One million gold coins.
The words seemed to echo around the cottage.
Mother's face had gone completely white.
My own legs nearly gave out beneath me.
One million gold coins?
That wasn't a debt.
That was a death sentence.
We had never in our entire life come close to acquiring a hundred gold coins.
Talkless of a million.
Father lowered his head in shame.
The men seemed to enjoy our horror.
One of them barked out a laugh.
"What? Surprised?"
I looked between them and Father.
Then back at them.
"One million?" I repeated in disbelief. "That's impossible."
The largest of the men shrugged.
"Tell that to your father."
My chest tightened painfully.
I turned to Father.
"Papa?"
He refused to look at me.
My heart broke.
Because his silence told me everything.
It was true.
Every word.
Mother took a shaky breath.
"There has to be some mistake."
"There isn't." They insisted.
The man's expression hardened.
"Your husband borrowed from us."
Mother swallowed.
