leo4life/algoml_bookcorpus_49_50p · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 1 5.57k
he held up one hand , and something glinted between his fingers : a gold coin .
but as it happens , there is a trade caravan wending its way through hedenham county at this very moment .
and tomorrow they will be stopping in elmsburn , not five miles from here .
i will pay for you to join the caravan , as apprentices .
i have it on good authority that they will be heading east .
you can use it as cover to follow after your mistress .
i suspect that between you and your sweetheart , you have enough cunning to find a way to depart from the caravan when it has carried you far enough .
katins pulse raced .
she tried to keep her breathing even .
mlord , i can not thank you enough .
he held the coin up now before her face , then with a twist made it disappear into his palm .
the deal is not sealed yet .
as i said , i have undertaken this at great personal risk and expense .
a barony is no bar to arrest by a warden , and while i have no doubt that count asmus would have had the guts to stand up to this penrose , i am equally certain that calys does not .
if i am to complete my perfidy against the crown , i will require payment .
he stepped aside and looked over toward the canopied bed .
katin had not paid it any mind before , and saw now that the bedcovers were thrown back .
no !
no !
a piercing shriek sounded inside katins head , a memory of laughter the merchant with the black moustache pushed her roughly down onto the bed .
sir , theres no rush , she protested , youve got me for the whole evening with the coin you paid quiet !
he slapped her hard across the face , and while she lay disoriented on the bed , he tore her clothes off and climbed atop her .
she lay still , as shed been trainedsome men wanted to hit and hurt , miss lucy had told her , and they pay extra for the privilege .
just lie back and think of the hearthfire , and drink your tea , and put the memory behind you afterward .
the bruises will fade .
why , youll get three whole days off to recover .
the young man with barely a fuzz on his cheeks , but he had coin , and he was so terrified the dead-eyed captain who came in as regular as the tide , did his business and left without a word the blacksmith , who wore a cloak and hood as he crept into the brothel , thinking no one would recognize him , but who did he think he was fooling ?
he declared over and over that his wife was cuckolding him , so this was only fair i cant , she whispered .
you can , and you will , if you want my assistance .
ive already given you more than youve earned .
i could have held close the news that your lady still lives , and lord dardan .
i could have told you nothing , and put you with the caravan tomorrow with no explanation , or let you stay here to rot , or simply put you out .
i could have turned you over to the warden , at no cost to myself .
he took her hand , not roughly , not cruelly , just a simple touch .
i require only this .
believe me , it will not take long .
katin felt encased in ice .
escape .
amira .
east .
had anyone missed her ?
being called up to the lords bedchamber at night must surely have raised an eyebrow .
no ; parvis had his reputation .
no one would care .
liam would never know ; the other servants would have been ordered to stay silent .
liam never has to know .
and if i refuse ?
hell turn us in .
back to elibarran , to the dark cells , never to see light again .
edon will return , and hell burn us with his terrible gaze .
baron parvis spoke , startling her .
this offer does not last forever , he said testily .
you need not enjoy it .
you need only do it .
isnt there another way ?
she almost sobbed the words .
parviss silent glower was her answer .
a matching silence filled her mind .
then she prayed .
terror .
sacrifice .
caretaker , protect me .
katin took a step forward .
the wagons sat in a circle in the town square of elmsburn , closed up tight against the nights chill .
all the trading would have been done by sundown .
large shapes moved through the darkness : caravan guards , watchful eyes in the dark .
katin sat atop the borrowed palfrey , holding perfectly still .
susan smith .
nothing bad ever happened to susan smith .
liam sat atop bandit a few yards away , the stallion whickering irritably at having been denied sleep .
baron parvis had graciously lent katin a horse , saying that speed was of the essence and that they should not take the risk of a single horse carrying two riders in the dark , even over well-travelled country roads .
katin could not have stood to ride double with liam , and so she felt grateful to parvis .
that gratitude made her want to vomit .
now they waited , concealed between two low wooden buildings on the edge of the square .
marten , the valo , was a hulking shadow watching the rear approach , just in case .
they had no reason to suspect anyone might be trailing them , but there was no sense in being lax .
parvis had gone alone to the caravan master to arrange their passage .
he carried a fat purseostensibly to pay for two new apprentices to join the wagon , but it was little more than a bribe .
the caravan master would rightly wonder about being asked to take on two more hands in the dark of night , but such men lived by the shine of gold only .
if the purse was fat enough she sensed something , and looked aside at liam .
he was staring at her .
the faint glow of distant lanterns barely illuminated his face .
are you all right ?
he whispered .
katin nodded and looked away .
susan is all right .
she wanted parvis to return , for them to be gone , for this to be over .
they could still be caught .
the caravan master might grow suspicious and decide to alert the town constables , who would send for the warden at once .
her breath came shallow , drawing her attention inward , a bitter reminder of a price paid .
just a transaction .
his coins as good as any mans .
she bit her lip to fight the tears .
there came hoofsteps and a black silhouette ambling toward them .
she recognized the shape of parvis atop his horse .
he stopped close .
it is done .
master coalridge will take you on .
i should not have to remind you how unwise it would be for you to return here .
liam bowed as low as he could atop bandit .

he held up one hand , and something glinted between his fingers : a gold coin .

but as it happens , there is a trade caravan wending its way through hedenham county at this very moment .

and tomorrow they will be stopping in elmsburn , not five miles from here .

i will pay for you to join the caravan , as apprentices .

i have it on good authority that they will be heading east .

you can use it as cover to follow after your mistress .

i suspect that between you and your sweetheart , you have enough cunning to find a way to depart from the caravan when it has carried you far enough .

katins pulse raced .

she tried to keep her breathing even .

mlord , i can not thank you enough .

he held the coin up now before her face , then with a twist made it disappear into his palm .

the deal is not sealed yet .

as i said , i have undertaken this at great personal risk and expense .

a barony is no bar to arrest by a warden , and while i have no doubt that count asmus would have had the guts to stand up to this penrose , i am equally certain that calys does not .

if i am to complete my perfidy against the crown , i will require payment .

he stepped aside and looked over toward the canopied bed .

katin had not paid it any mind before , and saw now that the bedcovers were thrown back .

no !

a piercing shriek sounded inside katins head , a memory of laughter the merchant with the black moustache pushed her roughly down onto the bed .

sir , theres no rush , she protested , youve got me for the whole evening with the coin you paid quiet !

he slapped her hard across the face , and while she lay disoriented on the bed , he tore her clothes off and climbed atop her .

she lay still , as shed been trainedsome men wanted to hit and hurt , miss lucy had told her , and they pay extra for the privilege .

just lie back and think of the hearthfire , and drink your tea , and put the memory behind you afterward .

the bruises will fade .

why , youll get three whole days off to recover .

the young man with barely a fuzz on his cheeks , but he had coin , and he was so terrified the dead-eyed captain who came in as regular as the tide , did his business and left without a word the blacksmith , who wore a cloak and hood as he crept into the brothel , thinking no one would recognize him , but who did he think he was fooling ?

he declared over and over that his wife was cuckolding him , so this was only fair i cant , she whispered .

you can , and you will , if you want my assistance .

ive already given you more than youve earned .

i could have held close the news that your lady still lives , and lord dardan .

i could have told you nothing , and put you with the caravan tomorrow with no explanation , or let you stay here to rot , or simply put you out .

i could have turned you over to the warden , at no cost to myself .

he took her hand , not roughly , not cruelly , just a simple touch .

i require only this .

believe me , it will not take long .

katin felt encased in ice .

escape .

amira .

east .

had anyone missed her ?

being called up to the lords bedchamber at night must surely have raised an eyebrow .

no ; parvis had his reputation .

no one would care .

liam would never know ; the other servants would have been ordered to stay silent .

liam never has to know .

and if i refuse ?

hell turn us in .

back to elibarran , to the dark cells , never to see light again .

edon will return , and hell burn us with his terrible gaze .

baron parvis spoke , startling her .

this offer does not last forever , he said testily .

you need not enjoy it .

you need only do it .

isnt there another way ?

she almost sobbed the words .

parviss silent glower was her answer .

a matching silence filled her mind .

then she prayed .

terror .

sacrifice .

caretaker , protect me .

katin took a step forward .

the wagons sat in a circle in the town square of elmsburn , closed up tight against the nights chill .

all the trading would have been done by sundown .

large shapes moved through the darkness : caravan guards , watchful eyes in the dark .

katin sat atop the borrowed palfrey , holding perfectly still .

susan smith .

nothing bad ever happened to susan smith .

liam sat atop bandit a few yards away , the stallion whickering irritably at having been denied sleep .

baron parvis had graciously lent katin a horse , saying that speed was of the essence and that they should not take the risk of a single horse carrying two riders in the dark , even over well-travelled country roads .

katin could not have stood to ride double with liam , and so she felt grateful to parvis .

that gratitude made her want to vomit .

now they waited , concealed between two low wooden buildings on the edge of the square .

marten , the valo , was a hulking shadow watching the rear approach , just in case .

they had no reason to suspect anyone might be trailing them , but there was no sense in being lax .

parvis had gone alone to the caravan master to arrange their passage .

he carried a fat purseostensibly to pay for two new apprentices to join the wagon , but it was little more than a bribe .

the caravan master would rightly wonder about being asked to take on two more hands in the dark of night , but such men lived by the shine of gold only .

if the purse was fat enough she sensed something , and looked aside at liam .

he was staring at her .

the faint glow of distant lanterns barely illuminated his face .

are you all right ?

he whispered .

katin nodded and looked away .

susan is all right .

she wanted parvis to return , for them to be gone , for this to be over .

they could still be caught .

the caravan master might grow suspicious and decide to alert the town constables , who would send for the warden at once .

her breath came shallow , drawing her attention inward , a bitter reminder of a price paid .

just a transaction .

his coins as good as any mans .

she bit her lip to fight the tears .

there came hoofsteps and a black silhouette ambling toward them .

she recognized the shape of parvis atop his horse .

he stopped close .

it is done .

master coalridge will take you on .

i should not have to remind you how unwise it would be for you to return here .

liam bowed as low as he could atop bandit .