The guards were quick on their feet. They did not need to be told about their tasks. They went to her house and checked on her mother. Picked her up and brought her to the carriage.
Dion raised a brow.
"Her pulse is too slow." the man lied when his eyes met with Dion's. Then he looked at Abi. "Perhaps that lady was confused. She is critical. But you never know if a miracle can happen." Abi clutched the shirt of the man as if he was god. Her eyes glimmered with silver hopes.
"Save her. Please... Save her." her voice trembled, and her eyes glistened with fresh tears but Dion's eyes narrowed at how she was holding the hands of a valet. This woman had no self respect. What could he expect from a harlot?
He shook his head at his luck. Now he had to marry not only a guttersnipe but a harlot. Hiding his disgust, he held her hands and pulled them away from his aide.
"You.. are not going to touch another man now that you have promised to marry me." the words startled her. She was touching another man? But she was only praying for her mother? Yet, when she looked at his cold eyes, she nodded.
She would have stopped breathing if he had demanded in exchange for saving her mother. She stood there coiled, afraid that she would anger him again and he would throw them out. He tapped on the carriage and it started again.
She sat beside him and the other side was used to lay her mother. Her eyes were closed and though Abi kept her staring, she did not see her chest heaving. No, abi.. It could be slow breathing that you did not notice.
She was alive. The aide of this rich bloke said that she was alive. A physician would know better. A good physician would save her. And perhaps marrying her would bring them money. They would live in a free land.
Perhaps they would have good food every day. She was sure there was nothing like a free meal and this man wanted something from her in return but she was ready to take the chances. What did she have to lose except her innocence?
Her father was going to take it anyway. Would it not be better to give it to a rich and handsome bloke than to those criminals? Her innocence did not feel like a treasure anymore when her mother was at his mercy.
Dion stared at the bony structure of the woman. There was no meat on her body. Her eyes were sunken and her hands were full of scratches and calluses. She looked like she had a hard life.
But he could not understand why. If she knew who Abigail was, she could have earned a good deal of prize by returning her. But this woman kept it a secret till her death. That only meant that she wanted to sell Abigail. Then what was her plan? Why was Abigail here in the first place?
All the questions were buried with this woman. If only he would have been earlier. If only she had called for him sooner. Rage rose in his heart, fresh and frowning. He gritted his teeth and snickered, startling Abi again.
If it had been her usual self, she would have given a good punch without using her hands. But now, she sat there silently. Smiling at him, whenever he looked at her.
But her voice choked. Her mother... She closed her eyes and prayed. That was all she could do at that moment.
"We will go to a physician and then we will go to a church. We will get married the moment your mother starts her treatment." because he was not sure how long she could be fooled.
She was a sharp woman. It must be her emotions. And her will to want her mother alive fooled her. Even now the way she stared at the corpse of her mother, he was sure she could see that her mother was not breathing. It was her denial that had saved his lies.
"So soon?" she tilted her head and looked at him, "can we not wait till she gets better?" her voice was raspy, full of choking sounds and tears.
"What if she did not get better?" he sighed when her eyes widened. Emotions really made her a fool. She was better in the bar. "Abigail, we both know that she is too critical perhaps she is... She could not make it to the physician. Then what? You have already promised me. Or do not tell me that you are planning to go back on your words if I could not save her. My deal was to make an effort to save her. I am not good." The words were hard and his expressions showed her no mercy.
He placed all the truths on the table as if they belonged there and stared into her eyes giving her no chance to hide. Blood boiled. How could he be so cruel? Her mother was dying yet he only cared about taking her to his bed. Well, he could do that without marriage? A sane part of her mind told her but she could not understand any other reason about their marriage except for sex.
But she was not a fool to call it out. What if he raged again?
"I will... Marry you either my mother could be saved or not. Since you made an effort to save her. But at least, can we wait for the morning? I want to talk to her if she gets better. If not.." she gulped another pang in her chest, "at least, I want to bury her and pray for her soul, before getting married."