On the other side of the door was a young woman with her right ear firmly placed against the door. She knew that it was wrong for her to be listening outside the door like a thief, but she had heard her father's shouting, she could not help herself, she had to find out what was going on.
"This will not stand, this will not stand at all!" Dariel exclaimed boiling. His face almost turning red with rage.
"If they think that I will just sit down and watch them take away what rightfully belongs to me, they will all drop down dead before I relinquish my title to that insolent half-brother of mine!" he declared vehemently.
The young woman on the other side of the door gasped when she heard what had just been said. Her piercingly blazing blue eyes widened in shock.
"Dariel... my lord... my husband... may I... speak?" Ohara asked, her voice soft and gentle. She knew by now that when her husband was angry, speaking to him violently would only aggravate his anger.
"Speak."
"My dear, my lord... my husband, this is a direct order from... his majesty... the king." said Ohara.
"Tell me why you are stating what is already known?!" seethed Dariel. "If you want to speak say things that will be purposeful woman!" he shouted causing Ohara to flinch.
"I... I know my lord, what I was trying to say is that the king ordered this." she said calmly and slowly.
"I doubt the validity, that wicked man must have offered him something. Why else would he do this so many years after." scoffed Dariel, his voice much calmer than before.
"Yes, so if the king ordered this, he is the only one who can change this order." Ohara stated. "And in this case, it might not be possible for him to do that. He rarely goes back on his word."
"My love, what I am trying to say is if you attempt to fight this, you will not be able to win." she concluded.
"Do not tell me that Ohara, this is my family title, my family name! The Rivethans will not go down so simply!" his rage fueling again.
"I know my love, I know, believe me this upsets me as much as it upsets you." before Ohara could even move on to the next part of her sentence she heard her husband snap violently at her.
"Well you surely do not show it!" he replied.
"Listen my dear husband, all I am saying is the king is the only one to stop them from doing what they intend to do to us." she added.
"This is my title, my life and I will never give it up to anyone for nothing at all!" exclaimed Dariel. Ohara sighed, she was always unable to get through to him when he was being like this, so enraged.
"What is your plan Dariel? What do you intend to do?" she asked him concluding that it was better she knew what was going on in his mind than to be ignorant by his side.
"I will fight, that is what I intend to do. I will not show up to court, I will ignore all their letters." he maliciously said. "If they want my title, they have to come through me first."
A tiny gasp escaped through the lips of the young woman outside. She could not believe the words that she had heard come out of her father's mouth. She knew that this was a very dangerous change of events. Their entire life have been threatened by the appearance of this singular letter.
She instinctively leaned closer to the door, she wanted to hear everything and anything her father would say. She was most concerned of his reaction and the best way he saw fit to handle this.
"My dear, my love, doing this is dangerous, you will put our family in peril." Ohara said worriedly. "Our family will be charged with treason, it would be an even easier way for them to get rid of us, please I beg of you, do not give them a reason to treat us even worse." she begged him.
The young woman on the other side of the door clenched her fists and closed her eyes accidentally hitting the door lightly as she did so. It seemed like a harmless motion but for someone as mistrustful as Dariel it was an act of suspicion.
His ears immediately perked up taking note of the faint sound at the door. He ignored Ohara's pleads signaling her to be silent with the simple gesture of his index finger to his mouth. She instantly became silent as he took slow, sturdy steps to the door of his study.
The young woman who had noticed the sudden silence abruptly knew that something was wrong. She had been found out. She instantly backed away from the door slowly her mind racing.
She could not run now for she would surely be found, and even if she did escape someone else would be a scapegoat in her place. She knew fully well that her father would not let this go, he would be sure that someone was listening and if he did not find out who, he would simply punish one of the innocent maids and she could not allow that happen.
The cogwheels in her head turning she decided to take the fall she turned around quickly, pretending as if she had been passing by. The door opened revealing the ghastly face of her father.
"Angelica!" he exclaimed. "I should have known it was you. What have I told you about listening in on others conversations?!" he asked in rage.
Angelica who was more than used to his behaviour firmly stood her ground. Remaining upright she looked straight into her father's eyes feigning innocence.
"Forgive me father, I did not mean to pry." she said although she did not consider it prying due to the fact that it involved their family which she was part of. "I was on my way to my study when I mistakenly tripped and used the door to break my fall." she said confidently.
"As if I would believe that little story of yours, how much did you hear?" his voice demanded a valid answer, Angelica knew it, but she would not give him one, it would only fuel his rage further.
"Nothing at all father." she lied fearlessly.
"You lie, if you continue lying to me a great hot slap will be coming your way." Dariel seethed.
"I lie not father... I promise...." she said bowing her head knowing fully well that an act of a raised head to her father was one of defiance.
Angelica knew that she was on her own. Her mother would not dare interfere in this less she be thoroughly dealt with as well. She just hoped that her doubtful father would believe her words today.
"Young women like you are always looking for gossip, new stories to share abroad in the towns. Let me assure you that if you are lying to me and private matters leave this house and fall on the ears of outsiders, you will be dealt with accordingly are we clear?" Angelica held in her stomach dreadfully by let out of a silent sigh of relief upon hearing his words.
"Perfectly clear father." she replied. "May I be excused?"
"You may be excused."
Angelica did not waste a single second as soon as she heard those four words lifesaving words she took off hurriedly. Dariel angrily closed the door behind him.