Destined For A Duke (Completed)

Chapter 17

Ella felt overwhelming relief as she sat in the carriage. The constant teasing of her friends was not enough, Aunt Amelia teased her as well. She saw the surprised look her husband gave when his aunt first started teasing. She meant to ask him about it but decided she would do it on their journey to London. Bella was feeling weak and nauseated, hence decided to come at a later time. Ella would have the privacy of an empty carriage to ask Max anything.

Max followed her in after instructing the footman. They had extra firearms for protection. William was taking no more chances on everyone's safety.

"Do you need anything else?" When Ella moved her head to say no, Max tapped the roof. Upon his signal, the carriage immediately started moving. For an hour or two, they sat in companionable silence. Max read from a book that he bought with him while Ella looked at the countryside. Ella was growing restless when she decided to talk to Max.

"Your aunt seemed really happy this morning. She doesn't talk much usually, keeps to herself." Ella didn't want to ask outright but was curious enough to lead the conversation to her desired topic.

"She deserves to be happy. Aunt Melia has dealt with enough." Max looked lost in his thoughts.

"Why? I mean, you are so strong and rich. How could your Aunt suffer?" Ella was unable to keep herself in check. Forget subtility, she needed answers.

"Her daughter committed suicide after being raped." Max kept on looking at Ella's face as he answered, as if trying to judge her reaction.

Ella had expected a broken heart, a dead husband or anything else that seemed to make sense. How could something so gruesome have taken place in such an influential household? Where was the Late Duke at the time? Is that why Max thought he couldn't protect a woman, because it brought back bad memories? He must have been really close to his cousin.

Questions kept on forming in Ella's head until she had a headache. She didn't even realize when she fell asleep. One moment she was thinking of Aunt Amelia and the next it was night. Max woke her up when they reached the inn they would spend the night in. While they waited for the owner, Ella asked for some tea. Tea always seemed to soothe her anxiety. It would also help her ward of tiredness. Despite the fact that Ella slept through most of the journey, she was still tired and ready to collapse. Sleeping in a moving carriage provided no comfort.

The owner came with the tea. He looked at Max and then Ella before saying,

"My Lord, we have a private parlor at the back for these kind of meetings." Ella turned red at the implication. The man thought she was a woman of loose character.

"What kind of meeting is this?" Max's voice was glacial but the stupid man ignored the warning in it.

"Meetings with your ladybird. I am sure you don't want your missus to know." He had the audacity to give Max a knowing wink.

"Let me see, do you mind missus? I want to spend time with my wife." Ella saw the man pale and quickly leave before saying something about arranging a room.

Ella laughed at his startled face and quick escape. She was sure that the man would have nightmares about the mistake he made. Every whore will be treated like a Lady in his establishment. When she recovered, she noticed Max staring at her.

"What? Why are you staring at me?" Self-consciously she ran a hand over her face and neck.

"I thought you would react differently. I was excepting a tantrum, not laughing." Max smiled at her. Ella blushed, maybe she made a mistake.

"Do you want to punish him? I know my skin color will confuse many and they will draw the same conclusion. I can either accept it or let it annoy me. I choose the first one for my own sanity." Ella saw Max shake his head before whispering something that sounded like "incredible".

It's short but I have my General medicine paper tomorrow. Pray for me. I really really need your prayers.