"Well..." Stella said. "The first whispers said that after recovering, he ordered the capture of the maid who had poisoned him. But instead of executing her, he…" She hesitated, her eyes flicking toward Joy, who was still silently reading. "…he did things no proper man should ever do."
"You mean..." Maria's lips parted in disbelief.
Stella took a slow breath before saying,
"Yes. It's just as you think. They said...he forced himself upon her...and not just her, but all the women in his mansion. The maids, the attendants—every last one. That he bound their wills somehow, perhaps through charms or forbidden magic, and made them his."
"Surely not!" Maria gasped audibly, covering her mouth.
"I know." Stella said with a troubled nod. "But the stories only grew worse. They said he turned his entire estate into a den of sin."
