All the Wrong Reasons

One-Sided Love Affair

Chapter 8

Cassandra walked away in a huff. How could he say that? She thought that Colin had a few vices, but nothing as large as this. Did he really think that she would just stay at the manor, birth as many children as he wanted, and be content with embroidering? Cassandra regretfully wished that she had saved the punch for her husband instead of the drunken man.

Walking towards the villagers, she tried to make her glare disappear fully. Every time she thought of something else, her thoughts somehow went back to the same subject, Colin. The man was everywhere. She could feel his eyes on her now, watching as she exchanged stories with these men and women.

Cooper held onto to her skirts with a surprisingly strong grip. She needed to teach the lad to loosen his grip or hold her hand, if he did not, she would injure herself before she could even begin working on the village. Not that she minded the little boy clinging to her, it was actually quite nice. The feeling of a child putting so much trust in her sent a warm feeling throughout her body. Was this what it was like to have a responsibility, to have someone depend on her for everything?

She looked down at him and smiled. Even if he was a handful, he would be an adorable handful. She thought about who the boy's mother might be. Cassandra could not take him away without first asking the woman. It wasn't a proper thing to do, going around and taking people's children.

Cassandra was determined to keep her thoughts anywhere but where they wanted to stray. Glancing at the villagers, she found one man that looked wiser than the others. She knew that you couldn't always judge from appearances, but there was a certain glint in this old man's eyes that let her know the he knew things many did not.

Turning towards him, she said, "Do you know who this lad's mother is?"

The man flashed her a smile and answered without a single glance at Cooper, "He is an orphan, my lady. We feed him when we can, but other than that, the boy has been on his own for a while now."

Her eyes widened, "The boy can't be older than three years, and he has no one to look after him?"

"It pains me to say so, but no, my lady. No one could take the lad in. We only have enough for feeding our own."

"I understand," she said while nodding. How could she think ill of these people when they had no choice in the matter? She couldn't condone the fact that no one took the boy in, but she did understand it.

"My lady?" the old man asked hesitantly.

Cassandra looked at him, "Yes?"

"Do you think you would be able to take a look at me wife?"

The man's proper accent was beginning to slip, and she knew right then that the man was used to not receiving any help.

She flashed him a smile, "It would be my pleasure." The truth was that she was filled with dread. The bag with all her jars should be used on these people, but she still wasn't ready to face the questions they may ask.

Not letting her thoughts show on her face, she followed demurely behind the man. Cooper stayed in his spot the entire time making her remember her earlier battle with herself. She shouldn't wish things that she won't like the consequences of. Wishing Colin out of her mind had only given her something else to worry about.

It wasn't long before they arrived at a small dilapidated house. Scanning it, she realized that this was one of the better ones that littered the village. Instead of a gaping hole that marred the other homes, this one had straw tied tightly together to keep the rain from leaking through what would have been a hole otherwise. The outside was still in bad shape, but overall the structure looked sound.