"Why?" Cedric asked although he had already heard what had happened from Hubert. He wanted to hear her side of the story.
"I was in my room taking care of Devin when she burst into the room yelling and screaming. Devin got scared and ran to me."
"I was simply going up to check on all the noise that this woman was making!!!" Evelyn shouted.
The Duke held up a finger. "You will get your turn. I want to hear what she has to say."
Talia breathed a silent sigh of relief. At least he was open to listening to her side.
"I picked him up to console him and she charged at me with raised fists, ready to do battle. The phone was in my hand so I threw it at her to keep her from touching me and Devin."
Cedric's face darkened.
"So my nephew was in your arms when she charged at you?"
"No no!" Evelyn protested. "I merely entered her room. I wasn't going to hurt the little boy!"
Talia gave him a cool gaze. "I wasn't going to wait until she got close enough to find out if she was going to hurt Devin or not hurt Devin."
Talia turned away.
"If someone bursts through my door and screams in my face, I will do whatever it takes to keep myself and my charge safe."
"So tell me why she is in a wheel chair."
"The phone didn't stop her. She was like a rabid dog and just kept charging at me." Talia shrugged. "So I kicked at her to keep her from reaching me and Devin."
The Duke turned to Evelyn.
"You come uninvited into my home and break into my nephew's room in a threatening manner while he was being cared for by Lady Talia."
His amber eyes grew cold. "And you expect me to do what?"
"She is no Lady!" Evelyn snarled. "Look at her! She looks like the scullery maid!"
It was true.
Talia's clothing had so much blood on it that the housemaids had simply thrown them away.
Without any other clothing to change into, they had given her the only set of clothes that they had on-hand which would fit her small frame, a dark brown serving maid dress from their inventory of maid outfits.
Talia exhaled and turned away. This gig wasn't a permanent job anyway.
Now that the rightful lady of the house had arrived, it was time for Talia to leave and go back to her normal daily life.
"If that woman remains here, I will leave. I refuse to be in the same house with her."
Because Talia's back was turned, she missed seeing the look of adoration on his face as he turned towards her.
"In that case, then the woman will be removed from the premises and we can get back to our ice cream." The Duke was saying behind her.
Talia froze. Did she just hear him say he was going to throw his fiancée out?
"What???" Evelyn gasped. "I am your fiancée!"
"But Lady Talia said she does not want to be in the same house with you." The Duke pointed out with a reasonable voice. "Since she lives here and you do not, it seems to be the most obvious solution, don't you agree?"
"I most definitely do not!" Evelyn huffed. "She is the hired help! Her job is to take care of people in this house, not to air her displeasure at family members who come to visit!"
The Duke gave a polite cough.
"Might I remind you, Evelyn, that you are not yet family."
And never shall be family, he thought firmly.
"Furthermore, you shall address her as Lady Talia, as she is the Countess Talia Fabian of Cerulia."
Countess Evelyn's eyes flared.
"Cer—Cerulia?" She stuttered, not sure if she had heard correctly.
"Yes. Countess Talia's holdings include the west precinct of Cerulia."
"But—but that land is part of your mother's holdings which is part of the dowry to be given to me!"
The Duke raised an eyebrow.
"That would be difficult to do since it legally belongs to the Lady Talia, now wouldn't it?"
He gave a gesture of command.
Several guardsmen immediately approached Countess Evelyn, with their hands in a gesture of escort.
The two dark-suited men behind the Countess nodded and unlocked her wheelchair.
Despite the fact that the Countess had not given the order to be removed from the premise, the attendants knew better than to go against the Duke's request. This was his home after all, and he was the Grand Duke of Faria.
As they wheeled her out, scratching and snarling, Talia turned back to him with grateful eyes.
He focused his attention on the woman in front of him. At this moment, the world had disappeared. No one else existed.
She was looking pleased with his announcement that she had been appointed to become a Countess.
Good!
He had been thinking of a way to perhaps convince her to accept it, and here she was, looking grateful.
Cedric smiled.
"Let's get back to our ice cream, shall we, Countess Talia?"
He reached out his hand.
Talia smiled and placed her small hand in his.
"Thank you for keeping your word to me."
Cedric shot her a surprised glance. What word was this that she was rolling around in that brain of hers?
"I asked that you hear me out before making snap judgement if something bad were to happen."
He nodded. "Yes, and I said that I am a fair man who does not make snap judgements."
She nodded.
"I was hopeful that once you heard about what had happened to your fiancée, you would have given me a chance to explain."
"And I did." He led her back to the dining area.
"I also want to thank you for talking up my position here at your estate. She actually thought I was a scullery maid, so I appreciate you at least, saying some untruths to make it less demeaning for me."
The Duke turned to her with veiled eyes.
"Woman." He reached out and grabbed her arms with firm hands. "I will only tell you this once so listen carefully."
He stared directly into her eyes.
"Never assume that I am lying to you or cloaking the truth from you. I am the Grand Duke of Faria. My word is not to be taken lightly.
He touched her nose.
"Now, I will let this slide once because you do not yet know me well enough to know that my word is law. But if there is a next time, you will be severely punished for saying or even thinking such things!"
"Pu—punishment?"
"Yes Talia. You will soon find out that I speak only truths, regardless of whether you or anyone likes to hear them."
"But you just called me a Countess." Talia countered.
"And that is because you are." He explained patiently, as if to a child.
"You know I'm not royalty of any sort."
He shook his head. "I have documents to prove that."
Talia snapped her mouth shut. There was no reason to say anything more.
What was she thinking?
The man was obviously delusional.