Chords that Bind Ch. 09: Fugue

Two floors below, Cecilia was writhing in the desperation that had been so familiar during her imprisonment. She felt her muscles tighten and felt the sweat pool on her forehead and in the valley between her breasts. So close. But no matter how quickly she flicked at her erect clit, Cecilia didn't feel the climax inch any closer. The music changed, sounded different, fantastical and romantic, but it didn't calm her ardour. On the contrary, it seemed that any classical or instrumental piece was destined to trigger this response in her body.

Without realizing she was whispering aloud, Cecilia begged, "Oh please... please!" But there was no answer. It was only Cecilia in the room, driven to sexual madness, and unsure how to achieve her satisfaction. She closed her eyes, hearing the music still, but remembering the time Master had brought her to fever pitch with some sort of cream and left her to burn. That was how she felt now. She begged inside her head, "If only I could come... please, please."

The music stopped. The silence was sudden and disconcerting, and Cecilia wanted desperately for it to continue so she might reach her peak. She was panting, thrashing, ashamed that she was hoping that someone would grant permission for the orgasm she desperately needed.

Finally, as the silence left Cecilia with memories of the music she heard, she felt the faintest tremble quake her wet sex. It grew softer and softer, barely calming Cecilia, but she exhaled, mildly relieved, if not satisfied entirely. It was a disappointment, that orgasm, so gentle and weak that Cecilia almost missed it. Her climax hadn't been nearly as powerful as the ones forced on her by Master. She still felt unfulfilled desire gnawing at her from the inside. What was wrong with her? Embarrassed and ashamed, Cecilia buried herself in the bed and wept profusely, giving up her quest altogether.

James paused in his piano preparations to eat lunch, figuring he could check in on Cecilia over the meal, but she didn't come down to eat. Not wishing to pressure her to interact with him, James cleaned up his sandwich and crisps and returned to practice.

Cecilia had cried herself out. She dozed a bit, but heard the music again, her body alerting her to the music almost before her ears could. It couldn't be happening again. But it was, James was practicing his half of the Schubert Fantasie in F minor, preparing himself to join his partner when the time came to rehearse the piece jointly.

Cecilia couldn't bear anymore. She wasn't going to keep listening now that she had a choice. She didn't attempt to have another orgasm. Instead she went down to the den and grabbed a favourite classic from the shelf. Clara had told her to feel free to enjoy the library of books. Cecilia took her up on the offer. She wrapped herself in the blankets on the comfy sofa, and breathed easier in the quiet. This was so like her imprisonment before, and she didn't have the energy to break the cycle.

***

Clara returned in the evening flushed and effervescent with excitement. She was being promoted to company soloist, and was thrilled at the repertoire the ballet would be performing in the coming months. Abraham opened a bottle of bubbly to celebrate. Cecilia didn't expect to be offered a flute and was taken aback when the burly bear of a man handed it to her.

"Go on. Yes, you too! We have quite a bit to toast tonight! Not just Clara's promotion, I know we are, all three of us, very happy to see you mending so well Cecilia. Cheers! And may God Save the Queen!"

James and Clara answered back with hearty 'Huzzahs', clearly an inside joke between the three. Cecilia uttered a weak 'cheers'. Clara was insistent though, and clinked glasses with Cecilia again, "Huzzah!" she prompted, Cecilia gave into her with a "Huzzah!" of her own.

"Excellent!" Abraham rumbled

"Yes! You're one of us now." Clara agreed. A frown briefly crossed James face, but he quickly erased it in favor of a neutral countenance. Cecilia smiled at the effort Clara and Abraham made, but appreciated that James' demeanor was the reflection of her true reality.

Clara made a point of asking Cecilia about her day had gone. Cecilia completely glossed over her sexual frustration and illicit listening and responded that she had been reading a nice book and resting comfortably.

James was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Abraham and Clara were acting as if Cecilia were a stray cat they had decided to take in and adopt from the street. He had no intention of keeping her there; he was working on trying to get her back to her previous life. He decided he was going to need to speak with Cecilia, and make it clear to her that he was going to restore her to her home as soon as he was able.

Cecilia stood to clear the plates from dinner, and James did likewise, to help her. By the sink he placed his hand gently on her elbow. "Why don't you leave this for a bit? Someone else can do the dishes. I need to talk to you."

Cecilia found herself staring into James eyes for the first time since he bought her. She repressed a shiver. Lowering her eyes, Cecilia murmured, "Yes Sir."

James was caught aback by her response. He instantly wanted to taste her mouth and rake his hands through her hair. She looked so much healthier now, but he needed to set things straight, not take advantage of a girl he had helped victimize.

"Follow me then, I've got something I need you to look over."

'My rules and protocol probably', Cecilia thought. Now that they were satisfied she was healing, they were going to make their demands.

James led her to his office, the one he used at home when he had been practising law. He rarely used it now, but it had been seeing more use since he came into custody of Cecilia.

The poor girl made to kneel, but James stopped her. "No, no. Please, just use the chair, here. I have some explaining to do. And... you don't need to call me Sir or kneel or anything like that. I'm not... I'm not your master. I won't punish you or hurt you. Please, just sit and I can explain."

Cecilia was confused. Why would he try to trick her this way? He was going to hurt her. She was sure of it.

"Look, I know you have no reason to believe me, but I mean it. I promise I'm only here to help you from now on."

Cecilia was smarter than that. She wasn't going to be tricked this easily. She said nothing, not wanting to play this game with him.

"Cecilia, please, just say something."

The learning that had been so costly to Cecilia came back to her. Momentarily, she panicked that he knew she had tried to climax earlier in the day, but she pushed the guilty thoughts away and said, "I'm here to please you, Sir."

"No. Cecilia, you're not. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not your 'Sir'. I... Look, here. I've got something I need you to sign." He handed her a very official looking document. The top read: Authorization of Power of Attorney. He wanted her to sign her rights away. That was a laugh. She didn't think she had any more rights left.

When she refused to speak or react, James took a different tactic. "Cecilia, I need you to sign this. It's important. Once you sign it, I can get you amnesty here in England. Do you have a passport at all?"

"No Sir."

"You can leave off the 'sir'. I have your ID, but it's expired. Do you have any other identification?"

Cecilia shook her head.

"Now, without a passport or a visa you are in England illegally. I can't get you back to the States without those documents."

Something wasn't making sense. The blonde man who bought her was talking about bringing her back to the States, back to home. Cecilia blinked, not daring to comprehend what she thought she heard.

James continued, hoping that if he continued talking to her like this she would believe him. "There are organizations that can help you, they're set up to help women, who've been victims of trafficking, restart their lives, but without your documents, I don't want to risk you being locked up. Do you understand? If you give me power of attorney I can negotiate all of this for you. You'll be able to stay anonymous, you won't have to deal with anyone else, and I'll be able to use my connections to expedite the process.

"I've assumed the lease for your apartment in Philadelphia. That way everything will be right where you left it when you get home. I know some people at the U.S. Embassy. Sign this, so I can get your life back together for you." James was insistent. The whole thing was so confusing.

"Why? Why are you doing this? Please don't torment me with the possibility of going home. We both know you won't let me go. I cost you too much money."

James sighed. "Cecilia, I know how that looked. It had to look that way. There was no other way to get you out of there."

"Why? Why decide that?"

"Because what happened to you was the result of a very grave mistake I made. I didn't want this to happen to you or anyone, but I set it in motion. I didn't know that Lace was going to kidnap someone to sell to me as a slave, as property! When I found out what he did, what I had done, I knew I had to help you. So I'm helping in the best way that I can."

"You're lying. You bought me!" Cecilia felt anger creep under her confusion.

"I know. I did that to save you! Don't you remember the first time you saw me? When I tried to untie you? I tried to get you out immediately, but Lace wasn't having it. The auction was the only way."

"And after dropping ten million dollars on me, you're going to set me free?"

"It was 9.75 million pounds sterling actually, and you are already free. I'm not keeping you prisoner or tying you up. You have free reign to go and do whatever you like, but since you are without proper identification, I wouldn't recommend trying to leave London just yet."

Something was sinking in. "Do you mean I'll get to go home?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I mean."

James kept the desk between them the whole time, trying to treat the discussion professionally, as if Cecilia were his client. But at his words, she burst into fresh tears. James wasn't made of stone. He didn't want to cause her to cry, so he came around the desk and pat her on the shoulder, offering a handkerchief. He knelt in front of the overstuffed leather armchair. "Hush. Cecilia, look at me. Look at me, and hear what I am telling you. You're safe. It's over. It's all over, and as soon as I can, I'm going to bring you home."

James knew he had to be making the right decision, because his heart was aching. She was so beautiful and trusting, crying there in his office. He had an idea of how hard this had been on her. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how, not without sending mixed signals to himself or poor Cecilia.

Cecilia's head accounted for everything that had happened since she woke up after the auction. They had found her a doctor, had helped her recover, and made her welcome, almost as part of their family. She had been waiting for them to turn on her and abuse her anew. But now that she understood she felt sheepish and self-conscious.

"I'm sorry Sir. I'm sorry!" She gasped between sobs.

"Shhh, Cecilia, what for?"

"I- I thought you were all going to hurt me. That you had enslaved Clara, and were going to do the same thing to me. I- I tried to escape that morning. I- I thought that Clara was training me..." Cecilia was too embarrassed to continue the rest of the things she had thought.

"No. Not at all. We just want to keep you safe and get you better. You don't have to do anything you don't want. We're taking care of you until we can get you back. I promise you."

James was kneeling in front of her. His position reminded Cecilia of 'supplication', but he was prostrating to her. It was a heady feeling. There was sorrow in his eyes, Cecilia saw, now that she dared to look at him. Some of her courage returned to her. She whispered, desperately hoping that she wasn't being fooled, "Swear it?"

James bowed his head to her and took a deep breath, then solemnly returned her gaze. "Cecilia, I swear by the memory of my uncle, and all that I hold dear, that no one will hurt you ever again, and that I will bring you safely home. So help me God, I swear it."

Yes. James knew he was doing the right thing. He had a mission now, and the look of stunned disbelief on Cecilia's face was going to hold him to it. Even kneeling in front of her, and reassuring her, James felt her surrender, her trust, and her fear. He felt powerful for the first time since this whole wretched business had started. James was not going to let her down.

He wanted to brush the hair back that had matted against her tearstained cheeks, hold her until her body, as well as her mind, believed that she was safe. Instead he stood up, and pushed the documents towards Cecilia.

"Do you trust me? Do you believe in me enough to sign this?"

She nodded but didn't speak. James tentatively held out his fountain pen, waiting for her to give him the power he needed to help her. Her hand took it, trembling, praying that this wasn't a dream or a trap, and in elegant script signed, 'Cecilia Alejandra Lavigne'.

James breathed a sigh of relief. It was done. He shouldn't have to be alone with her again after this. He had everything he needed to right what he could of the injustices done to Cecilia. He had her sign one more sheet, this one agreeing to let James sponsor her amnesty.

There was a knock on the door, and James was thrilled to move on. "Thank you," he murmured to Cecilia as he let Abraham and Clara in. They took a glance at Cecilia's drying tears and had very different reactions. Clara rushed to Cecilia's side, completing the job of comforting that James hadn't finished. Abraham gave James a searching look, and motioned James out of the room and into the hallway.

"What happened?" Abraham was concerned and James felt the unspoken accusation.

"She knows she's safe now. I got her permission to act as her lawyer. I'll be able to get her home soon."

"She didn't believe you?"

"I'm not sure she does yet. She was convinced Clara was your slave, that we were trying to entrap her... but I think she wants to believe she's safe."

Abraham's face softened. "Ah. Good. Going to send her home then?"

"Not yet. She hasn't got a passport or a visa. I'm going to have to get her amnesty here, and then get a passport and visa from the U.S. Embassy. If I do it on her behalf, they shouldn't take her in for questioning... I know a few people."

Abraham nodded, but knitted his eyebrows. "She didn't want to stay?"

"STAY? Are you mad? I didn't ask her. She doesn't want to be here, she wants to be home. She's not a pet Abraham! She's-"

"Lower your voice or she'll hear you."

James lowered his voice again. "She's my responsibility to keep safe until I can get her back where she belongs."

"Okay, okay," Abraham put his hands up, not pushing the issue. "I just wondered... I mean, I know that you... had an attraction to her... I thought maybe..."

"You're mental!" James was exasperated. He turned to leave, to barricade himself in the studio with his records and Steinway, but Abe grabbed a hold of him.

"I'm sorry. Forget I mentioned it, but don't you think it's better if you don't seclude yourself? Clara and I were going to ask if you two wanted dessert... She made some sabayon, and wanted to celebrate a bit more. And I don't think we should leave Cecilia alone right now either."

James sighed. He let Clara drag him and Cecilia back into the kitchen for the dessert she prepared.