Heidi turned away from his gaze to look outside the window at the sky, the dark clouds that had settled in the sky just like when they had left the mansion. She wondered if the Duke had freed Howard from him prison. She hoped he did as he promised. There was no way she could confirm it without going there herself but where could she find him? She wasn't sure if the old man had gone back to working at the Curtis after what they put him through. Maybe she could send a letter through Lettice which would be less suspicious.

When she looked back at him, she found him looking outside the window with a tranquil expression. He must have felt her looking at him as instantly his eyes met hers. They stared at each other in silence.

There were too many things weighing on her mind but right now, in this instant she felt safe and it had to do with the lord sitting in front of her. Was it because she was in love with him? Was that the reason why she felt so at ease around him. Somewhere in her heart she believed that she would be safe around him, he was a pure blooded vampire after all. Slowly, her eyes darted away as blood rushed through her neck, making its way to her cheeks as her heart pounded loudly.

"Please stop looking at me," Heidi whispered unable to take his heated gaze on her. She licked her lips nervously.

"I was looking at the seating behind you. You aren't that great of a looker, darling. I have seen better ones," she felt her heart p.r.i.c.k at his words. She knew that too. He didn't have to be that hars.h.!.+ "Your sister on the other hand is quite a looker. I wonder why the council didn't pick her instead. Wasn't your family able to find a suitable man for you that they offered you for truce?"

Heidi felt her mouth open but no words came out. She didn't know if he was only teasing her or if he was serious as the expression he had on his face now. Gathering her wits, she spoke,

"I will have you know it is nothing like that. I have had many people who have been-ahem-liked me," she boasted, raising her head. Of course there weren't many but there were few who had shown an interest in her.

"And who are those imaginary men?" he tilted his head with a tone stating he was interested in knowing about them.

"They are not," she denied swiftly, "One of the man was the person you saw me with, in the town. In my town. Hmph."

"The shovel guy?" he asked her to see her turn her face away from him, not responding back to him.

The rest of the journey, Heidi ignored Lord Nicholas like he wasn't there in the carriage. He was so infuriating! With the words he spoke, it looked like he wasn't interested in her. Was it because she refused him that night that his words held acid for her. She didn't understand him. Rather he was difficult to understand. He was a perceptive man and it made her question if he knew she had been sent after swapping place with her sister Nora for the truce. It was odd though. It wouldn't matter if it was her or Nora who was marrying Warren.

Heidi was back in the piano room, playing the keys when Nicholas knocked the door.

"I heard you play. Need some help with it? I won't do anything mean," he offered to see her give him skeptic look. He walked forward into the room, "Are you upset?" he stood on the other side of the piano.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she acted oblivious to his question, concentrating her hands on the keys even though her mind was elsewhere now. She heard him suppress his laugh with a cough.

"Well anyways, I do apologize for my impolite words in the carriage. I didn't mean them," he apologized to see her eyebrows contour but no comment or forgiveness was pa.s.sed. He continued to speak, "I think you're very pretty."

Heidi bit the inside of her cheek, "You are very good at flattery, milord," she muttered under her breath which he heard without a trouble.

"I don't lie," she raised her head along with her eyebrows at him and saw him smile, "Maybe sometimes when the situation calls for it. I think your sister is beautiful but I also think you look much better than her with your subtle characteristics. Did you know that your lips gets rosier after being kissed," she ended up pressing her fingers on all the keys it rested on, sending a blurred sound across the room. She sat fl.u.s.tered in her seat. "I hope you visited your aunt Aurelia's house? You seem to share a good relations.h.i.+p with her."

She shook her head, "I didn't. A week wasn't enough," she answered to hear him humm in response.

"Your family must have kept you all for themselves," he smiled and she smiled back before lowering her eyes, "What about other acquaintances? People might have missed you," he commented.

"Just a few."

"By the way, what was the pretty boy's name?" he asked her casually.

It had been few weeks since she had gone to Woville and returned back. It seemed like most of his questions concerned about her town she came from. She found it strange that he would be interested in someone whom he didn't care about unless there was a motive. Ready to reply, she opened her mouth to realize something and her throat went dry.

When she met his eyes, he looked at her with a pleasant smile.

"What's the matter?"

"He and I were never in any sort of relations.h.i.+p. Not even close. Please don't hurt him," she said and his smile only broadened. He started walking around the piano to sit next to her.

"I was simply curious. But hearing you now I'm intrigued to meet the boy for a little tea."

He could have asked her directly in the carriage but rather he had interrogated her with underlying questions to get the answer for the unspoken question. It was true that there was nothing between her and Noah as they had only begun to speak before she left to Bonelake. Maybe things would be different if the truce was never proposed but it wasn't like that. Remembering how he had killed the man by ripping out the man's throat, she felt worried for the man's life.

"I am not lying! Is this because of what happened recently? Because of Lettice's past lover?" she demanded to know, "Why can't you believe my words when I say there's nothing to look at?"

"Careful with your tone, darling. I am not as patient as I appear to be," his words were sharp but then it turned gentle again, "I believe you but it is the other that I don't. I am just going to verify, nothing more I promise. At the end of the day it is all in an effort to keep you safe," he tucked back the piece of her hair behind her ear carefully as he said it.