Everyone laughed while Adelaide snorted. She was so red that the bruises on her face stood out. She smiles with satisfaction when she sees that the tapas I gave in Adelaide have been taken with desire. So much so that some bruises turned slightly purple. Even his arms were marked.
- Adelaide, what happened to your face? - Alistair asked at one point. - Looks like he got into a fight with cats.
- Yeah, it is! - Bruce amended it with a cynical smile. - What happened to end up with so many marks?
- I asked that same question as soon as I saw you in your room this morning. - said Ector. - Adelaide had said it was an accident and that she fell down the stairs when she was going up to her room last night.
I leaned back on the chair and looked down on her with disdain. Adelaide snorted. I realized that she hadn't told Ector anything about what had happened and was looking for the right words to explain herself.
- Jesus! - I exclaimed ironically. - Why didn't you call anyone to help you?
- It wasn't as serious as it sounds. - she answered in a dry voice.
- If you say so. - said by shrugging his shoulders. - Anyway, I advise you to use chamomile infusions. According to my grandmother's herbal book, chamomile helps relieve pain and clear stains. You'd know that if you were a reading fan.
She looked at me with disdain, turning her eyes, but just nodded. I looked at Bruce who was hiding his laughter. Aideen, however, smiled with satisfaction, while Alistair shook his head from side to side with a sarcastic smile on his face. This further irritated Adelaide, who rose from the table without asking for permission and went out of the hall.
We continued to have breakfast, talking pleasantly and I realised that Ector was not a bad person. He was just inclined to do what most fathers of single daughters did... Pamper their daughter. For a moment I was jealous of Adelaide who, as far as I could tell, was very dear to his father, because Ector's affection was widely perceived. During the conversation he ended up confessing that the idea of charging for the marriage agreement outside of Adelaide and that she was radiant about the possibility of being a duchess. I had no idea why anyone would want to have a title of nobility so much that they would get rid of their honour, personality or any priority other than winning a title.
One of the employees announced that the horses that would take Ector back to his fiefdom, were already ready and available for his departure. They said goodbye while I watched from a distance with my bow in my hands. As Adelaide was about to cross the exit gate to the bridge, I shot an arrow. She looked back with an indignant look and I smiled with mockery. Seeing that there was a paper jam, she walked to the side of the gate where the arrow stuck and removed it. Everyone stood in front of him, walking distractedly and did not even notice what I had done. I saw her unwrap the paper, and stopped for a few moments and read its contents. Adelaide looked incredulously at me with a look full of fear and hatred at the same time. She discarded the note in the creek and walked out beating her feet.
- May I ask what was in that note? - Bruce whispered behind me.
- No big deal! - he said turning me around to face him. - Just a reminder of what I'll do with her, if, any day now, Adelaide ever steps on this castle again or wherever you are, and she dares look at you.
Bruce made a face, but then he laughed.
- I don't want to imagine what it would be like, but I'm glad to have such a lovely personal guard. - he said smiling.
- It may not seem so, Mr. Duke, but I can take good care of what's mine. - I fired in an ironic way by tapping my index finger against his lips.
Bruce smiled and, grabbing my hand, kissed my fingers. That simple touch made my whole body shiver.
- I don't doubt this one bit! - he whispered.
We stared at each other for a while, until he grabbed my throat, as usual, and pulled me closer. I took a deep breath with the expectation of being kissed the way he had announced with his gestures and look. Bruce rubbed his lips against mine until he took mine in a gentle kiss. I wrapped his neck with my arms enjoying every moment of that frantic kiss, until he became urgent and Bruce pulled me off the ground.
- You guys wanna get a room? - Alistar's voice interrupted us. - There are children here.
Aideen slapped her husband's arm and smiled at us.
- Stop, Alistair! - she said. - You'll embarrass them!
I let out a laugh and, next to Bruce, we returned to the castle. Alistair and Aideen set aside an entire afternoon for us to talk about. They were happy with our union and helped us with our wedding plans.
- We'll need two days to call it Annabel. - Alistair said at one point. - I wonder if you could wait that long before the wedding.
- To call it? - I asked by frowning.
- Yes! - Alistair smiled. - You're going to marry my cousin and that'll make you a duchess. I want to give you the title first, so you can marry now as
