Free The Baron's Bounty by Elizabeth Rose

from the iron holder in the stone wall.
    Isobel was so frightened that she couldn’t speak or even move. Then the man reached out and grabbed her tightly by the shoulders and shook her.
     
    Isobel screamed out and opened her eyes to see Baron Conlin standing to the side of the tub, his hands on her shoulders, shaking her.
    “Let go o’ me!” She pushed his hands away and backed up to the edge of the tub, hiding her nakedness with her arms crossed over her bosom.
    “My lady, you fell asleep and I didn’t want you to sink below the water, as I know how much it means to you to keep your head above the surface lately.”
    Isobel looked around and saw what looked like some of the baron’s dockmen bringing one of her trunks into the room. Water dripped out from the sides, and the trunk seemed very heavy, as it took two men just to move it.
    “Put this around you before you give my entire crew a show they’ll never forget.” Conlin held up a large drying cloth to block the view as she stood and did as he commanded.
    “Och, is thet all?” She felt thankful it wasn’t someone coming to kill her. Or at least she’d hoped it was all only a dream.
    “What frightened you, my lady?” Conlin dismissed the men and closed the door.
    She tied the drying cloth around her and ran to her trunk. “’Twas naught but a dream.”
    “This was the only trunk that matched your description. So I am guessing this was one of yours?”
    “Aye,” she said with a smile. “I had three, but this one is the only one thet really matters. It’s the largest o’ the three.”
    “I’m sorry we couldn’t have found them all. I hope you have some valuables in there.”
    “Very much so,” she said, flipping the latches and opening the lid. Water gushed out and she jumped backwards and laughed.
     
    Conlin liked the sound of Isobel’s laugh. It was a cross between the twitter of a bird and those small bells on the jester’s shoes. This was the first time that he’d seen the girl smile, and it was a blinding smile indeed. Her rosebud lips turned up to reveal a mouthful of straight white teeth. Her hazel eyes held a newfound life in them as she looked down into the trunk. Her level of excitement made him wonder if there were perhaps gold coins in the trunk or valuable jewels. Whatever was inside, it must be worth plenty, just seeing the girl’s reaction.
    “You seem happy to see your belongings.”
    “I am elated they werena lost at sea.” She kneeled down, almost losing her covering in the process, but didn’t seem to care. She reached into the trunk, and from his position, all Conlin could see was her smile. The lid of the trunk was up in the air and blocking his view. Curious, he stepped to one side, walking to the front of the trunk eager to see his new bounty, but stopped in his tracks when he saw what was inside.
    “Bid the devil, is this some kind of bad jest?” He stood staring at a trunk filled to the brim with . . . shoes. Tall boots, short boots, elite slippers embroidered with colored thread and even thick wooden pattens – the shoes that were worn over others in bad weather, were all inside. They were all soaking wet, and there looked to be a good amount of water in the bottom of the trunk as well. The shoes were packed in tightly, piled atop each other, and it looked like enough shoes to cover the feet of half the occupants of his castle.
    “Thank God, me shoes survived.” She grabbed several in each hand, not caring that they smelled like wet leather. She brought them to her mouth and actually – kissed the damned things.
    “What is the meaning of this?” Conlin didn’t understand at all. “Where are your gowns and where are my gold coins and jewels?”
    She stood up, still holding onto the shoes, and looked at him blankly. “I suppose me gowns and jewels and even the coins I brought with are nestled at the bottom of the sea. But it doesna matter, I have what I need now.”
    She smiled when she said it, and it