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Chapter 1
THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND
August 1502
ELIZABETH CHATWORTH STOOD ON THE VERY EDGE OF THE steep cliff, gazing toward the sea of tall barley grasses Below her, seely tiny men walked with scythes on their shoulders, a few rode horses and one drove a team of oxen
But Elizabeth didn’t really see the h and it was locked into place so rigidly that nothing was going to bring it down A ware but she braced her legs and refused to move If what had already happened to her today and nohat she faced did not sway her, noto break her stance
Her green eyes were dry but her throat ollen shut with a luer and unshed tears A muscle in her jaw flexed and unflexed as she breathed deeply, trying to control her pounding heart
Another gust of wind blew her tangled mass of honey blonde hair away from her back and, unbeknownst to Elizabeth, one last pearl disentangled itself and slid down the torn, dirty red silk of her dress The finery she’d worn to her friend’s wedding was now shredded beyond repair, her hair loose and flowing, her cheek sed—and her hands were crudely tied behind her back
Elizabeth lifted her eyes toward heaven, unblinking at the bright daylight All her life, she’d had her looks referred to as angelic and never had she looked so delicate, so serene, soas she did noith her heavy hair swirling about her like so her the look of a Christian martyr
But the farthest thoughts fro
“I will fight to the death,” sheto the color of an eht “No man will best me No man will make me submit to his will”
“Pleadin’ with the Lord, are you?” came the voice of her captor from beside her
Slowly, as if she had all the time in the world, Elizabeth turned to the man, and the coldness in her eyes art like the hideouswas a cohen his master wasn’t present
John gave a nervous cough, then boldly stepped forward and grabbed Elizabeth’s upper arreat lady but for now I’m your master”
She looked hi none of the pain he was causing her—after all she’d had h physical and mental pain in her life “You will never be anyone’s master,” she said calmly