Mirror Walker

Chapter 9

ONCE she stepped back into the house, she numbly walked over to the hanger, allowing her cloak to limply fall from her shoulders and into her arms before she hung it up. What Elias had told her still rung heavy in her mind, the meeting with Lord Millard relaying again and again in an endless cycle as she tried to recall exactly what they had spoken about. He hadn't asked her about any personal affairs, then again, he must have known that she wouldn't have an answer for him even if he did. But she owned part of the estate?

She was written into the settlement.

Swallowing coarsely, her fingers wrapped even tighter on the red fabric, not letting go despite it being neatly settled on the wooden peg, feeling the little elasticity that it had stretch out and stiffen under her viscous hold. Why had he done it? Why had he agreed to write her in? As the heir, his approval was necessary, approval which obviously she never dreamed he would provide. Yet here they were, part of the land promised to her, and Lord Millard's intentions suddenly as clear as day.

It was not for love.

It was not for companionship, it was not out of devotion nor attraction, though he did seem pleased with her looks. No, this was a business transaction. She was merely a bargaining chip to be swung in front of his face, a piece of meat for a hungry dog to snap at. How could they do this to her? How could her own mother degrade her to nothing more than a source of profit, a cash grab?

Were they really in such trouble?

Though the anger fumed through her ears, burning hot on her cheeks, there was a sense of doubt that didn't fully allow her to explode with the rage and betrayal that she felt. Surely, her mother wouldn't do this to her over nothing. If they were so desperate as to use her like a pathetic pawn in their chess game, then their situation must be bad. Elias downplayed it, but the worry was clear on his face.

"Well?" she flinched when Lady Elwood's voice echoed through the empty hall, the clacks of her shoes abruptly becoming audible as Charlie whipped to her with nothing but panic running up her throat.

How should she feel? Should she be angry? Sad? Should she scream or should she cry?

However, her mother anxiously watched her, twirling her fingers around each other in a nervous haste to receive an answer, the shame behind her eyes only just visible, or at least, she hoped there was some remorse in that twisted soul of hers, "How was it? Did it go well?"

She could feel the familiar strangle round her neck, the instinct to cry wrenching her chest into that horrid, recognisable pain of despair that made her voice quiver, all resolve to fight losing her as she passively nodded, "It... it was... fine..."

The relief was plain to see when Lady Elwood's frame sagged and she beamed, "Well that's good. I will set up another meeting-"

"No!" hearing the break in her voice, the desperation vividly etched in her tone, made her eyes widen with alarm, realising that the refusal had been too hasty. But she couldn't meet with him again. Her mouth went dry, and legs locked with fright as she remembered Elias' severe warning, he'd told her not to, he'd ordered her. For once, she agreed with him, "I-I mean... I still need some time to process... and think."

"Was there something wrong?" she took a step towards her, making Charlie shrink back while avoiding her concerned stare.

How could she act so kind after so brutally stabbing her own daughter in the back? How could she tease her with such loving looks when she was willing to freely sell her off like a prized mare to the highest bidder? How could she call herself family? "I... I don't know I just..."

Lady Elwood waited eagerly, her very regard so blatantly begging her to submit without any issues that it stirred up so many emotions in Charlie's head that she didn't know how to feel, how to react. She needed more time to discover her own mind, her own opinion.