Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Evangeline could see the anger in the eyes of man and her own eyes twinkled. She hid her head and started eating with satisfaction. Finally she had an idea to get rid of these nobles who were not ready to leave her alone. Yet her smile did not last long. She heard a girl playing piano in the inn at a distance and she wondered how the kids were in her town and what had happened to her house since she was here.

Though they did not have much property and would not be called rich. They have a small house and a small land behind it where she could grow vegetables and flowers and sell it. And with the classes she takes, she was sure she could live happily until she fell in love with a man in her town.

She remembered Evans looking at her occasionally and Warren inviting her to sing for them when they went for a picnic at the lake side. She was not a naive girl to not understand their interest in her. They both were good looking with one having brown hair and brown eyes while the other had fair skin and dark eyes. Yet she did not take any initiative as her father always told her that she was too young to have any relationships.

Now she wanted to ask her, how did too young suddenly turn into an adult that they gave her hand to a stranger.

"Is the food not up to your liking, my lady?" asked at night and she turned to look at the man who was talking to her.

Only then did she notice that her eyes lingered on the girl for more time than she had thought and everyone had already finished their dinner.

"I want a silver coin back." she demanded to the man who was staring at her as if he would suck her alive.

Leo frowned as he heard her suddenly asking for money. He was watching the girl from the start. There was a fleeting feeling in the back of his mind that the girl might be a spy which was sent by the marquis. So, he continued to observe her.

Like a pandora box has been opened, thousands of emotions have crossed her face since she sat there. She was dancing in glee, then felt disheartened, then a determined face and then proud and longing and now she was glaring at him as he was the source of her misery.

"Why shall i give you the money, it is mine." he demanded, not that he cared much about a coin, he wanted to see what she would do if he denied.

"Since you are already calling me a thief for that jewel that I have sold, the last two coins are also mine. So, pass me them too.`` She demanded the money, calling herself a thief that all the knights looking at her felt speechless.

"I have never seen such a righteous thief." Leo replied in a sarcastic voice but she just shrugged her shoulders,

"Not as righteous as my kidnapper." she added so nonchalantly that all the knights choked on their food.

They were afraid that Leo would kill her with his sword or punish her severely but their eyes widened when he sighed and took out a silver coin and passed it to her.

Many of them pinched each other as they could not believe that it was their master.

She smiled in satisfaction, finally getting what she wanted. The moment she stood up, two knights from the side table stood up too.

"Are they going to follow me everywhere I go? She asked the man who was leisurely having his dessert.

"It is for your safety only." she was marveled at the way he lied without batting an eyelid.

"Sit and finish your meal first, you can give the coin to the girl when we leave. We do not have much time to wait for your dinner or else the time of travel will increase a lot if the sky turns darker." she looked at him with surprise as she asked.

"How do you know that I was going to give the coin to the little girl. I could have taken it for the waitress too." he smirked at her question but did not reply.

She continued to look at him but when realized, he was not going to reply she frowned and started having her meal.

'Narcissist' she added to the list of his bad qualities after being rude and arrogant, and a womanizer.

When they finally stood up, ready to leave, the girl had already completed her song and had left the stage. She looked around to find the girl but could not find even her shadow and sighed as she looked at the coin she had held tightly in her hands.

Leo looked at her depressed face and then at the head of the knights who bowed and left the room.

Dragging her exhausted body, she reached to the carriage when her eyes shone.

The girl she was looking for was talking to the coachman as she continued to look at the horse.

Evangeline ran to the girl and hugged her as if she had finally reached her home and was able to hug all those kids she was seeing in this little girl.

"Do I know you?" asked the girl in confusion as she felt heavy emotions of Evangeline who shook her head at the innocent question.

"You played the piano beautifully. I wish I could play like you one day." she replied and the little girl smiled.

"Thank you, I am just learning from Miss parker." replied the girl kindly and Evangeline saw some hope.

"Tell her that Evangeline is sorry but she had been taken forcefully from here." she whispered in the ears of the girl as she gave the coin to her and stood up.

The girl looked at her in confusion and nodded.. She continued to stand there until Evangeline sat in the carriage and left.