Golden Roses Read Online Free PDF

cries because she knows he would never have married her if he had known the truth.”
    In a surprising show of spunk, Allegra screamed, “That is a lie, Valdis. Lyman would have married me. You know why I am crying. You know why I cry every time I lay eyes on you—”
    “Shut up, damn you!” He swung at her with the back of his hand, but she ducked in time to avoid the blow, burrowing her head beneath the pillows. Turning on Amber, Valdis shrieked, “Get out of my sight! I have had enough of your insolence. Go to your room and stay there until I allow you to come out.”
    Turning back to Allegra, he whispered ominously, “Now I will deal with your insolent tongue.”
    Amber’s eyes darted to Allegra, huddled in a tiny ball beneath the covers, shaking violently. How she wanted to help her! But what could she do? She was no match for this fiend. The only thing left for her to do was to get out while she still could. She jerked open the door and ran down the hallway to her room.
    Let Valdis think her needy and dependent! she cried silently. He did not know about her money, the money she had hidden in the lining of her trunk! The money had come from sale of her grandmother’s possessions, and she had planned to give it to her father. Hers now, it would take her out of this nightmare.
    She reached her room and nearly knocked Dolita down in her haste to get inside.
    “Señorita? What is wrong?” Dolita was right behind Amber as she ran to her trunk and fell on her knees before it. Jerking the lid open, she reached for the back.
    “Valdis!” Amber spat. “He…he is evil, Dolita! I must get away from here and he doesn’t want to let me go, and—” She screamed as her fingers slipped inside the lining. There was nothing there. Hooking her hand inside, she pulled with all her strength, ripping the cloth, finally yanking it free.
    The money was gone.
    After a long time, she looked up at Dolita. The girl was watching her with wide, frightened eyes, her hands clutched before her nervously.
    “I had money in here, Dolita,” Amber said tightly. “Who has been in my trunk?” She slowly got to her feet and stood before the terrified girl.
    Dolita shook her head wildly. “I did not take your money, señorita. You must believe me. Never have I stolen anything from anyone. I did not even know you had money in there. I have not been in your trunk, and—”
    “You haven’t been in my trunk?” Amber echoed incredulously. “But you are my maid, aren’t you? You unpacked my trunk and put my things in that chest over there, and—”
    “No, no!” Dolita cried, continuing to shake her head. “I put your things in the chest, but I did not take them out of the trunk. Señor Valdis took all your things and put them on the chairs. Then I put everything away.”
    “And what was Valdis doing in my trunk?” Amber raged.
    Dolita rushed on, telling her how Valdis had brought Amber to her room the first night, after she had gone into shock at the discovery of her father’s death. “By the time I was called here to your room, he had put you to bed, unpacked your trunk, found your gown…” Her voice trailed off as she saw the rush of new anger in Amber’s face.
    “That…that monster undressed me?” Amber gasped. “He took my clothes off and put a gown on me? Oh! Oh, I could kill him!” She whirled about. “Then he took my money! He has it. And now he knows I have no way of leaving! Oh, damn him! Damn him to hell!”
    “Please,” Dolita sobbed, holding her hands out in a pleading gesture. “Do not tell the señor I told you all of this. He will beat me. Please, you do not know the things he has done…the things he does when he is angry.”
    Amber bit down on her lower lip, eyes narrowed as she stared into the empty trunk. “Don’t worry,” she told the hysterical girl. “I won’t say you told me.”
    Dolita asked, “But your money? How will you get it back?”
    Amber sighed. “Don’t worry, Dolita. I will