by Vi Carter
Before I can answer him, he raises his hand. “To keep people in line, otherwise chaos would descend and with chaos comes a collapse of the community. It’s like a vicious dog, you must keep a tight hold on the leash, only let him go so far and hold it tight, but never release him.”
Is he comparing us young girls to vicious dogs? I don’t comment. I don’t think he wants me to anyway. He continues his lecture that is surely going to lead back to me fighting with Sandra. My stomach hollows with the thought of leaving.
“During this race for my son’s hand, there are rules.” He pauses and I nod.
He smiles. “If you put your hand on someone you are disqualified and sent home. We have a very clear example of this with Vicky, Who hurt you, and my son had her removed instantly.”
My heart skyrockets.
“If you threaten someone’s life, you are disqualified and sent home with no compensation package.”
Compensation package? I had no idea any of us got one.
Lucas’s father exhales loudly like he’s been pondering, but he hasn’t, this is rehearsed, he knows the end result. I just wish he got to it.
“So how do you plead Ella?”
Here it is, he is offering me an out as such. I want to take it, but what am I going back to? My mother? I will never see Lucas again. Will I get to say goodbye?
“I threatened her,” I answer honestly and look away from Lucas’s father with his gleeful smile.
“I know you did. I heard you. You aren’t stupid enough to lie to me.” His words grow harsher as he steps closer to me.
“You might think you have my son's protection Ella, but you don’t.”
I open my mouth to respond, ready to disagree. I had never thought for one second I had Lucas’s protection.
“I’m not looking for an answer.” His raised voice roots me to the spot. “You were also re-tested after being found with Alex?”
Fire flames across my chest and up my neck. Not this again. “Yes,” I answer.
“The results?” He raises a brow. He knows the results, why is he making me say it.
“I didn’t do anything.” I hate the quiver in my voice.
It’s a split second and Lucas’s father is in front of me. The sting of his gloves across my face has saliva pooling in my mouth. He steps back, it happens so fast. The air catches in my lungs. He just struck me.
“You have no manners. You’re like a petulant child. You must answer me with Yes, Master Andrew. The fact I even have to correct you on this is annoying.”
My hand touches my throbbing cheek and my vision blurs with tears. “Sorry, Master Andrew.”
He releases a heavy sigh and I’m questioning if he just did that. Did he really just hit me? My burning face confirms he did.
“Why were you late to the meal the night you made a mess at the table?”
My brain is scrambling. My burning face takes up too much. I try to push it down. “I got lost in the maze, Master Andrews.”
His smile is cruel. “And I am just to take your word for it that you weren’t with Alex again?”
I tighten my fists at what he is saying. I look away from him before he sees my anger. Focus, Ella, I tell myself.
“Of course not, Master Andrew.” I look up at him now. “Henry found me in the maze, he can vouch for me.” Jesus, I hope he did, but he is the only other person who saw me that day.
“Henry?” He seems surprised.
“Yes,” I bite out and his head snaps up to me, anger filling his eyes. A bolt of fear shoots through me. “Master Andrew.” I quickly correct myself.
“What will I do with you?” He’s taken a step closer to me. I can’t look away from the gloves he holds in his hands. My body is tight, waiting for him to strike out.
“I’m asking you a question.”
Sweat has gathered at the back of my neck and I want to scratch it but I don’t dare move. “I will get packing, Master Andrew. I did after all threaten Sandra.”
His laugh is harsh. “Oh, Ella. I’m not sending you home.”
My confusion overflows my system and my body grows heavy with a need to sit.
“You are the leash that I need to keep my vicious dog in line. He favors you, I see it. Everyone does. Personally, I don’t see why he would pick you.”
His words have my heart lifting at the acknowledgment that Lucas favors me, but also crashing at what he is saying.
“But, Alas, here we are. I will punish you for threatening Sandra and for being disrespectful on several occasions.”
I want to ask what my punishment will be but I hold still, trying to focus over the blood pounding in my ears.
He slowly places his gloves back on. “So here is my warning.” He looks up and smiles softly.
“Play nice.” He closes the distance and I lock my legs so I don’t instinctively step back. He’s glaring at me, his eyes roaming my face like he’s searching for something.
“Yes, Master Andrew.” My words have the desired effect. He steps back, turns on his heel and leaves my room.
In my bathroom mirror my face is raw, red from the slap. Taking a washcloth I run it under cold water, my hands shake as I try to complete the simple task without dropping it. Pushing the cold cloth against my face, the relief is almost instant. Water drops along the sleeves of my jumper, but I don’t care. I place the cloth under the cold water again before placing it back on my face. I stay at the sink and keep cooling my face down until the cold starts to pinch my skin. I refuse to meet my eyes in the mirror. I refuse to let what just happened sink in.
I didn’t want to give him any more power over me. This is my choice, what I do with this moment-and right now-I decide to bury it along with all my other moments.
I change my top and take my hair down, letting it cover my swollen cheek.
Everyone is at breakfast when I enter the dining room. I know it will take a lot to act normal. But he won’t win. I won’t hide. This is my way of standing up to him.
Talk ceases as I enter and I look up, refusing to be leashed. Sandra’s cheeks redden at the sight of me. She must have thought I was gone, and I use my little moment of victory and I smile at her. The pain in my cheek ignites at the movement.
“Sorry I’m late,” I tell Hannah who’s staring at my face and I shake my head and hope she can see the pleading in my eyes not to ask.
Surprisingly, she doesn’t and we get through breakfast like it was any other morning.
After breakfast I stick close to Hannah. I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts. She seems very distant today and I wonder if she’s worrying about my face. Jessie hasn’t said much either and now I wonder if something happened to them for being my friend.
“Are you okay?” I ask Hannah as we settle into the drawing room. I have no idea where Sandra, Mary and Bernie are. I’m just glad they aren’t here.
“Yes,” Hannah lies.
Jessie rolls her eyes. “Dear God, just tell her Hannah.”
My stomach twists as I look at Hannah. Oh, no. Dread pools in my shoes as she looks up at me. Please don’t tell me he hurt her. I keep repeating in my head.
“My date with Lucas is today.”
I let out a half laugh on a heavy breath with relief. “Stop worrying and enjoy it.” I give her a real smile and her lips tug up, her blue eyes widening.
“Thanks Ella.” She hugs me and when I meet Jessie’s eyes she isn’t smiling.
“You want to tell us now about your face?”
I’m more grounded now, so I keep my smile on as I think of Hannah and Jessie being safe.
“I’m embarrassed, but since you both are my friends.” I sit down with a smile. “I tripped over a floor full of clothes.” I hold up my hands.
“Clumsy is not the word.”
Hannah buys it and starts laughing. Jessie smiles, but she’s not completely convinced.
“I went to your room last night after the whole Sandra thing but you were asleep,” Hannah says when she stops laughing �
��and it was a mess.”
“Yeah, Master Andrew kept us talking until I wanted to shove a bread roll into his mouth to shut him up.”
I grin at Jessie, I wouldn’t mind shoving a few more in his mouth too. I’m sure they would fit.
I keep my mind focused on the here and now as we chat. I don’t let it drift off to the dark corner of my mind. My smile widens as I strengthen my resolve. I am not going there. No, I am staying here with my friends even if it lasts only a little while.
CHAPTER NINTEEN
LUCAS
I have spent the last few days going through the member’s records. I found a Sorcha Newtown, but nothing much about her. She was married with one child, her family donated five million to the community. But nothing about her death, no details at all about a missing finger. I’ve locked myself away, hoping to keep my distance from Ella. Each day it’s getting harder. Having Mark giving me updates has kept me from going to her.
She is safe.
I pick up another old leather bound book and flip it open. The pages are surprisingly fresh. Everything is handwritten and curvaceous making it hard to read.
It is a list of rules. Some of them are laughable. If you are caught stealing from a member of the elite community, you lose a hand. If you steal from your own neighbor, it’s a full thirty seconds on the electric chair-unless that member is from the elite community-therefore, it reverts back to the first rule and you lose your hand. Putting your hand on an elite, you also lose a limb. I flicker through it, my stomach twisting. These could still be enforced if we wanted to.
I couldn’t imagine that these specific rules are in the ladies’ contracts. A reference to the rules in the smallest of prints is what I imagine. I stop turning the pages when I make out the word finger.
If one is found to be unfaithful to their spouse, they will be given two minutes on the electric chair followed by the removal of their wedding finger.
I’m re-reading it, making sure I have it correct. My mind skips back to Declan’s wake. His hands had been perfectly arranged, but if you looked closely, you could see the slight gap. It was his wedding finger too.
Both Sorcha Newtown and Declan were having affairs. Both lost their ring fingers, but why are both of them dead? Why did someone see fit to kill them?
Closing the book, I don’t get up from the desk in the small room where all the files, rules and history of our community are kept. Getting up, I take out Declan’s file. There is no mention of his tattoo or how he died. I’m surprised to see they mentioned his finger, but not which one was missing.
I pause at the noise of someone outside the door. My heart palpitates and as quietly as I can, I put the file back and the book back, just in time as the door opens. My relief is short- lived as Mark steps into the room. There is something precarious in his eyes that has my full attention.
“Master Lucas, I have word on your father.”
My heart crashes against my chest. Mark’s skin has whitened and I’m tempted to grab him by the collar of his shirt.
“He visited Ella.”
I don’t move. I don’t breathe.
Mark purses his lips. “I’m not comfortable reporting on him.”
I react quickly pushing the table aside and I hold firm not touching him. “Tell me everything.”
“As far as I can gather, she threatened Sandra’s life.”
Trepidation drips slowly into my bloodstream and feeds my fear. What is the punishment for threatening another lady?
“So he had a word with her about it, I’m not sure what transpired but he struck her.”
The blood freezes in my veins.
“Master Lucas, you should…” I’m out the door with Mark on my heels. “Think about what you are doing, this isn’t wise.”
I pause and I’m so close to hitting him. “Be quiet.”
He’s stiff as I turn to him, but he stops following me.
I can’t allow any thoughts or feelings to enter my system. My goal is to get to my father. That’s it. I don’t see the space around me as I move, my footfalls are as quick as my heartbeat. I find him in the main library. His smile is quick when he sees me. It’s not a smile that you give to a son you love, it’s a smile of victory like he knows what he has done. My steps falter and I breathe for the first time. Mark's words about this not being wise are at the forefront of my mind. I want to let him know he is right about Ella, but it would put her more in his line of sight. My hands tighten, but he struck her. He put his hands on her.
“Is there something the matter, son?” His taunting tone should be my indicator that he is toying with me, but I eliminate the space between us.
“You put your hands on her.” The words are low as I try to reel in some of the darkness that floats around me. My father pauses what he is doing.
His smile is gone. The deadness in his eyes would terrify me on any given day, but today, I’m beyond the consequences.
“She’s off limits.” My voice remains low, if it rises I fear I will snap.
“You don’t give me orders.”
My resolve liquifies onto the floor and I grip his neck, his eyes widen in shock.
“She’s off limits,” I repeat.
He removes my hand from his neck. The shock passes quickly. “I did you a favor, she should have been punished for her actions.” He steps away from me, and rightfully so. “She may still be punished.”
He’s toying with me. I could play along to a lot of his games, but just not this one.
Not her.
“I’ll marry Sandra. I’ll be the leader you want me to be. But, she has to be left alone or I won’t make this easy.”
His lips quirk up. “She will have to be punished for threatening Sandra’s life.”
I’m already shaking my head. “No. There will be no deal. She is to be left alone.”
“How will it look to the other girls?” My father doesn’t really care how it will look.
“I’m sure you can think of something to say.”
His smile is gone as he takes a step back to me, but he still keeps his distance. The red mark around his neck looks starker now. “Fine, she won’t be punished.”
I’m not satisfied. I want his blood for touching her. He must see the hunger in my eyes for violence.
“You do know, and I’m only telling you this so you can control yourself better, that her family is now bankrupt.”
I take a step closer. “I don’t care, she’s off limits.”
“I’m trying to educate you, son.”
I don’t respond. I don’t care what he says, his words are twisted and dipped in his own personal venom.
“Her father killed himself to clear all their debts, but suicide isn’t an insurable death, so her mother was left with the bills. Ella has been groomed for you, for your statue in this community, for your money.”
Her father took his life. Oh, Ella. His words annihilate any calm I had and I’m fueled with a new anger. He is breaking down my walls to the darkest part of me.
“I don’t care. She’s to be left alone.” I feel powerful for the first time when I see fear widen his eyes. He tries to bounce back, he tries to smile, but it’s wobbly.
I don’t hear the knock at the door, I don’t know how many times George has called me, but my father stares over my shoulder.
“Master Lucas, Master Andrew.” He nods to my father.
I can’t speak or the anger will flow right out of me and George isn’t my target.
“Your date is ready and waiting.” He bows quickly and leaves.
Date, I have a date with Hannah now. Some of my anger deflates but ignites as I glance back at my father.
I know I will be punished for my outburst today, for putting my hands on him. According to the books I could lose my hand, but I can’t stay quiet.
“She will be left alone?” I repeat.
I need to hear him say it. There is a lull that I want to pack with anger, but my father turns his back on me.
; “She will be left alone.” He walks to his desk and sits down, when he looks up at me his composure is back and anger swells in his dark eyes.
“But you will be punished.”
I nod, I accept that. “Yes, Master Andrew.”
His lips curl up and he bends his head and continues on with his paperwork like we just had a father, son chat.
***
The picnic has been set out in the same spot as all my other dates. Only this time I don’t mind being in Hannah’s company. She eats the grapes slowly as she looks around her. When her eyes land on me she coughs, her cough turns into a choking noise and she reaches for a drink and gulps it down. When I reach her, she’s red in the face but breathing.
“That grape really got stuck.” Her voice quivers as she glances up at me.
I sit down and try to calm all the wrong in me. “I’m glad it’s unstuck.”
Her smile is like a 100-watt bulb. Her eyes are wide and sky blue. She has an innocence about her that I like. Her friendship with Ella is real. She couldn’t fake it and Ella needs a friend right now. I pour myself a glass of water and refill Hannah’s.
“It’s a beautiful day, Master Lucas.” Hannah sips her water.
I can’t stop the tug at my lips. She is so nervous. “I don’t bite,” I say.
She gives a nervous laugh. “Well, I don’t taste very good.” She quickly slaps a hand over her mouth, her face inflames. “I didn’t mean it like, you had said bite and...” She rolls her eyes.
I know there is nothing sexual about her reference. This time I allow Hannah’s temperament to ease my shoulders and I smile.
“Speak freely Hannah.”
She removes her hand from her mouth and smiles widely. Picking up a small sandwich she starts to eat.
“I think you need to marry Ella and not Sandra.”
I’m surprised at how freely she speaks. But I don’t smile and she stops chewing her sandwich.
“Why is that?” I ask.
She’s smiling again. “Ella is kind, caring and beautiful. She’s pretty funny too.”