Chapter 344: Keeping an eye

Marianne pov contd

I heard Cassius calling me again and again. My eyes fluttered open when he held my hand and gently kissed it.

"Marianne, wake up, we are getting late." he said and i nodded.

I stretched and felt my muscles aching in places they had never ached before. I then remembered the reason why and my face turned pink. I buried My face on the pillow as I remembered the passionate night we shared. That was simply inexplicably overwhelming. How many times had he done it in the end i did not even remember as i had lost myself after second round.

"Marianne" he called me again and i tried to look into his eyes, though i was still feeling embarrassed. The way I was screaming his name and moaning last night made me flushed.

"Marianne. We need to leave. I have to reach the duke palace before the sun rises. Ian would not be able to handle if marquess Wiltshire came or any other officer from the royal palace." he said and i nodded. We were in a very critical position right now. But my body was aching too much. 

I didn't even have clothes on my body. I held the blanket tightly over me as I sat up.

"You. .you tore my gown last night." I replied and he moved his hands and passed me a new gown.

"I would not have done that if I was not prepared. I am going out and getting the carriage ready. I will wait for you there" he said  and I nodded. But he still continued to sit there.

I looked at him with confusion when he coughed and asked, "shall i book this place every weekend then?" His words caught me off guard. What was I supposed to say!

"You can buy a whole new palace at that cost." I commented to ease my embarrassment when he nodded.

"That is a good plan too. That way we will not need to wait for weekends. We can go there everyday" he said as he finally stood up and left while I sat there dumbfounded. Did he just plan to lie and leave the marquees and duke palace everyday?

I shook my head, i would think about it later. I removed my blanket but then my face turned red when I looked at myself. There were red marks near by breasts and neck area reminding me the night we shared together.

I stood up and changed my clothes hurriedly. A girl walked in to ask if needed any help, and I was glad that it was a theatre. So there would be all kinds of cosmetics available. I asked her for help to cover the marks. She looked at me with a meaningful smile but did a wonderful job in covering them.

When I reached towards the carriage, Cassius was already in his real form. He had discarded the knight's uniform, and so as the moustache and beard. 

"Are you ready to go?" he asked and I nodded.

"I will be there tonight too" he replied as he gave a chaste kiss on the back of my hand and said goodbye.

We both sat in our different carriages and left for our destination. The whole way I was thinking about the events of last night. It was so surreal to me, just like a dream. I still could not believe all that happened. 

He and I are one now. A bashful smile formed on my lips just by thinking about it.

"My lady we are here." said the coachman stopping the carriage at Marquees baringstone palace, instead of ours. 

Roselia was already standing there. Her butler must have informed her about the carriage. She gave me a wicked grin as she held my hand and we walked in.

"So.," she dragged the word meaningfully as we walked in her room.

"So what?" I asked back, feigning ignorance.

"Tsk tsk.. Don't be an over smart lady. Me and brother James know everything now. Your husband still needs allies to be close to you. Now tell me all the gossips" she replied and I shook my head.

"There is nothing to tell. We just went to theater to watch a show and discuss the future plans''

"Oh.. darn.. The way brother James described. I thought of something else. Anyways, so do you have any instructions for me?" she asked getting serious and i nodded

"I want to infiltrate the privacy of lord Philip. But the problem is he had his personal staff to tend to his needs. Even in the Duke's palace he did not use any staff except for basic things. 

So I need a way to infiltrate his knights or maids ``I resolved and she frowned.

"He is a prince of another empire, how is he connected with Isabella or the problems you are facing? Why are you suddenly interested in him, except flirting with you a few times. I did not see him doing anything." she asked and i pursued my lips

"I did not know Roselia. I just have a hunch that we need to keep an eye on him. ``I remembered he was going to get blamed for treason in the next two months. Before I used to think that he was accused wrongly to weaken the position of Katherine. But now I am not sure anymore. 

If he was accused wrongly, then we could save him and make him an ally, but if he really was guilty then I wanted to know what he had done.

"Alright, I will try." 

"One more thing, I want you to continue going to Duke's palace as knight of Cassius."

"You want me to keep an eye on your husband?" she asked with a chuckle but I nodded seriously.

"I want to keep an eye on Isabella. She could mix anything taking the benefit of him being alone. And i can only trust you for this"

"But would he take me as his knight? He had a troop of knights already serving him" she asked reluctantly.

"You don't need to worry about that. I even organized a higher post and extra merits for you."

"Oh my, that is a great deal. I am in"