Vincenzo went to where Anneliese was and the girl was busy drying her hair. Sensing his presence, Anneliese turned to her left, seeing the lord staring at her, she averted her gaze. Without any warning, Vincenzo picked her up which led the towel in her hands slip on the floor and he took her to the room. Placing her at the chair in front of the fire place, he set down on the floor and picked her foot which took Anneliese by surprise and she protested, "What are you doing!?"
Vincenzo looked up to meet her eyes and said, "Examining your legs!"
With a flushed face, she said, "There is no need, You already called the physician for that!"
Not giving heed to her words, Vincenzo placed her foot on his knee and started folding up her nightgown. When his hand reached her knee, she quickly stopped him from going further. Vincenzo saw the whipped marks on her leg which has turned blue black. She couldn't define the look in his eyes when he asked her, "Tell me everything, Since the moment you were taken and imprisoned till you were brought here!"
Yesterday was like a worst nightmare for her and it was painful for her to think about what she went through in the dungeon.
"Speak" said Vincenzo whose patience is running thin.
Anneliese closed her eyes before opening them and started, "When I reached home yesterday, I couldn't find my family and started looking for them everywhere in the town and It was when the Envoy arrived to investigate. He was suspicious and then found the book you gave me of Witchcraft in my bag and ordered his subordinate to take me to Capital city and put me in the dungeon." She paused and decided to hide the part of the subordinate attempting to violate her.
Vincenzo noticed her thinking and it didn't take seconds for him to know that she is contemplating what to tell and what to hide but he stayed quiet and listened to her speaking again,
"I was locked in one of the cellars in the dungeon and then late at night the Envoy arrived and the subordinate lied that I tried to run away and as a punishment, he ordered the head guard to whip my legs so that I won't be able to walk. Then in the morning your men came and brought me here!"
Anneliese who thought the man will drop the topic now, heard him again, "Why did the subordinate lied that you tried to run away?"
Anneliese answered while trying to hide some part, "The Envoy saw the bruises on my face and questioned the subordinate and he lied about me trying to escape which ended up me being whipped!"
"What did the subordinate do that he had to lie as a cover up?" asked Vincenzo
Anneliese who was hoping the man won't ask anymore questions but who was she fooling, the man in front of her can see right through her.
She lowered her gaze and clutched her hands before speaking, "The subordinate... he... he tried to touch..." Knock, before she could continue her sentence, they heard a knock and the butler's voice, "Milord, the physician is here."
Vincenzo let go of her leg which he was holding before standing up and ordered, "Come in"
Not a second later, The butler and the Physician stepped in the room. The Physician bowed at the lord and noticed a human girl sitting on the chair and guessed she is the patient and he asked, "Milord, May I take a look at the patient?"
"NO" stated Vincenzo
Anneliese frowned and heard the physician confusingly stating the fact, "Milord, How am supposed to treat the patient without knowing the problem? I need to examine her first to prescribe the right treatment!"
"She was whipped harshly and her skin has turned blue black and she is in alot of pain, So prescribe something to ease the pain and something to heal the wounds briskly!" said Vincenzo making it clear that there is no examining the patient.
The physician nodded and prescribed the treatment and left the room with the butler.
Anneliese was still perplexed and asked, "Why didn't you let the physician see the wounds?"
Vincenzo turned to meet her questioning gaze and said, "Because he was the Man"
"What?" Anneliese frowned in confusion
Ignoring what she said, Vincenzo asked bluntly in a serious tone, "Where did he touched you?"
It took few seconds for Anneliese to understand who he is talking about and she turned her face to look at the fire place. Knowing there is no escaping from this man, she finally parted her lips and said, "In the carriage he brushed his hand over mine and said he will have his way with me in the dungeon because there will be no one to help me!"
"And?" she heard Vincenzo
"And then he came to my cellar and tried... tried to touch me and I kept dodging him away but he was strong, he hit me and I fell on the ground and..." Anneliese stopped not knowing how to continue
"And?" she heard the frustrated voice of the lord which was enough for her to spill the rest of the story. She also told him how her hands started illuminating fire flames which she couldn't understand but used them to protect her modesty.
"Name of the subordinate?" asked Vincenzo and heard the girl, "Gabriel, that's what the Envoy was calling him."