"Why would he say that?" Isabella finally responded with a light chuckle, averting her gaze to her food while keeping her demeanor calm and composed. She picked up her fork and knife, elegantly cutting through her meal and picking it up with the fork to stare at the slice.
"My husband and I.... Because he doesn’t like someone or something, that doesn’t mean I should despise it too when I am not the one offended." She answered, taking the meal into her mouth. "I understand your point, but the thing is whoever he has problems with has nothing to do with me. I have been staying here by myself with no female of my age to speak with, and now that you’re here, why should I throw it away because of some silly misunderstanding you had with my husband?"
Isabella’s expression made Madeline believe she found it absurd, and she pulled back. "So he won’t harass you for talking with me?"
"Why would he?" Isabella looked at her with an assuring smile. "How about after breakfast, you and me, we’ll go around town and I’ll show you the fanciest places to visit in the upper East quarters. You can’t be part of this family and not visit such places, it’s considered a disgrace."
"Hmmn?" Madeline blinked in surprise. "A disgrace?"
"When other ladies of our class start talking about such places like the winged-Tavern, Bok Tower garden, the Bonnet house, and many more, you have to indulge in such conversations and share your experience."
"What happened to keeping quiet and letting them talk about themselves?" Inquired Madeline with her head tilted to the side, and Isabella scoffed at the idea of letting them talk.
"Keeping quiet will only leave a bad name, are you a mime?" She waved it off and smiled curtly, "that looks like something you are capable of doing, but certainly not me. I’m the daughter of an Earl, you must have greeted my father at the celebration but don’t remember, anyway, I make sure I follow the trend and visit every expensive estate in the upper East quarters."
The two women continued to converse while having their meal, and Frederick watched them from the kitchen with Adeline by his side.
"I always thought Lady Isabella was into the young Lord, it is good to finally see her and the new lady getting along, she won’t feel bored with Lady Isabella’s chattering nature." Commented Adeline as she moved away, but Frederick said nothing just watched.
~~~
"What is Lady Isabella like?" Madeline questioned the young lad after she returned to her room, and he lifted a brow at her silly question.
"I’m not her husband, how should I know?" Came his response that left Madeline rolling her eyes at him, and she continued to search her wardrobe. "I was just asking because she sounded nice when we had breakfast downstairs."
Picking out a blue dress, she turned around to show it to Cassian. "By the way, what do you think of this dress? Lady Isabella wants to take me to visit some places around the upper East quarters, and I want to wear something simple."
"What’s wrong with what you’re presently wearing?" His gaze raked the pretty light orange gown she had put on this morning. "You look nice already, and I don’t want you dressing up for someone if that someone isn’t me."
"Are you sure?"
He sat up on the bed. "But I am confused on this sudden tour, why would ’Isabella’ of all people, happily volunteer to show you around the upper East quarters?"
Madeline shrugged with a subtle frown. "I asked the same, I had a huge misunderstanding with Abbot yesterday, so I wasn’t expecting any kindness from her, but we had a good chat this morning and she looks easy for someone to get along with, a bit prideful but tolerable."
"Be careful, either way." Cassian advised regardless of Madeline’s words. "Isabella isn’t someone I’d want you to get too close to. She’s a bit crazy but there’s a side of her that I’m yet to discover. Make sure to be alert."
"But I thought you said you didn’t know her." Madeline questioned with an intrusive stare, and his lips twitched to the side at her earlier question. "I don’t."
"Are you sure? I hope you’re not keeping something from me?" Her eyes narrowed into a suspicious slit, and he clicked his tongue before getting out of bed.
"Are you implying that I may have known her before you?" He approached her by the wardrobe, his pretty Amber-brown eyes glimmering with a natural light, and her heart skipped after remembering how he winked at her earlier.
"She married Abbot three years ago, shouldn’t you?" She blinked innocently, and Cassian sighed as he closed his eyes.
"Even if I say I did, will you get jealous?"
"Do you want me to?"
"Maybe."
"Why?"
"Because..." he closed in on her by the wardrobe, placing his hand on it and trapping her there, her back resting against the doors of her wardrobe.
"Wouldn’t you feel jealous if I ever mentioned that I’ve been with a woman besides you?"
"Why would I be? I won’t be surprised to hear that you have met other women besides me. You must have been to places and met all sorts of women who must be prettier and even well-mannered." She smiled, trying to assure him that she won’t get upset if he’s met other women apart from her.
"If you don’t believe me, then I have no problem if you choose to remarry. What I can have an issue with is making the two of us live together. We didn’t marry for love and you don’t need to...."
"Stop talking." He silenced her with his deadpan tone that made Madeline seal her lips almost immediately. She looked into his eyes, wondering why he made her keep quiet and she saw a spark of fury in his eyes.
Did she say something wrong?
"Do you have no intention of falling in love with me?" He leaned in so close that Madeline wanted to shrink away. His tone sounded raspy as he had her trapped with no way of escaping, and she gulped at the intense look in his eyes.
"Answer me."