Bittersweet Endeavors (36 page)

“Pray tell
, my man, what have you done to your face?”

“Anvil,” Anne
quietly reprimanded
, and was
shocked by her husband’s brazenness.

“T
is
quite all right, Mrs. Preston.”  Zachary
raised one hand to his cheek and
touch
ed
the white linen that covered the wound.  Beneath the table, he reached
out with his other hand
and wrapped his fingers tightly around hers. 
He
squeezed
hard
—
painfully
hard. 

To
Myra
’s horror, Zachary removed the bandage right at the table!  The five dist
inct lines of red
lacerations
that
damag
ed
his face se
nt
gasps
stirring
around the table
, a
s
well as
s
tares
set
on
her.

“
‘Twould
seem
I didn’t expect
my new wife to be
so spirited behind closed doors
,” he gri
nned.  “For such a timid
chit
in usual appearance, she’
s quite
a
siren once
alone in the comforts of our private chambers.
”

Myra
shifted her eyes
and
glimpse
d
at
Seth.  His eyes closed as if
he tried
to shut out the
idea
Zachary vividly
presented
, and when she considered
her untamed passions whil
st
making love to
Seth, he’
d
surely
believe
the
tale. 
Didn’t
she le
ave
similar, less degree marks upon his back?
  
Before another thought took form,
Myra
’s attention
went toward
Margaret
who rose
from her chair.
  She
had
tried
to be discreet
w
hen
quitting the room
, but
her weeps of pain
wasn’t
quashed by her delicate hand. 
Poor Margaret.
Myra
wondered if
she’d ever forgive her.
 

“
Surely
this isn’t proper talk
whilst we sup
…
or
anywhere else,
Zachary
”
Myra
admonished.

“Why, of course,
my sweet
.  Where are my manners?”  He feigned regret
and
a
smile
taunt
ed
toward
Seth
as Zachary stared at him
.  “It’s just that once Anvil
broached the
subject, I couldn’t think of anything other than the truth for explanation.  I apologize, my dear ladies.” 
H
e nodded his apology to
Anna Preston and her daughters as he rose from
his seat. 
Beneath the table, h
is fingers still grasped
Myra
’s hand in a firm grip.  “Well, with that
most pleasing
thought in mind,” he
said suggestively,
and
he
held a
smirk
on
his face
that aimed at Seth
. 
“I think we shall take our leave early this evening.  May
hap
I can see what da
mage my dear wife can inflict
on my other cheek.
”

Seth
abruptly
stood
.  H
is
tightly closed
fists
slammed down on the table’s edge and t
he whites of his knuckles pressed through into view
.  The delicate framed chair that once sat beneath him flew to the floor in
a
loud clatter.

“Do you
take
issue
with
me taking
my wife
home
?” he
pressed,
and e
ncouraged Seth onward to make
argument.
“Of course, as you know, we’re still
newly
wed
ded
and thi
s is the time we embark alone
on getting to know each other much better. 
Tis a
surprise I talked her out of leaving the wedding bed so soon
to join you all tonight.
”

Tears formed in
Myra
’s eyes and she fought the urge to shout denials
at
Zachary’s hurtful words, but
if she interfered, she feared she would
make
matters worse for Seth.
  Seth turned and looked at her, and after
she
silent
ly
plea
ded
for him to
end the quarrel
, he turned around and exited the dining hall. 

“Apparently he has no objections,” Zachary laughed.

“Frederickson, I’d like to have a word in private be
fore you take your leave
.”

“Certainly
,
I’
ll
have a word with my wife first and then I’ll meet you in your study
.”

Anvil nodded
but his
a
nger
lingered
with
in his faded blue eyes.  Zachary led
Myra
out through the doors and onto the terrace.
 
When the doors shut behi
nd them,
Myra
prepared to let
loose all her anger. 

“How dare you say such foul lies?”

“Would you
rather
have Seth Preston belie
ve
that
you’
re waiting
and
pining away for him?  Is that your preference?”  His hand rose to her throat and
he
clasped down tight.  “As I’ve twice warned, you’ll not befool me!”

“I’ve done what you
’ve
asked.  I
didn’t speak
to Seth this entire evening and haven’t even looked upon him.  Why
do you need
to be so cruel?” 

She pulled
back
and freed herself
of
his hold
.  She walked to the balcony and
gripped
her hands tightly across the edge.  The calm, crisp air of the night didn’t help to cool her anger.

“Why come tonight? 
Was it
your purpose
to
badger
Seth?”

“I’ll
not
have
any
mistake in his eyes
,
o
r that of this community
,
to whom
you belong,
Myra
.”

“I do not belong to anyone,
least of all
you!  You can berate Seth privately or publically, but
it shan’t
change the fact that I
love him,” she shamelessly admitted. 

Myra
pushed herself
away from the balcony
and
whirl
ed
around and face
d
him. “You may own me by name
and contract
, Zachary, but you’ll never own me by heart!”
             

If not for being in the Preston’s home,
he
would
have
beaten her. 
It was
their
location
in the Preston home
that gave her the courage
that
she voiced
the truth. 

“Tonight, I’ll make you regret those words,
Myra
.  I promise you th
at,” he said gently.  Too gently.  It raised the fine hairs
on the back of her neck
,
but
she
didn’t
regret her word
s
. 

“Seth Preston is
set to
marry
Cassandra next month,
Myra
.  Tis
time you realize that
whatever was between you and him
is
now
over
.  You may as well succumb to me.”

Seth is marrying Cassandra?
  She shouldn’t be surprised but
it came as a
hard
blow
. 
She
wasn’t sure how
much more heartache she could
endure
. 

“I must speak with Anvil now.  I’ll return shortly, but until then, I
want you to remain here
,
and alone
.  Once we’
re home, I’ll show you to who
m
you belong, my dearest.”

Myra
turned her back from him and looked over the ledge of the stone terrace wall. 
She
raised her eyes and beheld
the dark sky
.  A
storm brewed and thunder rumbled the sky
, but it
did
n’t
mask
the sound of Zachary’s departure as he slammed the door
shut
behind him. 

Although
he had left, Myra lungs ached for a full
breath
, but h
er heart pounded
so
wildly in her chest
that
she
felt the air choke her.  There was
no stopping him now.  He’
d take her to his bed
, and no matter what
amount of
protest, she’
d
not be able to fend him off.   Her hands went to her face and she
rubbed
away
the tears that streamed down
her cheeks
. 

All strength left her
.  She
felt
weak
and
too much a coward to help
herself, let alone her sister and
Lucia
, too
.  Who was she fooling?  T
he more she tried, the more
hurt
she caused
those around her.  Who’d be next? 
Myra
looked over the
balcony
.  Mindless of anythi
ng other than her need to flee
Zachary’s
vengeful hand
and Seth’s pending marriage to Cassandra
, s
he
lifted
herself
atop
the ledge of the stone rail.

She’
d
have her escape
.

Watching
the
scene below his bedroom terrace
enraged Seth
.  When he saw Zachary’s hand wrap
ped
around
Myra
’s neck, he wanted to beat the
contemptible
man to death with his bare hands
and c
hoke him until his life’s bl
ood drained from his face.  He
wished the two of them spoke louder so he
had
a better
gist as to what their argument entailed.  Th
e
question
wrapped
around his
thoughts until he saw
Myra
’s intent once Zachary left. 

He didn’t think
it possible to jump the height from the upper terrace to the one below without causing breakage to one’s neck, but
he didn’t care about the consequences
.  H
e
had to
prevent
Myra
from making
a
grave mistake.
 
Seconds seemed like hours as Seth lowered himself o
ver the edge onto the
spacious
terrace
below
.  He prayed he
would
make it to her in time.