Her Assassin's Heart - Book 2

Chapter 8

 Cassandra slumped against the desk when Robert didn't move again, clutching the corners until her fingers throbbed. The relief she felt was momentary as she looked at her father's still furious face. What if he thought she had wanted this? The old Cassandra had welcomed the secret embraces of societal men. Could he think this was something she had chosen?

As the panic resurfaced in her heart, his dark eyes settled on her and narrowed. She bit down on her lip, unsure what to do. He solved it for her.

"Come with me." She'd never heard his voice so harsh.

"May I change first?" She said slowly. Could she have lost his love by being the victim of Robert's philandering? At the moment, she thought anything was possible.

"No. Come, now." He spun on his heel without offering her a hand and flung the door of his study open.

Sliding off the desk she followed him on trembling legs, wishing for nothing more than the comfort of his arms. As they walked, she noticed his hands were clenched into shaking fists. He had been angry when Ethan waited until they stood at the alter to tell them all that he had fallen for Lavinia, but that was nothing compared to the dark clouds of wrath she was witnessing now, and it terrified her.

They stopped for a moment, and she realized they were outside of her mother's sitting room. Lifting a trembling hand, her father knocked. There was no answer for a moment. Then the door opened a crack and the timid face of a maid appeared.

"Pardon me, my lord, but her ladyship is indisposed and isn't feeling up to seeing anyone just now." The girl was startled by the look on her master's face and quickly averted her eyes.

"Her ladyship's feelings be damned! Get the hell out of my way." Lord Antrucha growled. Oh, he was every inch the master of his home now, and the maid didn't hesitate for even a breath of a moment to step aside.

"Ezra, you needn't shout at the help. You'll only make matters worse. Society is already talking about the state of ruin your daughter has pushed us into; we shouldn't give them more ammunition." Lady Antrucha's voice was patronizing as though she were stooping to talk to a toddling child who couldn't understand her, and there was a sneer curling her lip as she looked at her husband.

"Don't you bloody dare!" The sharp tone of Lord Antrucha's voice startled Maria. She had become used to the way he gave in to her whims and desires without question, and her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden change. "Don't you talk to me about our reputation when you are working as hard as you can to destroy our daughter."

"Really, Ezra—" She began, struggling to gain her composure by sipping at her tea.

With a wordless roar, Ezra batted the teacup out of her hands. "Are you so far gone that you would give that vile animal the means to assault her irreparably? That you would sit here, drinking your tea while your daughter fought to protect her virtue?"

Raising an imperious brow, Lady Antrucha stood with all the regality she could muster. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." She sniffed.

"To hell with that!" Ezra barked, grabbing hold of her arm to stop her from turning away. "Play the innocent all you like, but I know you're behind all of this." He spun her about to face Cassandra who stood watching from the doorway, eyes wide with the shock of the situation.

"You can't tell me you've brought her here like that, and he didn't succeed?" Maria scoffed, clearly disgusted with something. "Fool."

Lord Antrucha's features turned brilliant red with hot rage, and it was all he could do to stop himself from striking out at the serpent in front of him. Unable to stop himself, he threw her into a chair, hard. Gripping the arms of the chair, he leaned over her, his eyes dark with fury. For the first time in her life, she shrank from him out of fear and not repulsion.