The Calamity of a Re Book 1: Chapter 49: The Lies of Faith

Book 1: Chapter 49: The Lies of Faith

The sun had not yet risen when Lady Helena crept out the front door of the Turnbell mansion. She clutched at the folds of her cloak and pulled the hood low as she headed towards the barn. With no servants or slaves to order about, Helena was forced to saddle and bridle a mare herself. Thankfully, she still rembered how given her love of riding during her adolescent years.

She cringed at the mory as she patted the mare's neck and climbed into the saddle. Recalling her childhood ant rembering her father and the last words of warning he had gifted her.

"You will regret chasing the empty promises of a penniless rogue!"

Those words had pricked and clung to her fading pride over the years as her wild romance flickered out, and the choices she had made suffocated the carefree girl Helena had once been. Nothing kills a woman's youth and independence quite like marriage.

Josiah had spent the previous evening drinking his way through their last reserve of alcohol to celebrate the return of the Turnbell mansion's deed, and with it, his precious title. He also made several overly confident statents about reclaiming his businessbut Helena knew that was the drink talking.

Sophya, her dear sweet but cruel Sophya, remained locked up in her room weeping and lanting her fallen state. They might have kept their title thanks to the Earl's change of heart, but mother and daughter knew they were destitute all the sa.

However, it was not the financial troubles of her family that drove Helena from her ho under cover of darkness. As she dismounted to push the mansion gate open, Helen wondered whether she would be better off not returning at all this ti. Neither husband nor daughter had expressed an ounce of concern for her since Maura had fled their ho.

'They don't understand. They don't know what Maura is capable of.'

Helena whipped the mare rcilessly as she raced towards the capital, desperate to speak to the one person who would understand her terror and desperation.

The small chapel ca into view at the edge of the capital's sprawl of buildings. The lanterns kept lit along its exterior stone walls beckoned the lost and hopeless into the loving arms of the Saints and the Sisters.

Helena reigned in the mare. She ignored the foam at the tired beast's mouth as she quickly dismounted and tossed the reins towards a startled nun who appeared through the front door.

"My Lady"

"Is Abbess rcy here?" Helena asked as she moved briskly towards the open chapel door.

"No, my lady, the Abbess was called to the palacebut she will return in the morning."

"Then, I will wait here!"

The bewildered nun stared after her then turned to lead the heaving mare around to the stables.

An uneasy quiet fell over Helena as she entered the chapel. Her mory played back the first ti she'd run to the divine protection of these holy walls nearly sixteen years ago. Helena twisted her wedding ring anxiously as she walked towards the large marble pillar of the Saint and wolf at the head of the church. She knelt upon one of the pillows below the statue and folded her hands as she attempted to pray.

'rciful Saints, when was the last ti I bothered to pray? Do the Saints even listen?'

"It's been a while, Lady Helena."

Helena spun towards the familiar matriarchal voice and hastily rose to her feet. "The nun said you were at the palace?"

"The nun was told to say that," Abbess rcy replied coldly. "And I was until a few hours ago. While I was there, I also had the pleasure of eting your half-blood daughter."

Helena paled and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"You told

she was cursed by a blemish that covered her entire face," rcy continued as she closed in on the trembling noblewoman. "And yet the face of the young woman I examined today was remarkably pure and even pretty."

"Iwe were fooled," Helena said helplessly.

"And the poison I gave you?"

"II only had one chance to use itwhen Lincolnmy son, whipped her."

"Where?"

"O-on her back."

"And you're certain you used it correctly?"

"Ihad my maid apply it to the wound imdiately after," Helena whispered.

"You trusted such a task to a maid?" rcy's voice dipped dangerously low. "Useless!"

Helena composed her quivering emotions and faced the Abbess squarely. "Don't put this on . I asked you to help

remove that problem all those years ago, and youyou convinced

to give birth to a witch!"

"You sealed your fate the mont you crawled into bed with that child's father," rcy returned with a cruel smile. "Don't bla that child or

for your sins!"

"I made a mistake," Helena whispered. "I have regretted it every single day sinceI have already lost my son! I am about to losemy daughter as well! How much more punishnt must I endure?"

Helena sank to her knees and sobbed brokenly. The Abbess sighed and extended a white handkerchief too her.

"Never mind, what's done is done," rcy said calmly. "I shall have to test Maura later myself. It will be difficult to interfere in the Selection with the Countess and Dowager watching."

"Butwhat about ? What do I do? Josiah is talking about divorce!"

"Have you saved up money like I told you to?"

Helena blinked up through her tears and nodded.

"Then divorce him. You've been chained to that swine for long enough."

"But" Helena stamred. "I dont have that much, and where will I go? I can't return to my father."

"The Church would welco you if you ca willingly, but I doubt you'd last long inside the humble walls of the Sisters." rcy straightened and folded her hands against her robes. "Why not use your money to marry your daughter off and then set yourself up with her until you make peace with the Viscount."

"II don't know that Sophya will want ," Helena wept bitterly.

The Abbess knelt beside her and lifted her chin. "You are her mother. Now that Josiah has fallen and lost everything of value, use that to your advantage. Sophya only needs money to marry that young Baron of hers. I will lend you the additional funds you need to ensure that marriage happens."

"Abbess!" Helena grasped the woman's robes and kissed them. "Thank you, Abbess!"

"In return," Abbess rcy replied with a cold smile. "When I co to collect a favor from you in the future"

"Yes, yes!" Helena nodded eagerly. "Anything I can do for you, Abbess!"

Abbess rcy saw the fragile Lady Helena off on a fresh horse with a purse of 10,000 crescents.

'More than enough to buy the marriage of a Baron.'

"Abbess?" the nun beside her whispered. "What will you do about the half-blood?"

"Lady Helena ntioned that her son, Lincoln died," rcy replied coldly. "Look into it. See if there was anything suspicious about his death."

"Yes, Abbess," the nun murmured and turned to leave.

"Well," rcy sighed as she adjusted her robes. "I suppose all I can do now is keep Maura hidden from her father for as long as possible. But really, Tsk!" She watched Lady Helena's figure vanish against the rising sun. "So people shouldn't beco parents."