25 The culprit (0.5)

"What lesson?" Queen breathed those words out. She wasn't afraid of him but her senses warned her to beware of his temperament at this moment.

'Why is it that his eyes are grey in this dimly lit room but silver under the light?' Queen mused as she stared in his eyes lost in thought.

"What is acceptable in society and what is not." Quince said softly. He wasn't sure why but as he gazed into her golden eyes, he felt his gaze softened.

He couldn't bear being harsh to her. A helpless sense of doting surged in his heart, much to his chagrin.

"Well, for now, it is best to agree to disagree don't you think Master Quince?" Queen smiled brightly and Quince felt lost looking at her.

She looked so damn ethereal in the dim light, it was messing with his senses. Her scent overwhelmed him and her sweet breath lingered on his face.

Quince straightened himself up as he realized he had been standing too close to her. Probably why he felt strange, he reasoned with himself.

"For now I supposed Miss Vancroft. We have other issues to deal with." He purposely inserted more ice in his tone to show the gravity of the situation.

"Of course Master Quince. But how about we settle the scores first?" Queen asked smilingly. "After all, you now have the proof that I am indeed your fiancée."

Quince stared at her and thought about the things that happened in the ballroom. When he got that ring from her, he still couldn't believe that she was telling the truth.

He stared at the woman in front of him and thought about her status as his fiancée. It was only now that reality hit him. He had to live with this woman for the rest of his life.

He had always thought that the woman he is bound to marry would be a demure, obedient and well mannered lady through and through. She would be gentle and soft spoken, a woman that would never dare think of going left if he so much as signal her to go right.

'But I got this wild thing instead.' Quince felt slightly amused at the thought. She was daring, strong headed and truthfully a little crazy in his opinion.

"Yes I supposed that is true." Quince said, "We still have the issue of the culprit left though."

"Of course Master Quince! I wouldn't dare forget.

But didn't you have One monitor the situation? Surely by now, he saw whom the culprit is."

Before Quince could say anything further, there was a knock on the door.