05

A noise alerted him that the serf’s wife had returned. He twisted around, fully expecting to find the third daughter resembling her fair-haired siblings, but was stunned to find that the woman presented to him was none other than the dark-haired nymph he had encountered at the edge of the forest, and in that moment, he felt the tug and pull of a gratifying grin.

Elle wanted to be brave in the presence of the ruthless Don Rossetti, but was daunted by the air of distinction and menace she felt radiating from his presence.

« Your lordship – «  she heard her father announce with a tremor, «  – this is my youngest, Elle. »

Her heart skipped a solid beat at the scrape of his boots, and somewhere within her mind an alarming bell chimed with ominous recognition. Her mouth parted and a hitched, tremulous breath escaped her.

« Tell me, Duncan, why you deemed it necessary to conceal your daughter from me ? »

Elle paled beneath that velvety, masculine pitch as panic slithered down her spine like icy, skeletal fingers. Nay. How could she have not known ? She had been alone with the Rossetti Beast ? He had been the one conversing so casually of kissing her ? Her heart all but accelerated tenfold, pushing short, fleeting breaths from her lungs as her knees threatened to buckle out of fear.

Her father cleared his throat nervously, « She is different, my lord. I did not think she could serve you well as oppose to my elder daughters. »

Elle winced as if struck. Her father had never openly addressed her blindness and though she imagined it was meant to thwart Rossetti ; his insensitive remark essentially implied that she was useless – and it stung. She felt belittled and though matters of vanity had never concerned her before, a small voice at the back of her mind couldn’t help but wonder if Rossetti found her becoming in the slightest. The village men had never pursued her, not like her sisters, they were the pretty ones. She was the village oddity ; the plain one. What man, even one as frightening and fearsome as the Rossetti Beast, would find her comely ?

Yet, somehow she sensed her father’s thoughtless comment had struck an angry chord in Rossetti. She felt a sudden shift in the air, a darkening tide of bristling anger that emanated from him like an imminent flaring of flames.

« Mayhap I should relieve you of your burden then, » he snarled ominously.

Elle’s heart sank until she felt it’s deadening weight in her belly. She felt Rossetti’s eyes on her and rather than unleash the tears stabbing at the back of her eyes, she pursued her mouth to still its trembling.

« My lord, I beseech you, please do not take my daughter, » her father pleaded, « I cannot bear to part with her. »

« You cannot bear to part with her ? » Rossetti sneered. « But you readily insult her ? »

« S-she is my youngest, » her father murmured dejectedly.

« And clearly your heart, » Rossetti grumbled harshly. « So, I will claim her to pay your debt to me. »

Cora let out a cry and hastened forward to embrace Elle.

« M-may I inquire as to how long, your lordship ? »

« When I feel that your debt is paid in full, Duncan. I will return your daughter when I see fit. »

« My lord, excuse my frankness, but is there not another way – « 

A menacing and otherworldly growl arose from Rossetti’s throat as he stalked forward, « You forget yourself, Duncan. We had an agreement, one which I fulfilled sparing no expense. However and whichever means I choose to see your debt settled, is my decision solely, understood ? »

Gareth bowed his head and gave a begrudging nod. « Aye, forgive me, your lordship. »

« See to your farewells, » Rossetti muttered gravely before stalking out into the night.

Her mother managed to gather some of her belongings, stuffing them into a leather satchel. Elle felt numb inside as she pressed a kiss to her mother’s tear-laden cheek and then turned to hug her sisters. When it came to bidding her father goodbye, she could do no more than envelop him stiffly. She knew he hadn’t meant offense, but his words had left a residual sting on her heart.

As her mother led her outside, the night air seemed colder and harsher against her face. She shivered within her cloak as she clutched at its edges. Her ears burning once more with the rustling of flagrant whispers roused from villagers gathering nearby, likely to catch a glimpse of the Rossetti Beast.

« It is him ! It is the beast ! » a man exclaimed alarmingly, rousing a tide of tangible fear and panic as a collective amount of hushed tones and gasps carried to Elle’s ears.

« Surely Duncan is not permitting this ! » a woman interjected from the crowd, « William, you must stop this ! » she implored.

Elle recognized the older couple as Rowena and William Harcourt. William worked alongside her father in the fields and Rowena dabbled with herbs and medicine. They were a sensible couple and had always been kind to her – but like all the others, had kept their distance.

« God’s teeth, woman, what would you have me do ? » William asked with a hint of incredulity and apprehension. « There is naught we can do for the lass. »

« We shan’t let him take her ! Just what will that poor girl suffer at his hands ? » Rowena insisted, stirring other voices to mirror her concern.

« Your wife is right, William, there are more than enough men here to overthrow the beast ! Is their not strength in numbers ? » Elle recognized the younger man’s voice from earlier. It was Abram. « Let’s put an end to his tyranny ! » he shouted, his voice carrying raucously over the assemblage of voices.

A simultaneous round of murmurs, both concurring and opposing, circulated the crowd. Words like monstrous and vicious falling subsequently on the air.

« Confound it, lad ! » William snapped, « Don’t be a fool ! Abandon that notion at once before you get us all killed ! »

« It isn’t right, William, » Rowena’s voice came again but this time her conviction was half-hearted, having a good sense of fear.

« Rowena – «  William growled in warning and at last, his wife acquiesced him, deserting Elle to her fate.

« Let him take the plain Duncan ! Better her than any of us ! »

« Aye ! » several voices cried in earnest.

Elle blanched ; her mouth slackening with disbelief. Their forsaking her was the equivalent of a slap, and for a moment, her expression gave way to heartbreak. There was no one that would fight for her. They had all abandoned her ; eager to forfeit her, the village oddity, in lieu of them.

She hardened her expression, quickly rivaling the tears that threatened to undo her ; the trembling of her lower lip being the only breach in her composure before she managed to rein it back.

« You cowards ! » Abram bellowed with a bloodthirstiness that made Elle flinch. « Now is the time to fight ! »

An ominous peal of rustic laughter rang out before Rossetti’s voice thundered above the rising chaos, the rage and challenge in his gruff tone unmistakable, « Do you think it wise to rise against me ? Do you think to draw your blades or mayhap instill propriety in me ? Your efforts are in vain, but by all means, I implore you to try. »

Elle’s heart plummeted at the warning as a frightened breath snagged in her throat. With some of the villagers’ opinions voiced aloud, it put her current plight into perspective. What dreaded fate awaited her while in Lord Rossetti’s possession ? Did he intend to harm her ? Did he expect her to share his bed ?