Arlan’s mood change was more than enough to give Rafal goosebumps. Quick on the uptake, he found an excuse to escape. "My lord, I-I shall now head back to my patrol duty."
Imbert also signaled the servants as well to leave.
Within the peaceful garden gazebo, there were only Oriana, Arlan and his knight, these three silently scrutinizing each other. For a good minute, no one said a word.
Oriana never expected to be in such an uncomfortable situation. Arlan was still leisurely reading, his expression nonchalant, as if he had no intention of initiating conversation. Meanwhile, the cold-faced guard standing behind him acted like Oriana did not exist.
’It is as if he is not the same person I met in the market.’
Only now did Oriana truly feel the immense disparity between their status. Outside, Arlan behaved in an easygoing, shameless manner, lowering himself to match her commoner status. It gave her a wrong impression of what Arlan was like.
Today, it was her turn to step into his world, a stifling world of luxury, where a noble’s dignity was inviolable, where servants walk on eggshells in order to not displease their master.
This solemn Arlan... was intimidating.
She began to open her mouth to speak, but she stopped midway, wondering if in this atmosphere, she needed his permission to speak. Would he find it rude if she began demanding—no, asking for her knife to be returned? Maybe she should wait till he finishes?
Arlan closed a scroll before picking up his teacup. His ocean blue eyes were trained on her slightly trembling body.
"Pardon for the wait, as you can see, I am swamped with work." His tone was not apologetic at all. "I was not expecting you to find me till late in the afternoon. I believed you left the inn on foot. The travel back and forth straight from your remote village must have exhausted you."
Oriana was caught off guard by his words.
’What’s with this guy? Is he hinting at something?’ For some reason, her heart skipped a beat. His way of talking sounded like an interrogation. ’I don’t think I ever mentioned where I live, so he could not have known a roundtrip to the city would take me about six hours’ worth of traveling on foot if not for trespassing the Wimark Estate’s forest which makes me reach here only in an hour. I can not let him know I am that trespasser...’
"Why are you not speaking?" Arlan asked as he sipped tea in an unhurried manner.
"Uncle!"
They heard a sweet, girlish voice break the subtle atmosphere. A little girl of around five to six years old jumped down from the open door of a carriage, escaping from a woman to run towards the garden.
"Young Lady, please be careful!" the woman who seemed to be her nanny called out.
The cute little girl didn’t pay attention to her nanny’s worry and carelessly ran straight to the gazebo. Arlan stood up from his chair and that girl jumped into his open arms.
"Uncle Arlan! Did you miss me?"
"You naughty one. Why are you stressing your nanny?" Arlan asked as he lifted her small body up in his arms.
"Because I missed you?" The girl smiled from ear to ear, as if her happiness could not be contained. "Uncle, I missed you. Did you miss me? I was worried you’ll be gone by the time I return home."
He gently pinched her soft chubby cheek. "I wouldn’t have left without seeing you."
She issued a kiss on his cheek. "Uncle is best!"
Oriana found herself smiling at their exchange. First, the girl was like an angel–not only was her appearance too cute for words, she also arrived and interrupted Arlan’s scary interrogation. Truly an angel who saved her from getting caught.
Second, Oriana witnessed another side of Arlan. He was neither the smug brat from the market nor the intimidating nobleman from earlier. This Arlan was a doting uncle, sweet and kind to the precious girl he carried in his arms. The way he looked at the girl, it was the same way her grandfather would look at Oriana.
’That little girl is an angel. No wonder she could bring out the soft side of this devil.’ She studied the girl’s brown hair that was a shade lighter than Arlan’s. ’Her nanny called her ’young lady’ and the girl also mentioned returning ’home’. Is she a daughter of Duke Wimark? So Arlan is a relative of the duke? A younger brother or cousin of the duke...’
Oriana watched Arlan bring that girl to sit on his lap as he sank back to the comforts of his chair, the gentle expressions on his face never leaving even for a moment. They were genuine and it showed how much he loved that little girl.
"So, Rayjin, you enjoyed your stay with your grandparents?" Arlan asked.
"Yes, Uncle. Grandfather and Grandmother brought me out to play..." She continued to tell Arlan various things, ranging from tasting a new kind of cake to buying a new doll then learning how to paint clouds in the sky.
Rayjin Wimark was Rhys and Alvera’s eldest child and their only daughter. She was away from Wimark Estate during the duration of her mother’s childbirth to visit her paternal grandparents, the former Duke and Duchess of Wimark, who were staying in their winter villa down in the South.
After talking so much her throat went dry, Rayjin noticed an unfamiliar person wearing strange dark clothes. Her blue eyes twinkled!
So pretty! Those hazel eyes looked similar to her new doll!
Oriana warmly gazed back at her and offered her a light smile. Rayjin did the same though Oriana was a stranger to her.
"Uncle, who is this lady in black? Is she your friend?" Rayjin asked, which caused the young woman’s soul to instantly leave her body.
’Grandpa, I am in trouble! I got caught! If I don’t return home today, please forgive me—’