He’s toying with me. I could play along to a lot of his games, but just not this one.
Not her.
“I’ll marry Sandra. I’ll be the leader you want me to be. But, she has to be left alone or I won’t make this easy.”
His lips quirk up. “She will have to be punished for threatening Sandra’s life.”
I’m already shaking my head. “No. There will be no deal. She is to be left alone.”
“How will it look to the other girls?” My father doesn’t really care how it will look.
“I’m sure you can think of something to say.”
His smile is gone as he takes a step back to me, but he still keeps his distance. The red mark around his neck looks starker now. “Fine, she won’t be punished.”
I’m not satisfied. I want his blood for touching her. He must see the hunger in my eyes for violence.
“You do know, and I’m only telling you this so you can control yourself better, that her family is now bankrupt.”
I take a step closer. “I don’t care, she’s off limits.”
“I’m trying to educate you, son.”
I don’t respond. I don’t care what he says, his words are twisted and dipped in his own personal venom.
“Her father killed himself to clear all their debts, but suicide isn’t an insurable death, so her mother was left with the bills. Ella has been groomed for you, for your statue in this community, for your money.”
Her father took his life. Oh, Ella. His words annihilate any calm I had and I’m fueled with a new anger. He is breaking down my walls to the darkest part of me.
“I don’t care. She’s to be left alone.” I feel powerful for the first time when I see fear widen his eyes. He tries to bounce back, he tries to smile, but it’s wobbly.
I don’t hear the knock at the door, I don’t know how many times George has called me, but my father stares over my shoulder.
“Master Lucas, Master Andrew.” He nods to my father.
I can’t speak or the anger will flow right out of me and George isn’t my target.
“Your date is ready and waiting.” He bows quickly and leaves.
Date, I have a date with Hannah now. Some of my anger deflates but ignites as I glance back at my father.
I know I will be punished for my outburst today, for putting my hands on him. According to the books I could lose my hand, but I can’t stay quiet.
“She will be left alone?” I repeat.
I need to hear him say it. There is a lull that I want to pack with anger, but my father turns his back on me.
“She will be left alone.” He walks to his desk and sits down, when he looks up at me his composure is back and anger swells in his dark eyes.
“But you will be punished.”
I nod, I accept that. “Yes, Master Andrew.”
His lips curl up and he bends his head and continues on with his paperwork like we just had a father, son chat.
***
The picnic has been set out in the same spot as all my other dates. Only this time I don’t mind being in Hannah’s company. She eats the grapes slowly as she looks around her. When her eyes land on me she coughs, her cough turns into a choking noise and she reaches for a drink and gulps it down. When I reach her, she’s red in the face but breathing.
“That grape really got stuck.” Her voice quivers as she glances up at me.
I sit down and try to calm all the wrong in me. “I’m glad it’s unstuck.”
Her smile is like a 100-watt bulb. Her eyes are wide and sky blue. She has an innocence about her that I like. Her friendship with Ella is real. She couldn’t fake it and Ella needs a friend right now. I pour myself a glass of water and refill Hannah’s.
“It’s a beautiful day, Master Lucas.” Hannah sips her water.
I can’t stop the tug at my lips. She is so nervous. “I don’t bite,” I say.
She gives a nervous laugh. “Well, I don’t taste very good.” She quickly slaps a hand over her mouth, her face inflames. “I didn’t mean it like, you had said bite and...” She rolls her eyes.
I know there is nothing sexual about her reference. This time I allow Hannah’s temperament to ease my shoulders and I smile.
“Speak freely Hannah.”
She removes her hand from her mouth and smiles widely. Picking up a small sandwich she starts to eat.
“I think you need to marry Ella and not Sandra.”
I’m surprised at how freely she speaks. But I don’t smile and she stops chewing her sandwich.
“Why is that?” I ask.
She’s smiling again. “Ella is kind, caring and beautiful. She’s pretty funny too.”
She is really trying to sell her friend. She stops to eat her sandwich. I wait and let her chew it.
“Sandra isn’t all the things that Ella is. In fact, she’s the opposite.” She looks up from her sandwich to see my reaction.
“You said to speak freely.” Her lips tug down.
I try to relax, I’m not making this easy on her.
I bring another smile to the surface. “Yes, I would like that Hannah.” It wasn’t fair to her to spend the date talking about Ella.
“Tell me about you,” I say.
She’s eating again and I suppress another smile. “I like peanut butter sandwiches.”
I open one of the sandwiches on the plate in front of me. “Cucumber.” I never liked them.
She shrugs. “I’m an emotional eater, I eat when I’m nervous.”
“Tell me something else.” There is no point in telling her not to be nervous because she would be. I never made it easy for people. My presence always made people nervous.
“I want to be a doctor.”
Her admission surprises me. She’s the first that has spoken of a life beyond marrying me.
“How would you marry me and be a doctor?” I ask.
She smiles. “I didn’t expect to be picked, Master Lucas.” She starts to eat another sandwich, her cheeks rosy red.
“Don’t cut yourself short, Hannah. You are far more worthy than most girls.”
She smiles, a piece of cucumber stuck in her teeth. “Thanks. That’s really sweet.” The piece of food dislodges and she shrugs. “But I think someone else has captured you.”
I take a drink of water so I don’t smile as she swings the conversation back to Ella. Ella, who I can never have. Knowing that makes me want her more.
The piece of paper in my pocket feels like it’s burning me. I reach in and take it out.
“Can you give this to her?” I ask.
Hannah is no longer smiling, her face is serious as she reaches for the note. I hesitate, after what Sandra did with my note I’m apprehensive.
“If I find out you tampered with it.” I force the warning into my voice.
Hannah is like a deer waiting for the impact of an oncoming car.
I smile and her body softens, but she’s wary.
“Just give that to Ella.”
She takes the note and holds it tightly. We continue our date and as nice as Hannah is, my mind won’t leave Ella. Our date would be tomorrow and I would finally get to see her.
CHAPTER TWENTY