The Cry of Her Heart - Historical Fiction

Chapter 9

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read chapter 9 of my novel - The Cry of Her Heart!

I sincerely apologize that it has taken me so long to post this chapter, but I was endeavoring to get it as perfect as possible! I would love to know what you think about it, as it is one of my favorites so far... I know I say that frequently! :)

Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For several minutes, the two stood in the room in awkward silence. Finally, the young woman turned and began to gather the dishes and uneaten treats onto the tray.

"Excuse me, I should go." She whispered, grabbing the tray up in her hands and beginning to walk towards the door. Her eyes refused to turn in the young man's direction.

Before fully contemplating his actions, Nathaniel darted up from his position in the chair and hurried after her. Grabbing her wrist, he stopped her in mid-stride before she had yet reached the door. The young woman's body lurched forward in response to the surprise action and the tray and dishes she held clattered to the ground in a scattered mess of broken glass. Nathaniel jumped away to avoid the disaster, but not before he received a showering of tea all over the surface of his boots.

The young man's attention turned regretfully from the young woman to the disorder at his feet. However, he did not miss the strained expression that crossed her countenance or the gasp of pain that escaped her lips.

Puzzled at this unusual response, he was about to consider apologizing for his impulsive action and perhaps assist in the cleaning of the disarray when he glanced down at the delicate wrist he still held in his hand. Nathaniel was immediately enraged at what he saw there.

He dropped the young woman's wrist as if it had turned to fire. "What happened?" he questioned, his voice one of both accusation and anger.

********

At his words, Vianna's expression turned from one of surprised fear to a look of discomfort. She could immediately feel an embarrassing heat creeping up her neck and was certain at any moment a deep blush would sweep across her cheeks.

Her eyes glanced from the young man to the dark blue and purple discolorations that marred the cream-colored skin of her left wrist. She clenched her teeth against the bite of pain that was a throbbing reminder of the young man's actions on their first meeting. A look of embarrassment finally won as the chief emotion in her eyes and she clutched her wrist to her body, almost as if she desired to hide it from his burning gaze.

"It's nothing..." She whispered softly, but was immediately met with searing dark eyes.

"How can you call that nothing?" he spat out the words, motioning widely to the object in consideration. "What has been going on here?"

At that, it was if the confusion and frustration that had long lain dormant within Vianna burst forth.

"You - who plan on ruining the lives of those whose only sin is to have been placed in a situation they cannot escape." Her voice grew elevated with each word. "You - who gave my only child away and then dumped me at the house of a rich general, intent on me working for him. You - who left me here for weeks and then showed up again hoping to brag about how you have accomplished your purpose." Her voice was full of anger and distress as she directed her gaze to her throbbing wrist, "How could you ask about me as if you care?" Tears had begun to stream down her cheeks and in embarrassment she turned away, sobbing from anger and frustration.

Despite the cloud of moisture coating her voice, her final words still reached the young man's ears. "This is the very wrist you twisted in anger the day that you ripped my life away."