Destined For A Duke (Completed)

Chapter 23

For the next few days everyone held their breath around Bella. Everyone would freeze as soon as she would enter a room and stare at her. If someone was speaking, they would stop and stare at her. If someone was playing cards, they would stop to stare at her. If someone was pouring tea when she entered, they would continue to do so until burned.

Lord Arthur was a common visitor at the mansion. It looked as if he was apart of their unofficial group now. Ella never missed the looks that he would send her sister. She was confident that he liked her sister.

Bella tried her best to stay in her room. Most of the times, maids had to beg her to leave so that they could clean it up. Her stay in company always lasted for less then 10 minutes. That was until Lord Arthur managed to somehow break her.

On the fateful day, the maids had to beg Bella to leave, again. She made her way to the library instead of the drawing room like usual. Lord Arthur was trying to get an interesting book from the top shelf when she entered. Lord William stopped talking when he saw Bella enter.

Lord Arthur suspected that Bella was the one to enter but wanted to confirm his suspicion. He turned too fast on the ladder and fell down from the top. The book shelf must have been old because it's screws that held it in place became undone. Ella watched in horror as the book shelf fell in top of Lord Arthur.

William tried to lift the shelf by himself because Brandon and Max made no move to help. Lord Arthur dragged himself from under it as William could not lift it up completely by himself. Lord Arthur was almost free when William lost his grip and the shelf fell on Lord Arthur's legs. He was cursing loudly when he heard Bella laugh.

"You should have seen your face," she snorted, graceful Bella snorted! "It was memorable." Bella kept on laughing until she realized that the whole library was silent, including the still trapped Lord Arthur. She blushed despite her dark coloring and was about to leave when Ella jumped up to hug her sister.

"Thank God you are alright. I thought I would never hear you laugh again. You have been so quiet lately." Ella tried to hide her tears but failed miserably.

"I tried to talk to all of you but everyone would just stare at me as soon as I would enter a room. It's disconcerting to have everyone stare at you for no reason at all." Bella huffed but pulled her sister closer.

"We thought you would need sometime to mourn. We wanted you to cry it out." Bella snorted when she heard what her sister had to say.

"Mourn for a man who would have gotten himself killed in a year or two? Never. We all know that our marriage was a forced one, no need to pretend that I loved him. I honestly feel like celebrating with some wine." Ella watched with an open mouth as her graceful sister snorted again.

"That's harsh. I thought young ladies these days were taught that they should remember the dead with kind words. I guess things change with time." Ella saw Her sister glare at Lord Arthur for his comment.

"I was raised as a merchants daughter. Before I married, I thought gentleman were raised to become good man. After my marriage I realized that most of them were worst then a Madame of whore house." Ella could not believe her ears when she heard Lord Arthur snort. It was unsettling to watch a usually composed man snort from under a book shelf. Everything felt as if it was happening in a dream. Not the kind where all is good or bad but the kind in which you question your sanity.

"I agree. I don't know what will become of this generation." Lord Arthur sighed before giving Bella a charming smile.

"I believe my Lord, that you are apart of this generation?" Bella asked pointedly.

"Oh God no! I am an old soul. Ask my sister, she will tell you everything. She thinks that I never left the last century. She will tell you that I am a caveman." Ella slowly felt herself lose her grip on reality. Lord Arthur was talking to her sister about being a caveman from under a book shelf. A BOOK SHELF! While everyone else looked on as if it was a common occurrence. Then there was all the snorting going on.

"Stop it! Max help William lift the book shelf and get this man out from under it. Sister, sit down. We were discussing something important." Ella saw Max whine.

"Do I have to get up?" Max's childish pout was endearing but Ella stayed strong. She glared at her husband until he got up and helped get Lord Arthur from under the book shelf. They joined everyone else in the sofas when Ella started filling her in.

"Emma came up with something. Whoever it is, wants Brandon safe. That means he knows who Brandon's father is. If he was to hurt Brandon in anyway,his father would find out and come after him. So he is using the only way he knows. He is threatening everyone that Brandon holds dear. Lord Arthur was trying to retrieve the Britain hierarchy so we can figure out the possible suspects." Ella finished as she poured tea for everyone.

"So, who is Brandon's father?" Bella asked because no one knew before. It was commonly known that he was a bastard of a rich man but nobody knew who that rich man was. It was assumed that he held the title of a Duke.

"Well, that's the only missing piece of the puzzle for now. Brandon would not say." All eyes turned to Brandon who tried to make himself smaller but failed miserably.

Pretty Amy was ranked #50 recently and Mad Axe was on #61. I feel so good right now.