A Servant's Security

Chapter 19

A couple nights later, everyone was getting ready for bed, and Isabel stepped carefully in the dark, wishing she had asked someone to come with her, but at least she still had her knife in her pocket. Sometimes, she asked Anastasia to come with her to the outhouse, but Anastasia wasn't being very friendly lately.

She glanced at the trees surrounding the path, knowing the outhouse was in a small clearing just ahead. 

She reached her hand out to open the door and an owl hooted. She jumped, then frowned. If a predator wants to sneak up on his food, then he shouldn't hoot so loudly.

She spent as little time as possible inside the small outhouse. When she pushed open the door and stepped outside, Isabel caught sight of movement coming from the side of the outhouse. She tried to make out which girl it was, since only women were allowed in the area.

But as the figure approached, it was clearly not female.

The man lunged towards her and grabbed her arm. She opened her mouth to scream, but the man put a hand over her mouth and dragged her into the trees.

Isabel clawed at his arm. She gave up on screaming and tried to bite him.

"Don't make a sound," the man said in her ear, "or I'll break your little neck.'

Isabel recognized Bailiff Richard's voice. Her heart pounded and she struggled to keep breathing. His hand completely covered her mouth and some of her nose. She managed to open her mouth and bit down as hard as she could.

Bailiff Richard pulled his hand away, but before Isabel could even react, he slapped her across the cheek.

When she was able to focus her eyes again, she tried to run but only took two steps before he jerked her arm so hard she cried out in pain. She wanted to scream for help, but he put his hand over her mouth again, holding her face tighter than before.

"If you scream," he said, his breath in her ear, "I'll tell the whole village that you've been with me and Lord Goodwin. What kind of spell have you put on Lord Goodwin? Your mother and brothers want you to marry me. Why won't he allow it?" His voice was slurred from too much drink, but as drunk as he was, he was still too strong for her. "Do you think anyone will believe you over me? Stay quiet, or I'll make you sorry, girl."

He dragged her farther into the woods. "You're just a servant. Who else will marry you? You should've realized you could never refuse me." He squeezed her face harder. She hit the hand that covered her face. She wouldn't let him hurt her. She would kill him first.

She managed to slip her hand into her dress pocket and pulled her knife out.

She gripped the knife, not sure what to do with it. Should she stab him? Or wait for a better opportunity? 

He continued with his rant, not seeing the knife. "If you cause any trouble for me, I'll ruin your reputation. Then who will help you? Not your brothers or your mother. Even Lord Goodwin will want nothing to do with you."

Isabel's heart beat faster. Lord Goodwin would believe her, but the thought of Richard saying terrible things about her, she would be an outcast.

He increased the pressure on her arm, and in desperation she held the knife up.

"You're a lunatic girl, waving a knife at your bailiff."

He let go of her face and grabbed her wrist, giving it a sharp wrench. She tried to scream, but it came out more like a squeak. She watched the knife fall to the dirt. The bailiff let go of her arms and fell to the ground, grabbing the weapon.

Finally free, Isabel turned to run. She only ran a few steps when her foot hit something and she tripped, landing on her hands and knees. Someone grabbed her by her arms and pulled her up.