บท 7: Into The Arms Of A Man (2)

"Lord Cassian, why aren't we using the carriage?" Questioned the Coachman as they walked through the upper west quarters of Carmarthen.

The day was pleasantly bright with a cloudless sky. Although they weren't living in the upper west quarters, they knew how dry it became in the morning due to the fact everyone had jobs to run to.

When they successfully made it to the house of the Marquees last night, they were treated like Royals. His young master stayed awake, chatting with them about something he felt wasn't his concern, while he, an ordinary Coachman, was given a warm bed to sleep on.

He felt he just stepped into heaven when he fell asleep in the warm comfy bed.

Unfortunately, his beauty sleep became a nightmare when Cassian kicked him off the bed as early as 6am, stating they had to leave, and his young master gave him one of those looks that made him realize they had to leave fast.

They left with the carriage, but suddenly his young Lord decided they hide it somewhere safe and just take a walk instead. That part he couldn't understand.

The only time his young Lord would act this way was when he knew he was in deep trouble.

"Lord Cassian?" The Coachman called his name, his eyes making a silent enquiry until Cassian finally gave him the attention he seeked.

"My mother," he revealed, shoving the hair that fell at his face to the back, he was still putting on the mask to keep his identity hidden, "she's going to kill me if she showed up at the Marquees and saw me there."

At the mention of his mother, the Coachman's face drained of all colors as he froze in his spot, "your_m_m... mother????"

"Mhmmn." He nodded, "father's returning home today, I promised her I'd be around to welcome him, but then the situation that arises isn't something that's above my control."

"Duke Richard is coming home today???" The Coachman brought out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the sweat that was starting to wet his forehead, silently counting the punishment he would receive once they got home.

"Are you... sweating??" Cassian's left brow rose at the Coachman who was indeed sweating, he could literally hear the old man's heart drumming in his chest right now.

"Lord Cassian," he bowed, "please remind me never to take you anywhere again."

"Do you really want a quick death then?"

"I find it more appealing than having to suffer in the hands of your parents, at least I'll die quicker in your hands, I'll take it as a reward for having to tolerate your attitude since you were born." He bowed again.

Cassian's father was barely around, even when he visited, he dedicated most of his time to the duchess and her three sons, leaving Cassian, his mother and his sister on their own, without a fatherly love.

He didn't care what they did as long as none of them were out to ruin the reputation he's been maintaining for years, and that also explained why he's more than strict with Cassian.

He was afraid Cassian would do something to tarnish his image on purpose, so he's been watchful of the young lads movement and also treated him wrong over little things.

When Lady Elaine assigned him as Cassian's Coachman on the first day, his first thought after seeing little Cassian was; 'oh! What an adorable little boy'~until that adorable boy threw a spider into his shirt.

He couldn't forget that day, when he had to jump up and down to get the spider out of his shirt, meanwhile Cassian laughed to his heart's content, already proving to be the chaos creator in the Duke's home, as well as his land.

Since then till this day, he's been the one tolerating Cassian and having to portray a father figure some of the time so the nuisance would learn to become a gentleman.

Cassian scoffed out loud, knowing the Coachman wasn't serious about leaving him. He would cause Mayhem if the old man dares to play such a trick on him.

"We have serious issues," he pointed out, "my mother can't see me or else I'm done for, which is why I left the carriage. I'm pretty sure she's out with a knife looking for me right now." He didn't know why, but he could feel that woman was up to no good.

The Coachman sighed, dabbing his forehead again, "please don't utter scary things Lord Cassian, my weak heart won't be able to contain more of your negative words."

"I'm just--"

"Mr! Catch!"

The feminine voice of a lady interrupted both men, and when Cassian impulsively looked up to see the lady who was playing catch with him. He realized at the spur of a moment that he was meant to catch her.

"She's falling!" The Coachman raised an alarm, pointing at the lady with his eyes bulging out of their sockets in disbelief.

Cassian stretched his hands forward, and he caught the lady in his arms just before he missed. He froze when the lady hugged him, almost out of fear, because he could feel her fingers shakily digging into the material of his shirt.

Cassian, who was dumbstruck about what just happened, already planned on dropping the woman who dared to fall into his arms, he never agreed to this, but suddenly stopped himself from achieving his wicked motive when the lady in his arms abruptly pulled away, and he met her eyes that appeared glossy, her dark orbs where glimmering with fear and relief when he looked into them.

'It's the same lady.' he thought inwardly, no longer dropping her like he planned to.

He just blinked in surprise.

'Did she fall from the sky or what?' He was confused, but when the lady suddenly started wriggling in his arm, swinging her legs back and forth like she wanted him to let go of her, he immediately dropped her down to her feet before she eventually fell from his hold.

"Thank you." She bowed her head before he could say anything and instantly turned around, making a run for it like she knew exactly where she was heading to, and trying to run away from something as well.

"What was that all about?" Cassian was confused, not only did she meet his stare, but he had that lady in his arms.

"Lord Cassian, are you alright?" The Coachman asked, shifting confused gazes from Cassian to the lady running ahead, he wasn't sure about who he should be concerned for.

The lady suddenly took a different route and was out of sight to the both of them.

"Are you as confused as me?" Cassian directed his question to the Coachman who was dabbing his head with the handkerchief again, his nervousness obviously increasing, and so was his sweat.

"I don't know Lord Cassian, this is the second time you two are running into one another. We need to leave before someone recognizes you here, fake rumors spread faster than the truth, and with your father around, we can't risk any immoral rumors being broadcasted about you."

Cassian naturally bit his lower lip with his perfect straight white teeth, as much as the encounter had shook him greatly, he chose to cast it aside since that wasn't his problem, his main problem right now was his mother.

If people think the missing people's mystery is scary, then they haven't met his mother.

"Let's go."