All the Wrong Reasons

Part 29

Chapter 29

Cassandra threw her body back on the bed not caring if dirt now covered it. She had only slept in her chamber once, why did it matter if she got the bedding dirty? Her body relaxed. One small move would cause her to groan in pain. She had forgotten that manual labor could make you feel this way. Her arms ached from rolling the logs while her legs throbbed from running around.

What she wanted was a nap; the only problem was that she couldn't sleep on her back. For some reason, she had never been able to. Now, all she had to do was roll over. It may seem like an easy feat, but, to her, this was worse than when she got shot. Taking a deep breath, she rolled to her side.

She closed her eyes before snapping them back open. What was that? The folded piece of paper sat there unmoving. Thoughts ran through her mind. Who was it from? It couldn't be from Colin seeing as the man had been with her all day. Could it be as simple as something that Cooper drew? Or was it something she would rather forget?

Curiosity was always one of her downfalls. Reaching out, she grabbed the paper with reluctance. Her unsteady fingers slipped under the flap to open it. She read it once, twice, before she crumbled the damned thing into a ball. She wouldn't let threats scare her. She wouldn't let her past frighten her.

Anger coursed through her veins giving her a sense of adrenaline as she hopped off the bed. Stomping towards the waste bin, she tossed the letter in. Jerking off her gown, she forgot the ache in her body. She had more important things to do, starting with wiping the grime off.

Her footsteps were heavy as she made her way towards the washbasin. The water may have been cold and the rag a tad dirty, but now that she had the energy, she didn't want to feel the dirt clinging to her body. The particles rubbing against her skin just irritated her more.

Soon, she stood there completely free of any filth. As she walked back towards her wardrobe, she thought about the letter. Who would send her such a thing? Who was it that knew of her past? There was Colin, but she ruled him out. Their trust may have been fragile, but she could not believe he would try to frighten her away.

The gown slipped over her head and down her body. The thing hung in the front causing her to let out a soft grunt of frustration. She would either find a maid or buy dresses that did not tie.

A knock sounded on the door causing her to pause. Taking a deep calming breath, she called out, "Who is it?"

"It's Ramsey. Are you decent?"

She stepped towards the door and flung it open. "Tie the damned thing before I set it on fire."

His eyebrows rose and he pushed his way into the room. "Turn around, cousin, and I'll tie it. I needed to speak with you in private any way."

Slamming the door, she kept her back to him as he yanked and pulled on the stings of her gown. "What is it t-that you wanted to talk about?"

"How much does Colin know?" Ramsey whispered.

She took a deep breath as he pulled the stings tighter. "He knows everything he needs to know."

"The witch, and why you left the Duke?" he asked and waited for her nod before continuing, "Does he know exactly which Duke it is that your family angered?"

"No," she snapped, "and I want to keep it that way. Knowing Colin, he will just get himself in the middle of something he could not handle."

"I don't think you give him enough credit," Ramsey said. "He may not realize it yet, but the man loves you, Cassie."

She bit her lip as the anger fled her body only to be replaced by sadness. "I didn't want to care for him. Everything would have been so much easier if I didn't."