“I should applaud you, Ms. Curtis for being brave,” the butler startled her when she was passing by the steps, “Do you know who she is? Frances Kennedy is the Countess’ daughter, her father is one of the key member of the council.”
“And?” asked Heidi.
“You see Lord Nicholas was getting a deal with the help of her father through Ms. Frances and now she looks upset,” Stanley said looking at the woman get into the carriage, “You cost the Lord a good deal which he has been working for weeks.”
“Oh…”
“We don’t know what she said but I think if I could hear you from this distance then master must have heard you better,” the butler smiled, his eyes crinkling with dull humor.
That day until evening, Heidi had refused to leave her room, feigning that she was sick and wanted to rest until she felt better. Around six o clock, she heard a knock on her door and it was Warren who had come to say he would be travelling to the farther east on some work and would return after two weeks. Asking her to take care of herself, he left the door. Was it strange that she and Warren didn’t interact much? Sure they had gone out few times and they had lunch or dinner together with just each other at times but it felt like there was a line or perhaps a wall between them to Heidi. Rather she spoke to the butler more. Warren was found most of the times outside working on something while she would be at the mansion. Was this how it would be after they would be wed to each other?
Like a child who had committed a mistake which she shouldn’t have, Heidi went down the stairs knowing she couldn’t coop herself in the room forever.
“Finally, you have shown yourself. I wondered if you were going to hibernate until Warren returned back,” Nicholas commented, taking off his jacket and gloves and giving it to the maid.
“I am not a bear, Lord Nicholas.”
“I am well aware of it, especially after you ran your mouth so efficiently with Ms. Kennedy,” the annoyance flickered behind the smile his lips held, “Why don’t we take a walk outside, hm?” Seeing her give him a skeptical look he said, “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you and dump you in the lake after covering you with the soil so that no one suspects. I am joking,” he chuckled and raised his hand for her to lead the way.
The sky had already turned dark, and the bright, round moon had taken over the sun as they walked under it. They were surrounded by the crickets and the rustling of the leaves against each other in the wind. Unable to bear the silence Heidi began,
“Forgive me for what happened but I didn’t mean to mouth off Ms. Kennedy but she was just so out of line talking abou-”
“I didn’t ask for your explanation, Heidi,” the Lord stopped her.
“But I want you to hear my side of the story.”
“Why? I don’t recollect telling you that I am writing a story to which you have to contribute,” he said looking at her worried face, “I know what I heard so I don’t have to hear i twice. You see I have really good ears. I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I am happy with you letting my hard work go into waste,” he stated walking forward as she stood still.
“You have really bad taste in women,” she blurted and he stopped walking before he turned around, cocking his head to the side.
“And why is that?” his eyes looked straight into her eyes making her conscious and she looked away.
He picked dull and easy women whom he could twist around his finger. Even the woman she had first found him talking to in her town was an easy pick for him. Knowing that she had said enough for the way day she kept her mouth shut. Who knew if that man would really dump her in a lake for speaking out her thoughts.
He took a couple of steps forward so that they stood in front of each other. He smiled at something she didn’t know and it made her feel uneasy.
“Why do I have a bad taste in women, darling?” he coaxed the words gently. She heard alarm bells ring in her head when the Lord took another step forward and she instinctively took a step back. Taking a gulp she said,
“You know, what you’re doing can be considered as terrorizing.”
“Well, I call it persuading.”
“I believe you aren’t using the right wordbook, milord.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” the Lord was too persistent and it didn’t look like he would let it go. Taking a deep breath she then said,
“I don’t think your excellence could be met with women of that..quality. A lord as yourself should pick someone of a better character and caliber, and settle down. Picking women of shallow mind will reflect bad on you.”
“You,” he said suddenly.
“Huh? I don’t understand, Lord Nicholas,” confused, she saw him give her a trickster smile.
“Marry me then.”