Possession

Chapter 1

"Has everything been secured?" Juliana heard a man ask.

"Yes, sir," another man replied. "Valuables have been secured."

Footsteps. And they were coming closer to where the horses were. Juliana heard them slow to the pace of a leisurely stroll. She could hardly breathe at this point, she was so nervous. She nearly stopped breathing altogether when a pair of boot-clad feet came into her line of vision on the ground.

"Well, well ... what have we here?"

Juliana kept her ebony eyes focused on the ground, using all her will to do so despite her burning curiosity to see the face of the man standing before her. Even when he reached out and gently lifted her chin so that her head was no longer bowed, her gaze remained steady on the ground. Finally, she couldn't no longer resist, and she raised her eyes. They timidly connected with a crisp blue gaze.

"My, she is quite the beauty, isn't she?" he commented appraisingly. "Much too delicate to be traipsing along behind a horse." He turned to the officer beside him. "Cut her loose; she'll ride with me."

"Yes, sir," the officer obliged. He pulled out a small knife and promptly cut Juliana loose from the horse. Then he cut the rope away from her wrists, which she rubbed, feeling where the tight restraints had dug into her skin.

"Come with me, my dear," Tavington instructed the slave.

Juliana didn't like the term of endearment with which Tavington had addressed her. She didn't understand how the two words 'my dear,' which ordinarily had such a positive connotation when spoken, could leave her feeling so ill at ease. She gave a final look of uncertainty to the man who'd cut her free. She didn't want to go with ... she didn't even know his name. All she knew about him was that he had penetrating blue eyes and that he had saved her from a walking trip behind a horse. She turned and watched him walk away toward his animal. For all she knew, he could be one of the kindest men she'd ever met. On the other hand, he could be one of the most vile men who ever walked the earth.

Tavington turned back to the girl. "Are you coming?" he asked. "Or did you want to be tied to the horse?"

Juliana walked over to where Tavington stood, her head once again bowed to the ground. She'd intended to keep it that way, but she couldn't help but look up and openly admire the beautiful brown steed that she now stood beside.

"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" Tavington asked her. Juliana shook her head, indicating that she had not. She chanced a brief look at him before averting her eyes to the ground again. Tavington effortlessly mounted the massive animal. Then he reached down towards Juliana, offering his hand to the young woman. She timidly placed her hand in his, momentarily marveling at the odd contrast of her brown hand against his much paler skin. With strength that took her by surprise, he pulled her up into the saddle with him. She sat behind him, awkwardly at first, as she had no idea what she was supposed to hold on to. She found a spot on the back of the saddle that seemed alright enough for the moment but would probably prove to be a different story once they actually started moving.

"Tell me, do you know who I am?" Tavington asked.

"No, sir," Juliana replied simply.

"I am Colonel William Tavington," he said. "What is your name?"

"Juliana Harris."

Tavington snorted. "I see you've adopted that habit of taking on your master's last name. Very well, Juliana Harris. You said you don't know how to ride a horse?"

"No, sir."

"Put your arms around my waist," Tavington instructed. "And hold on."

"I feel like I'm going to fall off," Juliana said, her arms already around Tavington.

"You have to use your legs to hold you in place," Tavington said. "Squeeze the sides of the horse with your knees." Juliana did so and immediately felt more stable in her seat. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir. I believe so."

Tavington gently spurred the horse with his boot heel, and the animal trotted into motion. Juliana's grip around Tavington's waist instinctively tightened, and her body pressed tightly against Tavington's. Tavington's hand covered Juliana's, a motion that shocked her so that she nearly fell off the horse right then and there.

"Are you alright?" Tavington asked.

"I'm alright."

"We don't have very far to go," Tavington informed her. "Perhaps next time, I'll have you ride in the front so that I will have a better hold on you."

Next time? Juliana merely stared at the back of Tavington's head, not knowing what to think about 'next time'. Tavington turned his head slightly, in her direction, and she averted her eyes as she realized that she and this William Tavington might be spending more time together than she originally thought.