Olivia's Gamble

By Dean Peake

Young and Naive Olivia has grown up with her mother as servants in the house of a tyrant. The man is sick and twisted, and has sinister intentions for Olivia that she does not fully understand. When her mother is murdered and she tried to escape, she is intercepted by a dashing, and well inebriated rogue. When he sobers up and realizes the danger Olivia is truly in, they both gamble on a game of chance to win her freedom. This goes horribly wrong and a flight for their lives ensues. Wolves, Gypsies, madmen and bounty hunters all join the chase.

This is a fun and slightly twisted work, encompassing romance, swordplay and daring adventure. And their WILL be more to come!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dean Peake
• Release date: Nov 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301638901

Dean Peake

Dean Peake is a writer living and working in Utah. When he is not working a full time 'REAL' job, he spends time writing in a smokey dungeon that has books lining the dreary, wet walls. He has a wife and four kids, and THEY have too many cats.

Book preview

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Olivia’s Gamble

By

Dean Peake

Copyright 2012

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction.

No similarity to any persons, living or dead is intentional.

No part of this work may be used or copied without permission from the author.

Previously Published by the Author

The Gaslight

Satiated, Lord James Barrister pushed Caroline nearly out of the bed. She caught herself just before going over the edge. She stood and wiped clean the mess he had left on her. She dressed slowly and silently. James lay naked. Eyes closed. He savored the moment. Until he breathed heavy through his badly mangled nose. James inhaled deeply and heard his breath rattle in his chest. He reached over and scratched at his arm, breaking open another sore. He watched the puss seep onto his sheets. He knew the time had come. The moon would be full in days. It was time to attempt the cure.

You’ll not need to call on my chambers tonight, he rasped. She said nothing and continued to dress. He rolled toward her and half opened his red rimmed eyes. The skin on his stubbled cheeks stretched into a mischievous grin and parted slightly, showing his rotted teeth. Send Olivia to me in your stead.

Caroline’s heart fell in her chest. Her fingers working the buttons on her smock froze in terror.

No. she managed to say. Her voice was barely audible. Only a whisper.

James’s smile faded and his eyes parted wider. Oh, that is rich, He grunted. You tell me no? You will send her! You will do as I say!" He slid across the bed and placed his twisted feet upon the cold stone of the floor.

My Olivia is so young. Please my lord, I will come to you just as I always have, Caroline said. Oh, no, please, Not Olivia. I will satisfy you. Caroline pleaded and tears rolled down her cheeks.

James grabbed his knotted cane from the bedside. You tell me NO just one more time you sniveling bitch, and I will give you the thrashing you have so long needed. He jabbed the silver tip into the stone next to his feet three times. You make her ready and you send her to me after supper. Do you understand?

Caroline had been in Lord James’s service since the murder of her husband twenty years before. She brought her daughter, Olivia with her. And even from the very beginning, she had protected Olivia from the master of the estate, whose eyes immediately fell to her with wicked intentions. Caroline had distracted James by offering herself to him in his bed. She allowed herself to be demeaned and humiliated in an attempt to occupy this evil man’s mind and body. Anything it took to keep him from Olivia. And even throughout all those torturous years, she knew this day would come with dread. She almost felt a touch of relief now. It was finally here. She could quit worrying about when it would happen. When was now. And she knew what she needed to do. She also knew what it would take.

Her horror slowly ebbed into rage. Her frozen fingers clenched into fists and she took a deep breath. Faster than she thought she was capable, she lunged at James, grabbing his cane from his loose grip. She fell upon him, shoving him back onto the bed. She straddled him, like she had a million times before. Though this time she did so with different intentions. It wasn’t distraction anymore. This morning murder would be done. The fire reflected in her sanguineous eyes as she swung the cane across his throat, and she bore down with all her weight and strength.

You will never touch Olivia, or me, ever again! she screamed at him. James gagged and choked, and his arms flailed, grabbing for Caroline’s red locks. Finally his fingers made purchase and he yanked her head to the side, pulling her off balance. The cane loosened from across his neck. It was all the break he needed, and he managed to tear the cane from her grip, further throwing Caroline off of him. As she fumbled to recover on the soft mattress, James brought the cane crashing down upon her forehead with all of his might. Her vision went dark, and her head buzzed. When the fog in her head subsided, she realized she was being dragged on her stomach across the cold, rough floor by her hair. James’s ruined feet trudging before her. He was dragging her across the room, in front of the darkened, ash filled fireplace.

In a haze she grabbed for his hands, trying to dig her nails into his rotted skin. But the pain in her scalp and the knock on her head caused her to panic, and she could not affect enough damage to James to make him stop. Finally, when he reached the window, he stopped and dropped her. She fell on her hands and looked up to him as he loomed over her, spittle dripping from his pink and blue cankered lips.

You filthy whore! he coughed. You will regret that! Spit flew from his mouth. He was breathing hard, for James was not an old man, but sickly. The effort it took him to drag Caroline across the room nearly did more damage to him than her.

Caroline made one final effort to get to her feet and lunge at him again. As she made her move, the cane rose and fell on her. And rose and fell again. And again.

--<>--

Olivia beat the linen onto the stones at the creek. The water flowed rapidly over her feet. She rolled the cloth, squeezed it and flushed it, and beat it again. Catalina and Penelope were beside her,