Chapter 3 Crystal Lake
1427 Words
Two days later, a carriage arrived to take Audrey to Crystal Lake. She was still burning with fever.
Cassian sat beside her on the boat and gently pulled her into his arms. He whispered "I'm sorry" so many times she lost count.
He stroked her hair and spoke softly, "Audrey, why didn't you tell me sooner about Chloe's passing? I bought an entire boat full of gowns to make it up to you. Do any of them catch your eye?"
Audrey looked at him, a bitter thought creeping in. 'How could a pile of store-bought dresses ever compare to the love my mother stitched into every crooked seam?'
She swallowed her grief, keeping her voice low. "The war was at its worst. I didn't want you to lose focus."
Cassian felt a wave of tenderness wash over him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. "You're always so selfless, Audrey. It breaks my heart."
But her hands moved before she could stop them, shoving him away.
Cassian stumbled back, caught completely off guard. Hurt darkened his expression. "Audrey, our wedding is only days away. Why would you react like that? I've kept my heart and my honor for you alone these past four years. I can control myself—"
Before he could finish, Lyla swept the curtain aside and stepped in with a playful grin, covering her eyes. "Oh my, I really didn't mean to walk in on you two lovebirds. But it's time to change your bandages, Cassian. We've been worried about your wounds."
Cassian's expression softened. He nodded toward Audrey, signaling her to help.
Lyla waved her off. "Audrey is far too delicate for that. One look at your wounds and she'll be in tears. I've been taking care of you long enough. Let me handle it."
That was when Audrey noticed what Lyla was wearing. Her blood ran cold.
It was a gown made of Moonveil silk, a fabric worth a king's ransom.
The King himself had told Frank that the Moonveil silk was meant for Cassian as a royal wedding gift, a symbol of the crown's blessing on the union between their two families.
Cassian had given away even the King's bridal gift to Lyla, all to keep her standing tall.
Lyla winced as she dabbed ointment on Cassian's skin, then clawed at her neck in frustration. She groaned, "Cassian, I'm dying over here!"
She yanked at the fabric of her gown. "I told you I didn't want to wear this stupid thing! I can barely lift my arms. How am I supposed to protect you if we get ambushed?"
She let out a sharp breath. "William and his men laughed at me this morning. Said I was playing dress-up. Can you believe that?"
Cassian couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her scratching and squirming. He gently pulled her hands away. "Alright, alright. We'll get you changed the second we're back. William can answer for it with twenty lashes."
Lyla threw her head back and let out a satisfied laugh. "Now that's more like it! You're the best!"
Audrey watched the two of them—their easy rhythm, their effortless closeness. She murmured that the cabin felt too stuffy and stepped out onto the deck for some air.
It wasn't long before Lyla followed. She sidled up beside Audrey with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Lyla leaned in and whispered, "Audrey, the Moonveil silk looks good on me, don't you think? But there's something else of yours I want too. Care to guess what it is?"
Her voice dropped low. "Your life."
Before Audrey could react, Lyla shoved her hard off the side of the boat. She plunged into the lake with a violent splash.
A cry for help pierced the air. Cassian burst out of the cabin to find both Audrey and Lyla thrashing in the water.
Lyla screamed, "Save me! I can't… I can't swim!"
Cassian dove in without hesitation. He reached Lyla first, pulled her above the surface, then glanced back at Audrey struggling to stay afloat.
'She's a strong swimmer,' he thought. 'She can make it back on her own.'
He wrapped his arm around Lyla and swam toward the boat.
By the time he had gotten her safely aboard and turned back, Audrey was gone. The surface of the lake was still. Not a ripple. Not a sound.
From dawn until dark, from upstream to downstream, Cassian searched for an entire day and night. There was no sign of Audrey. No body. Nothing.
The Langley and Harlow families fell into a state of panic. Cassian blamed himself so deeply that he refused to eat or rest.
On the second evening, Audrey returned on her own.
She told them the current had swept her downstream for miles. She had crawled ashore and walked the long road home.
Cassian pulled Audrey into his arms, relief breaking through before his tone sharpened. He scolded, "What were you doing leaning over the water to watch some fish? You dragged Lyla in with you! She can cut down a dozen men on the battlefield, but she sinks like a stone in the river. She nearly drowned!"
Audrey's eyes turned red as she tried to deny it.
The warmth in Cassian's gaze vanished in an instant, replaced by something cold. He said, "You caused the trouble, but you fell in too. So we'll leave it at that. Just don't be so reckless again."
He lifted her from the ground himself, carried her back to bed, and called for the doctor. He knelt beside her, wincing as he dabbed salve onto the raw, bloody blisters covering her feet.
Audrey said nothing. She already knew that no explanation would change a thing.
*****
The next morning, Cassian returned with Lyla at his side. A handful of the household's ladies trailed behind them.
After the usual fussing and well-wishes, Cassian's mother, Olivia Langley, tilted her head with a careful smile. She asked, "Audrey, dear, you were missing for an entire day and night. How exactly did you find your way back? Did you happen to run into anyone along the road?"
Audrey went rigid. The shadow of what had happened four years ago crashed over her without warning. She bit down hard on her lip.
Olivia's eyes flickered with a cold gleam. She pressed, "Why so quiet?" She waved an old matron forward from behind her. "The wedding is only days away, after all. This wouldn't be the first time something like this has come up. Best we settle it today with a proper examination."
Audrey could not stop her body from shaking.
This was the very thing she had feared. She had dragged herself home alone, sick and bleeding, rather than risk being seen. She hadn't even dared to call for a carriage. She had endured the festering wounds on her feet all the way back to the manor before letting anyone tend to them. All of it to avoid suspicion. Yet here they were, doubting her still.
Cassian's expression darkened. He opened his mouth to intervene, but Lyla waved a hand with a light laugh. "Oh, just the other day on the ship, I saw Audrey and Cassian being quite affectionate with each other. Those two are as devoted as they come." She turned to Olivia. "Really, Mrs. Langley, there's no need to make a fuss over nothing."
The word 'affectionate' hit Cassian like a slap. His chest tightened. 'She was acting strange that day. She pulled away every time I tried to get close. What if she really had been with someone else?'
He set his jaw. "Audrey, my mom only wants to clear your name. Once this is settled, if anyone dares to whisper a word against you, I will put a sword through them myself."
Despair swallowed her whole. Audrey hurled the pillow at him, tears streaming down her face. "Cassian, why don't you believe me anymore? I won't do it! No!"
Cassian's voice dropped low but held steady. "Audrey, of course I believe you. But there are too many wagging tongues, and I need to shut them up for good. I'll make this up to you after the wedding. I swear it." His gaze swept the room. "Lyla and the matron stay. Everyone else, get out."
When the chamber door swung open again, the old matron stumbled out, her face drained of all color. She gasped, "Something is wrong! Ms. Harlow is—"
She swallowed hard. "She's fainted!"
- Writer
