Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 346: Brother Disapproves

Chapter 346: Brother Disapproves

Talia left for Rosandale early in the morning and when she went to her place, Kate almost broke to tears seeing Talia. She was summoned to Louis’ house for breakfast and preparing to get an earful, she went there.

"Great grandmother is not so keen on letting you marry Arthur Sinclair after this recent debacle," he said and Talia placed her cutleries down.

Of course they are going to blame Fred for what that crazy Sophia did. But Talia didn’t think her great grandma would express her opinions this frankly considering what happened with Princess Lillian. Fred and she haven’t even announced their relationship in public yet. Isn’t it too early to talk about breaking them apart?

It doesn’t seem like her great grandmother’s modus operandi. She is old and the years have taught her patience. Even if she doesn’t approve of Fred, she won’t interfere trying to break them apart. She’d just let nature run it’s coarse and see if their love can stand the test of time. If they breakup, she’d be happy and if they do not breakup, she is mature enough to accept that too.

It should be Louis trying to meddle.

"Louis, couldn’t you have waited until she finished her breakfast?" Cordelia got angry. "Talia, don’t mind him and eat. You have to take your medications." Cordelia’s tone got softer as she spoke to Talia. "And no one has the right to tell you who you can marry." She then glared at Louis.

"You’ve gotten bold enough to speak against the wishes of The Dowager Queen?" Louis raised his voice at Cordelia.

"No. I know it’s not the Dowager who is trying to interfere in Talia’s love-life, but someone else whose name rhymes with ’gooey’. That’s why I am saying that person doesn’t have a say in who Talia chooses as her life partner." Cordelia didn’t back off.

"Gooey? Whose name rhymes with gooey? Me? So you’re saying I’m lying?"

So it is Louis!

Talia sighed in her heart but still she didn’t touch her cutleries. She needs to look pitiful to further her cause. Louis is not someone who responds well for confrontation. He is an arrogant person who is always right in his mind. He mostly is right and that’s why the flaw in his character never gets exposed as a flaw.

She has to act pitiful for him to calm down.

But it is surprising Louis who always thinks with his head, now getting emotional. Guess he loves me more than I thought. And look at him quarrelling with his wife like a kid!

It’s not like Talia needed anyone’s permission to marry Arthur, but she wished for his joyful presence at her wedding and not his obligatory presence.

"Guys, don’t fight on my behalf." Talia said rubbing her eye. "It pains me. Cordelia, I understand Louis’ concern for my future. As my elder brother, his worries are understandable and I’m glad to know how much he loves me. But I’m sorry Louis; I can’t even imagine giving up Fred. His kiss still lingers on my lips and his scent is imprinted in my heart. He is my everything. Without him, I’d be like bread without butter, ship without rudder and a mere putter. Excuse me," she stood up burying her head in her hands.

She looked through the gaps in her fingers that both Louis and Cordelia were stunned and continued her act. "Don’t put me through the agony of-" she pretended to sob. "Please excuse me, I want to be alone for a moment." She walked out of the dining room with her head bowed and just as she reached to door, she noticed a neatly polished oxford shoe and recognised it immediately.

"Pfft!" Lambert couldn’t hold back his laugh and Talia, gritting her teeth, left without a word continuing her act. She did not want to ruin her mood talking to him.

"Where are you going Cordelia? Can’t you say that orangutan was acting?"

Talia could hear Lambert’s mocking voice from behind her and she snorted.

Why did that guy come here? Why is he following me everywhere I go? Stalker! Ugh! I’m hungry. I should ask my kitchen to prepare me a good breakfast. Or should I order? I should meet grandpa and great grandma after breakfast. I should ask grandpa about Ralph. But will he be honest with me though?

Talia in her own thoughts walked through the hallways and suddenly she felt someone dashing at her. She looked to her side and saw little Henry running at her full-speed and his tutor was running behind him. She crouched on the floor and the moment he reached her, the boy wrapped his little hands around her neck and hugged her.

Talia felt the boy holding his breath and she patted his back as she lifted him up. "Cry if you want, Little Henry..." she held him closer.

"Aunty, I thought you were dead," the boy started sobbing and Talia glared at Sir Leonard who came to her.

Who let this little boy know of yesterday’s incident?

Sir Leonard understood her question and scurried off to investigate this issue. This is the first time he has the Princess directing her anger at him and he felt his knees go weak. Those purple eyes are really scary.

"Your Aunty is fine. You see me, right?" she spoke in a soothing voice. She couldn’t carry him for long, but she endured and brought him to his bedroom.

Let’s find out what happened.

-----

"Lambert let me go and comfort her. She didn’t eat anything either," Cordelia tried to get past Lambert but he placed his hands over her shoulders and brought her back to her chair.

"Did you have breakfast?" Louis asked Lambert and asked a staff to serve him breakfast as he hasn’t had breakfast yet.

"I thought she’d be shaken, but she seems fine enough to do monologues," Lambert wanted to meet her first thing in the morning and since he was told he was with Louis, he barged in here without invitation.

Cordelia wasn’t pleased by Lambert laughing at Talia saying she was faking her sorrow. "Lambert! She was sad and crying. How can you-"

"Come on Cordelia. Butter, rudder, putter... she was speaking in rhymes. She definitely was faking it. You give her too much credit for being so serious and genuine. She’s one of the best fakers in this planet." Lambert shook her head. "But brother, other than Arthur there will be no one who can handle that woman. She’d have to stay single for the rest of her life if not for that poor soul who is willing to take her. His sacrifices for the sake of our family’s daughter should not be-"

"Ugh, stop it, Berty!" Louis furrowed hiss brows. "He is the one who gives her deep hurt time after time. You know how she was when she first came here. She had lost herself thinking that guy abandoned her. When he announced his engagement suddenly, I was informed that she had an attack and bawled her stomach out. Even if it was a fake engagement, he didn’t even have the sense to give her a heads-up before slamming her with such news. And now the woman he was engaged with tried to blow her out. My hands still tremble recalling that day’s incident. If only Sir Robert wasn’t conscious enough ... she’d be dead! We’d be still picking up her in pieces trying to determine which blob she is by doing DNA tests and-"

"Louis..." Cordelia held his hands. His hands truly were trembling and Cordelia’s face paled as she imagined that situation. "She is fine. She escaped that situation unscathed and we should be thanking God. So please..."

Seeing the layer of mist in Cordelia’s eyes, Louis took in a deep breath and composed himself. He didn’t want to worry her.

"You are trying to get back at Arthur, trying to give him the same medicine you received from Cordelia’s family when one of your groupies harmed your then fiancée whom who claimed you had no feelings for. Am I right?" Lambert wriggled his brows playfully.

He did understand Talia was in greater danger than she thinks she was in. Sophia’s original plan was not killing her with Sir Robert’s gun, but with an explosive. The first one was for her securities and the next one was for Talia herself. With Sir Robert’s thoughtfulness, he stopped the second explosive from getting near Talia. If not...

"Oh, I fell for her even before that accident," Louis held Cordelia’s hand and she bowed her head as she blushed. Her parents did give him a hard time after that incident and Louis had to beg for them to not annul their engagement.

"Louis you..." a familiar voice but in an unfamiliar tone made everyone look at the door. "You scared a little boy?"

"What?" Louis couldn’t understand why Talia is mad now.

"Little Henry sobbed hugging me saying that he thought I was dead. I learnt he heard it from Your Majesty himself," Talia pressed her lips together to stop herself from cursing.

Cordelia stood up, "Where is he? He must have overheard us when we were talking."

Talia sighed seeing Cordelia’s guilty reaction. "He wanted to ride a pony and I wanted to ask your permission for his stay with me for a couple of days." She rubbed her forehead.

"Sure," Louis nodded after assuring Cordelia’s agreement.

His eldest always loved her. And he knew Talia would take good care of him too.