“Fill that.”
Anger poured from her in furious waves.
“Now,” he demanded. Of course she didn’t move, so he simply grabbed what he could find and stuffed it into the bag.
“Damn you,” she growled. “This is my life. I can live it as I choose!”
“And you choose to live in this place and work where men can ogle and use your body? You choose to be cold and go hungry because your pride will not allow you to accept help from me?”
He watched her eyes lower and knew his words had hit their mark. She dropped to her knees and retrieved something that was sticking out from under the bed. It looked to Gabe like a bundle of letters.
“What is that?”
“I don’t know. I have never seen them before.”
She undid the ribbon holding them and opened the first one. “It must have been in my father’s bible.” She began to read the words. The color leached from her face as she stumbled back into the bed.
“Dimity.” He moved closer. “What is it?”
“N-nothing. I-It’s nothing.”
Chapter Four
“Clearly it’s something if it made you turn the color of lumpy porridge and stutter.”
“It matters not.”Dear Lord, had she read those words correctly?
“What did it say? Let me help you.”
“No!” she said, trying to remain calm.
“You’re panicking.”
“I—ah, I’m tired.”
“Your brother should be supporting you.”
She didn’t answer him, as her head was whirling.
“I will have something to say to him when we meet.”
“You have no need to meet him.” She forced herself to concentrate on the earl and not think about the contents of that letter she’d just read. Later she would look at it again and try to understand. She hoped that she’d read those words wrong, but inside she knew that wasn’t the case.
Could it be true? Was her father actually not her father?
“My br-brother and I have never been close, and there is no reason for you to speak to him. I am glad to be rid of him.”
“Very well. Pack your things, and we will leave,” Lord Raine said.
Dimity battled her pride. This man could help her, if only until she got another job. She could take his money and be comfortable. The amount he’d waved at her would keep her in food and lodgings for months.
Take it.
If she did, she could send him away. His duty would be done. He could report to Abby that Dimity was now well. There were plenty of lodging houses that would be warm and dry. Just the thought of not living with the ball of fear that had been lodged in her throat made her lightheaded. The fear that someone would enter this room, some man, and violate her had kept her awake most nights.
“I will take the money you offered, my lord. Thank you.” The gratitude nearly choked her. “Then you can leave and not think of me again. But I will pay you back.”No matter how long it takes.
“That offer no longer stands.”
