Lucinda pointed a shaking finger at both of them, her other hand covering her mouth. Her voice was anything but muffled. In a matter of short seconds, almost everyone who stayed in the estate had hurried over, their eyes wide with horror as they stared at where Lucinda pointed.
"My cousin may have demoted you to concubine, but you're still married to him! Do you know no shame?!" Lucinda continued.
"This… isn't what it looks like," Ralph struggled to speak, propping himself up using his elbow. Even in the cold winter night, a thin layer of perspiration had already formed across his forehead, glistening under the light from the candles and the moon.
Soleia stood up quickly, adjusting her sleeve. When she had fallen just now, a portion of the fabric had snagged and ripped, causing it to slouch. The threads were barely holding the piece together― just a little more and her whole sleeve might come clean off.
"I am not blind, Sir Byrone!" Lucinda hissed, stomping her foot. From behind her, Elisa had shown up as well, her face dark as charcoal.
She stepped forward wordlessly, and before anyone could react, she slapped Soleia across the face. The latter's head veered to one side as she held her cheek, her lips parted in shock. As a sickly old woman, Elisa definitely did not have the strength Orion did, but her hit landed exactly where the old bruise was, causing pain to quickly surge through Soleia's cheek once more.
"Harlot!" Elisa yelled, raising her hand in an attempt to hit Soleia again. "Oh heavens! What crime has my son committed to marry a woman like you!"
However, this time, Soleia was prepared. She grabbed Elisa's arm before she could strike a second time, and the old woman gasped.
"Let go of me!" Elisa exclaimed. "How dare you?!"
"How dare you!" Soleia countered. She pushed Elisa away from her, and the old woman stumbled back into Lucinda's awaiting arms. "Who gave you the right to hit me? And did you not hear? This isn't what it looks like. Sir Byrone is unwell."
Elisa Elsher's face had turned a bright ruddy red. She grabbed at her chest and pointed wordlessly at Soleia, her eyes wide but her eyebrows downturned.
"You… You…" she stuttered, but Soleia paid her no mind.
She dropped to her knees beside Ralph, helping him up to his feet. "Are you alright?" she asked.
He nodded but didn't take her outstretched arm. Instead, Ralph merely bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Soleia wisely drew back. It seemed like her very presence was causing him hurt. But if she didn't shove Ralph into a snowbank, he would most likely burn himself into nothing right in the middle of the corridor.
"If all of you are done gawking, get Orion to come and help!" Soleia yelled out, planting her hands on her hips.
"You dare order us around?" Elisa bristled. "Why should we call him over? So that my son can see his wife cuck him with his own two eyes?!"
If it were real, it would've been an eye for an eye, considering that was exactly what he did with Elowyn, but Soleia did not say that out loud. Instead, she huffed, her fringe flying as she exhaled heavily.
Without caring for the horrified yells that came from Lucinda and Elisa, Soleia went on her knees and all but hauled Ralph back up. The latter let out a stifled moan when their skin made contact before he bit down on his lip even harder.
"Sir Byrone, move your feet, please," Soleia said with gritted teeth as she half-dragged the poor knight off the veranda, her arms aching from the strain. Sir Ralph let out a pained groan, and Soleia said a mental apology as she pitched him forward, causing him to land unceremoniously face down into the powdery snow.
The second Ralph hit the snow, he seemed to melt into its cold embrace. His eyes were peacefully shut and a sigh left his lips, his body limply lying in the cold.
At the same time, three new pairs of footsteps echoed down the halls, and Soleia turned just in time to come face-to-face with Orion and Elowyn. Lily trailed a little behind them, seemingly unnoticed by everyone else. She held her and Soleia's belongings in her hands, her eyes worriedly darting back and forth.
"What is with the commotion?" Orion demanded, stepping forward. His frown further deepened when he noticed Ralph lying in the snow as though he was dead. "What happened to him?"
"My dear son!" Elisa cried, falling into his arms. Orion caught his mother, allowing her to wail in his hold. "Look at this! This vile witch is committing adultery right under your nose! They were about to fornicate right in the hallways of your home if Lucinda and I hadn't arrived in time!"
"Sir Byrone has been given an aphrodisiac―" Soleia tried to say but was cut off.
"By you, no doubt!" Lucinda screeched. "Are you that desperate for a man that you would sleep with your husband's own friend?"
Every word that Lucinda spoke merely caused Orion's face to turn darker and darker.
"That is untrue," Soleia immediately retorted, wanting nothing more to go over and serve this nonsensical woman her just desserts. "I found him lying out here in the veranda, attempting to bring his own body temperature down. Instead of arguing like we're in the town market, we should be calling for the family physician!"
"You―!" Lucinda was about to charge forward when she was held back by Elisa. Following her aunt's line of gaze, she kept her mouth shut, the corners tilting up into a wicked grin when she realized what Elisa was hinting at.
Orion had stepped forward, leaving Elowyn's side. He stopped only when he was nearly toe to toe with Soleia.
Soleia had to admit, Orion Elsher was an intimidating man, even when he was dressed in a simple sleep shirt. He was so much taller than her, his shoulders wide, his body rippling with taut muscles, and a vicious look in his eyes whenever he gazed upon her.
However, she refused to look away, choosing to meet his gaze. She was prepared this time. Her fingers surreptitiously reached into her pocket, tightly clutching the small rod she carried with her.
It was one of her newer inventions. If he dared to hit her again, she could use it to demobilize him with a sharp shock, discharged by a small topaz. She had yet to test it properly on a living subject, but Orion Elsher could be a good test subject if he kept dancing on her nerves.
Orion raised his hand, and Soleia gripped the rod harder, careful not to touch the crystal herself. She instinctively held out her other hand, placing it on his chest to enforce some distance between them when he tried to step even closer. The fabric was thin, and she felt the warmth of his skin under her palms. His heart seemed to beat under her hands.
Soleia braced herself for impact.
To everyone's surprise, however, the hit did not come. Instead, his arm dropped back down to his side.
"Step aside."