All the Things You Never Knew

by Angealica Hewley

  What did he do wrong now?

  “No problem,” Namine said, walking over to whisper into Leon’s ear. “She heard everything. Watch your little behind.”

  “What did I do?”

  Namine just laughed and left Leon to face Rose.

  “I see you had a nice conversation with your sister,” Rose said after they were clear of earshot.

  Leon ran his finger through his hair and shrugged.

  “Did you really have to say that?”

  “What?” Leon had no idea.

  “That I could be with child already. I don’t want your sister to think–”

  Leon laughed and shook his head, cutting Rose off. “She had suspected it anyway. I’m only adding to it so she would allow us to wed.”

  “Why wouldn’t she?”

  “Because I’m an ass and didn’t court you properly before taking you to bed and ravish you senseless,” he joked.

  “Stop it!” she said, pounding gently on his shoulder. “Seriously.”

  “Just kidding. It’s because I wanted to rush us to the altar and wouldn’t let her throw you a bachelorette party,” said Leon. “You don’t want one, do you?”

  “I don’t care for one,” Rose answered, tip toeing up to kiss him. “I just want you.”

  “And I you,” he answered, molding her to him and exploring her mouth with his.

  “Ah-hem!” came the clearing of a throat from behind them, breaking their kiss.

  Leon scowled and turned to see his sister Phoenix staring at them with her arms crossed and a vixen smile spread across her face.

  “Well, I see you two had a good morning,” she said, pretending to examine her fingernails now. “Sorry for the wrong timing. I was never good with times.”

  “You were never good with anything,” he teased, pulling Rose to him.

  “I am good at some things, mind you,” Phoenix said with a roll of her eyes. “Anyhow, Namine just wanted me to come get Lady Rose and tell you that she haven’t had breakfast yet so don’t try to devour her. She wouldn’t taste good.”

  Rose chuckled and hid her face in his chest with an “Oh dear,” while he look dumbstruck.

  “Okay, come along now, Lady Rose,” Phoenix said, coming over to break Rose from his hold. “My dear brother has business to do.”

  “I do?” “Yes,” said Phoenix irritated. “The school.”

  Right, the school.

  He hadn’t checked upon it yet. He has to tell the pupils that they will be off for the next couple of months, or until he can settle things with Lansing to ensure their safety.

  “A school? You have a school?” Rose asked, looking at Leon. “You never told me.”

  “I didn’t think you will be interested,” Leon answered, giving Phoenix a thank-you-very-much-for-bringing-it-up stare.

  “I would love to see it,” Rose said. “Do you teach, Leon?”

  “Leon teaches a whole variety of subjects,” said his little sister. “He even taught the girls how to fashion their hair. Funny, huh?”

  “Really?” Rose looked at Leon with a small curve forming on her lips. “No wonder.”

  Leon swears he would sew that mouth of his sister shut one day.

  “May I come along? I would really like to see it.”

  “No,” Leon and his sister both said at the same time.

  “You need to have breakfast first,” Phoenix said.

  “I can have breakfast later,” Rose countered. “I want to see the school.”

  “It’s business only,” Leon said. “Nix and they could show you around it later.”

  “Yes, yes,” Phoenix said, nodding swiftly.

  Rose gave a sigh of disappointment and nodded. “All right.”

  “I’ll be off then,” Leon said to Phoenix. “Watch Rose for me.”

  “Will do!” Phoenix saluted. “Come, Sister,” she said, pulling Rose along. “We have much to do this morning.”

  “Bye, Leon,” Rose said, giving him a good-bye wave before strolling away with Phoenix.

  He did the same in return and then realized he didn’t tell her about the note and her father. His little sister just had to come and interrupt things. Maybe it’s better if he didn’t tell her. She would surely cry if she knew. He doesn’t want her to worry. He will just go and save the viscount.

  Everything would be all right.

  * * *

  Laguna stared stupidly at his reflection in the pond and tried to adjust the collar of his shirt and tie his cravat.

  He cursed out when the fishes sprung up and distorted the reflection. There were just too many of them that seem to hate the very image of him that formed on the surface of their home. He wondered if they were trained to do so by their evil landlady. He wouldn’t be surprised if they were.

  “Oh well,” he said, giving up with a light chuckle. “This will do for now.”

  He turned around and flushed lightly as he saw Avangelene sitting up in the tree above him with her lips tightened to keep herself from laughing.

  “What are you doing up there?” he asked, cocking his head to the side as he stares up at her.

  The laughter broke through and she jump down to stand in front of him.

  “Hm, not bad at all,” she said as she starts circling around him.

  “Me or the clothes?” he asked, just for the sake of it.

  She flashed him a grin as she stops back in front of him and answered, “Both.”

  It nearly took the breath out of him. He never thought to see the angel out of her devil soul.

  “Thank you,” he answered, still mortify at the thought of her watching him curse the fishes all this time.

  She is such a sneaky wench.

  “You’re so amusing,” she said, reaching over to fix his cravat for him. “I’m surprise the fishes didn’t gather their army and jump up to attack you.”

  “I’m glad they didn’t or that will be bad,” he answered in agreement.

  “Yes.”

  She moved on to adjusting his collar as he had tried to do.

  “I knew you’ll look handsome in this outfit,” she said giving him a start.

  That was the last thing he had expected for her to say.

  “Thanks to you,” he answered, feeling himself heated at the touch of her fingers across his skin.

  You can’t do that, he told himself as his mind starts forming up erotic images of her.

  “There we go,” Avangelene finished, patting down his collar.

  Thank heaven above!

  “Are you okay?” she asked, staring up into his eyes when he said nothing.

  “I–” He looked away before those beautiful emerald eyes brought in anymore effect and manage out a weak laugh. “I’m fine.”

  She must think him a true idiot now.

  “Your eyes…did they just…”

  Laguna rubbed his eyes and turned back to her. “My eyes what?”

  “Never mind,” she said. “You did have breakfast, did you?”

  Well, she seems considerate today.

  “No,” he shook his head.

  He had come right to the pond to bathe and then dress himself up.

  “Then you better come in and eat,” she said. “I have something for us to do.”

  “Something for us to do?”

  She smiled and flicked his nose. “Yes.”

  This is bad, he thought. Really bad.

  “Come on,” Avangelene said, taking his arm. “We don’t have all day.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “We’re really going back to Islington to save the viscount?”

  Longsword inquired as Leon and he rode out their horses down the path.

  “No, not Islington. Leicester,” Leon corrected. “That’s what it said in the note this morning.”

  “Are you sure it’s not a trick?”

  “I can’t say, but it’s Rose’s father. I have to give it a shot.”

  “Should we get Chance and them to come along?”

  “No
, they need to stay here on the lookout in case there’s another attack,” Leon said. “Jack and they are not back. Sheik’s too young and reckless and Gabe’s hurt. There’s only Blake and Chance that’s really capable of fighting.”

  “Would we be able to fend off Lansing’s guards?”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Leon said. “I have it planned out already. All that Lansing really need was my stone.”

  “What’s so important about it?”

  Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out his dagger with its shining jewel glistening in the light.

  “We’ll find out as soon as we reach Leicester.”

  * * *

  “You’re mad, we can’t do that!” said the duke as Avangelene told him of her plan.

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “Like I’ve said before, Leon would thrash me if I let you fall into danger. We were lucky the last time we didn’t get caught by Lansing’s guards.”

  “We won’t this time either,” Avangelene said, annoyed by all the duke’s oppositions.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Duke, why are you being such a coward? This is to help my brother. We can take Lansing out for him.”

  “You are crazy if you think you could. You’re just a woman.”

  That nearly ticks off Avangelene’s temper.

  “I am not ‘just a woman’!” she fumed. “Don’t be feminist towards me or you’ll regret it.”

  “Fine, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “But you’re not going. I will do it alone.”

  “You’re going to steal my plan? Too bad, Your Grace. It’s not going to happen.”

  “Avangelene, why don’t you ever listen? You’re so hardheaded.”

  “I–Did you just call me hard-headed?”

  He stood up and leaned towards her. “What if I did? You don’t even listen.”

  “Well, you are not listening either, Duke,” she said, standing up to face him, too. “You annoy the hell out of me. I don’t know why I still kept you here. Please leave after you have finished your breakfast. I’ll do this alone.”

  “Are you always going to use that on me whenever I do something wrong?”

  “Why not? I’m the landlady here,” she said matter-of-factly. “I decide who to keep and who to leave.”

  “Well, I’m not leaving if you’re going to trot off to that marquess’s lair and get yourself killed anyway. I’m coming with you. End of the conversation.”

  Avangelene couldn’t help but smile again at his submission.

  “Why are you smiling now?” he asked, exasperated. “This is not funny,”

  “That were simply all you had to say,” she answered, sitting back down to drink her tea.

  “What?”

  “That you’ll come along with me,” she grinned.

  The duke cursed and fell back on his chair, eating his pancake crossly. “I hate you,” he said, after a few bites. “I just hate you.”

  Avangelene laughed and watched him knowing he didn’t mean it, but thought to add, “The feeling is mutual, Duke,” just to annoy him like always.

  He merely groaned and continued with his breakfast.

  He looked so dashing in her outfit. She had told her tailor to alter its size to make it bigger so she could see what it’ll look like on him. It was her favorite, and unfortunately, Mr. Tucker was running low on the cloth so she had to throw in hers to add to it for this idiot duke.

  There’s no regret at all, for it adds nicely to the duke’s feature. She could have saved her outfit and pick a different color for him but the dark green seems to be the only color that looks good at the moment. Plus, it would take too long for Mr. Tucker to cut out everything and sew them all to shape. Using hers made the process faster, and this duke is in need of clothes.

  “Stop looking at me,” he said, when he caught her eyes roaming over him.

  She smiled and propped her elbows on the table, cradling her face in her hands and saying, “Just shut up and eat, Duke.”

  He did so without further argument and Avangelene just sat there wondering if this was how Leon treated his duke of a friend, too, for he always seem afraid of how Leon’s going to react if he does anything wrong.

  Someday she’ll just have to show him that he’s a duke and can do anything as he pleases, well, except with her, that is.

  * * *

  “So this is it? The Heartily Academy of Management?” Rose thought this was a dream paradise.

  It was built with the same design and structure as the Heartily

  manor. Flowers filled the place and beautiful butterflies fluttered by with the bees for the nectar of the flowers. There were young men and women all about studying and chattering, romping around with joy.

  It shocked her when Miss Namine told her that they’ve had the school ever since Leon was born. Must had been over twenty years now.

  Why didn’t he ever mention anything about it to her? She knows so very little of him. She would make sure he tells her everything when he gets back. He told her earlier that he was going out with Lord Longsword to check on Hargate since they’ve left him far too long at his sister’s place.

  Hopefully he comes back soon. She knows there’s still the marquess for him to take care of, but she wants him to stay a night with her before he goes off, just in case something happens.

  Oh, she doesn’t want to think about it but after seeing him all wounded the last time, it worries her. She can’t bear to see him hurt like that again. She just hopes that wherever he goes, he’ll return safely to her, for all she knows she could really be with child. It’s too early to know but their last coupling could result so. They still haven’t even wed either. She doesn’t want her child to be born out of wedlock and without a father.

  Leon just better go get His Grace and come back to her before seeking Lord Lansing again. She won’t ever forgive him if he dies in the act.

  Oh, lord, she has really got to stop the ridiculous thoughts. Leon won’t die. He’ll return no matter what. He will be okay. She just have to believe in it.

  “Oh, Lady Rose, come look at this,” said Miss Lavender as she pick something up from the ground.

  “Ewe, Lavender, put that down!” Phoenix cried, pushing Lavender’s hand away as she wave up what seems to be a worm.

  Rose gave out a startle cry, too, and jumps back when Lavender brought it to her.

  “Lavender!” Namine shrieked as Lavender threw it on her blouse and strip it off.

  “It’s just a millipede,” Lavender laughed. “Don’t have to go naked.”

  Miss Namine colored as she stares down at her light chemise tuck in her pants and shook her blouse out to get rid of the bug.

  “You’ll pay for this,” Namine said to Lavender, putting her blouse back on and continued leading the tour.

  They went through the art room and watched the pupils paint.

  “Aidan taught this class mostly,” Lavender informed her. “Sometimes Avange help.”

  Next, they walked down the art gallery down the hall filled with old paintings from famous artist like Leonardo da Vinci to Donatello.

  “You were able to obtain the Mona Lisa?” Rose inquired when she saw it hanging on the wall.

  “No,” said Namine. “It was just a mock painting from one of the pupils. We just wanted to hang it up to fool people.”

  “It looks so real,” Rose said, reaching out to touch it.

  “We could probably sell it off, too,” Phoenix added. “But Leon said it’s against the law and we’ll get in big trouble.”

  “That’s right,” Rose agreed, trailing along to examine the next painting.

  Next, they went to the woodshop around the corner and pass along the shelves and tables made by the students.

  Rose realized that there were only males in the class and no ladies at all.

  “Leon didn’t want the ladies to cut themselves,” Phoenix explained. “He didn’t even let me in here till I was sixteen.”

  Ma
ny of the young gentlemen stop their work and came to talk to them. They were all under the age of twenty-two and very charming. They all truly adore the Heartily Sisters. Most of them were disappointed that Miss Avangelene didn’t show up.

  “She said she was going to show us how to break a lock the last time,” said one of the young lads. “Now we’ll have to wait because Headmaster announced this morning that we have to go home for a couple of months due to the upcoming constructions at the school.”

  “There’s no con–”

  Rose saw Miss Namine pinched Phoenix and cut her off from saying what she’s about to say. She didn’t understand why, but didn’t bother to ask.

  “Yes, a few constructions would be coming,” said Namine. “I hope you enjoy the last few days. It’s probably going to be about a month or two.”

  “Yeah, but I really hope you get it done soon so we can return,” said the boy. “I can’t really stand being homeschooled.”

  “I understand,” Namine said. “But remember, Headmaster and us were all homeschooled here. You all had a more diverse experience.”

  Oh, yes, Leon had told her stories long ago of his parents being their only teachers that brought them up in life.

  They must have been a loving intelligent family.

  She wonders if the school makes them sad at all. It sure seems to her that every part of it has a memory of their parents imprinted on it. She shouldn’t have made them take her out here, though they all seem very comfortable.

  But deep down she knew that they all still hold a grief for what happened to their parents. Some memories can heal with time, but some would remain a scar that stays forever within you.

  She knows this well, for the death of her mother had imprinted on her with the same effect. Her life had been a boring hell until Leon came along and shine down the light on her.

  When he left, she felt that same effect closing in once more and thought never to be happy again. She hadn’t even been that happy with Marcus. She tried to by seeking Leon in him, but it was never the same.

  Susannah was so right. She feels guilty for having to always argue with her about it.

  Whenever she returns to London, she’s going to thank Susannah for everything she had done. She was the best of friends Rose has ever had who was always patient and supporting of her decisions, well, not all her decisions. If Susannah had supported the decision of her marrying Marcus, she’ll be in total disaster right now. She wouldn’t even have the chance with Leon and meeting his wonderful family again. For that, she’s totally grateful. She will make sure Susannah finds her true love one day and experience the same feelings that she does when she’s with Leon.