Nick cringed away from his tutor, a small bald man with narrow eyes and missing teeth. He carried a riding whip and never hesitated to hit Nick. Each of Nick’s whimpers seemed to please him.
Curling into a ball, Nick squeezed his eyes shut and tried to close his ears to the man’s words. His master would be disappointed Nick couldn’t learn his lessons the first time. Nick was useless. He’d be a blemish to his master’s family, no doubt put to death for his inadequacies.
A disappointment. Only ten years old and already nothing but a waste of time. He was a fool to think his master cared anything beyond what Nick could do for him, despite the letters sent.
Each word was punctuated with a slap of the whip until Nick was sobbing.
“Hey, hey.”
Strong hands gripped Nick and shook him gently. W
