bed,
encouraging her to relax while he went to find Cora.
"We can't have you waiting an hour
for a damned physician to arrive. Cora has sewn more than a few stitches in her
lifetime. I vow she does a better job than any doctor alive. I will be right
back."
Within moments, Percy and Cora returned
with the proper necessities. Cora's motherly attentions brought the tears in
Elyssa's eyes flowing down her cheeks. "It hurts," Elyssa moaned.
"I know, but it shall be fine very
soon. Now lay back and close your eyes. I'll be done in just a moment."
Her work sure and precise, Cora was true to her word, and moments later Elyssa
was feeling much better, her hand properly stitched and bandaged.
The color slowly came back to her face
and Elyssa was grateful the ordeal was over. Until Percy's
return once again. He looked impatient to speak with her about something
and Elyssa sat up on her bed.
"I came earlier but you were
nowhere in sight. So, my dear wife, where were you?"
His penetrating stare making her
uncomfortable, Elyssa stuttered, "I...I went for a short walk in the
gardens."
"I expressly asked you not to
wander downstairs, Elyssa."
"I thought no harm in taking a
brief walk outdoors," she replied defmso-style-priority:9g">CHAPTER ensively.
"How did a mere walk turn into
bleeding and stitches?"
"I took a vase to put flowers in.
It dropped from my hands. When I tried cleaning up the mess, I got cut."
Gently picking her hands up, Percy said,
"I am sorry I questioned you so brusquely. It is only your safety I am
concerned about." His eyes narrowing as he looked at her hands, Percy
continued, "Where is your wedding band?"
Forgetting that her finger was still
without her ring, Elyssa feared her husband would find no reason in the world
excusable for the absence of the one thing that declared he owned her.
"I was polishing my mother's silver
tea set and did not wish to dirty the ring."
"How the devil would polishing silver mess up a sturdy wedding band?" came
the gruff rebuttal. "Do you hold your marriage in so little regard that
you would openly flaunt a ringless finger?"
Loosing her fingers from his hands,
Elyssa said, "Percy, I simply forgot to put it back on after the chore was
done. I see no need to make anymore of it than that."
"Put it back on this very
moment," he demanded.
Elyssa rose from her seated position,
for she did not like Percy towering over her, looking down at her as if she
were an unmanageable spoiled brat. She was a grown woman, after all, and there
was no need to order her about. She forced an air of bravado, for although
Elyssa thought herself ready for a confrontation with her husband, she was
likewise nervous about his reaction to her newfound mettle, not to mention
still a bit weak from having her hand stitched ..
"I shall replace the ring on my
finger when I am ready to do so," she said shakily.
Taking a menacing step toward Elyssa,
Percy's eyes narrowed in vexation. "I vow you shall put the damned ring
back on this very moment or I shall do it for you.";
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-hi dow
"That has the distinct sound of a
threat," Elyssa replied nervously as she took a step backward.
"Oh, it is," came the low reply. Percy's hands curled into fists as he
stared at his young wife. He was hard put to explain her recent bold behavior.
Having to deal with that, besides his son's unexpected return, was causing
Percy's wrath near the surface. "I find your recent impertinence very annoying,
Elyssa. You are certainly not the same creature I fell for on first
sight."
Ignoring Percy's insults, Elyssa spoke
her thoughts aloud. “Why is it that a man need not wear a wedding ring, but a
woman is commanded to as proof that she is owned by a husband, body and
soul?"
"You already refused me your body,
dear wife," Percy bit out, "your soul shall not be denied me."
Elyssa cried out at his condemning words, her future suddenly seeming more
hopeless than ever. It was obvious that Percy detested her. Life
encouraging her to relax while he went to find Cora.
"We can't have you waiting an hour
for a damned physician to arrive. Cora has sewn more than a few stitches in her
lifetime. I vow she does a better job than any doctor alive. I will be right
back."
Within moments, Percy and Cora returned
with the proper necessities. Cora's motherly attentions brought the tears in
Elyssa's eyes flowing down her cheeks. "It hurts," Elyssa moaned.
"I know, but it shall be fine very
soon. Now lay back and close your eyes. I'll be done in just a moment."
Her work sure and precise, Cora was true to her word, and moments later Elyssa
was feeling much better, her hand properly stitched and bandaged.
The color slowly came back to her face
and Elyssa was grateful the ordeal was over. Until Percy's
return once again. He looked impatient to speak with her about something
and Elyssa sat up on her bed.
"I came earlier but you were
nowhere in sight. So, my dear wife, where were you?"
His penetrating stare making her
uncomfortable, Elyssa stuttered, "I...I went for a short walk in the
gardens."
"I expressly asked you not to
wander downstairs, Elyssa."
"I thought no harm in taking a
brief walk outdoors," she replied defmso-style-priority:9g">CHAPTER ensively.
"How did a mere walk turn into
bleeding and stitches?"
"I took a vase to put flowers in.
It dropped from my hands. When I tried cleaning up the mess, I got cut."
Gently picking her hands up, Percy said,
"I am sorry I questioned you so brusquely. It is only your safety I am
concerned about." His eyes narrowing as he looked at her hands, Percy
continued, "Where is your wedding band?"
Forgetting that her finger was still
without her ring, Elyssa feared her husband would find no reason in the world
excusable for the absence of the one thing that declared he owned her.
"I was polishing my mother's silver
tea set and did not wish to dirty the ring."
"How the devil would polishing silver mess up a sturdy wedding band?" came
the gruff rebuttal. "Do you hold your marriage in so little regard that
you would openly flaunt a ringless finger?"
Loosing her fingers from his hands,
Elyssa said, "Percy, I simply forgot to put it back on after the chore was
done. I see no need to make anymore of it than that."
"Put it back on this very
moment," he demanded.
Elyssa rose from her seated position,
for she did not like Percy towering over her, looking down at her as if she
were an unmanageable spoiled brat. She was a grown woman, after all, and there
was no need to order her about. She forced an air of bravado, for although
Elyssa thought herself ready for a confrontation with her husband, she was
likewise nervous about his reaction to her newfound mettle, not to mention
still a bit weak from having her hand stitched ..
"I shall replace the ring on my
finger when I am ready to do so," she said shakily.
Taking a menacing step toward Elyssa,
Percy's eyes narrowed in vexation. "I vow you shall put the damned ring
back on this very moment or I shall do it for you.";
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-hi dow
"That has the distinct sound of a
threat," Elyssa replied nervously as she took a step backward.
"Oh, it is," came the low reply. Percy's hands curled into fists as he
stared at his young wife. He was hard put to explain her recent bold behavior.
Having to deal with that, besides his son's unexpected return, was causing
Percy's wrath near the surface. "I find your recent impertinence very annoying,
Elyssa. You are certainly not the same creature I fell for on first
sight."
Ignoring Percy's insults, Elyssa spoke
her thoughts aloud. “Why is it that a man need not wear a wedding ring, but a
woman is commanded to as proof that she is owned by a husband, body and
soul?"
"You already refused me your body,
dear wife," Percy bit out, "your soul shall not be denied me."
Elyssa cried out at his condemning words, her future suddenly seeming more
hopeless than ever. It was obvious that Percy detested her. Life
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