Sorry for not updating! I have been a bit busy with professors. Also, I wanted to write when I felt inspired but I guess its just me procrastinating. Well, in case you forgot what's going on now you should maybe skim through the last chapter...
Toodles! And enjoy!
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Lord Dagliesh's POV:
"He's the Duke of Scotland?" I asked playing along with this little game of hers.
She nodded quickly.
"Yes, f-father you know how fond I am of him and his f-farm...I mean family." she hiccuped.
My eyes widened as I took in her demeanor.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her close to me.
"You're mashed?!" I hissed.
"O-only because you s-said I could!" She yelled in defense.
"I said no such thing! I allowed you to only drink a half glass of wine. This is exactly why women can't drink. They can't handle it,"
Her eyes then darted at the same boy she was dancing with a moment ago.
I felt smoke build in my nostrils.
"And they can barely handle their emotions." I said deceivingly calm.
She looked up at me surprised at my sudden decision.
"You're planning something! I know you." She whispered.
My daughter indeed did have some brains of yours truly.
Well, no since in playing around I have to be straight to the point.
"I forbid you to see that boy any longer." I stated with a tone in my voice to let her know that what I said was written in stone.
No one could change my mind.
I could think of one person...Kamini.
I cringed.
She would never leave me alone.
"Father, you formade me-forbidden me from s-seeing the Duke of Scotland? He hasn't done anything wrong." She stuttered with a hiccup at the end.
"Don't play games with me child, you know exactly who I am speaking of. Because of you, I refuse to expose him and deal with him my own special way...of course getting valuable information out of him first. But he is only going to be free if you stop seeing him. Put an end to this short infatuation. You will marry who your mother and I approve of. So I will be inviting the Duke of Scotland to come next week."
I turned with my back facing her.
I then turned my head over my shoulder.
"You two should hit things off nicely since you two do know each other quite well." I smiled.
She began to frown at me.
"Father, I can't believe that you would do th-"
"Believe it darling,"
I turned around and lowly whistled.
Alfonsé then appeared by my side.
I then turned back to look at Aleena.
"Alfonsé shall escort you to your room now, goodnight." I smiled while walking away.
I began to walk towards my new target.
Where was he?
I knew he had to be here somewhere.
I continued to slither through the crowd searching for any sign of a red and black suit.
* * *
For some strange reason I could not find that fox.
But then when hope seemed to be all lost, Alas, I saw a tall, young boy with dark hair and a firm jaw like a certain someone I know-plus he was wearing red and black.
My feet with a mind of its own immediately walked towards him, but then I felt something soft hit my chest.
I looked down.
There was Kamini in a purple mask wearing a purple dress that squeezed around her small round belly.
Of course she managed to put some jewels on her dress and herself.
Her brown eyes flickered up at me.
And immediately I felt like a teenager at heart again.
I felt my heart slightly swell just at the sight of her.
"You need to be more careful." I folded my hands behind my back trying to portray that she didn't have that strong of an effect on me that she brags about.
But I knew that she would see it slip through my eyes.
She flashed one of her rare smiles at me.
I tried my best to resist the need to pull her face towards mine no matter where we were standing.
"Why, I was going to see what was wrong with our daughter." She flirted, batting her long eyelashes.
I bent down to whisper in her ear.
"I'll have to talk to you about that later." I said smoothly.
"While we are on the subject of children did you think of what name you want to name the coming baby?" She asked standing closer to me.
"U-um. We can talk about this outside since its more of a private conversation." I offered my arm to her.
She smiled and slipped her arm around mine.
We walked outside and walked into our garden.
We both held onto each other tightly.
With it being cold outside it made us appreciate the warmth between each other.
We sat on a bench beside the camellias.
"So what names did you think of?" She asked planting a kiss on the back of my hand.
A smile spread across my face.
I then encircled my arms around her until my hands met at her belly.
Then I whispered in her ear.
"Well, if it was a boy I would suggest Daniel. And if it is a girl I would suggest Danielle." I planted a kiss on the side of her face.
She smiled.
"You would name the baby after you." She giggled.
"I was only suggesting darling." I chuckled.
Then a silence fell between us.
She shifted under my arms.
"It seems like it was just yesterday when we both were sitting on a bench outside at my first ball." She spoke softly that it was almost hard to hear her.
She intertwined her small hands into mine.
I felt something in my chest light up at her small gesture.
She opened her mouth to speak.
"That was a night that I'll never forget...when you said my name meant beautiful. I remember swooning that whole night about what you said despite our argument that we had earlier that day." She said, as I saw her breath in the cold air.
"You remember that night?" I muttered in her ear.
I didn't know that night actually meant anything to her.
At a point I felt foolish for calling her beautiful, but I was slightly relieved that she at least knew what I thought of her.
"How could I not?" She stated.
I kissed the top of her head.
* * *
"Monsieur! Monsieur! She's gone! Aleena, the girl is gone!" the voice of Alfonsé alarmed me in the night.
I sat up quickly.
"What do you mean?" I was now standing up.
Alfonsé walked over to me.
"Sorry to wake you up, Monsieur but I went to check to make sure she was there as you commanded to check every four hours. She wasn't in there but I did see tied sheets made into an escape rope down the side of her window seal." He explained.
"What's going on?" Kamini asked sitting up in the canopy.
"Get all your men and search outside and then call my special men and search this entire city!"
In the back of my head I had an idea of where she could be.
Alfonsé turned and was about to walk out the door.
"Alfonsé, you and the two Russian guards will be accompanying me. Meet me in the back yard by the garden in no more than fifteen minutes." I stated.
He nodded then turned and walked out the door.
Kamini was now up beside me.
"What's going on Daniel?" She asked.
She was now standing folding her arms over her chest.
I sighed and rubbed my fingers through my hair.
"Our daughter is missing-"
"What!?" She interrupted.
"My search agents are looking for her as we speak." I assured her.
She sat down clutching onto herself for support slowly sinking on the bed in shock.
A minute which felt like a century passed between us.
"Do you think she ran away?" Her voice cracked with emotion.
I immediately went to her and knelt in front of her and grabbed the sides of her face.
"Sweetheart, I promise you that I'll get her back." I planted a kiss on her forehead and pulled her head onto my shoulder.
She softly cried onto me, digging her fingers into my night shirt.
She then lifted her head and looked me in the eyes.
Her eyes were red and her face was puffy.
I kissed the tear that slid down her left cheek.
"Daniel, I can't lose her. Get our daughter back by no later than two days." She closed her eyes.
"Nini, don't forget who I am. I'll have her back before you wake up in the morning." I said rubbing my thumb over her cheek.
She opened her eyes with a hopeful smile.
Knowing that she was feeling better I stood and got dressed.
When I was done sliding on my tailcoat I turned to leave.
"Daniel, be careful." She called from behind.
I paused then continued to walk out the door without a reply.
Because that wasn't something that I could bring myself to tell her.
Who knew what this night might bring me to?