The Duke's Forbidden Lover (Forbidden #1)

Chapter 7.

"Really?" His blue eyes bore into hers, almost looking for reassurance. "You really think that...miss?"

Miss? He had called her miss...not negro or something rude. She could feel her whole face light up and she beamed at Richard.

"Of course I do, Richard!" she exclaimed, happily. "Whoever tells you otherwise is crazy!"

His eyes widened. "Crazy...?" he mumbled to himself, tilting his head, before bobbing his tiny head up and down in fervour. "Yes, crazy! Agnes is crazy!"

Nalini's brows furrowed. "Agnes?"

He froze as if he had blurted out something he wasn't supposed to. "Richard, why is Agnes crazy? Did...she say something to you?"

For some reason, her heart sped up and she was filled with dread. It made sense if Agnes was treating Richard horribly. The crying, the sadness in his eyes, Agnes being around when it happened - it all fit.

She wished it wasn't true, though, especially when the boy remained silent.

"Richard?" she whispered, softly.

His huge eyes - almost pleading - looked into hers. "Please don't tell ma daddy anything!"

"No, I won't tell him, Richard." She hesitantly reached out and brushed his hair back from his eyes. "You can trust me."

"I–"

"You uneducated boor! Have you no shame or manners?"

Yelling from outside stopped anything that Richard had to say and they both froze as they glanced at each other. Nalini's hair pricked up in the back of her neck as she got up and rushed towards one of the large windows. Pulling open one silk curtain, she gazed out, only to gasp at the sight.

When she turned around, she found Richard staring outside too, with eyes as wide as saucers before looking up at Nalini, in fear.

"W-Why are they fighting?" he asked in a trembling voice.

Nalini sighed, itching to get down there and stop them. "Because some people get very angry sometimes."

The commotion was getting louder and she was more frantic as time ticked by.

"Richard, I'll be right back, okay? They'll stop fighting very soon so stay right here," she said. When he nodded, she turned and raced down the spiralling stairs, ignoring the dizzy feeling she was getting.

As she leapt across to the front, she watched as Agnes - who was soaked with something like water - raised her arm. Just as she was about to swing it down and slap Nora, Nalini stepped right into the middle and held onto her' wrist, gently.

"Please don't do anything you'll regret, Agnes," she advised her, kindly. The woman sneered at her, nastily and wrenched her hand from her grasp.

"Must you intervene in everything?" she scowled. Nora had her head hung down, ashamed.

"You're trying to hurt someone so of course, I'm going to step in!" Nalini retorted.

Agnes rolled her eyes. "The strumpet you are shielding has drenched me with juice!"

"Was it an accident?" Nalini asked, tilting her head.

"It was not, I assure you!"

"It was nothing but an accident, Agnes!" Nora butt from over Nalini's shoulder, "I was in such a hurry that I did not see you pass by!"

"Did not see?!" Agnes echoed in disbelief. "You indeed saw me! Shall I go tell His Grace what you have done?!"

"No, please!" Nora yelled, suddenly frantic. "I assert that it was an accident, nothing else!"