The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 65: Clingy Cassian (2)

Chapter 65: Clingy Cassian (2)

Duke Richard stood at the doorstep with his hands shoved into the jacket of his waistcoat, and he noticed how awed the young lady was at the mere sight of his presence. He would also be amazed if he were in her shoes. To think he’d bother to show up in their room for the first time must have come as a shock to her.

"Duke....."

"Is Cassian in?" Duke Richard proceeded to the main reason why he was here, keeping his conversation with the lady formal, and Madeline’s mouth opened naturally as she wanted to answer his question, but no words came out of it to both their surprise.

"Do.... Do you want me to leave a message on your behalf?" Madeline carefully chose her words in order to avoid sounding rude, and the Duke himself let out an exasperated sigh at her question. It was obvious he looked disturbed on something, and Madeline curiously wondered if Frederick must have informed the Duke about Cassian’s ordeal.

Is that why he’s here??

"I want to see him."

"He’s resting." Madeline forced a smile as she still stood at the door. There was no body sign of hers that showed she’d let him into the room so he could see Cassian, and Richard’s brows slanted downwards as his eyes cautiously narrowed, looking unconvinced.

"Then wake him up." Came his blatant retort, but to his quick surprise, the young lady shook her head in refusal. "Forgive me but I can’t wake my husband since he just returned and will need a lot of rest to fully steady himself. A lot of horrible things can happen when one is sleep deprived. It drains their mental abilities and puts their physical health at risk."

She thoughtfully explained to the Duke like she was busy tutoring him about the importance of sleep. "When he wakes up, I’ll be sure to deliver the message that you asked for him. Please do not be offended if I sound impolite, I’m just trying to secure my husband’s well-being."

Madeline’s words had two meanings, and the one Richard failed to grab was her indirectly stating that he has no care for Cassian’s well-being, and that leaves her to be more protective over her husband’s health since it was now her responsibility as his wife.

"When he wakes up, make sure to let him know that he needs to meet me in my study room. We have something important that needs to be discussed, don’t forget." His tone was unaccountably strict, and Madeline nearly broke the glass of little courage that had been her aid in talking so firmly, and she only nodded her head in return.

"I will."

With both of them understanding oneself, Richard turned and left the corridor. Madeline quietly closed the door after watching his figure exit the empty corridor, and she let out a *phew!* Sound before turning around to look at the man who was sound asleep on the bed.

Walking to his bedside, Madeline pulled out a chair from the dressing table and sat beside the edge of his bed. She placed her palm to his forehead, checking on his temperature that remained naturally warm to the touch, and it relieved her heart to see him back at home where no one else can hurt him.

From how brutally those people had killed Roland, and even her parents with those fatal accidents, it wasn’t surprising that they’d do the same thing to Cassian, and she felt bad that he had to experience something so traumatic, yet barely even shows it. She would have died if she was in his shoes.

Stroking his silky soft tawny-dark-hair, she felt the young man relax against her soothing touch as the expression on his face softened. She smiled at his instinctual response before pinning her lips together when something else invaded her thoughts.

She asked him what happened over there, and he uttered something about her leaving and breaking her promise to him for the second time. She wanted to hear more regarding that statement when his health suddenly got in the way of their conversation.

But when was there a first time before they even had a second promise? She doesn’t remember making any promises that she has broken, nor does she remember leaving anybody, so what did he mean by that??

Was there something she ought to know but doesn’t?? Is she forgetting something?

"Am I just overthinking myself to worry?" She asked out loud before releasing a sigh and combing her fingers through her hair. "You’re no doubt a chaotic man, Lord Cassian, in the meantime I should ask Frederick or Adeline if there’s still some food left so you can have something once you wake up."

Reminding herself that he hasn’t eaten anything all day, she rose from her chair and made her way to the door. Opening it, she ended up running into Elaine who was just about to knock on the door, but had stopped after Madeline opened it herself.

"M....mother?" Madeline’s eyes went round at the sight of her mother-in-law standing before her doorstep, and her fingers instinctively dug themselves into the hardened wood of the door.

"You’re here?"

"Where’s Cassian?" Without waiting for Madeline to give her an excuse, Elaine stepped into the room herself, and there was absolutely nothing Madeline could do to stop her from entering.

"Mother wait..." she immediately came to stand before Elaine when she noticed the woman was approaching the bed. "Please don’t wake him up, I can tell you what happened but don’t wake him up. He needs the rest, please..." Madeline pleaded for Cassian’s sake after sensing the anger and worry that currently grew inside Elaine.

However, Elaine said nothing as her eyes shifted from Cassian’s body to Madeline. Her expression remained stoic and Madeline nervously swallowed when she noticed how Elaine was stopping herself from reacting to what her eyes just witnessed.

"Fine." She surprisingly agreed. "Where did you go? What happened? Why is he injured? and why are his eyes blindfolded?" She threw countless questions at the anxious Madeline, and Madeline silently prayed to the heavens above that she makes it out of this alive.