CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Annabelle started to open some maps that were full of dust. Several times he coughed and sneezed because of the dust. Even so, he didn't give up. His eyes scanned, one by one the map in front of him.

Hours later, Annabelle was still struggling with the map and parchment on the marble table where she had placed everything she found in the library. Unfortunately, there is no answer there. Annabelle's head was already starting to spin with all the maps piled up.

He stood with his hands on his waist, his eyes began to sweep and scan every shelf in front of him. Until finally, his eyes caught the brown map scroll, on the top shelf.

Annabelle was looking for something she could use as a foothold. Finally, he chose a chair as his foothold. Annabelle's body, which is not too tall, is still a little difficult to reach the map. Unknowingly his legs shifted back and made his balance falter.

His hand tried to reach for something to hold on to, unfortunately his hand only grabbed empty air. Annabelle closed her eyes, preparing for a loud bang on her head because right behind Annabelle was a very hard marble table.

His body finally floated up and...

Bruuuukk...

Something warm, catch it. Annabelle's eyes went wide as Albert was behind her. Annabelle fell right into the man's arms. His back was against Albert's chest.

"What are you looking for, My Lady? Are you trying to crack your head? Or break your neck?" asked Albert coldly.

Annabelle tried to free herself from Albert's arms, but Albert held her back so that Annabelle was still in her place. Albert quickly turned Annabelle's body so that they were facing each other. Albert's arms wrapped around Annabelle's back and waist, making sure that she couldn't escape from his grip.

"You're home, My Lord?" Annabelle asked as if she had not heard Albert's previous question.

"You haven't answered my question, My Lady. What are you looking for? Because there are no novels in this room."

Annabelle looked at Albert with a guilty look, but she also wanted to know the truth. Realizing that she could no longer dodge, Annabelle finally spoke.

"I want to find out why you suddenly want to marry me with my tainted status and accumulated debt. Not a single noble would want to marry me with my condition. Even stupid nobles, would think twice about doing it."

"So, are you saying that I'm a noble who is more stupid than a stupid noble?"

"No, I wouldn't say you are a stupid noble, My Lord. You are a cunning noble. A noble who knows a big secret that other nobles don't know and easily takes advantage of it."

"Can you explain the meaning of your words? What do you mean by that word cunning?"

"I know if there's something under my ground, and you marry me because of what's in there."

Albert's brow furrowed when he heard Annabelle's words. "Is that what you think about the wedding we will have in a moment?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought because there's no other reason why you'd be willing to marry me."

"There is always a reason behind choices and decisions, My Lady. If you think like that, will you cancel our marriage?"

"Of course not. I don't want to be a mistress, I want to restore my tainted peerage. And marrying you is the solution to all my problems."

"Then let's get married with all the advantages we get. Come under my protection and lessen your curiosity, My Lady. Sometimes, your curiosity will hurt you."

Annabelle's body instantly froze in Albert's arms. "Are you going to harm me?" Annabelle asked.

"No, my lady. I will not harm a woman as beautiful as you, but there will be others who will come after you and try to harm you, when you know more. Trust me, it would be much better if you just kept quiet and pretended not to know."

"Very well, My Lord. I'll be quiet, close my eyes and ears. Now let me go!"

With a cold attitude, Albert released his embrace. As Annabelle moved away from him and wanted to leave the library, Albert's hand gripped her wrist.

"I know your character, My Lady. You won't stop until you get what you're looking for."

While still gripping Annabelle's wrist. Albert took a wooden step and climbed on it. Annabelle wanted to hit herself on the head, when she didn't see the wooden footing and instead chose the chair that made her fall, as a place to stand.

Albert picked up a scroll on the top shelf with no trouble at all. All the maps on the marble table that had been messed up by Annabelle, he put away. His hand let go of Annabelle's wrist and opened the map that looked foreign to Annabelle's eyes on the table.

Albert placed weights on all four sides of the map and began to make a sound. "This is a map of this area. This map was made even before the castle was built."

"Is it true? How old is this map?" asked Annabelle in amazement.

"I don't know, I don't really care about that. This is your land and this is mine, Golden Land," said Albert while showing a picture on the map.

"Yes I know. The land you fought over with Lord Falkner, didn't it?"

"That's right, and I assure you if my great-grandmother is the rightful owner of this land, then Falkner will never be able to take it from me."

"Then what is interesting about your land and mine, I don't see anything there?" asked Annabelle still not understanding where they were talking.

"Did you see this path?" asked Albert.

"What path is that?" Annabelle asked back.

"This is the golden path. My land and your land are full of gold. Although your land is smaller than mine, but behind your house, where you go in and out of the forest, there is a hidden path, where you can enter the kingdom."

"There can't be such a path."

"Of course there is, My Lady."

"Is that why Lord Falkner is always after me and wants to take your land?"

"Exactly, my land is full of gold and your land is a strategic path into the kingdom."

"Is this also what made you want to marry me?"

"Maybe one of them yes, this is the reason I married you, but not the main reason."

"Then what is the main reason?" asked Annabelle curiously by Albert's answer.

"Because you are special to me. You are a different woman from all the women I have ever met in my life. The reason I married you was because of you, not because of the hidden gold or the royal path."

Hearing this answer, made Annabelle awkward. Normally her eyes would look at Albert boldly but not this time. Tried to look away and avoid Albert's gaze. Annabelle said in her heart that Albert was also a very special man to her.

"Thank you for your compliment, My Lord."

"You're welcome, My Lady. Because you have learned the secret and your safety is at stake. Then we will advance our marriage so that, you are completely under my protection."

"So, when are we getting married?"

"Tomorrow we're getting married."

"Tomorrow? No way My Lord, it's too fast. Even your castle hasn't been decorated yet."

"There is no need for decoration for us to get married. I've found a priest who will marry us off. So prepare yourself for tomorrow," said Albert who kissed Annabelle on the lips for a moment and left Annabelle in the library. While Annabelle's body stood frozen and froze. She couldn't believe that tomorrow she would be Lady Annabelle Louis, Duchess of Hamilton.

***