Free Captured by Him ~ The fourth novelette from "Different Desire", a Gay Victorian Romance and Erotic novelette collection by Lady T. L. Jennings Page B

the old man!
    “Here, you filthy thief. Take your money , then , and let us pass!” Milton demanded and threw his kid-skin wallet casually on the dusty road.
    The leader seemed to pause for a moment before he smoothly jumped down from the saddle. He was aiming the flintlock gun directly at Milton now , and his other hand rested on the hilt of a rapier. He took a couple of steps slowly forward, watching Milton carefully.
    The highwayman was tall, much taller than Milton was, and was probably more muscular as well, but it was hard to tell, because he was wearing a large, tatty greatcoat. It looked awfully hot to wear during a summer day. To cover his face the highwayman was wearing an out-of-fashion tricorn hat in black leather and a worn red scarf pulled up over his nose, which left only the villain’s eyes visible.
    The highwayman had the most unusual eyes , Milton noticed as the man came closer. Milton’s own eyes were some kind of dull grey and as colourless like his ash blond hair; however , the other man had deep green eyes with a scatter of golden brown speckles , and they were framed with thick black eyelashes, hiding under dark eyebrows.
    Milton shook his head at his wandering thoughts. Who cared about the colour of the thief’s eyes? He should pay more attention to the flintlock gun instead if he had any ounce of common sense left, Milton reminded himself. The scoundrel could have had yellow eyes for all that he cared. All he wanted was to be on his way home, a few guineas poorer perhaps, but it mattered little.
    “Do you have any other valuables in your possession?” t he highwayman asked in his hoarse voice with that awful peasantry accent , which Milton was rapidly learning to dislike with all his heart.
    “No,” Milton replied stiffly after a short pause and raised his chin high. “As a matter of fact , I do not.”
    Later on , he was never really sure why he had lied , and perhaps the whole accident which followed could have been avoided if he had not. That we will never know.
    What we do know , however, was that the tall highwayman immediately saw straight through his lie.
    “Really?” h e said in mock disbelief. “Take off your fancy jacket , then. I can always sell that , I suppose … Or perhaps I will wear it myself?”
    The other highwaymen around them laughed crudely at the villain’s comment , and Milton felt his cheeks grow scarlet.
    “No!” Milton refused , and silently he wondered over his uncharacteristic manner. Had he gone insane? He had never said ‘ no ’ or refused to obey anyone ever before in his entire life. And he had no idea why he did it now.
    “Do it!” t he highwayman said flatly , and the ominous sound when he pulled back the hammer on the flintlock gun seemed to echo in calm summer day. Everything suddenly went qui et, and everyone seemed to hold their breath.
    “Why?” Milton demanded to know. “Are you going to force me otherwise?”
    He felt slightly light-headed by acting this bold. Was this what it felt like to be possessed? Milton wondered. Really, what was he playing at? He was going to get himself killed if he continued with this! He could hear Mr Baker groan at his reply , and he did not need to glance at his driver to know that the old man was shaking his head at him.
    “Perhaps . ” T he tall man spoke in a low and husky voice and stepped closer. In one fluid motion , he had drawn his rapier , and he advanced while holding both the flintlock gun and the rapier in front of him. The sharp steel blade gleamed in the sunlight. The highwayman said slowly in a dangerous tone , “Just do as I say , and I will not hurt you.”
    Milton stifled an urge to bare his teeth. He locked eyes with the other man and looked deep into those strangely green and brown eyes, and the world seemed to slow down and exclude everyone and everything around them.
    Milton blinked several times and tried to regain his senses. Who was this man , and what was happening to him? He did