joey staring at him. "I'm so sorry princess. I just let it all out on you." He said as he gazed into her big sea green eyes. He'd never really noticed how beautiful she was, until now.
"It's ok, I guess that I deserved it. I did after all pour fish on your lap." She added quietly.
"No," he began and gently caressed her cheek. "It was all my fault, but you must understand one thing. I have never meant to kill or destroy anyone's life or town."
"For some strange reason, I believe you. It's just that. My best friend tried to help one of the villages that you ransacked, and caught a deathly illness. I promised her I would never let that happen to any other place." she replied, staring up at Jacob.
Edward stepped out onto the deck of a ship, that was on it's way to Burbank Island, the supposed resting place of Captain Blood. Brent was lived up to his word, and found every bit of information of Jacob Lyndhurst, or Captain Blood, that he could. They also finally had a plan. The good thing about the people of Burbank Island is that nobody knew what Edward looked like or knew that they were coming.
He gave a sigh of relief at the fact that in a week's time, he would have his daughter safely beside him. He looked up at the sight of Terence walking towards him.
"How is everything coming along?" Edward asked.
"Quite fine, we should be reaching Burbank in about four days. Everything is going according to plan, my lord." Terence replied.
Edward nodded and looked back out into the broad expanse of the ocean.