The Immortelles Read Online Free PDF

something.
    Damita chattered all the way to the house, filled with excitement. As soon as the family entered the front door, Charles Devere, the butler, appeared and said, “I must speak to you, sir, if you don’t mind.”
    â€œWhy, what is it, Charles?”
    â€œI’d better tell you alone.”
    The two men left, and Elena looked at her daughter. “What was that all about, do you suppose?”
    â€œOh, some problem with the household, I suppose. You know Charles. He’s a worrier.”
    Damita went to her room and started to change out of the white dress, but a loud knock on the door sounded and she said, “Come in.”
    Her father stepped inside, and Damita saw that he was upset. “What is it, Papa? What’s wrong? Somebody sick?”
    â€œDamita, come with me.” Her father’s tone was cold, and the look in his eye chilled her. She had seen him angry at others, but never had he looked at her with this expression. “What is it, Papa?” she asked again.
    Alfredo turned and walked out of the room. Damita followed, and he led her up the staircase to the third floor, where the servants’ rooms were. He opened one door, stepped inside, and Damita followed him. She stopped dead still. “This is Rissa’s room.”
    â€œI know whose room it is. Come in here.”
    Again his voice was cold, and fear grabbed Damita. She stepped inside and saw that Rissa was in bed, but she was lying facedown. Her black hair had come down loosely, and her arms lay outside the sheet covering the rest of her body.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Damita whispered.
    â€œThis is wrong.” Her father reached out and lifted the sheet. For a moment, Damita could not speak. Charissa’s back was crisscrossed with welts, all of them blue, and some of them oozing blood.
    â€œDid you order this done, daughter?”
    â€œI . . . I told Garr to punish her, but I didn’t mean this.”
    â€œYou’re a fool to let that man beat this girl! Don’t you know his reputation?”
    Indeed, Garr was known as a cruel man, and that was why her father took him out of overseer’s work and restricted him to the barn and carriages. But in her fury at having her dress soiled, Damita had forgotten that. “I didn’t intend this.”
    â€œI could shoot that man! In addition to being barbaric, he was just stupid to mark up a valuable girl like this. And you should have known better.”
    Damita could not bear to look at the lacerated back. She saw Charissa glaring up at her and met her eyes. Hatred flared in them. Damita could not speak anymore and turned away, sickened by the sight.
    â€œI’ll have to send for Dr. Morton. Ernestine has done what she could and given her something that will ease the pain.” Turning to the figure on the bed, he said, “I’m sorry this happened, Rissa.”
    The beaten girl made no sound, and Alfredo left the sheet off of her back. He stepped outside the door, saying roughly, “Come out of there, Damita.”
    As soon as they were outside, he grabbed her arm and led her down the hall, where he stopped and faced her. “You’re a fool, Damita, and inhumane besides! I know you’re not kind to underlings. You never have been, but I never expected anything like this. I’m so ashamed of you, I can’t speak.”
    Her father whirled and left the hall, and Damita began to tremble. Tears came to her eyes, and she pulled her handkerchief out of her reticule and held it over her face. She stood there for what seemed like a long time, then turned and looked at the door. I’ve got to go back and tell her I’m sorry.
    She walked to Charissa’s room and entered. The young woman had not moved. Damita could not face those eyes that seemed to bore into her, nor could she bear the look of the bloody back. “I’m—I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she whispered.
    Charissa