Page 40 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

“We’re not gossiping. I don’t care about anything other than why he didn’t want me to stay. Every other time I’ve been with him, he’s wanted me to. Was it because he was sick?”

‘Yes, I am sure that is what it was.’

“Liar.”

She growled at me as she sat with her legs tucked into her body on my disheveled bed.

I looked around and sighed. My room was a mess. Papers were everywhere, and trays of food littered the floor. What kind of place was this for a human to dwell in? Perhaps I’d let the monster within me take over this part of my life for too long.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked over at Dyna. “Mary brought him food. Did she say anything to him?” When she didn’t say anything, I knew that was it. “What did she tell him? I swear to you, I won’t get angry at her.”

Dyna stared up at me, then she blinked and looked away.‘Mary told him about your inner beast.’

Of course. It all made sense now. And yet Cale had still let me into his room. He’d let me sit on his bed and talk.

I clenched my teeth. I had gotten close to him these past few weeks, to the point where I cared about his well-being. But now, with him knowing about my monster, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep seeing him.

Rather than say anything more to Dyna, I stormed out of my room and made my way down to Mary’s room and knocked as quietly as I could, which was very rare for me to do.

When she opened, her eyes widened, her face fearful as she took in the unpleasant frown on my face.

“My lord, is everything all right?” she asked.

“Why did you tell Cale about the monster I am?” I hissed through my teeth, seething at her brazenness.

She swallowed, then she shook her head. “I-I didn’t mean to . . . I was only trying to—”

I placed my hand on the side of the door and pushed it open, and she stepped back with a gasp.

“My lord, please forgive me.” Tears collected in her eyes.

I wanted to be angry, but I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t. Not around her, not when Mary, of all people, deserved more out of life than anyone else here. Sighing, I looked down and closed my eyes, willing the anger of that beast away.

It wasn’t hard to do around her, with how timid she was, with how much she reminded me of her mother, Eleanor.

“No, Mary, please forgive me,” I started. “I don’t want to hurt you, I just didn’t want him to know . . . I will get through this, just as I have with everything else. We all will.”

When I looked up at her, she smiled faintly through her tears. No, I couldn’t deal with hurting her. This is one of the reasons why I stayed away from them all.

Their pain was too great a burden.

Turning on my heel, I left the room, conflicted now about Cale.

I stayed away from Cale for two days. I went to the kitchen late at night or very early in the morning just to avoid him. But by day three, he cornered me in the hallway on my way back to my room from the kitchen late that night.

“Gil,” he started, standing in front of me as I came up the stairs. “I haven’t seen you in days. Is everything all right?”

My brow drew low as I looked at him. “I’ve been up in my room.” I tried to sidestep him, but he caught my arm, and I turned around to face him, jerking my arm back.

“I’m better now. You can come to my room. Or you can continue the teaching. I’ve been reading the six letter words verywell.” He smiled, hands clasping behind his back. “See, I learned that from you.”

My heart ached hearing him say it, but it all had to be an act. There was no way he could know what I could turn into and continue to want my company. My face softened at first, but the more I thought about this all being a show, the more it hardened.

“I know that Mary told you about me.”

His face fell, his mouth parting.

“Does it make you nervous?” I asked.

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