Chapter 60: Her old flame

After talking to my father in law, i had thought everything would be fine. So I invited Marianne to meet me and explain to her to apologise to Isabella and let the case go. But no instead of accepting. She just threatened to be back.

I was sure I saw her trembling for a minute. I thought she was afraid of me, but no. Her eyes were blazing with fire.

At last I had to return empty handed. Plus this brother in law of Charles, i have to go and receive him tomorrow to invite him to live with us.

Great! Now I have to work on these files too.

As I walked into my room, after another long tiring day that I had spent with files, I saw all the servants were already there waiting for me.

"So, did she finally come to us for help?" I asked the head maid again.

I was sure Marianne was showing an attitude that day, when she would realise there was no one else who could help her except me, she would come back. Then her pretence would fall finally.

These days she was faking to be a nice person with full enthusiasm, I had to end her show before Killian started believing in her.

"No, his highness. Her highness did not come here even once." the maid replied the umpteenth time.

"How could that be possible," I asked, furrowing my brows. She had a habit of coming here crying even when a pin poked her skin.

This time it was a case that was going to preside over her.

"your highness, her highness, had gone to the royal palace with Killian. She had just returned a while ago and had dinner. I did not think that she would come here." she replied in a pleading voice. "Your highness, her highness would not come, she had already cleared.

She is giving me excuses whenever I ask her if Marianne was here.

The whole situation is turning into a mess, "where you are given a salary to think or to work, inform me as soon as she comes. But tell her that I am busy and ask her to wait in the sitting room. No need to bring her into the chamber."

The maids nodded, as a servant put tea on the table. The warm tea calms my jittering nerves.

"Leave." as the words left my mouth every one bowed and left the room except the one who should wait.

"Good, that you realised you are not supposed to go,'' I spoke to Ian, my councillor. "Now tell me how will we come out of this mess?"

"Your highness, you had a meeting with her highness, a few days ago, if only you would have been a little considerate, things would not have turned like this." Ian's voice was pleading too.

"I just asked her to apologise, and things would have ended right there. But she threatened me to burn the whole empire." her eyes were telling she would do that, even if she had to suffer the consequence' i added in my heart.

Her eyes were not afraid a bit, she was ready for war at that time, for a moment even I gulped looking at her.

"Your highness, you should not have included her highness's parents," he advised and snorted.

"But I did meet his father yesterday. And if I would not have used her weakness, then what shall I say. Oh, dear Marianne, I want you to go and apologise to Isabella so that she would take her case back, thank you, so sweet. And she would have agreed." I mocked and bit my lip.

"But your threat fired back, your highness." he retorted and I nodded as I rubbed my forehead.

"Since she is not here, that means she had collected enough proof for the case. Write a summon and deliver it to her chamber.'' Then I remembered about the maid, "did the maid bring any news? '' I asked if only I had planted her before this mess!

Ian bit his lip again but nodded, yet silent.

I raised a brow and he finally spoke, "Your highness, the maid heard her highness to make some evil plans with her knight, sir Rosella.

But when she spied in the chamber they were talking about their childhood only.

And lady Marianne met sir D-Damien too." he added his words quivered as he took the name.

I raised a brow, "the chief barrister of royal palace." Ian nodded, but why was he so worried about it, that's when I remembered

"He is the man who had proposed to Marianne, and her family was about to accept it, just then Elizabeth died and then the proposal was sent to me?" though I asked, I was sure that was the case. And Ian's nod confirmed it.

"Where did they meet?" I asked, then immediately regretted it as I saw a smile bloomed Ian's face.

"I am asking generally Ian '' I explained but the boy's eyes kept twinkling, he sure thought I am finally taking interest in her life.

Why did he still hope that our marriage would work even when he knew everything?

"They met at the royal tea party, your highness. They would meet at the duchess party again," he added

My eyes turned colder at the statement.

"Here I am getting worried over the case, and Marianne is throwing a party!

She sure knows how to splurge wealth. How much had she asked from the treasurer."

"Not a single penny, your highness" he immediately retorted with accusing eyes.

If I did not know any better I would have thought Ian was sold to Marianne.

"Why are you behaving like a mother hen these days?" I finally asked the boy.

"Your highness, her highness is innocent, she was dragged into the battle." he reasoned and I laughed.

"So, you do know it's a war. Soldiers are always innocent yet they get wounded in war Ian, it's because of their choices.

Marianne chose to marry me, not the other way around. And we still did not know her intentions." my words made his eyes accusing again but he still nodded.