His Lordship's POV
"I hope you are not thinking what I thought you are thinking right now," Dow, the Earl of Inverness, AKA my best friend, was staring at me as we were on the horizon of my estate. I smiled as I was remembering the sky blue eyes that I have been dying to get to know.
But what a pity, our social status was not the same.
"No, I was not thinking what you thought I was thinking," I said before I was smirking at Dow. He rolled his eyes at me before I was patting Maximus and then I remembered the new groom. I thought I saw him somewhere and Maximus not usually comfortable with the new groom. Only Howard and I can calm him down.
So, what was so special about him that Maximus did not get riled up?
"Are you going to tell me what was going on in your mind or do I have to guess?" Dow asked me before I was smirking at him.
"No, I don't think you want to know about my thoughts right now?"
"Right. I supposed it has nothing to do with the new maid that took your fancy?" He asked before I smiled as I was kicking Maximus to move. I looked at my summer house that was in Paris, France. I smirked.
"I don't know. You have to find out yourself then," I said before I was kicking Maximus to high speed and left Dow behind me.
"Lattone!" He called after me before I was riding back to the mansion. Usually, I would get out here and took in the fresh air for hours but today, it was different as I was thinking about that petite maid before I was anticipating getting to know her.
"Catch me if you can, Dow," I said before the mansion was getting bigger and bigger. I don't know why I ever bought a house in France. It was not a good investment, I tell you, with the increasing revolution that was trying to find an opportunity to take the French aristocrats down.
I pulled Maximus to stop before Dow was coming next to me. He was breathing hard before I was smirking at him.
"Cannot keep up, milord?"
"Oh, you cheated. That did not count," Dow said before I was kicking Maximus to the stable with Dow beside me. I was smiling before Howard came to get my reign as I dismounted the horse.
"Is the new groom around?" I asked Howard before I was looking around the stable.
"No, milord. He went in with the maid to get some food," Howard said as he was brushing Maximus's nose before I was removing my riding gloves.
"Well, take good care of them," I said as I was mentioning to Maximus and the horse that Dow was riding before we were walking back to the mansion. I was deep in thoughts before Dow was clearing his throat.
"Edmond, I think you're playing with fire here," he said as I was looking at him. I arched my eyebrow at him as he sighed.
"You need to find a wife and married to a Frenchwoman was not the way," Dow said as I was waving my hand at him.
"It's nothing. Besides, I think my children will be English as I will take that maid to England as soon as we got engaged," I said as I was smiling before we were getting inside the house and I was walking with my hands behind my back.
Then I saw it.
I saw the maid was coming out of the hallway with the new groom. They were whispering to each other before they turned to look at me and Dow and bowed.
"Milord," they said before the groom was touching the maid's waistline and he was whispering something to her. I was narrowing my eyes before Dow cleared his throat.
"Edmond," he said as I was turning to him and the new groom as well. That was an interesting reaction from him.
"Shut it, Daniel. I don't want to hear from you or anyone else about that matter. It's my business and I will do what I must if I think it will be the best thing to do," I said before the new groom was looking at me before the maid was pulling him out of the way and I was making toward the study room.
I need a bloody drink and I will numb this feeling when I saw that maid was intimate with the new groom.
I guess I already lost the battle without even declaring the war against him.
Edmond Lattone's POV
"What was that about?" I asked Lyana before she shrugged. We were outside the mansion after Lyana has tended to her chores and I was brushing Maximus' mane. It was silky black and I loved it.
Just like how Lyana's hair when I first met her.
I was eyeing her fair hair that was gleaming in the evening light before Lyana was looking at me.
"What?"
"Nothing," I said as I was brushing the mane again and I was trying to focus on my task at hand.
"You don't look fine. What's wrong? Come on, out with it. I know you have something to say about this afternoon," she said before I was closing my eyes and I was taking a deep breath. I don't know why I wanted to ask Lyana about His Lordship but I guessed I have no choice.
"What do you think of His Lordship?" I asked her as she was playing with the grass as she was sitting in the ground. She was thinking as she pursed her lips before she was smiling.
"He's okay,"
"Okay? What was that supposed to mean?" I asked her before her sky blue eyes were looking at me. I stopped brushing the mane as Maximus neighed at me.
I think the horse sensed that there will be a storm coming between us.
"Well, he was kind enough and he was very…gentlemanly," Lyana said as she was smirking at me. I rolled my eyes at her before I was walking toward her. She was pulling her skirt to get out of the stable as she was smirking at me.
"You know what, look at the time! I have to serve His Lordship before anything happens," Lyana said as I was grunting at her. She smirked before she was moving out of my sight. I stood there and as I was putting my hands on my hips. I scoffed.
"Gentlemanly. I can do that," I said as I was looking at the sky and sighed.
"I guess I am under her spell, huh?" I said and thought about my career that was in danger when we get back. But apparently, that thought did not hurt me as much as I would think.
"Maybe it's time to retire, I supposed," I said as I was smiling before I was getting inside the stable and did the usual thing for the horses.
Lyana Debaux's POV
I was smiling as I was looking at the ground when I was thinking about the jealousy that Edmond was showing. I was happy that he was not immune to me as well as I was to him. We were fated to meet and I think I wanted us to be running at each other on the altar.
If he would forget my past and help me with my chronic disease.
I sighed as I was making my way to the back door before someone was calling after me.
"Lyana," Bastien the butler was calling after me when he appeared at the corner of the mansion. I turned to look at him before I smiled.
"Yes? That's the first time you ever called my name," I said as I was smiling at him. He chuckled before he was rubbing his neck.
"Look, I have something to ask a favor from you. Can you come with me?" He said as I was nodding at him.
"Sure," I said as I was following him to the corner of the mansion before I was following him from behind. And all of a sudden, I was being held to the wall with a dagger on my throat.
"Scream then I will have to kill you," Bastien said as he was holding the dagger closer to my skin and I felt a prick of it.
"What are you—"
"Shut up! I know that you're not from this period so tell me, who sent you?" He asked me menacingly before I was looking at him.
"What are you talking about?"
"Just answer the question!" He hissed at me as I was trying to remove him from me. But it was useless. He was strong and I don't think I can take him down.
"Let me go," I said as I was pushing him off me. He smirked at me.
"Tell my boss, I said hi," he said before he was holding the dagger high before he was slamming it into my heart. I closed my eyes as I was waiting for the pain to come but it never did.
A thud was heard and when I opened my eyes, His Lordship was in front of me.
"Good thing I was near, right?" He asked as I was looking at him, bewildered.