The General Who Took My Lantern and Broke My Heart Chapter 10

The General Who Took My Lantern and Broke My Heart Chapter 10

Thorne’s face went white in an instant.

He shook his head once, stiffly, but when his lips moved, no sound came out.

I never touched her.

Then Cressida’s voice came from inside, light with laughter.

“I’m fine for now. We just need to hurry the engagement along. Once my body starts showing signs, Thorne will figure it out.”

Her tone was almost cheerful.

“I didn’t expect it either. It was one night with a club man. Who knew I’d end up pregnant?”

“And getting rid of it would hurt too much. I’m not putting myself through that.”

She sighed, then laughed again.

“Poor Thorne. I suppose I’ll just give him a real baby after we’re married.”

Thorne’s face could no longer be called pale.

It had gone dark, almost black with rage.

The maid inside kept talking.

“Miss Cressida, if you’re already going to marry Mr. Bellwether, why did you still have someone put snakes in her room?”

Cressida gave a soft laugh, careless and sweet.

“I may not be able to marry Bram, but he has adored me my whole life. Once I leave, what if he and that woman actually get close?”

“I won’t allow anyone to matter more to Bram than I do.”

“No one.”

Before Cressida’s voice had even faded, the door crashed open and struck the wall hard enough to make the room jump.

She looked up with the smile still on her face.

Then she saw Bram.

For one frozen second, the smile vanished. But just as quickly, she forced it back into that pretty, spoiled shape he knew too well.

“Bram? Why are you here?”

Bram did not answer.

He stood in the doorway, staring at her as if he had never seen her before.

Thorne stepped out from behind him, his face cold and silent.

Cressida looked from one man to the other.

At last, she understood.

Her smile stiffened little by little. Her lips moved, and her voice dropped.

“Bram… did you hear that?”

Bram still said nothing.

The silence stretched until the room felt frozen solid.

Then he spoke, his voice hoarse.

“Why?”

Cressida bit her lower lip. Her eyes reddened at once, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Bram, I didn’t mean it. I was just scared she would take you from me.”

“So you set snakes on her?” Bram’s voice shot up.

“She injured her shoulder saving you. She took the blame for you and got locked in that chapel. And you sent snakes after her?”

Cressida flinched under his shout, crying harder.

“I didn’t mean for them to actually bite her. I only wanted to scare her.”

Bram looked at her face, and exhaustion hit him all at once.

He turned toward the men at the door.

“Call the sheriff.”

“Bram!”

Cressida lunged forward and grabbed his sleeve, her voice turning sharp with panic.

“You can’t do this to me. I’m your sister.”

Bram threw her hand off.

Cressida stumbled, then rushed back and clung to his arm, tears streaming down her face.

“Bram, I know you love me. I know you do.”

“Let me off this once. I’ll be your mistress. I’ll do anything.”

Bram looked down at her.

That tear-streaked face had once been the person he thought he needed to protect most in the world.

Now all he felt was disgust at the absurdity of it.

He had mistaken poison for innocence for far too long.