Haunted Woods.”
Alarm curled inside Adrenia. She recognized a lie, and his statement confirmed what she suspected. Something had gone horribly wrong for the girl.
Adrenia forced herself to take in Sulla’s now sullen face. “The Haunted Woods? Why would you go near there with her? It is out of the way from the market to our home.”
He threw back his head and laughed. The frozen, brittle sound made her blood run equally cold. “Did you think if I bought her I wouldn’t have use for her first?”
Her lips parted in instinctive protest as anger roiled in her gut. “Did she escape before or after you had use of her?”
He shifted closer. “Perhaps you want a detailed account? Do you find interest in vicarious sexual relations?”
Fear crawled under skin. Sulla was a snake. An asp that hunted for sustenance in her garden. She knew, with the forethought that sometimes made her life hell, that Sulla had done more than hunt in his life or act the soldier. He’d slaughtered without compunction. Tortured. Maimed. Her body went cold, her fingers trembling. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap so he couldn’t detect how much her knowledge affected her.
“Adrenia.” He turned her face toward him, and his fingers pressed into her jaw. “You didn’t answer me.”
“Perhaps because it is an inappropriate question, sir. But I’ll answer you anyway. I do not see sexual relations as something an unmarried man and woman should talk about.”
He released her chin and laughed, throwing back his head, eyes sparkling with genuine mirth. “Oh, you are a prize, Adrenia. Surely you don’t think that is how it works with most couples?” By now his jovial state turned harder and controlled. “You must be singularly naïve to believe such nonsense.”
Used to ridicule, his statement didn’t surprise her. It did add fuel to her contempt. “Are those the words of a man trying to coax a woman into sexual compliance, sir?”
“Call me Sulla.”
“That wouldn’t be appropriate.”
His mouth curled into a condescending line. “Sometimes doing the inappropriate thing can be very satisfying.”
Adrenia dared look straight at him, well aware this continued banter led down a dangerous path. How to escape? Just get up and walk away. Just walk into the house. But Mother isn’t in the house. No one is. No. She now regretted her lie. Better to stay outside in the open.
Before she could think of a suitable retort to his last statement, he continued. “I think you don’t like me very much. But some of that may be because of your limited experience with men. I do not hold that against you, Adrenia. Many women left unmarried for as long as you are awkward and plain. It stands to reason that most men find you boring. But I like your fire. I think you and I could have many adventures together.”
She licked her dry lips and wished she was anywhere but with him.
Adrenia asked the question she knew she shouldn’t. “What adventures?”
“You could meet me in the Haunted Woods. I’ll show you the way it should be between a man and woman.”
Nausea bubbled up in her throat. “No.”
The word came out easily, but the agitation in his gaze grew. “You’re quite the temptress, aren’t you? Teasing a man with questions, then telling him no.” He touched her hair. “With this mess of hair most men would laugh at the idea of relations with you.”
“I didn’t think, when it comes to a women’s prize, that many men care so much about a woman’s face or hair. They want release. That’s all that is important.”
He released a booming laugh. “That is the way of it for some men.”
Play the dunce, Adrenia. Let him believe you are everything he thinks.
“I’m nothing more than a humble and dutiful daughter with no training in these...these machinations you speak of.”
Her answer narrowed his eyes, as if he couldn’t decide if she lied. He leaned back against the house and folded his arms. The sight of so much
Alarm curled inside Adrenia. She recognized a lie, and his statement confirmed what she suspected. Something had gone horribly wrong for the girl.
Adrenia forced herself to take in Sulla’s now sullen face. “The Haunted Woods? Why would you go near there with her? It is out of the way from the market to our home.”
He threw back his head and laughed. The frozen, brittle sound made her blood run equally cold. “Did you think if I bought her I wouldn’t have use for her first?”
Her lips parted in instinctive protest as anger roiled in her gut. “Did she escape before or after you had use of her?”
He shifted closer. “Perhaps you want a detailed account? Do you find interest in vicarious sexual relations?”
Fear crawled under skin. Sulla was a snake. An asp that hunted for sustenance in her garden. She knew, with the forethought that sometimes made her life hell, that Sulla had done more than hunt in his life or act the soldier. He’d slaughtered without compunction. Tortured. Maimed. Her body went cold, her fingers trembling. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap so he couldn’t detect how much her knowledge affected her.
“Adrenia.” He turned her face toward him, and his fingers pressed into her jaw. “You didn’t answer me.”
“Perhaps because it is an inappropriate question, sir. But I’ll answer you anyway. I do not see sexual relations as something an unmarried man and woman should talk about.”
He released her chin and laughed, throwing back his head, eyes sparkling with genuine mirth. “Oh, you are a prize, Adrenia. Surely you don’t think that is how it works with most couples?” By now his jovial state turned harder and controlled. “You must be singularly naïve to believe such nonsense.”
Used to ridicule, his statement didn’t surprise her. It did add fuel to her contempt. “Are those the words of a man trying to coax a woman into sexual compliance, sir?”
“Call me Sulla.”
“That wouldn’t be appropriate.”
His mouth curled into a condescending line. “Sometimes doing the inappropriate thing can be very satisfying.”
Adrenia dared look straight at him, well aware this continued banter led down a dangerous path. How to escape? Just get up and walk away. Just walk into the house. But Mother isn’t in the house. No one is. No. She now regretted her lie. Better to stay outside in the open.
Before she could think of a suitable retort to his last statement, he continued. “I think you don’t like me very much. But some of that may be because of your limited experience with men. I do not hold that against you, Adrenia. Many women left unmarried for as long as you are awkward and plain. It stands to reason that most men find you boring. But I like your fire. I think you and I could have many adventures together.”
She licked her dry lips and wished she was anywhere but with him.
Adrenia asked the question she knew she shouldn’t. “What adventures?”
“You could meet me in the Haunted Woods. I’ll show you the way it should be between a man and woman.”
Nausea bubbled up in her throat. “No.”
The word came out easily, but the agitation in his gaze grew. “You’re quite the temptress, aren’t you? Teasing a man with questions, then telling him no.” He touched her hair. “With this mess of hair most men would laugh at the idea of relations with you.”
“I didn’t think, when it comes to a women’s prize, that many men care so much about a woman’s face or hair. They want release. That’s all that is important.”
He released a booming laugh. “That is the way of it for some men.”
Play the dunce, Adrenia. Let him believe you are everything he thinks.
“I’m nothing more than a humble and dutiful daughter with no training in these...these machinations you speak of.”
Her answer narrowed his eyes, as if he couldn’t decide if she lied. He leaned back against the house and folded his arms. The sight of so much
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