Uninvited Guest

But suddenly, the door to the parlor room burst open with a violent force that made everyone jump. A man barged in, his face twisted with rage and his eyes blazing with fury. The butler and maids outside panicked, trying to calm the man down as he shouted obscenities at the top of his lungs.

"You lowly wench! How dare you touch Beatrice!" he screamed, his arm lashing out to strike Gilbert without warning. He grabbed Gilbert's collar, pulling him close and raising his fist ready to punch him. 

Beatrice was startled and screamed, "Arthur! What are you doing here?!" She grabbed his hands, trying to stop him.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here with this lowlife?" Arthur asked, glaring at Gilbert with disgust. His eyes were furious.

"Let go of him!" Beatrice demanded, trying to push Arthur away from Gilbert.

Arthur finally let go of Gilbert's collar. His face was contorted with anger as he watched Gilbert straighten his shirt. Gilbert's face was calm and collected, not scared by Arthur's confrontation.

"Arthur, right? Why don't we talk about this like civilized men?" Gilbert suggested, his crooked smile belittling Arthur.

"You dare speak to me like that, you lowly scum! I'm the son of Duke Devonshire. Watch your tongue!" Arthur spat, his fury reaching a boiling point. He stepped forward, trying to punch Gilbert.

But Gilbert was quick, dodging Arthur's attack with ease. "Tsk, tsk. Is that what Duke Devonshire's son could do?" he taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Arthur's face turned even redder, his eyes filled with fury. "How dare you!" he shouted, lunging at Gilbert again.

However, Beatrice stepped between them, her eyes blazing with anger. "That's enough! I won't have violence in this place anymore," she said firmly, her voice commanding. "And Arthur, you need to leave!"

Arthur sneered at her. "Is this what you're doing, Beatrice? Having an affair with a lowly priest after your fiancé cheated on you? I hope you're proud of yourself," he spat, his voice oozing with disdain.

Beatrice's body trembled with fury and shame. How dare he speak to her that way, especially in front of Gilbert! She glared at her brother, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

Gilbert stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I apologize for any impoliteness on my part, but Lord Arthur, I suggest you learn some manners," he said in a serious but sarcastic tone, emphasizing 'Lord Arthur'. "What brings you here, disrupting the peace?"

Beatrice cherished the thoughtful gesture he made for her, and it brought a sense of calm to her in this situation. She struggled to keep her composure as her brother's anger boiled over. She didn't want to appear hysterical in front of Gilbert, who was her lover.

However, just as she was beginning to feel a bit more at ease, her brother shot a hateful glance in Gilbert's direction, and Beatrice felt her heart drop. She knew that look well - it was one of pure disdain, and she could only imagine what was flowing through his mind.

Beatrice's mind raced as she tried to make sense of her brother's objections to Gilbert. She couldn't understand why he was so against her dating a priest. After all, there were no prohibitions against marriage. It was then that she realized the true reason behind Arthur's disapproval.

Gilbert was the second son of a baron and didn't have any title to his name. It made her blood boil to think that her brother was being so classist.

Trying to avoid making things more difficult, Beatrice shifted her attention back to her brother, who was still seething with rage. 

"We have been waiting for you all day to come home, of course, we got worried! We thought you got kidnapped," he bellowed. "Oh, maybe you are after all," he spat, his tone dripping with contempt.

As soon as Arthur spoke, Beatrice felt a fire ignite within her. Her family's sudden appearance was like salt on an open wound. It reminded her of all the betrayal and pain they had caused her and his remarks against Gilbert made it worse.

Anger boiled up inside her until she couldn't hold it any longer. "What's this, Arthur? You come here acting as if you care about me!?" Beatrice's voice was laced with sorrow and anger, as she looked at her brother in disbelief.

Arthur took a step closer to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "We care about you, Beatrice. We just want you to be safe. Please come home" he said in a reassuring tone. 

But Beatrice stepped back, her eyes already wet with tears she couldn't hold back. "You're lying! All of you have betrayed me, and now you have the nerve to come here and act as if nothing happened!?" Her voice cracked with emotion as she struggled to maintain her composure.

Beatrice was a tumultuous mess of emotions - a rolling mix of sorrow and fury that seemed to be directed at Arthur, even though she knew he was the only one who had tried to help her. 

She felt helpless like everything was against her, and it made her feel pathetic that she couldn't do anything about it. As tears streamed down her face, she threw a tantrum, her emotions spilling out of her uncontrollably. 

The thought of Gilbert only made things more stressful. She knew he would be disappointed if he saw her like this - a sniveling, crying mess. She couldn't bear to look him in the eyes, feeling ashamed and embarrassed that she couldn't hold it together.

Unknown to her, Gilbert didn't judge or think of her as pathetic. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and held her close, his warmth enveloping her like a comforting embrace. 

He could feel the tension in her body slowly dissipating, her muscles relaxing as she rested her head against his chest. "Shh, it's alright." 

He whispered softly, stroking her hair in a soothing motion. "It's okay to let yourself feel it and let it out."

She felt safe in his embrace like nothing could harm her with him around. It was a warm and tender moment that she never expected but was grateful for. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, feeling her worries melt away with every passing moment. 

Beatrice let out a shaky breath before pulling away. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. But she was determined not to let her emotions control her anymore. She had to face her problems head-on, and she was grateful to Gilbert for reminding her of that.

Beatrice realized that she couldn't always rely on others to be by her side and help her through difficult times. She needed to be strong, not just for herself but for Gilbert as well.

She knew that their relationship would be in jeopardy if she remained weak and vulnerable in the future. Especially when it comes to her classist and elitist family.

She couldn't afford to waste any more time crying and feeling sorry for herself. She needed to take charge of her life and be determined to make things right.

She wiped away her tears and stood tall, her eyes full of conviction. "I will go home now. Thank you, Gilbert, for everything." She reached up to kiss his cheek, feeling a surge of affection for him.

Gilbert's hand tightened around hers, worry etched on his face. "Are you sure you're okay, my love?" he asked, unwilling to let her go.

"I'm fine," she reassured him with a small smile, "I need to solve this myself." With one final squeeze of his hand, she turned and left the room. 

Arthur's eyes glared at Gilbert with venomous hate, his chest heaving with anger. 'How dare he touch Beatrice with those filthy hands!?' He thought to himself, his fists clenching. 

"And to think he had the audacity to have a relationship with her. He's nothing but a lowborn scum who doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as us," he murmured. Arthur smiled crookedly, relishing the opportunity to put Gilbert in his place.

Meanwhile, Gilbert remained composed. His smile never wavered for a moment. But there was something enigmatic and unsettling about it like he was hiding something behind that veneer of charm and sophistication. 

He gestured to the butler to escort Arthur and Beatrice outside his mansion, his eyes following them as they left the room. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking, but there was an unmistakable glint in his emerald green eyes that hinted at a deeper, darker intention.