Chapter 24: plans

As we walked out of the duchess office, I turned to her and smiled, "Lady Isabella, there is still time for dinner, why don't you go and pay a visit to his highness, Duke Cassius. He will be very happy to see you."

She looked at me with surprise filled eyes, her eyes widening and then narrowing at me. She sure was thinking it was some kind of scheme.

But in the next second her expression turned bright and she nodded.

"Alright your highness, then i will meet you directly and killian's chamber."

'That confidence huh! Even after knowing that it could be a scheme, she still went to Cassius, she sure was in love with him. Was he also!' as if finally i realised the biggest secret of my two lives.

That's why he never loved me back.

If I think about it from a third perspective, this man was also pitiful. To maintain his status as an arch duke he could not become a formal married couple with the one he loved. Of course from the point of view as a duchess and wife, there was no waste like him.

I walked back to my chamber for my plan to execute.

"Lina"

"Yes, your highness"

"Tell the butler to come and meet me with the list of servants and maids in this house? And ask him to hurry, i don't have much time"

"Yes, your highness." she replied bowing and went away.

"Kate, go and call the chef, who handles the lord chamber." I ordered briskly.

"Yes your highness." she bowed and went away.

"Daisy, bring some fresh white roses from the garden." I continued.

"Yes your highness." she also went away bowing her head.

"Norma" is the last one.

"Yes your highness." she came forward but without any flinch or fear, see things were improving.

"You remember when I was new here I had an allergy with the perfume his highness had gifted me, and I had asked you to keep it safely because I don't want to throw it."

'See that much fool i was, i even kept things which hurt me just because he was the one who had given me.'

"Yes your highness." she replied after a pause.

"Go and bring that perfume for me.'' I replied with a smirk forming on my face.

"Yes your highness." She also ran away after bowing.

'Hope things would not escalate much. It would be fun though.'

I watched time again and again waiting for them to return. What felt like an eternity but was just fifteen minutes according to the watch, they started returning.

First came back Norma, with a beautiful red bottle in her hand.

I looked at the jar carved in the form of a rose which I had received as a gift.

Just then Daisy came in, with a bunch of fresh white roses.

"Daisy bring me a glass of water"

"Yes, your highness."

"Norma can i trust you." I asked the only girl left in the room.

"Your highness." she asked, confused by my question.

"You are working for me Norma, right or wrong. I am the one you serve. So tell me Norma can I trust you?"

"Yes… yes your highness." she replied with some hesitation but her voice told me she was speaking the truth.

"Very well." I nodded my head and signalled her to come closer.

I whispered in her ears as walls have ears too. Her eyes widened when she listened to what I wanted her to do. She gulped, fear could clearly be seen in her eyes.

She was about to shake her head and apologise, but when her eyes met mine she gulped again and nodded, keeping her eyes low.

"Good, but remember only do that if something happens during dinner. If everything went well then there is no need to do anything."

She nodded again.

"I understand your highness."

I smiled, one check. Two left.

Just then Daisy returned with a glass of water. I just took a sip and returned it back to her when I saw Kate returning with the royal chef.

"Greetings to your highness." he wished me bowing his head.

"I am sorry to call you so suddenly Marcus, that's what your name is, right?"

His eyes widened listening to my apology, he bowed further.

"No your highness, i should be the one to apologise to take so much time to come here." he apologised.

"So you know that you are late.'' I replied laughing.

I saw sweat on his forehead, his face turning red.

"I called you to double check all the food Marcus, there should be no berries in the food, no matter what. Any mistakes and you will lose your hands.'' I threatened completely ignoring his shaking body and went back.

He gulped, fear graining in his eyes.

"So, you already prepared something with berries, right?"

He flinched at my cold tone, he looked at his shaking hands, and immediately kneeled.

"Your highness, lady Isabella had sent her maid to ask for pies filled with raspberries and blueberries, just before I was summoned here." his voice was quivering but i didn't care anymore.

My hands clenched, so my fear was not in vain. Cassius and Isabella are knowingly doing that. That cold man did not even care that it was his son whose life was at stake.

And they have the courage to call me a villain very well.

"Marcus, fill pineapple jam mixing with red colour in the pie, it should look like raspberry but it should not be that." I ordered and he nodded his head like a rattle drum.

"Leave the room everyone." I commanded and every maid left the room.

Marcus took a sigh of relief, but just when he stood up to go, i stopped him

"Not you Marcus. I have a very important task for you."