Quick, Amanda by The Captive Read Free Book Online Page A

dinner several nights later. "Ask Parah to send one of
    the slaves up to take care of it, will you? "As you wish, my dear," Marcus replied. "Actually, we could
    use a full-time slave in the compound," Jadeleine said, her brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Otry's getting too
    old to do more than care for the horses, and since Fiurmin left, there's no one to trim the shrubs or weed
    the flower beds on a regular basis." Marcus grunted softly. "Are you sure you want one of the slaves?"
    He glanced at Ashlynne. "It might be wiser to hire someone from the city." "Why spend good money for
    hired help when we have slaves at our disposal?" Jadeleine countered. "I dare say slaves are easier to
    control at any rate." "Without doubt," Marcus said agreeably. "I shall go down tomorrow and look them
    over." Ashlynne sat up in her chair, her foot tapping nervously as she listened to her parents'
    conversation. One of the slaves, here? S he bit down on her lower lip, wondering if there was any way
    she could persuade her father to pick Number Four. Six weeks had passed since the incident with Dain.
    She wondered how Number Four had endured the long weeks of solitary confinement. Magny had told
    her that slaves sometimes went insane after being imprisoned in the hole for more than a week. How did
    anyone endure a month? Was he glad to be back in the mine? Did even his dismal cell seem welcome
    after four weeks of being buried alive? She glanced around the room, its opulence unmatched anywhere
    on Tierde, and tried to envision being trapped in a dark hole in the ground, with nothing to see but
    darkness, no voice to hear but her own. "We've never had a slave in the compound," she remarked
    casually. "Does the idea bother you, daughter?" Jadeleine asked, her voice holding a faint note of
    concern. "No, of course not," she replied quickly. "Will you pick him out yourself, Father, or let Parah
    make the selection for you?" "I don't need anyone to make my decisions for me," Marcus replied. He
    looked at Jadeleine. "I will, of course, take Parah's recommendation into account, since he is more
    familiar with the slaves than I." Ashlynne smiled at her father. "Of course." "I'll go tomorrow morning,"
    Marcus decided. "I've been meaning to speak to Parah about the recent decrease in production."
    Ashlynne sat forward, trying not to look too eager, too anxious. "May I ride with you?" "To the mine?"
    Marcus asked, astonished. "Of course not!" "But, I mean, I just thought how nice it would be if I could
    go with you. I could wait for you at the bridge, and when you're finished talking to Parah, we could take
    a ride along the beach." She smiled her most winning smile. "It's been months, Father, since we've had
    any time alone together." "She's right," Jadeleine said. "You haven't spent much time with Ashlynne lately.
    I don't think it would hurt for her to accompany you, this one time." Ashlynne held her breath, waiting for
    her father's decision. "I'll be wanting to leave immediately after first meal," he said gruffly. Jumping up,
    Page 14
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    Ashlynne threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I'll be ready! Thank you, Father."
    Walking around the table, she bent down and hugged her mother. "Thank you," she whispered. Ashlynne
    glanced at her father as they rode along the narrow tree-lined path that wound down the hillside to the
    mine compound. He was a handsome man. He wore his dark hair cropped close to his head. Clad in
    dark gray breeches, a light gray shirt, and black leather boots, he cut a dashing figure astride his favorite
    mount, a high-stepping black stallion. Both his horse and hers had been imported from Earth. Her father
    had taught her to ride almost before she could walk. He was an excellent horseman. She knew he was
    proud of her, had overheard him bragging about her good seat and light hands. Her mother had been
    thrown when she was a child and as a result