Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 283: Her Only Request

Chapter 283: Her Only Request

"Is that all? You’re letting me go?" Talia asked Lord Lockhart.

Her brain still wasn’t in a very comprehensive state, but she could understand that Lord Lockhart is speaking in a tone that suggests that he doesn’t hold her responsible anymore.

Is that really the case? If so, why?

Talia watched Lord Lockhart waving his hand not wanting to look at her face anymore and she couldn’t guess what he was actually thinking. "What are you going to announce the public?" she probed further.

Seeing Lord Lockhart turning his back to her and arranging the already neat table further, showing his unwillingness to converse with her, she didn’t back off. "I have to get back to Rosandale for the Spring Ball. I wanted to ask you if I can leave Esteria."

Arthur gulped and observed Lord Lockhart. She asks in a roundabout way if she’d be charged with any crime. Because if she’s charged, she won’t be allowed to leave the country.

Lord Lockhart’s hands paused and he turned to look at Talia with a snicker. Here he is... Trying to hold back his anger... And there she is... Still yapping about.

"I heard you made yourself an enemy of the nobles there too?" he scoffed and walked toward Talia. He kept tabs on her even now. And he learnt a lot. He had learnt she still is not fine. "You can’t use a gun to save your life, can you? Not when your life is on the line... Not when your chastity is on the line... I’d say you deserve it. Deserve it for taking a life !"

Seeing Lord Lockhart red with anger walking towards Talia, Arthur stood in front of Talia blocking her from Lord Lockhart. He could feel her getting scared. Or maybe it was because he was touching her nerve.

Whatever! No one can make her feel threatened.

" Sir... You-"

" Step aside! " Lord Lockhart shouted at Arthur and that only made Arthur stubborn to not move an inch as he stared down at him. " What? Finding ways to break my skull too?" Lord Lockhart asked with a scoff making Arthur freeze for a moment.

He knows what happened with Ray?

Talia who was standing behind Arthur held his hand and stood by his side. She knew Lord Lockhart is projecting his anger towards her on Arthur. She knew Lord Lockhart knows everything that is happening around her and it is not surprising. She didn’t care about that. All she cared about was another thing.

"Dad..." seeing the tense situation in there, Cyril interfered. He had seen his father very composed all the time. His father always knew how to keep his temper. But now... He could see him oscillating between his emotional responses and his rational responses.

Rationally his father knew that Cyrus’ death was not Talia’s fault. She was just an arrow used by various sinister forces. And by his own admission, Talia had saved herself from hurt by killing Cyrus.

But emotionally... Cyrus was his son and she is his son’s killer.

What a tough situation!

Cyril knew with Arthur’s arrival, the situation has become more tense with his father bringing up Arthur’s past too.

But Cyril was curious to know his father’s final decision too.

How can we navigate through this?

"Dad, coffee?" a soft voice broke the stifling atmosphere in the room. "Here... I brewed it just for you, just how you like it."

Vivian with her platinum blonde hair waving and a million dollar smile embellishing her blushed cheeks, entered the room with a tray.

"Hm," Lord Lockhart’s entire demeanour calmed down immediately after seeing Vivian and Cyril held back his chuckle. His father would always act like a cat around his future daughter-in-law. Apparently, he doesn’t want to scare the one women who is willing to marry a stupid like his senseless son.

Yeah, right! It’s not because you always wanted a daughter.

Getting the mug from the tray, Lord Lockhart walked back to his chair taking a good whiff of the coffee. "Vivian dear, You always make coffee smell so good..." he spoke in a soft voice as if the one who was shouting sometime before was not him.

"For you Talia," Vivian dodged Cyril who was going to pick up the next mug and passed it to Talia. Talia got it and seeing Vivian’s smiling face, somehow felt her heart getting calmer.

Cyril sighed loudly. As if her siblings is not enough, he has to fight with Talia for his wife’s attention?

Vivian gave a ’Really? You’re getting jealous for a cup of coffee?’ look to Cyril and chuckled seeing him curling his lips. She then casually sat in a sofa comfortably and Cyril sat by her.

Arthur led Talia to a chair and sat beside her watching her slowly sipping coffee. She seemed to have composed herself, but the decisiveness on her eyes gave him a stare.

She’s going to do something! But what is it?

"You should have done some good if you angered the people who are in power," Lord Lockhart spoke in a gentle tone To Talia and she nodded.

" I exposed a corruption."

"That’s good... Hold those people accountable." Lord Lockhart chuckled. "No one will lose, standing by the side of the people. You chose wisely. Of course you did, you’re a Brunton! When was the last time a Brunton was a fool?"

Talia didn’t know what to think of this sudden joyous mood in the room. And her eyes darted to Vivian.

It is because of her presence?

" I have a request, Sir " Talia started with a serious expression.

" If you’re going to ask for forgiveness, I’m not God to forgive you. I’ll never forgive-" Lord Lockhart turned sombre.

"I know and I won’t ask for forgiveness as I don’t deserve it." Talia stood up." I don’t care what is said about me in the press meet or by the media in the future. But I would like that Cyrus won’t be turned to someone I don’t know. The Cyrus I knew was a warm, kind and smart man with lot of love in his heart. He could have made me dependent on him, but he never did. He helped me grow to an independent woman. I will never think of him as anyone but a warm, kind man.

I want everyone to know him as that warm man with a charming smile who left this world way too early. He was a Knight who was gunned down by his Princess for protecting his son. Not a psychopathic beast who was put down by the one he served all his life. I don’t care what happens to me, but not one word should be said wrong about Cyrus. "

Talia’s voice was smooth and crisp with no reluctance in her tone. Arthur by her side sighed.

What a stupid! If Lord Lockhart wanted to call his son a psychopath, why is she stopping him? It would greatly benefit her.

" You’re a dumb bi-" Camilla held back her swear that escaped her mouth, as she felt enraged seeing Talia still speaking for Cyrus.

"I’m not! Or maybe I am a dumb bitch." Talia said with a stiff smile, "I know what I’m doing may seem as the biggest hypocritical thing ever - the murderer trying to put a good word about the one she killed. But I insist. No one can talk bad about Cyrus. No one!"

"You don’t know what he did to my sister! Read his journal, you’d know!" Camilla shouted.

"I don’t care! I really don’t!" Talia stood up and left the room and Arthur followed her taking the journal with him after signalling Cyril to follow him.

"Just like her..." Lord Lockhart smiled and his eyes reflexively turned to the photo frame on his table.

Just like his mother!

His wife threw the same tantrum when he suggested they consult a psychiatrist for their son.

He picked the silver frame and his finger trailed over the blue eyes of his wife’s face.

Maybe that was the dynamic between them. He didn’t have a mother and she didn’t have a father and both of them depended on each other to protect and lead each other. Maybe she is not so different from him and that’s why they worked

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