Chapter 16 – By Hook or by Crook (2)
The morning after the party, Athyst overslept as usual, but today the one waking her up wasn’t Yellie, it was Count Lohikin.
“Athyst, Athyst! Wake up, quickly! Did sothing happen yesterday?”
“Mmmm, ten more minutes…okay five more.”
“Athyst! Duke Skad is waiting in the drawing room. Wake up right this instant!”
‘Duke Skad ?!’
The anxious and desperate tone of the Count made her sit up.
“What’s that ass doing here?”
“Ass…what?! Where did you learn to say such a thing! Ahem, anyway do get up. Did sothing happen at the party yesterday?”
“No, nothing happened…oooh!” Realization dawned on her.
‘Right. I told him to co over himself if he had business with . And he really ca? At this early hour?’
“Father, I will get ready first. Yellie, co and help get dressed! Anything simple. It’ll take too long to wear the complicated ones. We can’t keep him waiting when he ca all the way here.”
Count Lohikin left the room unable to say anything else as Athyst was acting so casually. He went to keep the duke company while she got herself ready. After all, It was rude to leave the duke unattended.
Thankfully, Yellie was quick with her hands and Athyst was now ready without a mont’s delay. She opened the door to the drawing room and entered. The duke was leisurely seated on the sofa reading today’s newspaper, standing behind him was Gen. Opposite him was Count Lohikin who was anxiously glancing at his form.
The Lohikin household was able to sustain a fortune and status of a noble household but they were far off from the influential and powerful royal family.
Above all, even though the Count was working in public office and frequented the Imperial palace, he was not in a position where he could have a direct audience with the Emperor or the Duke of Skad. That was done by his boss, the Treasury Secretary and Vice Minister.
How could he not be anxious and covered in sweat when such a guest was in his house, sitting in his drawing room, reading a newspaper? To make things worse he was called the ‘Bloody Duke.’!
As he was secretly glancing and appreciating the presence of the duke, Athyst entered the drawing room.
“Oh my, Duke Skad, I’m flattered by your visit.”
“Lady Lohikin, Good morning.”
After exchanging greetings, Gen asked the Count for a private audience. Reading the room, the Count Lohikin agreed and left the room with Gen gratefully.
When only the two of them remained in the drawing room, Athyst spoke first. “Why are you here so early in the morning? It can’t possibly be because you wanted to see .”
“Perhaps I did want to see you, Lady Lohikin.” The duke smiled in his most charming way. He was in a hurry to sign the contract with Athyst, so he had to please her as much as he could.
Athyst struggled to hold back a snort. She easily ignored the duke’s smile and got to the point.
“Oh, is that so? Then why didn’t you let know beforehand? I would have bathed and gotten ready from dawn and waited for you, Duke Skad.”
A frown ford on the duke’s head but quickly disappeared.
‘She doesn’t lose out. She’s different from the other young ladies. She kind of reminds of soone.’ The duke shook his head as he thought of Belice and her snappy tongue.
“You must not be very bright. I believe I told you yesterday that I will send a carriage over.”
“Oh, was I supposed to say ‘thank you so much!’ and follow you just because you sent a carriage over? I’ve never t you in my entire life; why should I trust you?”
“Hey, what do you take for? I’m sure my rumors are not that bad!” was Alexcent’s defense.
“Rumours? Anyways, I’m sure you have an objective. What do you want?” She didn’t know a single rumour about the duke. If it was sothing irrelevant to her life, she had no reason to find out.
“Lady Lohikin, let offer you a proposal. One that we can both gain benefit from.”
“Which is?”
The duke looked around as if to hint that this was not the appropriate location. “It’s difficult to talk about here. I will send you a carriage tomorrow. Co to my mansion tomorrow and I’ll tell you then.”
“And what if I refuse?” She said haughtily.
The duke then smiled once more, before saying, “Then it’ll end up like this. Gen!”
Gen and a group of ard knights of the duke must have been waiting outside, as they suddenly barged in the room.
“Escort the Lady. Now.” He ordered. By hook or by crook, he would get her.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
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