As Cold as Ice (Dangerous Stranger's Book 1) Complete

1

"It will be alright darling I will be back before you know it" My father assured me. "Are you sure papa you don't need my assistant?" I asked. "Not on this trip my child I am afraid it can be a bit dangerous" he said. "And you are allowed to go in this one because?" I asked.

"Why I am a man after all and we are fit to do any dangerous work darling" he said proudly. Again with I am a man speech. "I sometimes wonder when this society will know that women are also capable of doing hard work as men and they are not simply suited for household. Also not for giggling and laughing for the male suitors, well most of the time that is." I thought bitterly.

"So when are you coming back?" I asked. "That I don't know dearie but I can come soon if you stop rejecting suitors and marry a noble man from the British linage your mother working so hard to get." He said.

"She is not my mother father. My mother died when I was 10" I said. "Now don't be like that it will hurt her feelings" he said.

"I thought I bought you up as good noble young lady. I filled you with English traditions and you are just throwing them away like this? How are you going to find a male suitor like this?" he asked almost fuming. He always does this when I mention mom in our conversations. "Did you ever think father that I may not want to marry any male suitor especially if he is brought by that money hungry hag?" I was shouting up to this point.

"She is your mother Katharine and you are going to respect her" He said as he marched off to his carriage. He climbed on and said "when I get back I better hear that you are engaged to a fine man Katharine otherwise it will not be good for you"

And then he rode off leaving me with the Hag and her two spoilt daughters. "Yes father when the hell freezes I will get a husband." I thought bitterly as I saw the carriage disappearing into horizon.

I woke up not to a very pleasant morning. As a bucket of ice cold water pulled me out of my slumber. "I don't let you stay here so you can sleep all day. Your father isn't around here so I think you are under my care. And under my care you won't get a free meal. You are no princess so get up and do the chores.

"It was my so called mother. "Yes ok Emilia" I said in a flat tone. She hated when I called her by her name other than calling her mother. I didn't complain though. She huffed and left. Probably to finds more rich suitors for those two daughters.

Sounds familiar isn't it trust me I am no Cinderella. If she existed I am more like her evil twin. I am totally opposite of her. I don't want to get married to a prince. I want to work and get a better life which isn't possible considering that we still live in a society that doesn't believe that women is good for something other than household works. Also, I don't follow her orders like Cinderella did. And I definitely don't have a fairy god mother.

See the difference I always insult my step mother. Oh sorry the old hag. She is been extra harsh on me since Father left and he haven't wrote us from two months. That serious worries me. My father and I don't have a kind of relation Cinderella had with his father. See another difference between us.

But still I cannot help but worry about his whereabouts. I need to find out and soon. But how I still don't know where he is. Wait I can know I need to find where he was when he wrote the last letter. And I can see from there.

I quickly finished my chores and then silently stepped inside my dad's study. I wasn't allowed here anymore but I don't care. I quickly went through the cabinets. But it wasn't there.

Next I searched the desk and it wasn't there either where can it be? I thought to myself. Then suddenly the door opened. And none other than the old hag is there.

"Looking for something?" she asked. "None of you business Emilia" I said. "I say you are in my husband's room" she said.

"And I say he is my father before he is your husband" I said. "And I am getting all this from my Father not you" I said. "that's where you are wrong my dear I will marry you off way before that and if that doesn't work I have another one coming " she said placing hand on her stomach. Really, she is pregnant? I can't believe it. "Whatever Emilia now do you or do you not have my father's last letter" I asked. "Maybe I have it" she said. "Then what maybe you want in exchange for that?" I asked.

"I will give that to you maybe if you agree to marriage with the suitor I introduce you next to you can save your father from embarrassment. You see you are nothing but a walking disgrace." She said. My blood boiled at her high and mighty attitude. I still don't know why I am putting with all this things.

"And besides girls don't work they are only meant to be pretty and bear children in case you don't notice ladies who belong to nobility don't have such rebellious thoughts." She said. "OK I will do it" I said in an icy tone. "Be in your best behavior and say yes to the engagement and this letter is yours" She said showing me the letter before leaving.

What can I do? I don't have any other choice. I raced down the house and towards the road that lead to forest. I retrieved my bow and arrow from a hollow tree and few knives and strapped around my waist.

I saw the prized dagger which belonged to my mother. She gave that to me while she was on the death bed. I can never part with this as this is the only thing I have left of my mother.

I shot my arrow and it landed on target I possibly sell some meat to the market as I was intended to run away from my house. I shot few rabbits and I was looking for something big. Just then I saw a deer it can get me much if I just only could shoot it. I shot it and it only slowed it down.

Just as I was about to finish the job another arrow landed claiming my hunt. I quickly walked towards the Deer and pulled out my dagger ready to fight off anyone who dares to take my possession. Just then I met with cold green eyes.

"Weapons don't belong to sweet girls like you" his icy tone startled me. His hands held mine locking me in place. Sparks? No I cannot feel Sparks from his touch. "Excuse me you got my hunt and I am not letting it without a fight." I said. "Run home girl I don't fight small girls like you" he said.

"I am sixteen not small" I confronted. "Yes and I am twenty three your point is?" he asked. "My point is I am not small and I am certainly not afraid". I said. "You should be. You should be very, very afraid." He said inching closer to me.

He was no regular at least his waistcoat, tailored pants and expensive pocket watch doesn't say so. He screamed money and danger and he is the type of guy I stay clear off.

"Rodriguez what you have there is there something I like to see?" another voice asked. "Nothing that interests you Mr. Daniel" he said in cold icy tone. "Hurry home little girl if you really want to avoid any other encounters and keep those weapons in check" he said and left as he came. I have seen him before. But the question is where? I thought. Then I somehow carried all I caught with me and traded them for great amount of cash.

Then I saw the newspaper and it hit me it was him Christen Ace Rodriguez the number one business man of Britain but what he was doing in the outskirts of the city. I wonder.