"I hate you, Arianne. I really do!" Stepping out of the carriage, Melrose continued her lament. She couldn't get over how embarrassed she was in front of Lord Knight.
Arianne only laughed at her fuming friend. "I must say you are so courageous to force Lord Knight to keep your secret. I doubt if I could say a word if it was me! I am bold but the lord is obviously someone not easy to deal with."
"And I was crazy for agreeing to your ridiculous plan. Now let's pray that he won't open his mouth or else I will be done."
"Fret not, Mellie. If I have to beg the lord not to spread a word, I shall do it on bended knees."
That day ended up a tragedy. Melrose could only hope for Lord Knight's vacation to end quickly so he would return to wherever he came from. She wanted to do nothing with him because for some reason she could feel that he hated her.
She could understand why those ladies hated her, that was because of envy, but this one, she couldn't think of a sensible reason. Or maybe Lord Knight took fancy in hating the people around him?
The next day, Melrose came up with a decision. She should avoid involving herself with the matters that concerned Lord Knight. After all, even though they were to be a family once she married the King, Lord Knight would leave Arden and who knew when he would come back. Which meant they would not see each other occasionally.
Her spirit was lifted by the idea. But when her father asked her to his library, to her disappointment, she was told to prepare for dinner as they would be joined by a guest, which unfortunately was Lord Knight. For goodness' sake, why would she need to be at the same table with him after what happened? She hoped she had the guts to feign sickness so she couldn't join them, but her father would only fret if the news of her being sick reached him and bring all the doctors he knew.
"My lady, you look disheartened. Don't you like the dress I picked for you? It is not too grand but not too simple either. I'm sure Lord Knight will be pleased—"
"Is there a need to please the lord?" Melrose snapped.
Felicity was surprised by the different tone she used.
"Not that you need to please him, my lady. It was reckless for me to assume that you want to leave him a good impression. After all, Lord Knight is the King's cousin and you will be a family soon."
Melrose sighed. She was getting herself occupied by the matter about Lord Knight that she snapped at Felicity just because she mentioned his name. But seriously, the idea of having the lord in their house made her blood boil.
She would not forget his last words before he turned his back on her in that brothel. He said they shouldn't have a conversation and if she dared trouble him again the consequences would not be good. How impossible! She had never met a man so rude and arrogant and hateful.
When a servant went up to tell her that the dinner was ready, Melrose had no choice but to head downstairs. She could only hope that the overbearing man would not take this encounter as 'trouble' when she didn't even want to see him again after that embarrassing moment yesterday.
Her father and the lord were already on their seats when she arrived. Lord Lewis gestured her to the seat across from Lord Knight.
"It is an honor to have you here in our humble abode, my lord," she said after taking her seat, because if she didn't say any courteous words her father would kill her later.
After all, Lord Lewis made sure she had the best governess to teach her all the etiquettes a noble lady should know. She was even taught a queen's etiquette beforehand. But sometimes, especially when she was with her wicked friend, she forgot to act like a proper lady.
"The pleasure is mine, Lady Lewis," replied Reed, his eyes stopped at Melrose for a moment. The irritation in her eyes didn't escape him even with the smile plastered in her lips.
"May I know why we are honored to have an important guest tonight, Papa?" Melrose asked.
"Lord Knight will lead the medical mission in East Brownsville and since I was the one who led it last year, I invited him for dinner to tell him about the things I have done as it might help."
Melrose glanced at Lord Knight who was cutting the meat on his plate. His eyes remained on it so she took the liberty to glare at him.
This man would lead a medical mission? Seriously? She didn't doubt he knew a lot of things, but she doubted if he knew how to be gentle with the people he would be tending to. Lord Knight looked rough on all edges.
"Are you doing it under His Majesty's word, Lord Knight?" She threw him a challenging look. Her smile was sweet but Reed knew the lady was taunting him.
"King Vincent suggested it and I decided to take part," he replied in all modesty that made Melrose's smile turn sour. She doubted if he was really willing to help those poor people when he seemed to hate every living creature as if he wasn't a living thing himself.
"Talking about it, I came up with something, Lord Knight. Since I won't be able to accompany you and the rest of the physicians, my daughter must be willing to do it in my stead."
Melrose, who was in the middle of chewing a piece of meat, almost choked. She immediately took the glass of water to cleanse her throat and not cause a greater embarrassment to herself.
"Are you alright, dearest?" Lord Lewis' tone didn't sound sweet but rather hard. He never liked it when his well-raised daughter made mistakes, especially when it came to proper etiquette.
"I am fine, Papa." She glared at the man across from her.
Taking the chance to return Melrose's taunting words, Reed spoke, "That is a good idea, Lord Lewis. But I wonder if your daughter thinks the same. Maybe she has other matters to attend to. It is better to ask her, I believe. Will you not have any special affairs next week, Lady Lewis?"
The way Reed's eyes narrowed maliciously let Melrose know that he was thinking about how he found her in a brothel. She clenched her teeth.
He knew being with him was the last thing she would want so he was pushing her buttons now. But he should have known better that she wasn't any other woman. She was up for any challenge, especially when her pride was bruised.
"Fortunately, I am free the whole week, my lord. If my future cousin-in-law needs company, why should I refuse?"
Reed's jaw clenched at how she addressed him.