Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 65: Belonging In His Arms.

Chapter 65: Belonging In His Arms.

Afternoon.

Mansion entrance, Theodore Mansion.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

****************

"Gooseberry" Theodore purred at the sight of his wife coming back from the stable, he had been waiting for her at the entrance since the moment he could pause his work.

"You came out still, Theodore" she pointed out.

His left shoulder is relaxed on the door sil as he muttered "I missed you, why did you take so long"

Her gown gathered in her palm she climbed up the front steps. "I had to look for Sir Conan"

"Conan made you look for him?" Theodore thundered, his posture now straight.

She paused in her steps and met his eyes. "No, I only did not know where he was, Joyous showed me"

"He needs to be punished for not being available when you needed him" he declared.

She resisted a roll of her eyes. "Theodore, you just want to find out what I told him"

Theodore shrugged, his lips twitching.

She reached the top of the doorstep as she told him. "I need you to tour me around the mansion again, I barely know anywhere" her complaint light.

"I need you to amble into my arms right this instant," he said urgently despite the words dripping with seduction, his arms wide.

Her eyes widened in panic "Why? What is it?" she slowly turned to look behind her and it was empty.

she turned to him with a puny glare. "Why did you ask me into your arms?" she questioned

He smirked "Because that is where you belong"

She stood flushed as she tried to hold on to a glare directed at her charming husband.

"Come Gooseberry, stay in my arms" he prompted and she did just that with a smile.

"I’m never letting you go" he whispered into her hair.

"I never doubted you" she mumbled into his neck.

He shivered, pressing her further into him.

Maybe you should’ve doubted me, he thought grimly, his eyes solemn.

A shoe clicked on the floor drawing their attention apart from each other, Lydia tried and managed to wiggle out of her husband’s hold, she turned and saw maid Mira under the stairs.

Theodore’s features hardened before he focused on his wife.

"A lady is here for you Lady Theodore" Mira said after a bow.

The lady’s brows rose. "I am not expecting anyone, who is it?"

"Just send them back Gooseberry" he urged, his voice charming.

"She says she is your sister" Mira added sharply pushing a frown onto the Lord’s features.

"Shi’Enz?!" Lydia squealed before quickly retrieving her regal ritual. "Please her in, I shall accept her from the entrance here," she said.

Mira turned around with a smile that dropped the moment she had her back to the couple.

"Why have people made it their duty to come to my mansion at the break of dawn?" Theodore grumbled, behind her.

"Because you have me now, Honey" she whispered primly, her noble, titled self coming to the surface.

"You’re right and I’m a man who loves you" he conceded sweetly.

She felt him closer, his warmth engulfing her back. "Now I apologize, But I do not think we will be able to go to the jeweller today," she said.

Sweetly, He rested on her. His nose on her neck. She shivered. "Take your chin away from my shoulder... it tickles"

She started to giggle attempting to push his head away, her soft fingers in his hair but she ended up massaging his head, his lips pressed to her neck.

Her head bent to give him better access, and involuntarily her eyes closed.

"Oh!" a gasp drew the loving couple apart, Theodore groaned while his wife whispered "Theodore" her face red.

"Lydia!" Shi’Enz squealed as their eyes met.

Lydia slightly nudged Theodore straight before primly placing her palm in front of her.

"Shi’Enz you came" she said delightfully.

"I would be a fool not to use the privilege you have so generously rendered to me" Shi’Enz said coming up the stairs while Mira turned around.

"Good afternoon Lord Theodore" Shi’Enz greeted, she suddenly looked as pale as a white sheet. She had almost changed her mind about coming right when she got to the dark gates.

He set his sky-blue eyes on her and she almost veered around.

He is more intimidating closer than he had been when she was standing below the stairs, she wished she had remained there. The surroundings suddenly became quieter and she felt every eye on her.

"Why are you here?" he bellowed, his eyes narrowed at his wife’s sister.

She gulped "I... it’s because... I sincerely hold..." her voice kept cutting and drifting off, she didn’t know what or how to talk to the lord.

"Theodore she is the lesser stupid sister" Conan whispered into the lord’s ears but Lydia heard it alright, he wasn’t that discreet.

"Why is she here?" Theodore asked again.

Shi’Enz squared her shoulders before she said. "I am here to see my sister if she is interested in talking to me" she claimed.

"I see, the Marquis?" He inquired of her father patiently.

Lydia felt uneasy at the mention of her stepfather.

"He is out of town, My Lord" Shi’Enz answered. Her answers are modest and true.

"How did the rules skip the Statham house?" Theodore said out of the blue. Lydia as well as others stood confused.

Her brows knitted in confusion. "Whatever do you mean, My Lord?" she asked politely.

"Do not call me my Lord, I am nobody’s but Lydia" he growled

Lydia turned as red as a tomato, her skin flushed from both excitement and embarrassment.

Conan snickered.

Shi’Enz appeared startled before she blushed. "Oh... I’m sorry Lord Theodore" she apologised, her head lowered.

"Leave Mira, I do not appreciate your gaze" Theodore said yet abruptly. Everybody shifted to see Mira still standing below the stairs.

Mira bowed respectfully. "Yes, Lord Theodore" She was on her heels and on her way to the gate before Shi’Enz could ask. "Mira?"

Lydia seems to recall, her smile practised. "My maid, Her name is Mira, Theodore brought maids and they didn’t have names so I had them pick their names themselves, she chooses to be called Mira" Lydia explained patiently, her voice soft.

"She was a slave" Theodore whispered his body unconsciously drawing closer to his wife again.

Conan shook his head. "It is time Theodore, we should leave" he whispered into Theodore’s ears, still loud enough for others to hear.

"Shut up," Theodore said through gritted teeth.

Conan feigned a gasp. "Whatever happened? Did you forget?" he asked teasingly.

"Conan I need you to shut the hell up" Theodore warned.

"Were you intending to miss it?" Conan asked lifting an elegant brow.

Theodore’s blue eyes narrowed on the traitor knight Conan, he then said. "Yes, I was very much intending to not leave my mansion today"

"Your mansion or your Gooseberry?" Conan teased his shoulders shaking.

"Don’t call her that!" Theodore snarled. "I shall be out soon Gooseberry" he mumbled to Lydia.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek while Conan guided him away.

Lydia felt her left arm being hooked with another. so she turned to her little sister with a smile. "Come on let us go to the garden" she invited, her dress in hand. "The weather is nicer than yesterday’s for afternoon tea," she said.

Shi’Enz’s smile is easy and soft. "Thank you" she whispered.

As they walked inside, Shi’Enz started to feel cold and watched. Her feelings stimulated her to start by saying "Your mansion, it is..." she trailed off. Lydia chuckled.

"I know dark and eerie?" she offered.

"Those are your words and they couldn’t be any truer" Shi’Enz meticulously agreed.

Lydia held a small smile as she guided her sweet sister inside.

Shi’Enz had always been confused and a follower, she never got to make decisions by herself because the other sisters were overwhelming and imposing, she was mostly in the background and only Lydia made her feel like an actual complete person. She liked Lydjs but the others made her feel lesser for that.

They would never get to spend quality time together and whenever they did spend time together the elder sisters would criticize her till she reduced it, and slowly started to say hurtful words too.

There was once, she had fallen from the stairs and had broken an arm, but aside her compassionate mother, only Lydia had been the other person who cared, the father had been passive, the other sisters scolded her while the maids acted like employeds, which they were. Shi’Enz had spent the two weeks she needed to heal in Lydia’s room as Lydia would wake up at the slightest discomfort Shi’Enz showed, she healed and left for her room, the mother had gotten Lydia a book after that.

As Mira had been the sister that Shi’Enz was birthed after, Shi’Enz had felt she needed to get closer to her but Mira was too conceited and obsessed with competing against the pretty, attention-drawing, dungarees-wearing sister. Liza too far off reach and stern, Shi’Enz had somewhere thought she needed her validation, but now she knew she only needed to accept the love that was generously given to her by her sister.

Lydia Statham, now Lady Lydia Theodore.

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