All the Wrong Reasons

Linked by the Past

Chapter 12

Cassandra could feel the dread in the pit of her stomach. She had hoped that her past would not find her in Eskdale; that no one would travel to this small little town and bring up things she did not want brought up. Shaking her head, she knew that wasn't true. She had brought it with her. If she had just left her big mouth shut then none of this would have come back to haunt her.

She walked past the doors and up the stairs without a word. She knew what her face must look like and that her people were worried, but she didn't have the energy to reassure them. Her feet didn't stop at her bedchamber, but kept going until they reached his.

Settling down on the bed, she looked up at him. "Please take a seat."

He frowned at her, but grabbed a chair and pulled it in front of her. His arm went out and she took a startled breath as he placed her ankle onto his knee. Her eyes met his, and the smile he gave her caused her heart to beat erratically in her chest. She remembered the first smile he had ever sent her way, this one was much the same, but she saw something deeper, something she could not identify. Then, he reached his hands beneath her skirt to rub her ankle.

A whimper escaped her lips as he pressed down too hard. The pressure immediately eased as he began to speak, "I know you don't want to tell me what happened, but honestly I could not take it anymore."

She nodded her head. "I know. It is painful though. Will you do something for me?"

"Anything," he whispered.

"Do not ask questions. Let me finish, then you may talk, but until then, don't say anything."

He gave her a slow nod of his head. "I vow that I will not let a single word escape my lips until you are finished with your tale."

She gave him a grateful smile as tears burned the back of her eyelids. Closing them tightly, she thought back to that day.

"Cassie! Where are you, love?" James called out to her. She held in a giggle as she ran through the maze. The man didn't really like to chase her, but she couldn't help it. She loved to tease him. Quite frankly, she loved him.

She knew that everyone thought it would be a great match. Even James and she had talked about it; they had both agreed that getting married was just the next step. James assured her that they were already in love. What else was needed in a marriage? Cassandra had listened to him. She had believed every word that had left his smooth lips.

"Cassie!" he called sharply and with irritation.

She halted in her steps. Was she acting childish again? He had told her that she had a tendency to do that; a tendency that he said he would curb once they were wed. She did not want him to think of her as a child. She was a woman now, and she wanted him to know that.

Stepping out from behind her hiding spot, she immediately spotted James. His blonde hair was combed back, and his blue eyes scanned the area. Once they landed on her, they sharpened in rage. He stomped towards her, and it took everything she had to stand her ground. Why was he acting like this?

"What is wrong with you? You prance about like a silly chit when we have things to do. Why I bet that you think you give off a merry little chase. Do not fool yourself, Cassie. The idiots would not even chase you around."

Tears brimmed in her eyes. "Why are you acting like this? It was only a jest."

"A jest! You think everything is a game! I have things to do," he spat.

"I was just-"

The slap interrupted the apology she was trying to give him. Falling to the ground, she covered her cheek with her hand. Tears were now running unchecked down her face. She couldn't believe that he actually hit her.