The Rumor
Wren noticed somethingwas off the moment she entered town.People stared more than usual.Whispered.A few turned away when she tried to make eye contact.
Sara grabbed her arm the moment she tied up her horse."We need to talk.Privately."
They ducked into Sara's shop.Sara locked the door and turned, expression furious."Someone's been spreading rumors about you and Viktor."
Wren's stomach dropped."What kind of rumors?"
"That you're sleeping with him.That his interest in you isn't business, it's...personal.That you're using him for protection and favors."Sara's hands clenched."It's vicious, Wren.And it's everywhere."
"That's not true!"How offensive!Victor, of all people.
"I know that.Anyone with a brain knows that.But people love gossip, and this is juicy gossip."Sara's expression was sympathetic."Lyra's behind it.Has to be.She was at the tea house yesterday, very loudly 'defending' you while making sure everyone heard the details of the rumors she was supposedly defending you from."Classic manipulation.
"What do I do?"Wren said it partly to jump start her brain.She needed to be rational about this, but it was so unexpected.
"Don't engage.Don't defend yourself desperately.Just...be normal.Dignified.Let the rumor die from lack of fuel."Sara squeezed her hands."I'll spread the truth where I can.And Mei-Lin is already shutting people down left and right."
At Mei's General Store, the atmosphere was tense.Mei greeted her professionally but quietly said, "I don't believe the rumors.For what it's worth."
"Thank you."Wren remained dignified.What she projected was more convincing than anything she could say.So much of communication was non-verbal.
Mei smiled approvingly while she rang up her order.
At Madame Lin's, the seamstress was more blunt."Ignore the gossip.Anyone with eyes can see you're not that type.And Viktor came by yesterday to formally deny the whole thing."
"He did?"
"Very publicly.Very smoothly."Madame Lin's expression was shrewd."Almost too smoothly, if you ask me.Like he was enjoying the attention."
That...was concerning.
Wren made her trades—less than usual, with the frost damage—and kept her head high.When people whispered, she pretended not to notice.When someone asked her directly about Viktor, she said calmly, "Mr.Andersen has been a helpful neighbor, nothing more.I don't engage in gossip."
Polite.Dismissive.Mature.Exactly what a good PR team would advise.
By the time she left town, she was exhausted from maintaining composure, but she'd done it.She hadn't given the gossips anything to work with.
At the gate, Jin was waiting."I heard," he said quietly.
"Of course you did.Everyone's heard," she said, annoyed.Really, this town was silly.They needed to find something worthwhile to do.
