Fallen Hero (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 3)

“Who are you?” Rollo cried loudly. He jerked around in his seat to look at the assembled men in the room. “Who are they? What are they doing here?”

“Answer my question,” Aaron commanded, his voic

e dark and sinister.

“I-I don’t know anything,” Rollo protested.

“I think you can do better than that,” Aaron persisted. “You come here at an ungodly hour of the morning and tell this lady here that she is destitute. Why? How do you know what her financial position could be?”

“I-I don’t,” Rollo cried. “Look, let me out of here and I will forget about all of this, eh? It was my mistake. I didn’t realise she was already spoken for.”

“You were trying your luck,” Aaron told him with far too much predatory intent.

“I-I didn’t mean anything untoward.”

“So, why did you come here to proposition her then?” Aaron demanded.

“I didn’t,” Rollo argued.

“You just propositioned her. We heard you,” Oliver added.

Rollo froze. “I apologise. I didn’t mean any offense.”

Rollo turned a somewhat pleading look upon Elspeth who remained unmoved. She knew he was only ‘sorry’ because Rollo believed it might save his worthless backside. If she had been alone, Elspeth knew the man would have continued to lecherously pester her until she felt threatened, fearful and uncertain of her safety. She therefore couldn’t find it within her already battered and bruised heart to be lenient with him.

“You just stated that you think I am destitute. Why?” Elspeth demanded.

“You heard the lady. Speak,” Aaron thundered when Rollo stared first at her but then at Aaron with far too much calculation to be as afraid as he pretended to be.

“There are rumours going about the village, that’s all,” Rollo shrugged. He held his hands, palms upward, to the men. “You know how it is in these small places. People are talking about how a young woman like her is going to cope all alone.”

“You thought you would come here and try your luck, did you?” Aaron snorted.

“As you can see, she is not alone,” Callum said as he waved a hand around the group.

“Yes, I can see that,” Rollo mused as he slid a look over each of the men.

“What do you mean by that?” Elspeth gasped when she heard the sneer in Rollo’s voice.

“I didn’t realise you had a suitor,” Rollo replied. His gaze slid over the men in the kitchen as though he was trying to guess which one it would be.

“Well, now you can assure your gossips that Elspeth will cope beautifully in life, even though she has, sadly, lost her brother. She doesn’t need you calling by at this time in the morning, risking damaging her reputation, now does she?” Aaron’s voice hardened at the last. His gaze turned spiteful. He leaned down until Rollo had no choice but to look at him.

Slowly, with a nervous gulp, Rollo shook his head.

“I suggest you leave the young lady to her life and go about yours from now on. Do not call by unannounced, and do not think about spreading any unfair or unnecessary gossip, do you understand?” Aaron warned.

“Now, tell us what you know about Elspeth’s financial situation? What is going around the village about her?” Oliver slid a seat in front of Rollo and sat down on it, leaving Rollo in no doubt neither of them was going anywhere until Oliver had all the answers he needed.

“Well, I don’t know really,” Rollo stammered.

“But you must know. If you are confident enough to feel able to call around here at this time of the morning, you must be certain of the facts,” Aaron challenged.

“There were rumours that she is in financial trouble now. That cousin of hers has been around the village telling everyone that he owns the house, and is going to have her as his wife,” Rollo muttered.

Elspeth closed her eyes on a wave of horror and sighed miserably. She slowly turned and gazed blindly at the garden while Aaron continued to pummel her unwelcome guest with questions.

“Why would the locals believe him, a stranger?”