Calantha groggily opened her eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. What in the world? She sat up on the floor disoriented as the loud cracking and crashing continued outside her window. She rushed over to the window to see the cause of the noise. She gritted her teeth when she saw the source. Of course, it had to be the scoundrel chopping wood directly under her window.
She angrily stormed out of the room and went straight to where Ryder was going about his business. "You are going to hell, I hope you know that!"
Axe in hand, Ryder looked up, "Good morning to you too. Did you have a good sleep?"
The dastard! He did it on purpose, "Oh, you will have a special place in hell! I will personally make sure of it." Even with his bushy beard, Calantha didn't fail to notice the smile. How dare the scamp smile? Her eyes still felt heavy. She had barely gotten any sleep the previous night.
Calantha would have enjoyed how well-built the man was under the bright morning light. Her cheeks flushed. Other than her brother, she had never seen any other man's nakedness. But remembering whose nakedness it was, her embarrassment quickly turned into disgust. She squinted her eyes at him, "Couldn't you have done this somewhere else other than here? Must you make such a ruckus? Some of us value sleep, you know."
"No, this is where the woods I need to chop are piled as you can see." Having said that, he raised the axe and brought it down with an admirable force that had the wood split into two. "You are a woman for crying out loud, get yourself busy with something. Were you not taught the duties of a wife?"
Scowling, she crossed her hands under her chest, "What duties?"
"Duties like cooking for your husband like a doting wife in the morning when you wake up. Cleaning the house should be part of it."
Calantha's nose flared in anger. "I would rather burn myself alive than cook or clean for you."
Ryder's shoulder raised in an indifferent shrug, "Not that I mind you burning yourself to death because you are really of no use to me alive."
Calantha would have loved nothing more than to use that axe on the man's neck. "If that is the case, you can as well set me free. Why keep me here?"
"Ask your brother when you next see him. Now, if you would excuse me," He pushed the chopped wood to the side and brought a new one.
Annoyed with his dismissal she turned around to walk away but stopped when she heard him say, "You look beautiful this morning, by the way." Ryder stifled a victorious grin when he saw her shoulders stiffen. The girl was a pain in his ass.
Calantha stormed into the room, opened her box and brought out a silver mirror. She winced at her reflection. Her hair looked like it was trying to escape from her head and her eyes had dark circles underneath them as an indication of lack of sleep. Her cheeks were flushed and only God knew why. She looked everything but beautiful. The damn man.
Later that afternoon, Ryder was in the kitchen making some porridge when he heard a knock on the front door. He opened the door, not bothering to ask who it was. There was only one person who knew where he was staying.
"Good afternoon to you too, my good friend,"
"What is good about this afternoon?" Ryder grumbled as he went back to the kitchen to check what he was cooking.
"Something smells good," Godfrey removed his coat and hat and joined Ryder in the kitchen. "Where is your wife? I heard she is a beauty." Godfrey asked as he looked around, half expecting to see a new face in the house.
"I don't know," Came Ryder's reply as he brought the food down from the stove. He grabbed a plate and helped himself with some servings.
"You don't sound so happy for a man who now has a wife." Godfrey tried to hide his smile. "Why are you cooking? Your wife should be the one doing that. Did she step out?"
"Are you going to keep bombarding me with questions or are you going to help yourself with some porridge?"
"I will do both, thank you very much," Like Ryder, he took a plate from the wooden rack and filled it to the brim. One spoon into the mouth, he closed his eyes in ecstasy, his taste buds savouring the taste of the food. "My goodness, I am glad to know that you still have your kitchen powers. God, I have missed you."
"You mean you've missed me feeding your fat ass."
"Same thing," Godfrey replied with his mouth full. "I love my wife very much, but I am not so sure about her cooking skills."
"I will make sure to pass your information to her when we next meet."
"You wouldn't dare." Godfrey looked around once again, "So, where is she?"
"She is upstairs doing only God knows what,"
Godfrey raised a brow, "I take that you two haven't fallen in love yet, have ya?"
"Only in hell."
"Ah, no love then."
Ryder glared at Godfrey, "How can I fall in love with such an infuriating spoiled brat?"
"Did she do something?"
"The question should be, what hasn't she done? After cutting the woods this morning, I went back upstairs to find my belongings outside my room."
"She kicked you out of the room?"
"It is not any room. It is my room!" Ryder's voice went higher than he had intended. He was really pissed.
Once again, Godfrey struggled to hide his smile. It wasn't every day you saw Ryer all riled up. Clearing his throat, he asked, "I take it that she is still inside the room,"
"Of course, she locked me out and wouldn't budge under my threat of breaking it open," His grip on the steel spoon tightened as he recalled the event of the morning.
"That's interesting,"
"Don't you dare think this is funny because none of what she is doing is funny, and don't you dare tell me 'I told you so,' "
Godfrey chuckled, eyes glistened with excitement, "I told you so."
"Shut up."
"It was bound to happen. I bet she accuses you of her misfortune."
"You have no idea. She accused me of killing her father."
"As expected. I will be honest with you, you deserve whatever she gives you. Indirectly, you caused her misfortune."
"How so? Did I tell her father to be a debtor?"
"Okay, I guess you are still missing the point. The upstairs isn't her father. She hadn't done anything to you to deserve whatever it is you are doing to her,"
"What am I doing to her?"
"I mean, you didn't even give the girl time to mourn her late father. You took what might have been her dream wedding away from her. You separated her from her brother and friends."
"It's not my fault she is paying for her father's sin, is it?"
"Are you sure this is all about Lord Blackwood's debt to your father? You seem to be taking things a little too personally."
Ryder's hold on the spoon subtly tightened. "Of course, what else is there? You know how I feel about these rich old fools who think they can get away with anything. I believe you haven't forgotten our principle, 'A man Must always pay his debt,'"
"I know that, but your father had other debtors, why aren't you going after them the way you did Lord Blackwood?"
"Lord Blackwood's case was peculiar."
"But,"
"Blimey! No more buts from you! Did you deliver my letter?"
"Yes, I did,"
"Any replies yet?" Godfrey shook his head, "Godamnit! Why isn't she replying to my letters? Did I do something wrong?" Ryder's brows drew together in concern.
"I wish I had an answer to that question."
"I am giving her a maximum of fourteen days. If no reply comes in, I must visit her."
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Yes, I am worried sick about her, Godfrey. I need to know if she is alright. I need to know why she isn't writing to me as promised."
"I will come with you."
"No, you will not. You will have to stay here and manage the business."
Godfrey nodded in agreement, "What about your wife?"
"I don't know. I am afraid I might have to take her with me if needed."