Unspoken

Chapter 16 The bond between friends

“Found her?” Katherine gasped in horror. So she had been right. The girl was of low birth. She was even lower than that. A peasant girl would have morals still. This girl however, was a gypsy.
“Daniel really is too kind,” Katherine shivered, “why on earth would he allow that sort of people into the household?”
Christopher Longley raised an eyebrow. He never had cared much for Katherine Goodwin. She was obnoxious and spoiled, but he hadn’t thought her that thoughtless.
“She was injured,” he defended his friend. The girl may be a gypsy, he supposed she deserved at least some assistance.
“She’s not injured now,” Katherine countered.
Christopher took a sip from his drink. “As it appears,” he spoke, “Daniel’s little sister Emily seems quite fond of the little gypsy.”
Katherine gritted her teeth. She didn’t care much for the disabled girl. In her opinion, Emily Blackwood was a spoiled brat. The family should have had her placed in a facility long ago. She wouldn’t want to be seen with a child that was stuck in a chair. That was the first thing she would arrange once she had become Lady Blackwood.
She would make sure to never lay eyes on Emily Blackwood again.
But first, the gypsy girl would have to go.
Katherine’s eyes searched the crowds until they landed on the object of her jealousy.
The girl was just vanishing through the open garden doors with Jackson at her side.
A cunning smile played around Katherine’s lips. “You’re making this far too easy,” she muttered.
“Hm?” Christopher looked at her questioningly, “were you saying something?”
Katherine quickly turned her smile into one of innocence. “Nothing at all.” Her yes turned to the gardens again. She would have to play it just right.

“A gypsy! Unheard of!”
“I can’t believe they let her in. What was lord Blackwood thinking? Someone like that is hardly suited company.”
The whispers were all around the room.
“Ignore them, my friend,” Nathaniel said to Daniel, who was holding his glass with cordial very tightly. “I have met your little friend and I find her quite charming.” He shook his head. “But you must have known it would cause a stir to bring her here.”
Daniel drank from his glass. “Apparently I did not.” Involuntarily his eyes searched the crowd to find the girl, but he did not see her anywhere.
He frowned. Where could she have gone?

“How are you enjoying the evening so far?” Jackson inquired while keeping a slow pace beside his companion.
Milena smiled weakly. She wished Amelia were here with her. Or even Arabella.
“I have to say, I am starting to enjoy it more by the second,” Jackson continued, “having such lovely company I mean.” He eyed her carefully. “You are quite lovely.”
Milena stiffened at the sudden sultry tone in his voice. When she looked up, she realized they had strayed from the main trail and that they had left the other guests far behind.
In the distance she could still hear the music.
When she looked back, Jackson had closed the distance between them. “Forget about them,” he said, “they are only a distraction.”
Milena stepped back.
“Enough of your games,” Jackson said, “that hard to get act was fun when we were still inside, but now it’s just the two of us.”
Milena’s eyes grew wide and she turned to run, but Jackson grabbed her, preventing her escape. She started to struggle.
“Feisty,” Jackson growled, “I like that.” He pushed her back against the wall of the stables, out of sight of the mansion.
Milena  gasped in fear and tried to push him off, but he was strong. Tears sprung in her eyes when he started kissing her neckline. Why had she agreed to go with him?
But she knew the answer.
He was Daniel’s friend. She trusted Daniel, who had shown her nothing but kindness. And because of that, she had trusted his friend as well.
She should have known better.
She tried to kick him, but he caught her leg. “Don’t fight now, little thing. Playtime is over. Don’t pretend it’s not what you wanted. You came with me willingly.”
Milena shook her head and struggled against his grip. That was when he hit her.
For a moment she was too shocked to react. Her body hit the ground before she realized what he had done. By the time she had come to her senses, he was pressing her against the ground.
“Much better,” Jackson grinned. He pressed his lips against hers.
A howl escaped him when she bit down hard and he slapped her. “You little… what is it with you? First you’re coy and now this…”
He gasped when he was suddenly pulled away from the girl. He landed on the grass and glared up at his attacker.