Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 258: Lot To Talk

Chapter 258: Lot To Talk

For two days, as ordered by her great grandmother, Talia stayed in her house, planning for the Spring Ball.

On the third day, she couldn’t keep herself locked up anymore and bringing Bear along, visited her grandfather. Her grandfather had a little scare previous night as his blood pressure dropped suddenly and Talia only felt better after he got stabilised.

He was supposed to be on bed rest.

But when she got to the cottage, she was surprised to see her Grandpa playing chess in the garden, with none other than.... Walter Trembley.

"Your Royal Highness," noticing Talia entering the garden, Walter stood up and gave a bow.

Talia nodded with a polite smile and went straight to her Grandpa and after kissing him on the cheek, proceeded to sit beside her Grandpa.

"This young lad is pretty good at chess..."

Talia looked at her Grandpa, actually admiring Walter’s skills.

The chirps of little birds filled the place and buzzing bees busied themselves by getting nectar from one flower to another. The fishes in the little pond made little ripples on the surface of the pond and the surrounding song of the trees was very pleasant to hear.

In that pleasant atmosphere, Talia observed Walter and she could understand his character as he played chess. He was pretty strategic, not very keen on going offensive and very good at defense and when he marked something, he was good at getting it.

Not bad! But... Why is Grandpa praising him? He should know by now why Walter visited him, right?

Talia knew, if the rumours are right, he was here to get good favours of her Grandpa, to get to her. And her Grandpa is a very smart guy and he would have guessed it too. This won’t be the first guy who tries to cozy up to him for his granddaughter.

Even Talia’s hands shook as she tried to hold back her laugh hearing what her Grandpa said next.

" Walter almost gives me the excitement Artie gives with his play," her Grandpa said accepting the cup of tea Talia poured for him.

Of course! Grandpa would accept only Fred, or someone from Esteria as her husband. He certainly won’t like a noble from Rosandale to think he has a chance with him.

Talia looked at Walter and his thick eyebrows flinched for a moment. He was a good looking guy with a very defined face, deep set brown eyes and slightly wavy dark brown hair. Maybe because he is already thirty, he had a very mature aura; the aura of a serious and sturdy man.She cannot deny that he is extraordinarily handsome with good attributes and is a very perfect suitor for any woman.

Why would Celine’s family be against him then?

His posture, the movement of his hands, the way he held the chess pieces and the way he spoke... The aura he emitted... Everything reminded Talia of herself. She thought that if she were a man, she definitely would’ve acted exactly the same as him in this exact situation.

" Your Grace is a giant and a legend in the business world. Lord Ashwood, who has the fortune of learning from you, is very extraordinarily impressive and a ’King’ as he is fondly called in the business world. I’m humbled and honoured to be considered as an equal to Lord Ashwood by Your Grace." Walter said with his hand over his heart and a slight bow.

Even Talia was floored by his polite reply and Jerome was impressed too. Of course Walter didn’t like it much when her grandfather brought up Arthur, maybe because he knew he might be his competitor for Talia. But he really answered politely, hiding his disappointment and it seemed like he spoke from his heart when he talked about Arthur.

Seriously, it won’t be a big surprise if Arthur and she ends up together. Many

At that time, Bear circled around her foot and looked at her with his puppy eyes to take him for a walk.

"Looks like he wants you to take him for a walk, Mary Ann," her grandfather said petting Bear’s head. He loved dogs, mostly the small Basset hounds and has a bunch back at home.

But his granddaughter, She never cared for pets before and it made him worry a bit. She only wanted whales, lions and elephants as pets. They couldn’t raise them and so he donated to charities who does wild life preservations and would bring her to watch them. And she never cared much for them either.

For her to start caring for a dog, he was very pleased. She talked about the plant she has too. He felt like she’d be ready to make her own family soon. Maybe his dream of having triplet great-grandchildren isn’t too far.

Who knows how much time I have left?

"Walter... Why don’t you keep Mary Ann company?" he then turned his gaze at Talia with a smile, "Why don’t you show Lord Rodenberg around the garden, Mary Ann? The tulips look amazing. "

"Sure, grandpa," Talia gave her gracious smile. She could see it in her grandfather’s eyes that he wanted her to end whatever thoughts Walter might have towards her and let him know her thoughts clearly.

Talia brought Walter to the patch where the tulips bloomed and even it was already noon, the sun wasn’t that harsh that day and it was a little windy. The skirt of Talia’s dress fluttered in the wind and she stood leaning on a pillar, fixing her hair falling on her face.

As usual, Bear ran away not minding Talia, towards the pond. Bear loved water and liked to stay in water a lot and he could find water, even if it is a puddle like a hound.

"He’s a very energetic pup," Walter broke the silence. His brown hair fluttered in the wind and he took no effort to fix it. Even then his hair stayed perfect when the wind settled, as if his hair was scared of getting messy and got in line with Walter’s thoughts.

She was not scared of him, but she felt this very strong mature vibe from him and that made her a little conscious about being casual with him. She felt a little uncomfortable, not because he was creepy, but because he felt so imposing.

It was then Talia understood what Rebecca said about her. Rebecca said that Talia had a way to push people away, unconsciously, by being so intimidating although she is polite.

Eh, whatever!

"You didn’t bring any dogs with you, Lord Rodenbeg? Pit Bulls? German Shepherds? Or do you like rottweilers like your brother?" Talia couldn’t help but ask. She knew part of the reason Walter is here is to know her pulse about what Asher did. She tried not to make a big issue in public, but everyone knows how much the Royal family loves her and he wouldn’t want the silent retribution from the royals.

Also his intention to talk to her grandfather is to know if he knows about his brothers deed too. If Jerome Brunton knew what happened to his granddaughter, he wouldn’t have sat and drank tea with him. Walter is a smart person, who didn’t apologise upfront and regret it later. Talia didn’t tell anyone about what Asher did not even her Grandpa. Or else, she might have lost her Grandpa out of anger.

"I’m more of a cat person... I have an exotic shorthair cat... Bella is her name. She’s adorable..." he paused seeing Talia’s not so impressed face. Her eyes seemed to be trying to look through his soul and he fisted his hands.

Damn you brother!

Walter bowed his head out of guilt, "Although Your Highness was very graceful to didn’t make it a big issue, our family needs to apologise for my younger brother’s behaviour towards you-".

"For teasing me?" Talia interjected. As much as she wanted to hold back her anger with that issue, she still couldn’t.

"We both know my brother didn’t just ’tease’ you, Your Highness," Walter said with a sigh and the sincerity in his eyes made Talia calm down a bit.

In the end, how could she get mad at Walter for what his brother did?

"What should we do about it then, Lord Rodenberg? If he is protected from even apologising for what he did, if he can’t even act properly even in front of a Princess, how many women have he preyed upon without any consequences? How will he ever correct his ways if his family sends his brother for apologising? Am I getting this wrong? " Talia tried very hard to speak softly but she couldn’t help but show her rage.

" I apologise for the hurt Asher has caused for you."

" It’s not just about me, Lord Rodenberg," Talia cleared her throat as she remembered how scared she was when the dogs lunged at her and how humiliated she felt by the words he uttered as he thought so lowly of women.

" I understand your rage, Your Highness, " Walter didn’t try to circumvent or just get that topic over with. His brother needs an intervention and his father is not helping him but hurting him by saving him every time. "I have a lot to talk to you about regarding this, Your Highness. But not here..." his brown eyes fixed on Talia.

Talia looked up at him with the gentle sun rays falling on his chiseled face, his eyes looked more... Hazel than brown with that golden streaks in the middle of the iris. And they seemed dead serious as if they were contemplating something important.

What is he implying?

" Would you like to visit my brewery?" he took a step closer and Talia pressed her lips seeing his lips curving up in a flirtatious way. "Let’s have good food and beer from my brewery and talk about us, with a nice candle lighting."

Wow! He is smooth though.

"Lord-"

"Walter... Just Walter," he approached her further, but stopped as Talia rubbed her brows uncomfortably.

"Walter, I’ve heard rumours about your interest in me. Let’s be honest here and speak like adults. Are-"

"Am I interested in you? Very much, Your Highness. I have a crush on you for five years. Ever since that day I watched you walking with the Dowager, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. They say any crush that lasts more than four months is love, and if that’s the case, I can say with utmost sincerity and assurance that, I love you, ardently."

His eyes that focused on her eyes, as he spoke, wandered around her face and lingered on her lips when he said ’I love you’, making Talia’s heart skip a beat.