Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

Evangeline could be a simple girl but she was not naive. She could see what the lady was trying to do. But it was only in her favor, the more they find her incompetent for their precious brother, the earlier she would be free from all this fiasco.

So, keeping the innocent expressions on her face. She smiled, "I love playing in mud, gardening, cleaning the house, I even know how to catch mice in the barn, I can cook and I clean dishes really fast." she kept blabbering like the country bumpkin they took her to be smirking internally looking at their shocked faces and hanging mouth.

"Oh my, look at how multi-talented she is! She must be very hardworking. If she continues this way, I am sure she will learn our manners and etiquette in no time as well" said the old man clapping his hands and Evangeline's eye twitched so much that she could not explain. She had never been this speechless in her life.

'This stubborn old man was too stubborn in making me marry his son. Why in the name of lord, did he not give up?' She thought looking at the red and black faces of both sisters who were looking at their father like he had gone crazy and then turned to look at her as if she was the reason for his craziness.

'Tsk.. do not look at me like that. I am also a victim here. A victim! Did you get that?!' Evangeline's internal soul shrieked inside her body while she maintained a warm smile on her face.

Both sisters gritted their teeth as they looked at how crazy their father was behaving.

Evelyn looked at Elizabeth with pleading eyes and Elizabeth nodded, she would not let that happen! It was about the honor of their family. How could they let a dumb girl who was happy and proud about doing the chores of a lowly servant could be the lady of the dutchy!

"You are the right father, she is too good at manual tasks. I would have loved to have such a hardworking girl as my personal maid. But it is the lady of the house we are talking about! How could you expect us to accept us as our sister in law! Perhaps you are trying to do charity, I understand. If that is the case, I will donate my sapphire necklace, but there is no way I will sacrifice my brother for the cause.`` Her tone was calm and sweet. Not a pitch higher, not a pitch lower as she gently cut the piece of a steak and nibbled it.

Not a single voice came out from her mouth, while Evangeline continued to look at her with Awee. If it had been any different situation when she had met this girl she would have fallen in love with her that instant and followed her until she accepted their friendship but now was not the time nor the condition. Evangeline had to keep flaring the girls and made them hate her more and more.

"Yes, father. Even i agree with my sister. Brother will never marry a girl like her. And we both will not let you force, brother." said Evelyn supporting her elder sister.

Evangeline could see there was so much love and strong bond among the family members. Both sisters were fighting for their brother and even when they were angry at their father, not even once did they disrespected him yet they both put their opinions clearly. She never had the courage to do so.

"Father, I want to go with my friends to the bonfire. I have never gone there even once when all my friends go and enjoy it." a small evangeline cried as she pulled her father's pants.

"No, you can not go out. Go and help your mother in the kitchen." said the man strictly but she shook her head.

"No! I want to go. I want to go. I want to go." The little Evangeline kept repeating the same words, hoping that her father would eventually give in if she stayed stubborn enough when she felt her cheek burn and a sharp pain all over her face. Her ear buzzed with the sound that she was having a hard time listening to the voices now. Her eyes welled that instant as she covered her red cheeks which were slapped hard by her father.

"Why did you do that, Edward?" came the voice of her mother as she ran and hugged her in her arms.

"She kept shouting without listening to others. She needs some discipline, Nina, and I hope you will not interfere in that!" scolded his father in a cold voice and she shivered.

"I think you are drunk, Edward. Go and rest, I will handle her. I still need her help in the kitchen!" said her mother as she held her and pulled little Evangeline towards the kitchen door as Evangeline continued to look at her father with blurry eyes who left towards his room saying something she could not understand at that time.

But now that she was old enough, she understood that her father was calling her arrogant bitch! Since then her mother had warned her to never speak against her father and she followed the rule like a mark on the brick that can never be washed away. But now that she looked at them, she realized this type of relation between father and daughter existed too!

"Hey, we did not want to hurt your feelings. We mean to say that you have grown up well according to your conditions." said Elizabeth as she looked at her with guilty eyes making Evangeline blink in confusion.

"Yes, yes. And you are pretty too." said Evelyn with an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Umm, I did not understand what you were talking about?" Evangeline asked, confused. Weren't they bad mouthing her just a while ago! Then what changed suddenly?!

"Look, we did not want to hurt your sentiments. We apologize for being insensitive. So, please do not cry."

"........."