Inheritance

Part 2. Chapter 37: For the Price of Gold

His imagination drove him crazy with what lay beneath her nightgown. A soft moan—a low uttering of his name--escaping her lips drove him madder.

His lips came close to hers with some small restraint.

Pollyanna grinned. She murmured in a low, sultry tone, "you're not willing to kill me to get what you want?"

A dark impulse nearly spurred him on. An irresistible impulse. She's mine! Why shouldn't I be able to do what I wish with her?

His eyes went wild; a maniacal grin took hold of his face.

Pollyanna recognized the look and was intrigued by it. She realized she may very well die if she didn't shove him off, but she oddly didn't care.

Either way I'll have gotten something I want. She thought to herself. If he stops, I'll live. If he continues, I'll die happy.

Eory noticed his hand was digging too deeply into her breast. He gasped and retreated to the other side of the bed.

He didn't know what had come over him.

Pollyanna was slightly disappointed as she sat up.

He looked upon her like a treasure he could not have.

It was frustrating. Almost as frustrating as wanting her to be who he wanted her to be.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and sunk his teeth into his arm. "Continue."

Pollyanna grinned and obliged.

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Pollyanna awoke to find that her clothes were sopping wet. She groaned as the sun, partially covered by gray clouds, hurt her tired eyes.

She blinked once and saw darkness; she blinked twice and saw her mother standing over her. Her face was not stony and cold as it usually was. She looked embarrassed and regretful.

"Pollyanna, there was no reason for you to run away and worry us to death..." Her mother began.

Pollyanna's face was gray and emotionless as she listened.

"What you saw—it's nothing to worry about. He's your husband, after all. He cares for no one else but you." Her mother continued. "What he has with me is..."

Pollyanna blinked slowly. She rigidly climbed to her feet. Her cloak was heavy with rainwater. It drizzled from her cloak as she moved toward town.

Her mother watched her in silent shock for a moment as Pollyanna walked away from her.

She trailed her daughter after she recovered from her shock. "Pollyanna, where are you going?"

There was silence but for the gravel being crunched underneath Pollyanna's boots.

All the girl could say was, "go away. You disgust me."

Her mother stopped in her tracks.

She didn't follow her daughter after that.

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The townspeople gave Pollyanna odd looks as she passed them by.

They wondered where this noble girl with deep circles under her eyes, disheveled hair, and a sopping wet cloak was going.

Not even Pollyanna knew where she was going.

She left the town without greeting any of the friends she knew from parties and festivals and approached the mountain where she had kissed Rory in the distance.

She scaled it easily and hugged her knees when she reached the top.

Normally, she would be delighted by the rainbow spread across the sky and the beautiful, golden-edged clouds framing the mountains in the distance. It was as if it were a painting come to life.