Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 320: Successful Ball

Chapter 320: Successful Ball

After Talia is settled comfortably, Arthur checked with Jerome’s assistant and found that he was on his way back to his cottage. After that, he with no hesitation dialed Jordan, although it is midnight and he might be asleep.

Since he is awake, his assistant should be awake too, right?

"Yes, Arthur?"

Arthur was shocked to hear Jordan’s clear voice. "You are not asleep yet?" Arthur spoke in a hushed tone, not to disturb Talia.

"You called me for this?" Now Jordan got irritated. Sitting in his dark room, with the light from his laptop screen illuminating his face, he stretched himself. But seeing the chatting app light up with a reply, he smiled subconsciously.

"Leak the letter I sent to the King regarding the cancellation of my engagement with Lady Sophia to the press. I need it to be breaking news by dawn." Arthur really didn’t care why Jordan was awake still and whispered his order.

"On it!" Jordan’s face lit up with a smile.

[I just got good news. Your worries will end soon. Trust me!!!]

He typed with a chuckle. He wanted to see the reaction of and hug the person at the other end. He waited for a reply for some time and it came.

[What is it?]

[It’s a secret.]

[Pretty please? <Cute face emoji>]

[I’ll tell you once it is finished.]

[<Sad face emoji>]

[Aww... Sorry, I won’t tell you <wink face emoji> I’ll have to go now. I have work to do. You’ll see the good news in the papers tomorrow. <Hand waving emoji>]

Jordan typed and after ending the chat, contacted their go to reporter in one of the reputable tabloid. Although he didn’t understand why Arthur didn’t think of this sooner, he was happy he decided to leak it.

This will put a strain on King Titus to act sooner...

Arthur ended the call and took a quick glance through his to-do list. He has met everyone he has to meet here. Although The Dowager wasn’t very warm with him, he knew he can convince her that he can make Iris happy better than anyone else. King Louis was neutral and didn’t let his feelings known, but Cordelia was excited to meet him. Prince Lambert wanted him to find a better woman. Like he can!

Arthur checked the time and it was already twenty minutes. But seeing her deeply asleep, he didn’t want to wake her up. Being bored, he took some pictures of her sleeping. Just looking at her, gave immense joy to him. She is a harbinger of joy to many. After her visit to the Castle, everyone there still are very joyous and are walking with a skip in their steps.

"Have you taken enough pictures, Fred? And you didn’t wake me up either!"

The groggy, complaining voice of Talia made him wince as he was strolling through his camera roll. "Yes, enough." He grinned. "Although I prefer you naked on bed with me, you look dashing and...Regal with these jewels." He added, supporting his chin with his hand. Seeing her roll her eyes, he asked with a chuckle, "Are you feeling better now?"

"No... I want to sleep more... You should have brought me coffee instead of hot chocolate," she pouted and hugged his coat covering her. She ignored what he said about being naked and whatnot. His coat had his scent laced on it and it brought a smile to her lips, making her freshen up a little.

"Then sleep!"

"But I have to be in the Ball!" Talia sighed. "Did anyone come searching for me?"

"No," Arthur shrugged. "Maybe they think we are ’otherwise engaged ’and don’t want to disturb us."

Talia glared at him. Even if she tried to not go there, this guy reminds her of intimacy again and again.

"Should we prove them right?" Arthur stood up and his sculpted face manifested closer to Talia’s face.

"Stop it, Fred! Definitely not here, out in the open... I’m neither that adventurous nor that thirsty for you." She placed her hand on his firm chest and tired to push him, but like the stallion he is, he stood firm.

"Not thirsty for me?" Arthur smirked and his long, bony fingers got to her cheek, caressing them.

"Fred, stop it," Talia gritted her teeth. As he had no intention of backing off, she pinched him hard on his arm. "Shhh! don’t shout." She whispered closing his mouth as he was about to scream. "I think there is someone at the other side of the hedge."

"Could it be some animal?" Arthur whispered and Talia didn’t think so.

Both of them silently listened to the ruffling noise with occasional low whispers from a couple, followed by heavy panting noises.

"I think someone got lucky," Arthur hissed with a sigh. It hurt him to see a couple having good times when he can’t even kiss the woman of his heart.

The low grunts of the man and the muffled moaning of the woman, made his blood go warmer and he wanted to press Talia under him and hear her moan all night long.

"Wonder who that is... Should we check?" Talia got curious. "Maybe we can pour water on them from this side... That would be funny. Or I can just appear in front of them. That would scare the sh!t out of them. Fred, what do you think?" Talia got excited and clutched Arthur’s sleeves.

Arthur gritted his teeth. Here he is, burning in desire, and there she is, finding it funny. She even wants to disturb them. Does she understand how much strain it would put on that poor man? But then again, they used to do this back in high school. He taught her to disturb couples who are out for a secret rendezvous.

Ah, how many men cursed me back then! Now I have to live with blue balls!

"You don’t have to go inside anymore?" he pulled her hand. She was actually going to search for a bucket.

Talia frowned and in the end, got inside after touching up her makeup. Thankfully, no one missed her when she was gone.

The first thing she saw when she got to the hall was Celine and Walter dancing. They were looking at each other’s eyes and Celine was blushing to her ears. Talia wanted to scream in joy. She tried to find Jolene to share her happiness, but she couldn’t find her anywhere.

She was walking around the hall and came across Lambert who looked off. When she asked him about Jolene, he just glared at her and Talia just didn’t want to interact with him.

When Talia found Jolene, she was already drunk and her parents were little embarrassed as they cannot leave the Ball this early. After settling Jolene in one of the rooms they had arranged for housing their drunken guests, Talia returned.

Supper was served and turns out, that place setting was for Arthur and Talia was happy. She didn’t care about the murmurs around her and chatted with Arthur naturally.

Talia felt that, if Judith – the home wrecker, who actually broke a marriage when the man already had a son, can walk with her head held high with people still pandering to her, she cannot be ashamed when Arthur is in fact, unmarried. In fact, he didn’t even propose to that woman. In this day and age, how valid is an engagement announced by others?

Hmpf! They can shove their announcement where the sun doesn’t shine! Who cares? What will they do, if I legally marry Arthur? Whine in newspapers? Like I care!

Arthur was surprised by her publicly conversing with him, not minding the cameras. Even he was a bit nauseated with the sounds of the cameras clicking at them but she didn’t mind. Seeing her twinkling pure eyes, he was pleased she really isn’t angry for the mistake he made earlier.

Arthur didn’t stay longer after the supper and left around three in the morning. Talia didn’t let him go without her goodbye kiss.

"I don’t want to leave. I want more of you," Arthur said as he kissed her deeply. Talia wasn’t able to speak as she was sucked out of oxygen from her lungs by the man pressing her back against the ceramic wall of the powder room. All she could do was gasping for breath every chance she gets.

"Talia, visit me soon," he said in a pleading voice before he left. Talia nodded. There is nothing stopping her from visiting Esteria anymore. She can visit anytime she wants.

Her stylist Chiara sighed seeing her dishevelled look. Although Arthur tried to be cautious about her up do, her hairstyle still got messy. But it was corrected sooner.

The Spring Ball was a success with the nobles. It started off with the nobles trying to stand in solidarity with The Duke of Luxxenshire, against Talia. But it ended with the Royal family expressing their strong support for Talia, wholeheartedly. The nobles were warned to get in line.

Talia was surprised, contemplated a lot, spent quality time with Arthur. But seeing the other ladies with their parents, she would be lying if she said she didn’t miss her parents; especially her mother. But at least her grandpa was here!

She looked around and was pleased with everything. Celine who was a big help in arranging the ball had a bright smile in her face. She was beaming with love and hope. Jolene on the other hand...

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.