All the Things You Never Knew

“Where are they now?” she asked.

  “Jack, Edward, and Aidan, went out to find Leon,” said Blake. “We don’t know where they are now, or what they’re going to do since Leon’s here.”

  “That’s terrible,” Rose gasped. “They could be in danger.”

  “We suspected that much,” Leon nodded.

  “I pray they return safely, “Rose said. “We should have stayed and waited for them.”

  “Too risky. We didn’t even know,” said Lord Longsword.

  Rose didn’t even realize that the earl was still there.

  “I’m debating whether or not I should go back to find them,” Leon said, turning to Longsword. “Perhaps I could go get Hargate now that Rose is safe here with you guys.”

  “It’s late, Leon,” said Namine. “Besides, Ed’s a hot temper idiot who’s all into good hygiene. I bet you a thousand pounds that he is running his mouth off right now about how he hasn’t wash for three days and is returning home no matter what.”

  “Yep. Sounds like Edward,” Blake agreed.

  “They could be on their way back already,” said Chance. “I know they’re not patient enough to go roaming around Islington trying to find you in a place they’ve never seen before.”

  “Maybe Jack would have the patience and Aidan, but with Edward, nope. The trip’s a fail,” Gabriel added. “Don’t waste your time. Sleep and wait till morning. I’m pretty sure Hargate’s fine with Avangelene, too. She takes good care of everyone.”

  “Boy, Avange stuck with a duke? That’s trouble right there,” said Lavender. “She hates dukes.”

  “No, she ‘dislikes’ them,” Phoenix said, making little quotations.

  Why ever not, Rose doesn’t understand. Leon had said the same thing.

  “I don’t think she’ll do him any physical injury,” said Namine. “Maybe a few words to hurt his pride.”

  “All right, I’m beginning to regret leaving Hargate with her then,” Leon said.

  “Don’t worry. He’s a friend of yours and ours. Avange would treat him well,” said Sheik. “Maybe even cook up something delicious for him, too, while we’re here with nothing much but a birdie on a stick.”

  Everyone burst into laughter at the words.

  “True that,” Blake said. “She cooks the best for the guests.”

  “Hey, but we’re talking about a duke here,” said Lavender. “He’s probably starving to death.”

  “Is your sister really that bad to dukes?” Rose asked Leon quietly so that only he can hear.

  “No, they’re just exaggerating,” he answered.

  “Why?”

  “She once loved a duke,” he said. “I don’t know what happened.”

  “He broke her heart?”

  Leon shrugged. “Probably, but Avange has a heart of stone. No one can ever break it, at least not now.”

  “He made her stronger, perhaps.”

  Leon nodded and tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “Are you hungry?”

  “I believe I’m famished.”

  Leon laughed and reached to get her a share of the ‘birdie on a stick.’

  “Not the best, but it’ll do,” he said.

  “Anything’s fine,” she answered.

  He broke off a piece and was going to feed her, but his sister Namine stopped him.

  “Hey, you guys are not wedded yet,” she said, coming in between them. “No feeding one another till the wedding.”

  Rose pulled back with a blush while Leon ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Seriously now, Nam,” he said. “It’s only a small act of love before–”

  “Small act of love? I think not. With your abundant of affection sealed away for years for Lady Rose, I doubt there’s any such thing as a ‘small act of love’ between you two,” she said, flashing Rose a grin.

  Well, Rose couldn’t help flushing at the vulgarity of Leon’s sister. It sure makes her feel at home… as part of the family.

  “I think I’ll have to separate the two of you until the wedding night, too,” Namine added.

  “You wouldn’t do such thing,” said Leon. “No way.”

  “Hey, ‘small act of love,’ this is it,” Namine said, pushing Leon aside and sitting down next to Rose. “I figured you wouldn’t mind being away from Leon until your wedding takes place, would you, Lady Rose? To think he’d left you all alone for all these years without a reasonable explanation.”

  Boy, his sister was good.

  “I figured so,” Rose agreed. A little punishment of revenge wouldn’t hurt, although she had long forgiven him.

  “Oh, damn you, Nam,” Leon cursed. “You didn’t have to bring that up.”

  Namine turned and flashed her brother a smile. “I’m just speaking the truth.”

  “Truth, my ass.”

  “Lady Rose, please don’t mind our word choices, but as you can see, our life revolves around asses. It’s the family word.”

  “I don’t mind at all,” Rose said. She really didn’t, although she’d been taught to not use the word by her governess and be a Miss Oh-soProper all her life. It’s time for a change.

  “Good,” said Namine. “You’ll adapt in no time. Anyhow, I’ll let Leon feed you with that birdie for now. I believe you’re starving. Must have been a rough trip. Afterward, I’ll draw the tub up for you to bath and get you one of my nightgowns to change into. You’ll be sharing my room until you and Leon becomes legally bond.”

  “Hey, I may be able to resist Rose, but she wouldn’t be able to resist me,” Leon argued. “Stop your nonsense and don’t torture her.”

  “I’m perfectly fine with the idea,” Rose countered to not feel mortified by his words, though all she wanted now is him and her, together in his bed, holding one another.

  “The lady has spoken,” said Namine. “Have your moment now because the night ahead of you is going to be a dreadfully long one.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Leicester

  “Luther, you are a traitor!” bellowed the furious Wilson Carmen

  Dawson, Viscount Herring, as the marquess sat and watches him struggle out of his chain. “Let me go this instant! I’m through with your game!”

  “Will, the game has only begun,” Luther said, getting up and walking over to the viscount. “You can’t end something that has barely started.”

  “If this is all about my daughter, then release me. I can get her back!”

  “I have no need for that little whore daughter of yours,” Luther answered. “It’s that bastard lover of hers that I want. My son would take care of your daughter once he returns from London.”

  “I can help you get the bastard, but if you don’t need my daughter anymore, leave her out of this. She is no whore, though she might have been a sin,” Lord Herring put in defensively.

  “How do you plan to get him here, then, Will? You betrayed your daughter and you’re out after her lover. Now that they’ve both escaped, why would they return?”

  “My Rose has a kind heart. She will come back for me if she knows that I’m held prisoner by you. She will make that foolish lover of hers come to the rescue, no doubt. You should know he will do anything for her by now. This would be easy.”

  “Hm.” The old marquess stop and thought about Herring’s words. “Perhaps you’re right. Maybe that bastard of Windsor will come.”

  “See, you shouldn’t have tied me up. Now release me.”

  “No,” the marquess snapped. “Not until the plan goes through and he sets foot in through that door,” Luther said, pointing at the old crusty door of the room.

  “You’ve got to find a way to trick him in, or I doubt he will fall for your trap.”

  “Ah, but he will. He’d fallen once, he would do it again,” the marquess replied, rubbing his hands cunningly together. “Leicester. His death bed. Yes, that Windsor bastard is totally in for a big surprise. He will have his tail trailing between his legs here in no time.”

  “And my daughter?”
<
br />   “Marcus is to decide on that.” The marquess went back to sit down and rubbed his beard triumphantly. “Ah, I cannot wait to have my hands on that fool Windsor again.”

  * * *

  The sun struck through the cracks of the old wooden barn as Laguna lay on the bed of hay on the ground, and shine in his eyes.

  “Morning already?” He rubbed his eyes and sat up, realizing that he had been covered by a woolen blanket. He didn’t have one yesterday.

  Avangelene was evil to really make him sleep in the barn without much but the clothes on his back.

  Did she gave him the blanket, or was it the stable boy?

  His wound had pained his side through the night. He couldn’t even sleep until dawn breaks. Why is it that he didn’t hear it when Avangelene, or whoever it was, came in to give him the blanket?

  Laguna stood up to stretch and pick up the blanket, folding it neatly. He then caught sight of a small white bundle placed next to the pile of hay that he had slept on.

  “What is this?”

  There was a note folded on top and a blue ribbon tied around the bundle. He picked it up and read the note as he sat back down.

  “For you, Duke,” he read the note, saying it the way Avangelene would have said it. Short and simple with an A signed at the bottom, making Laguna smile.

  Avangelene.

  She brought him the blanket, no doubt.

  Laguna examine the small bundle again and pulled off the ribbon to reveal a set of new garment. It consisted of a dark brown trouser with a dark green waistcoat and a white undershirt. It looks exactly like the one she wore the day before but larger.

  Did she want him to change into it now, or later? He has got to wash up.

  But his stitches…

  Laguna lifted his shirt to examine it, but was surprised to find it plastered with some sort of cool ointment.

  Hell, when did all this happen? He barely slept last night.

  Sneaky Avangelene.

  When did she come in to do this?

  The barn door creak open and in steps Avangelene, making him scramble to his feet.

  “Merry morning,” she said, flashing him a smile.

  “Morning,” Laguna nodded.

  What’s up with her today? he wondered. She’s, surprisingly, not acting cold towards him.

  “Slept well last night?” she asked, coming around him to tend to the horses.

  “I think you should know,” he answered, following after her.

  “No?” She laughed and looked at him. “You were cold?”

  “You would know.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said so unexpectedly with a sigh.

  “Too late now.”

  She shrugged. “I guess.”

  Minx.

  “Your…wound…is it better?”

  Ha! She did come in to tend to him.

  “Much, yes,” he answered, reaching out to pet one of the horses. “Thank you.”

  She merely nodded and walk back towards the open door.

  “Breakfast is in the house,” she said, turning back to him. “Eat and wash up. I hope that fits you.”

  He looked down at the bundle in his hands and nodded.

  She flashed him another smile and went out.

  Laguna tried to remember when he had last received a smile from a woman as enchanting as that, and yet Avangelene was the only one stuck in his mind.

  “Avangelene.” He said her name and sat back down on the hay, smiling crazily to himself.

  This cannot be, he told himself. This certainly cannot be.

  * * *

  Rose woke up to the sound of the birds chirping, followed by an angry bellow from Leon out the window.

  What is the matter now?

  She sat up and stretched, straining her ears to catch a bit of what he’s saying. He seems to be arguing with his sister. Miss Namine, Rose assumed. It sounded like her.

  “I see no reason why we can’t run off to the altar now and bond together in holy matrimony,” she heard Leon said.

  Was he that desperate to have them wedded?

  “No,” countered Namine. “This is the first wedding in the family. We have to make it special. Jack and they has to get home first, and Avange. You can’t have the wedding without them.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Nam. How about I just get a special license so that Rose and I can share a bed without sin?”

  “Like that hadn’t happened already,” Miss Namine scoffed.

  Rose flushed at the conversation.

  Leon is bringing it a little bit too far with his sister.

  Perhaps she should go out to stop them before she die of mortification from eavesdropping.

  Rose slip off from the bed and walk over to wash her face with the lukewarm water that Miss Namine had put out in the wash basin. She checked her appearance briskly from the dresser mirror and stroll off downstairs, and out of the house.

  She still couldn’t believe the sight of it. She didn’t see much yesterday due to the limited amount of light, but this morning…this morning was a delight. She feels as if she’s inside of a conservatory filled with a garden of white blossoms. Jasmine bushes seem to circle the place and white morning glory twined around the marble columns lined on either side of the lawn. An immense water fountain was centered in the front, encircled by tiny little bushes of white crocus.

  The Heartily manor was white and pure as the snow with dark iron framed windows all lined up from top to bottom and across. Vines of white morning glory entwined along its bar and dangled beautifully in the breeze. Little intricate designs of floral and nature life was also carved onto its granite wall as well.

  It was a paradise so pure and exquisite as the Garden of Eden would have been. Rose had never seen anything like this. It’s almost like seeing the palace of the Kings and Queens of England, or yet better! It changed so much from the wasteland many years ago after they left.

  She wondered who came up with the design and architecture. She will have to ask Leon when she has the chance. For now, she has to go save the fighting sibling.

  Leon didn’t know whether to strangle his sister or tie her up and throw her in the cellar. She was being such a pain. All he wanted to do was get wedded and be gone with business. Why did Namine have to be so opposed to it? He understands that he should wait for Jack and Edward and them to return but his time is limited.

  Hell, his time is always limited!

  He has to go back and clear things off with Lansing or things would never end. He thought he could endure it for a while and have his peace, but Lansing sent out his troops to attack them. How many more attack has he got up his sleeves?

  Just this morning a flying arrow came by and almost hit Gabriel in the shoulder where his gun wound was. The arrow contained a folded up message. Such a convenient way to deliver mails these days. Viscount Herring was now held captive by Lansing. Leon doesn’t know if this was some kind of a trick, but he has to tell Rose and she’s likely to make him go save her father.

  He wouldn’t mind doing so, but he fears it might be a sham and that it would hurt more than Gabe the next time around, if there’s to be another attack. Gabe’s like the target of pain. That is why he’s trying to talk some senses into his marriage-ruiner of a sister so that he will have Rose secured under his care.

  It’s ironic how Namine ruins every wedding, yet she wants the best for him. He is her brother, of course, but she should’ve done the same for others. He can marry Rose with just a piece of paper binding them, but come to think of it, she deserves better. But as for now, a paper is their only choice, although they could have a reception later or some sort of wedding ceremony.

  Why can’t Nam just leave it? She’s making things so complicated.

  “Please, Nam. Special license for now and ceremony later,” Leon said again to Namine.

  He can’t believe he has to beg her. It’s his marriage for God’s sake!

  “No,” Namine said again. “We have to throw Lady Rose a bac
helorette party and everything before you–”

  “Dash it all, Nam! We don’t have time for that.”

  “Yes we do. You just have to get on with your ‘business’ and then come back for it.”

  Lord, help him. She’s driving him mad.

  “Besides,” Namine added. “Don’t you want to have a bachelor party with His Grace and Lord Longsword before you marry?”

  “In this situation, no,” Leon answered.

  He just wanted Rose. He can’t imagine life without her. He almost lost her to Lansing. He missed holding her in bed, though it has only been one night. He just wanted her with him and nothing else.

  “Don’t kid yourself, Leon. All men want a wild night out before they marry.”

  “How do you know? Not all men do.”

  “Pish-posh, lie to me. With you as my brother, I know you do, and you should. Lady Rose would want some time of her own before you occupy her with a nine month luggage.”

  “What do you…” Leon’s jaw dropped as he realizes what Namine was saying and caught himself laughing. “Nine month luggage? That would be your niece or nephew you’re referring to.”

  “Exactly!” Namine snapped. “She won’t be having fun with it.”

  “No, she won’t,” Leon agreed, but something else came to him. “Do you know that she could possibly be carrying one at the moment as we argue? You should stop your babbling and just let me take Rose to the priest. We’re claimed as bastards already. I don’t want–”

  “Morning, Lady Rose. You’re finally up and about,” Namine interjected, waving behind him.

  Leon cursed and turned to face Rose. She didn’t appear too happy. She had a dark scowl formed on her face as she looks at him after greeting Namine.

  “Are you well this morning?” he asked, nervously walking over to take her by the hand.

  She was breathtaking even if she didn’t appear to be on the good side this morning.

  “I’m well, thank you,” she answered coolly, pulling back her hand.

  “That’s good,” he guessed.

  “Breakfast is in the parlor, Lady Rose,” Namine said, walking over to take Rose’s hand. “Come this way. I’ll show you.”

  “Sorry, Miss Namine. I’ll like to speak with Leon for a moment. If you don’t mind, please excuse us,” Rose said, eyeing Leon the whole time.