"Where were you?" the cold voice pierced her chest. Not because it was full of authority and waiting to punish her.
Not because his eyes were cold enough to freeze all the blood off her body. But she was guilty. If not for Polly following her closely, she would have confused the truth.
But Polly would not be there for the whole week. She was going to confess what happened in the woods. At that moment, she was not able to speak because he would have killed her then. Or worse, he would have gone for her family.
But if she had to put her trust on one being, then she would put that trust on Lenhart. Both had depicted her, but Lenhart..
"Stop looking at me like a dumb person with no voice. Do you not understand simple questions now?" he growled when she kept looking at his face.
"I went to the garden, I was riding my horse." she announced taking a deep breath, "i have thought that you allowed me this much freedom." his eyes narrowed the way she sounded.
It was different than before, completely different and he never liked changes.
"I have allowed you to move but with an escort. I am sure your husband is lurking out there in the dark. And you would be the first person he would contact when the time comes." she flinched at his words but when his eyes went sharp, she bit her lips and looked away.
"Do you know anything?" her gaze was on the floor but she was looking at Polly's dress. The presence of this woman. "Elara, remember this, if i ever come to know that you partake in hiding your husband or you are included in their lies, i will not let you go." The warning would not have been scary if not for Philip's presence. If she asked to speak in private, Polly would inform Philip about it.
If the man was roaming freely in the premises it meant his men were corrupted too. There was someone who let Philip in. if she did not be alert enough, that vortex would swallow her whole.
"Did you hear me?" his voice went lower but colder when she did not reply even once.
"You have suspected me instead of punishing your cadet."
"....." silence fell as she fidgeted with her dress. Her hands tightening around the corners, "he had knocked on my door and informed me that you had called for me. What am I supposed to do if I don't follow him?" she asked with a calm face as if they were discussing weather but the strain in her voice and the way her grip tightening around her dress until her knuckles turned white showed her turmoil.
"My lord, I can not bear that I am insulted in my own house. How can I take that kind of escort with me when I am walking in the middle of the night? What if…" she finally raised her head and met his eyes, the cold brooding one but she knew how passionately they burnt for her in the woods. How he comes alive like her when they touch each other. "They have behaved like you?"
She had to convince him to take her to his bedroom and free all the knights, only then she could tell him the truth. She noticed how he looked startled by her simple accusation.
The look of shock in his eyes was worth the effort. Suddenly, the cold aura melted around him. But it was replaced by something darker, wicked and… passionate.
"I apologize my lady if we came like a brute to you. But if you were afraid that I would use force. Trust me, I do not take unwilling women." he raised a brow and added a chuckle to his words.
It might look harmless to others but she knew what he meant. Her heart shuddered for completely different reasons as he took slow steps toward her, "and your breathing had confirmed it." he whispered in her ears for her to shudder. She closed her eyes when his fragrance invaded her.
But she did not notice the slight change on his face. He smelt something too. But it did not belong to her but a man. She was with a man in the garden.
But the question was.. Who was it? To think that she was behaving like a victim after disappearing in the dark with a man for two hours. Is this the woman he had loved? His eyes were so dark that one could not see their end.
She did not move. After spending time with a man, she wanted him to be mesmerized by her too. Others might know but he could notice the small signals she was giving him.
She wanted him to take her to his room. She wanted to be with him after spending time with another man. Her hands came on his shoulders, the touch felt nothing like the morning. But it felt like a cold snake was crawling over his skin.
He would be a fool to keep a snake alive to bite him again.
"Ha! Hahahaha! You always outdone yourself, Elara. I would have never guessed." the voice changed at once making her flinch. She looked at him with trembling eyes. He was disgusted by her. But he was not when she had entered the room.
"Go to your room. You are going to stay there until you receive another order." her eyes narrowed. At any other time, she would have felt the injustice of the command.
How he had behaved like any other man and decided for her life without asking her. Made judgements and punished her. But for now, staying in her room meant she didn't need to look for the papers. Polly could not blame her if the man found her a nuisance.
But she had to make it more believable.
"You can not change your decision at your whim, you have allowed me to
come and go as I please."