Courting Trouble

Chaos.

Duke Carlisle was the very bane of Malisha's existence and she loathed him and despised him with every fibre and bone that was standing in her body. Despite this, that did not prevent them from bumping into each other in the most oddest of ways, with the more bizarre of these being their confrontation with the front parlor of the Lenton Manor.

It was a Friday you see. Exactly four days from the time of the incident. As it was, Malisha had chanced on Duke lounging contentedly while munched at a piece of biscuit that she was sure had been reserved for herself.

The parlor was full, but Malisha's mind had registered none of it. Her full focus was on Duke and the rage that was bubbling up as her brain conjured up memory after memory of her unfortunate past. Her anger so blinded her, that she failed to notice a lot of things. Not just the guests that had congregated there, but also his dark suit that gave him an appearance of being broodingly handsome, or that small tiny fact that the man was seated too stiffly yet somehow meekly, albeit his usual arrogant self. It also stopped her from noticing the presence of the wheelchair or the grave look that its occupant bore even as she leaned over the seat and conversed silently with her own mother. Most of all, she failed to notice the parlor maid. The desperate girl who had now come to stand beside her and was struggling to capture her attention to no avail. All she saw was Duke. Duke abandoning her. Duke insulting her, humiliating her at every turn and as if that was not enough, the man had the audacity to look up and smirk at her.

Malisha's vision blurred and a red haze settled on her eyes as  her blood boiling over from rage.

"Oh no! This is bad." the voice in her mind wailed even as her feet began moving as they were fueled by the growing murderous intent that was flashing in her eyes.

The girl brushed past the panicked maid who had seen it all, but was powerless to do anything and picked up a crystal vase which happened to be standing on a nearby stool. As both the man and the maid watched, Malisha lifted up the vase and inverted it, pouring out all its contents, water, roses and leaves, all onto the man's lap without a hint of remorse in her eyes.

Splash and several gasps rung out from around the room, punctuated by a distinct chortle that could not be missed.

"Mishpa!" Sally Lenton pinched her youngest daughter before shifting her attention back to the other one. It was a bad day to be a mother as this other one lifted her voice as she brandished the vase waving it as she moved to attack the sitting gentleman.

"How could you!" Malisha spat out vehemently. "You wrecked my reputation and now you have the audacity to invade my home?" She thundered angrily.

"Shush Malisha! What has gotten into you child?" Her mother scolded as she quickly stood to pull her away from a very dazed gentleman.

"Don't mother! I need to find out what this devil is doing here!" She declared so boldly, still unfazed as she took another step forward.

"Your what now?" Finally the man stood up seemingly awakened from his water induced haze. "From what I hear, you don't have a reputation to speak of."

"Oh dddear!Malisha! " Malisha's inner voice wailed sounding like an excellent imitation of piglet in the cartoon film Winnie the Pooh. Ultimately, as his words sunk in, all her inhibitions fell off. Pushed over by his bluntant disrespect and all the pent up anger and frustration from the last few years of her life, Malisha's weak hold on her sanity failed and the girl burst out roaring like a tsunami  and ready to devour.

For the first time in his life, Duke fell into shock. Her intentions were clear as the murderous glint in her eyes now suggested. This woman was raving mad. He should have expected it, but it still took him by surprise when she roared and rushed for him, pummelling his chest while screaming bloody murder for heaven's knew what.

Mrs Sally Lenton was the first to react. The woman who was his assailant's mother dropped all the napkins that she had been holding as her shock morphed into panic, screaming as she called out to the butler for help. One look at the situation and the man fled. Mrs Harris, the Lenton housekeeper walked in next and rushed for the girl bringing in the parlor maid with her.

"Malisha! Malisha!" The woman yelled, prodding her back but the girl was already too far gone. She was so buzzed up with adrenaline that her own conscience could not reach out to her. Eventually, the two women resulted to pulling, each clinging on to one of her arms but despite their best efforts, Malisha's anger fuelled by the adrenaline proved to be more expedient than their numbers and their non existent muscles flapping on their biceps.

With Malisha's running attack, the rest of the guests fled the chaos escorted by none by the woman's mother. Her mouth poured out profuse apologies at the wreckage that was initially tea party hoping that the guests would understand and not feed the news to the grapevine. In all this she failed to recall a certain someone, who was still in her wheelchair watching the drama unfold with a certain glint  in her eyes.

The woman watched and as Duke continued to get a beating all the while remaining too dazed to react, a small smile slowly firmed in her lips as her amusement turned into laughter. Green eyes latched onto hers but the woman shrugged her shoulders acting both unwilling and unable to offer any assistance.

"So much for finding help..." Duke muttered in his head at his mother's lack of pity and obvious amusement by his predicament. He could not push her and he knew that. That would only create a domino effect and fell the women as well. Moreover, he could not even hit back, it was against his principles and his mother would definitely not approve of that.

"Mum..." he turned to her and whispered but the woman frowned at him before looking away. Luckily for him, Malisha's single burst of adrenaline seemed to be wearing off and as hands grew slack and fell to her sides, her legs appeared to wobble before giving way beneath her. Slowly, the maids  moved back as well, releasing their hold on her as they stepped back to catch a long deserved breath. 

Meanwhile, Sally Lenton walked back in flanked by an angry General. The man gave the scene just one look before storming over to Malisha, who was now curled on the floor shaking as one heart wrenching sob followed another. She was a mess curled up on that bamboo floor and with every cry that she emitted, Duke found that he was becoming confused, not at her, but at the emotions that were now warring in his chest. Guilt rippled in waves and as the General came to a stop before the girl, Duke found himself feeling remorseful at what he had done to her.

The man grabbed Malisha by the hand and Duke winced. As the General pulled up his daughter to her feet, Malisha complied allowing her father to drag her out, marching as pulled her along.

Worry filled Duke's mind and for the first time in a long time, the man found himself second guessing his actions and the decisions that he had made and that had led to that moment. He felt regret mostly and shame and a whole lot of other feelings that he could not easily distinguish.  Guilt itself was the dominant feeling and it was gnawing at his heart with every evil eye that his mother shot him. As the rest of the maids followed the butler out for apparently he had been the one to bring in the General, Sally Lenton remain behind and tried to salvage the rotten situation.

"Excuse us Sally," he heard his mother say as she moved up her wheelchair. " I have a word to say to my son."

"Yes Domina." The woman bowed out and walked out after her maids.

"Duke." the rounded up on him but he could not bring himself to look at her. Even then, he could feel her piercing gaze as she expressed her displeasure with him even though all he had done was just stand still and let the woman beat the crap out of him.

"Look at me Duke when I am speaking to you!" She spat out with so much vehemence that he could not help but shudder with apprehension. Slowly he turned his face to face her, proud shoulders drooped as he finally took in the change in her demeanor. "I have taught you to be better than this !" His mother roared as Duke lowered his head and took in the chastisement for his mistakes.

"I am sorry mother . I will not let you down again." he replied meekly.

"Good.You better not! Now go and fix this. I do not care to see until that is done. You hear me?" He nodded and the Domina took off to roll away in her wheelchair.