2 Home to the disappointed sisters

Did he say wedding night? She blushed.

What was happening? she brooded.

How did she go from an illegitimate child and sister who was treated as a servant by her own family to talking to the Lord of Critic Arley about marriage?

"I would like to think about this" she replied quickly.

Whatever this was.

A marriage proposal?

A new home?

She had never actually thought about whom she could marry within the Empire but one thing she had wanted was for her husband to be a powerful man but she hadn't thought of the kind of power that makes one the enemy of his Empire.

That is the kind of power that Lord Theodore possessed.

That would mean trouble.

"Don't push it, Theo, Let her go home and you do this the right way" Conan waltzed back in with a drink in hand as he handed it to Lydia.

"Here, it is nutritious, " he told her.

Lydia took it from him as she mouthed a thank you, and with a not-so-sceptical look even though she desperately wanted to seem sceptical she took a sip.

She was too thirsty to mind any drink right now.

"I wonder why I'm supposed to take advice from someone who has never and might never get married" Theodore scowled.

She drank it comfortably yet hoped she appeared cautious enough by staring at it for seconds.

"But the lady said she would like to think about it and you are not about to go tyrant on her now, are you?"

Conan raised an elegant brow to put Theodore back on track so he didn't scare the lady away and never to return.

"Fine, I would see the lady off to go back to the house of snakes," Theodore said, reluctantly he agreed to let her leave.

What could be so unethical about her staying here from now henceforth? He mused.

House of Snakes.

Just the right word for her family, Lydia thought.

"Thank you, Lord Theodore, kind sir" She addressed.

Gave a small bow and she turned swiftly to leave the mansion missing the amused smile on Conan's face at the slight annoyance dwelling on Theodore's face.

"I anticipate your next visit with baited breaths," Conan said with a sweet smile.

Conan is a real sweetheart, she thought but the apprehension about who he was and why he was with the enemy didn't let her dwell on his sweet words.

She is never coming back here.

It was a silent walk between Theodore and Lydia till they got to a cart that was already parked at the front waiting for her.

Her carriage had left her here the moment she dropped which had been strange now that she thought about it.

Theodore however isn't pleased with the silence as he watches her glance around, perhaps looking for something or someone.

Her Coachman.

Where is her carriage and the coachman anyway? he thought with a frown.

"What is your name?" he requested rather politely.

If he needed her stupid father's consent then he would need to know her name.

"I would love to continue calling you Gooseberry but I shall need a name if I intend to do this the right way" he admitted as she looked a bit hesitant now and he wondered why, she hadn't been cautious until now.

"Lydia" she replied carefully.

A small laugh left his thin lips at her response.

Lydia shuddered lightly.

Smart, he thought.

But he wasn't particularly a kind person contrary to what she had requested for earlier.

"Where are you from Lady Lydia, I could take you back inside right now and traditions be damned" he promised, his gaze darkened.

"Lydia Statham of Critic Arley" she gave away.

That was enough information for a lord, he could find the rest himself, she mused stubbornly.

"The Marquis," he asked but it was a statement, he knew their house.

"Yes third daughter" she completed with a slight grimace, he simply nodded.

"I'm Theodore, Lord Theodore" he introduces himself.

She faked a gasp, not surprised. But she resisted rolling her eyes.

"I'm the infamous enemy of the Empire" he introduced and then gave a courteous bow earning him a giggle that made his heart thump wildly.

He felt less dark for making the Lady laugh.

"I figured" she admitted.

And his next smirk sent her rushing up the carriage, Still falling short, she got into the carriage with the Lord's help.

She met his eyes as she sat inside and her heart clenched, So this is Lord Theodore, she thought.

She took her eyes away, tapped the carriage and they left.

Sneeded to get away from this place, She felt his gaze even after she got outside the mansion gates, it was as though he followed behind and at some point, she opened the curtains at the back to look at the road, but it was empty.

The ounce of disappointment she felt surprised her.

*

* *

*

Late Evening.

Tea roam, Statham estate.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

***************

Meanwhile, back at the Statham estate, three young ladies sat around a table whispering to themselves.

"Do you think she has gotten there?" one said.

Mira the second daughter of the Statham estate was curious about Lydia's little outing.

"Oh, I think she must be dead already" another spoke out.

Liza the first daughter of the Statham estate affirmed a glass of tea in her left hand.

Liza's wide smirk showed how contented she was about the happening, being the first daughter of the house Statham she had watched how Lydia had grown to be an attractive woman and she had hated every step of it.

Most of Liaz's suitors would steal glances at Lydia whenever they came to the estate. So she started to meet them outside but that was becoming tiring now and she needed to get rid of the abomination.

She believes she has now.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't he take his time? He could've added the coachman too" Shi'enz added, goosebumps occupying her arms and then she felt a slight pang of unease.

Shi'enz did not understand how it had gotten to this extent where Lydia had to be sent to the Empire's enemy.

To the monster's mansion.

She thought they merely hated her, because above and beyond she was still their sister.

"Father finally found a way to do away with her" Mira squealed.

She simply liked how no one was here to compete age bracket expectations with her.

"Keep your voice down, Mother might overhear us" Shi'enz whispered her eyes wide with panic.

As the youngest of all four sisters, she merely followed the lead of her elder sisters.

It was the reign and she did not want to be left out.

"Mother doesn't care about that wench so it does not matter what happens to her" Mira said heartlessly.

Mira trusted her mother hated Lydia because why not?

"Do not be so sure Mira, She is still a mother and Lydia is undoubtedly her daughter, so there must be at least an ounce of care in mother for the bad omen" Liza countered.

Not completely believe the love of a mother that is talked about is completely non-existent between Lydia and their mother.

"It had been more than four hours since they left, We'll get news soon, Mother won't find out until it's over" Mira said.

She looked down at the tea in her hand wondering why it tasted so fine this night, must be the good news.

"And the evening is gone already, we shall need to go have dinner with Mother and Father" Shi'enz reminded, feeling a bit of guilt seep into her heart.

"I will take pleasure in this no matter, Oh The carriage is back" Liza affirmed.

Her eager ears caught the noise of the wheels rolling in.

"Let's go hear what the coachman has to say," Mira said.

She was quick on her feet as she licked her lips expectantly.

The much-awaited good news is coming, finally. Liza thought.

Hands picking the front of their dress they ran downstairs out of the drawing room, Liza maintained a slow pace as they headed outside.

"What is the event to have all you young ladies running out?" a woman who looked to be in her late thirties, with hair as black as night, beautiful brown eyes and a small face, Georgina Statham, the marchioness and lady of the house Statham asked her daughters.

She had made her way from another corridor to be met with her three daughters running somewhere in a very unladylike manner.

"Mother!" they all said in unison making her raise a brow.

What are they up to this time?

"The coachman has a letter for us" Shi'enz squeaks, quickly wanting to reduce the damage that could be done to their reputation if their mother knew what happened.

"Shi'enz! Why are you lying?" Mira accused eyes slightly wide, she turned to their mother.

"Mother, Lydia left for the banquet at Lord Theodore's and we are simply going to find out how she is from the coachman" she continued.

Mira simply polished another lie, a better one, Shi'enz thought.

It is forever bloodcurdling to Shi'enz how effortlessly Mira tells lies.

"Why would the coachman come back alone?" Lady Statham, Georgina questioned, she did not understand.

"There's still time before the banquet comes to an end so he might want to go back and get her" Liza spoke gently.

A light smirk appeared on Liza's lips behind the hand fan she held. She had picked from a maid earlier.

Shi'enz is still so clueless.

"Who gave her the permission to leave the house?" Georgina questioned again, with a frown.

Mira wondered why her mother was concerned about that.

Lydia is soon going to be out of their lives.

"Father let her go because she insisted after reading the invitation letter from the mansion," Mira said, her evil quick-wittedness constantly made Liza proud.

Their eyes met and she gave her a small smile.

"Mmmm," Georgina nodded slowly as she led them outside.

They expected the carriage of the Statham estate only to be met with a gorgeous carriage that carried all the stateliness it could.

It didn't have the welcoming feel royals have to it that made people gape at it, This one makes you turn away quickly out of fear for who was inside.

"Lord Theodore's cart" Shi'enz wailed, panic thick in her voice.

She was always unnecessarily and embarrassedly loud, and Liza hated it to her bones.

"Keep it down door squeak" Mira scolded.

The sharp-tongued sister beat her mother to the scolding, Only her scold also deserved a scold as she was being unladylike cursing like that.

It did not take a moment for all three girls' eyes to widen at the sight of Lydia coming out of the carriage with the help of a cloaked coachman, he looked as though he was trying to seem approachable but the covering only made him more haunting.

"Thank you" Lydia's small voice was heard from the distance.

They waited with bated breath as she walked up to them.

They desired to know how she was still alive but Lydia barely spared them a glance as she walked up the small front stairs.

Unable to resist her mother called out. "Lydia"

Lydia didn't want to believe that what she heard was pain, nervousness or surprise in her voice mother's voice.

"Good evening Mother" Lydia addressed her mother.

She gave a deep bow to rapidly blink back her tears before she stood back straight with a forced smile.

She headed for her room without another word or a pause for her mother's reply.

I am fine, I am strong.

She wouldn't give her sisters the pleasure of seeing her breakdown.