A Scandalous Entanglement

XXIX

She allowed herself a few more minutes and even as she walked the short distance from the stables to her room it felt as though everyone was judging her, as if everyone knew of the happenings that had been carried out in the stables.

"Lily." She rang for her maid. "Have these clothes burned at once and fetch me Callam." Tears wet her eyes and the more she stayed in the day dress the more it itched and irked her skin. "Well don't just stand her help me with these stupid buttons and ropes." The maid approached but with a truly amused face. Couldn't she tell she had been assaulted not long ago, that she wished her skin could peel off with the memories of those few minutes that felt like a lifetime. And even if she wanted to, she doubted she could tell anyone that she had been assaulted while on her husbands premises.

"Perhaps if you hadn't gone to meet him then none of this would have happened." The pin in the room dropped and Emilia swore deep down in her heart she heard what the maid had to say plain as day, and it wasn't the ringing in her ears that caused her to hallucinate some of the events. "What did I just hear you say?" She turned ever so slowly that time felt faster. "My lady it is not secret that you and Hams Smith have an affair going on,-" Lily left the sentence hanging. "I mean it is not something to be ashamed of, you find your pleasure in another man willing to give it to you. But perhaps you should have thought of how it would-" Her hand stung from the slap but at least it had helped somewhat ease the pain.

"Get out."

The maid looked more shocked than embarrassed, her hand gripped her cheek as redness creped slowly into her skin. "Get out or God so help me I will have your head hanged and fed to the pigs of the farm!" Once the door slammed shut Emilia threw a fit. From the vases she filled with her favorite flowers to the tall standing mirror that sat at the corner. The mirror's pieces fell at her feet and yet that didn't calm her down. She pulled off the covers of her bed and dragged down the tapestries that hang on the walls. As if that wasn't enough, she threw the furniture about the place including her favourite writing place and the fine set of Chinas she had in her room.

"Callam." Her voice was a deadly hurtful cool. "My lady, are you alright, I heard-" "Is it true that there are rumors spreading about the house of an affair between myself and master Hams Smith?" She watched him intently wary of even the slightest body movements he would give. "Not that I know of my lady, but I wouldn't hesitate telling you of-"

"Callam, I respect not being lied to, are there such rumors going on about the house?" The man held his breath before finally answering, "I believe so my lady. They were all started by master Smith himself during a diner in the bunkhouse my lady." "And his lordship, was that what caused the first beating master Hams Smith received?" Callam took his time before answering "I believe my lady, his lordship acted out of a jealous fit seeing you with another man, though I am nothing but a servant, perhaps his lordship should be asked this question my lady." She looked about her and the small crowd of servants that had gathered. "Thank you Callam, you all should get back to work." And she didn't wait for their response before making her way to Devyn's empty study. Even if it took her two whole days, she was going to wait for him to come home.

And damned him, he had some explaining to do.

"A full bottle of whiskey will keep you up at night with a ponding head." He closed the door slowly behind him. "More or less. It would also keep me wondering whose arms my husband has been in of late. I figured it is a great companionship for the night." She watched him from underneath the heaviness of her eyelids.

"I have never seen a woman so unkept and disoriented at the same time. Judging by what Callam told me today, it seems you have had a full day. You even refused to dine and yet you are draining yourself on alcohol this late even on an empty stomach."