AllFreeNovel
Share Us
You never had control of this house. Don’t you get it?
There was so much I wanted to say.
I couldn’t eke out the words.
“So, get over here,” he said, calmly. He sat on a chair and patted his knee, expecting me to voluntarily bend over his knee to take my belt whipping. “You must submit, daughter.”
I swallowed hard, mind moving like a galloping horse. “You would beat me even while Uncle Gregory is here? What will he think of you?”
“He will understand. And, frankly, I don’t care what he thinks. He’s not your father. I am. Besides, Sir Gregory is in town, rounding up the carriages.”
My brow rose. “On what business?”
Father lowered his belt onto his lap. “After weighing the options, I’ve decided to allow this healer Gregory spoke of to look at your mother. I will join your uncle to make sure everything goes swimmingly.”
My heart soared. I clasped my hands together in prayer and took a step forward into the room. “Oh, Father, that’s excellent! You must let me come with you!”
“Absolutely not.”
Frustration flared inside me, burning my lungs. “But . . . I can’t be separated from Mama.”
“You will have to be. It’s an inevitability of life, Robin. I need someone to watch over our affairs here.”
My brow furrowed, wrinkling my forehead. “You trust me to do that?”
He chuckled humorlessly. “Of course not. Which is why we’re bringing two carriages—one for your mother, one for our valuable belongings. That way, you won’t have anything to barter, trade, or steal, while I’m gone.”
God Almighty. My father really thinks that about me? That I’m an untrustworthy thief?
He preyed on the grief written on my face. “Perhaps if you stayed true to your word, even once . . .”
You still wouldn’t let me go! I shook my head, unwilling to take no for an answer. Not for this. Perhaps if . . . “If I allow you to whip me, and atone for my transgressions, will you let me go?”
I hated that it had come to this.
Unfortunately, my impulsive idea backfired. Father jolted up from his chair, snapping his belt with both hands, peeling his lip back in a snarl. “Allow me? In my own house? You’ve learned nothing, girl! Get your scrawny ass over here before I—”
“He’s back!” Emma yelled, her voice cracking. She pointed out a window into the courtyard. “Sir Gregory is back, sir!”
My heart tumbled in my chest. I had taken a beating already, and didn’t know how much more of this I could take.
For a moment, I thought my father would charge me anyway. Then his head spun toward the window, hesitant.
Tears burned my eyes. I couldn’t understand why he was doing this to me, separating me from Mama. He didn’t even care for her! But he knew I did.
Then, I realized: This was my punishment. He was ripping me away from Mama, with all likelihood I’d never see her again, unless Wulfric worked a miracle.
This betrayal and underhanded retribution was worse than any physical punishment I’d ever received from him.
When he turned back around, I was gone—sprinted out of the foyer. His enraged voice called to me, echoing through the house.
But I was already outside, running into the fields, letting my tears slide briskly off my cheeks.
Chapter 10
Robin
Iburst through the foliage into the clearing, kicking up dirt and leaves as I stumbled through a low-hanging branch and smacked it out of my face.
