Page 84 of Historical Hotties
“I mean Cassius de Wolfe.”
Amata shrugged. “I have nothing to do with him.”
Hugh shook his head. “That is not true,” he said. “From what I’ve been told, you were betrothed to the man until Dacia stole him away by seducing him.”
Amata’s breathing began to quicken as she began to lose control of the conversation. “Who told you that?” she demanded. “I haven’t even seen the man!”
“That is also not true,” Hugh said. “You went to Edenthorpe two weeks ago to visit Dacia, you claimed, but I knew you were going there to see that knight. Did he propose marriage to you, Amata?”
Amata was caught and sinking fast. She averted her gaze, backing away from her father. “He… he was glad to see me, of course, but…”
“Did he propose marriage to you and did not have the decency to ask my permission?”
Amata took another step back but Hugh reached out and grabbed her wrist so she couldn’t get away. She flinched. “Papa, you’re hurting me!”
Hugh yanked on her, pulling her towards him. “He did not propose marriage to you, did he?”
Amata’s eyes were filling with tears as the petulant little girl began to emerge. “You would not invite him here so I could have a chance to entertain him. You would not give me the chance to prove how witty and charming I can be!”
Hugh’s rage was starting to build. “Give me the truth or I shall lock you up in the vault and leave you there until you decide to be honest,” he seethed. “Tell me!”
“Nay!” Amata burst into tears. “He did not propose marriage.”
“But you told everyone he did, am I to understand that?” Hugh said. “Worse still, you have told everyone that Dacia seduced the man away from you, is this correct?”
Amata was already sobbing. “He kissed her. I saw it!”
“Wheredid he kiss her, Amata?”
“On… on her hand. But he still kissed her!”
“And you equate that to her seducing him?”
Amata’s sobbing was growing louder. “Papa, you’re hurting my wrist,” she wept. “Please let go.”
Hugh was too furious to release her. “I will not let go until you tell me what you have done,” he said. “There are rumors all about the village that Dacia stole your betrothed and even worse than that, there are rumors that she bore a child and buried it in the garden. Do you know that the church is considering bringing murder charges against her for that?”
Amata’s eyes opened wide. “Murder?” she sputtered. “I… I did not know…”
“Then you told that lie?”
“I… I…”
“Tell me!”
Amata howled because he shook her, bruising her flesh. “I did!” she cried. “I did and I am not sorry! She stole Cassius away from me and she knew that I wanted him!”
Hugh was so angry that his entire face was red. “So you spread these lies to turn people against her?”
“To punish her!” Amata screamed, spittle flying from her lips. “I wanted Cassius and she stole him!”
Hugh watched his daughter weep, fluid spilling from every part of her face. He was so angry that he was actually afraid of what he might do to her.
But that wouldn’t solve the problem.
He’d just come from a village that was whispering about Dacia and her witch’s marks, and how she was truly a witch because she used her powers to seduce Amata’s betrothed and sacrificed her own baby to the devil. Hugh knew as soon as Father Lazarus told him that it was untrue and he also knew where the rumors had come from. There had been no doubt. He suspected that Father Lazarus knew it, too.
Amata.
