The Earl And The Lady

Five

Five

‘ you wished to see me ?’ Andrew asked the maid who was fuming in front of him, wondering what he did wrong again.

‘ my lord, lady Isobel don't have any dress to wear. ’ she stated

‘ her closets was full with clothes last night when I visited her. ’ Andrew answered but shifted back when Agnes glared at him.

‘ those are clothes her traitor of a father brought her and if she wears any of them, every body will be against her. She needs a new wardrobe with everything new, she doesn't have a single gown to wear tonight but luckily we found an alternative but it is sub standard .’ Agnes bit out angrily.

‘ alright, alright. ’ Andrew conceded ‘ why don't you shop for the best stores today then tomorrow, you and her pick out new clothes for her to wear then chose fabrics for clothes to be designed for her.

‘ what of the seamstress? ’ Agnes asked with a smile already realising that lord Andrew tends to have the best if he wants something.

‘ the king seamstress will also be hers. ’ Andrew absentmindedly and Agnes smile widens, oh Whitney will be so angry that her golden skin will turn red.

* * * * * *

‘ the weather looks great. ’ Isobel commented and Andrew who is resting his head on her lap nodded as his mouth was busy eating the pieces of fruit that Isobel was feeding him.

Who knew that there was such bliss in marriage. Getting fed and at the same time lying on the softest pillow known to man... Well only him, if another man rest his head on his Izzy laps he would gut the man . since when did he start referring to her as Izzy?, when did he even become possessive? He would think about it later, much later. He decided as she presented another morsel for him to eat.

When her body went taut, he knew something was wrong. Without opening his eyes he asked his wife ‘ what's wrong Izzy ?’

‘ The princess is around and she came with some noble women and they are all heading this way. ’ Isobel said through clenched teeth.

‘ easy there, am sure they just want to say hello then they will be on their way. ’ Andrew said silently pleading with all the deities in existence, both the one he knows and the one he has no idea that they existed, praying that princess Whitney will not show her spoilt side but that hope was quickly evaporated when she snapped at Isobel to bow to her. He removed his head from Isobel lap as she gracefully stood on her feet then delivered a beautiful curtsey to Whitney who just fumed then invited herself to their private time .

With a low husky voice she purred her greetings to Andrew as much as Isobel did last eve to her brother. ‘ hello lord Andrew. ’

‘ hello princess, how was your day? ’ Andrew asked politely.

‘ well it was dreadful, my new hand maid decided to chose a pale yellow for my outing today, I looked like a disaster. Then, my tea was served with the teaspoon on the left side of cup and that's plain bad luck, my favorite pair of shoes was itching me so I could not wear it and I was in a hurry to leave and attended my break fast late and therefore I didn't see my brother and I wanted a favour from him... ’ Whitney ranted as Andrew gradually lost interest, he better focus on other things very more important like how Izzy would look with not a nary stitch on her, how to get out of this company before they make Izzy angry and she hit them back.

‘ are you even listening ?’ Whitney high pitch voice screeched out angrily.

‘ no he stopped listening a while ago .’ Isobel said as she puts away the dishes

‘ excuse me. Who are you to interfere in my conversation? ’ princess Whitney says in a hard voice.

‘ the wife of the man whom you are flirting with, I don't like it. ’ Isobel said matching Whitney voice and tone.

‘ you are not allowed to talk of your husband affairs like that. ’

‘ please, he is not the one who wants the affair, ’ Isobel drawled that made several ladies gasp at her bluntness.

‘ Excuse ladies , I have to go home. Izzy let's go. ’ Andrew said drawing Izzy up then he bowed and left. It made him proud to see her like that in front of others he left before his wife gave those women the license to hate her completely.

****

‘ are you angry at what I said to princess Whitney. ’ Isobel asked after some time of uncomfortable silence in the coach on their way home from their picnic.

‘ what do you mean ?’ Andrew asked Isobel who looked very uncomfortable and tense as if she is waiting for him to strike out at her.

‘ you have been quiet, ’ Isobel said and as Andrew opened his mouth to talk she continued ‘ I know that she has been a friend of yours but you can't expect any woman to sit still while another woman is flirting with her husband in her presence even if she doesn't like her husband...’ she ranted not seeing the smile on Andrew face until he kissed her and that acted as a very effective method to get her to shut up.

‘ at times you talk too much and I know I should find it annoying but I find it cute and I keep imagining kissing you to keep you quiet. I am quite happy that it worked. ’ Andrew said as he glance at her and saw that she was frozen in the same position he left her when he kissed her.

He continued, wishing to clear up the misunderstanding that she had formed from his state of silence. ‘ thank you for putting Whitney in her place, I take her as a sister but she does not want that and I am getting tired of all her advances, thank you for putting a stop to that. As for me being quiet you will discover that I love the silence of solitude and I usually get lost in my head. It is not something you should consider a problem. ’ Andrew finished and sent a glance in her direction and saw that she now has her hand on her lips with a marvelled look on her face.

Chuckling he called her name ‘ Izzy ?’

‘ Em ’ she answered as she turned her face to look at him.

‘ are you alright ?’ he asked softly.

‘ yes. Why won't I be? ’ she answered as she blushes.

‘ now my Izzy is back .’ Andrew commented softly.

*******

‘ wow ’ Isobel said with tears in her eyes as she glance at her self in the looking glass she was standing in front of.

The gown that Agnes got for her was dark red with cream designs on it making it blend with her skin. It has a daring plunge in the bodices that show off the top of her breasts but not to the extent that it is indecent...but you also can't call it decent. She paired it with a red valet shoes that she had forgotten that she had as she last wore it on her 18th birthday. Her hairdo was simple yet complicated, she would know as she sat in front of a mirror for more than half a bell. Her straight dark locks were now curly and piled on the top of her head like a messy bun but she know it isn't as Agnes designed it to give it that look. A few locks were floating around her face to complete the look.

‘ if you get teary and ruin my beautiful work, I will pound you. ’ Agnes threatened which made Isobel laugh. ‘ okay, your look is done now let's hurry before lord Andrew gets seriously annoyed.

‘ okay. ’ Isobel breathed as she stood up and walked down the stairs into her husband company.

***

Andrew was seriously tired of waiting, he never understood why women needed time to dress. He was through with his own dressing within half a bell but Izzy has been up in her room for three bells and she was not yet down. He won't leave her behind but he can't keep the king waiting.

He motioned for Ben to join him. ‘ go to the king in the party and tell him that we are coming. ’ Andrew said finally looking at Ben and saw that Ben had a dazed look on his face, what was he staring at. He turned as his breathe got caught in his throat.

Izzy looked like a goddess, a deity...was Ben looking at his wife with that expression on his face. He hissed in a low tone that only Ben would hear. ‘ if you don't stop staring at my wife with that expression on your face, I will gut you and enjoy doing it. ’

Ben quickly turned red in the face as he shuffled out as fast as he could go with an aching back.

Not knowing how to react when he was tongue tied at his wife appearance, he said in a gruff voice. ‘ let's go, we are already late as it is. ’ then he saw the light die out of her eyes and knew he was in trouble. How was he going to put it back there before they reach the party was beyond his knowledge but he knew that he has to try as he did not like that expression on her face one bit.

√√√√√√√√√√√√√

‘ please talk to me. ’ Andrew pleaded in his mind to Izzy. Although he knew that she couldn't hear him.

He knew that she was really angry. She must have spent a lot of time and the person reaction she wanted to see was his and he gave the wrong one.

Andrew cleared his throat and said ‘ you look pretty.

Isobel looked at him then raised an eye brow that made him feel small and he started to explain more. ‘ I was angry with Ben so when I saw you I just blurt out what was in my mind.

‘ I am glad to discover that what is in your mind was that we are late. ’ lady Isobel said in a sweet tone that did not disguise her hurt at his response to her.

‘ I am sorry. I did not explain well. I am not much of a feeling person. ’ Andrew apologized

‘ accepted ’ lady Isobel said as she smiled at him.

‘ by the way. You look amazing. ’ Andrew said as she smiled at him.

* * * *

The party went well and princess Whitney decided to hate her more. Isobel and Andrew became much closer and they had feelings for each other and then things went okay well at least for three months then trouble started.