He knew it would be fully equipped for handling ill-disciplined slaves and so he had pictured Catherine being bucked and gagged, or maybe hung by her thumbs or fastened to a cart wheel … any of the options quite frankly turned his stomach. She had become a target for so much hatred, scorn and ridicule. This time he definitely wasn’t expecting any answers. Willing to tell us anything and everything if only we’ll stop hurting you. He knew what the block was. After the initial shock of seeing the Mistress in this condition, mutterings among the slaves began. My feet, my legs, they hurt too much …”
“Who told you to stand?” he said, “I’m sure I didn’t. “Coded messages Gen’l, the little bitch … I mean, Miss McCown, must have been colluding with the enemy Sir.”
The General felt sick. The watching audience gasped in unison. His appetite for this was voracious … but since the war he had not had the opportunity, until now that is! Sampson’s eyes shifted from the girl to Sergeant Oak, noting the surprise in his face.
