The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-213

When Calhoun summoned her here, Madeline didn't expect him to mention her father's shop. Her eyes moved back to look at Calhoun's face, waiting for him to speak, who was running his fingers on the keys of the piano. Did he know about it? According to her parents, the shop was pulled down on the King's orders.

"I heard what happened to your father's shop," said Calhoun while Madeline did nothing but listen without question, "Someone sabotaged the shop in my name," his fingers didn't stop moving.

So it was not him, but someone else, thought Madeline to herself. She was right to think that it wasn't Calhoun because it didn't make sense. Calhoun was petty, but she doubted he would be petty enough to take away the shop which he had given to her family.

"Did your parents mention anything about it?" asked Calhoun to her.

Madeline nodded her head, "While they were getting settled in the room, my mother mentioned it. She said some men came and started to demolish it. They had a parchment with your seal on it."

"It could be a fake seal," said Calhoun. When his fingers stopped at a particular set of keys, pushing them, it created a blur sound of echo at where they were, "I had no part to play in it."

Madeline saw Calhoun turn to look at her, "I told my parents that it wasn't you." Calhoun was touched by Madeline's words, that she had defended him in his absence, "My family, we always wanted to have our own shop, our place but we couldn't afford it in the past. The continuous heat can be harsh, and we wanted father to have a better place with a roof to keep the logs of more woods. He didn't always let us help him. Saying it wasn't what a girl of our age should be doing."

"But you helped him," he stated and a faint smile formed on Madeline's lips before sadness appeared on her face.

She didn't know what her family went through during the time when the shop was being torn down in front of them. Madeline wasn't there with them but here in the castle. She wasn't able to provide the emotional support her family needed during that time. But she was glad that Markus Wilmot had readily extended his hands to help her family. Was it because he liked Beth? Madeline couldn't think of a better reason other than it. In the past, there had been many men who came to offer her family things, even to Madeline herself just to get into the good graces of her older sister Elizabeth.

Her sister Beth was so beautiful, and her charms never went unnoticed by men and women who often loved to have a chat with her. People often asked about her in the village as she was one of the most popular maidens in the vicinity of the village. It is why Madeline concluded that it was the reason.

Madeline then said, "Beth told me that they have been getting help from Markus."

Calhoun's eyes narrowed, and he asked her, "Markus Wilmot?" He saw her nod her head.

"She said that he showed interest in her. That he liked her," saying this, Madeline turned her gaze to the enormous instrument that looked like it was built and moulded with the wall, "Beth has that charm. He was kind enough to help fix it up."

"How kind of him indeed," commented Calhoun in thought, "He must have appeared like an angel in front of your family," Madeline missed the sarcasm in Calhoun's words.

When Theodore had brought the news to him a while ago, about Harris' shop being rebuilt, it had caught his attention that it was someone's doing. The men he had given to her father to work with had disappeared in thin air without any prior notice. Now that Madeline mentioned about Markus, it didn't take Calhoun more than two seconds to figure out who had tried to cause harm to the Harris' family.

But why was Markus creating problems and trying to associate himself with Madeline's sister, Beth.

Coincidences like these were something Calhoun didn't believe in. Though he did believe that what Beth heard was bullshit, and she had passed the same to Madeline.

Sure the girl was beautiful to look at, but the same could not be told when it came to her inner self. If one was clever enough to take note, they would see that the older daughter of the Harris valued materialistic things. And though it was not necessarily a bad quality, it was still not pretty to look at when a woman showed it in her eyes.

"I didn't know Markus had taken an interest in your sister. I should ask my aunt about it. I am sure our wedding will bring more light to a possible relationship," Calhoun said in a nonchalant voice and Madeline nodded her head but not enthusiastically, "What's the matter?" he asked her.

Madeline traced her fingers over the keys that were in front of her, without pressing on them, "When did you hear about this news?"

"Sometime before your sister got bit by Maddox. I had my doubts and had Theodore check what happened to the shop. Some of the villagers witnessed the shop being torn down," he replied to her question, "It would have been easier to deal with if your parents confronted it with me."

Madeline didn't comment on it because she knew her parents were scared in the presence of the King. They didn't take the person to be kind who had taken their daughter away from them and been placed in the castle.

"That is alright. I will speak to them about it. I wouldn't want your parents to think that the man you are marrying is out to get them," said Calhoun to move his hand to place on hers. This pressed the keys that were underneath her hand. Madeline looked up at him, her eyes meeting his red ones in the golden glow of the chapel, "I will have more men positioned there, to keep an eye so that no harm befalls on them."

Madeline gave him a nod, "Thank you for taking care of it," she thanked him. She had her own doubts, but she didn't want to jump into conclusion, "Who do you think used your name?"

"A person who wishes death," answered Calhoun with a straight face that Madeline could only agree to it.

Calhoun already knew, but he wanted to figure out why and what benefits his cousin would get by doing so. If Markus thought that he would get Madeline out of the picture by making her and her family hating him, that would not happen. He wouldn't allow it.

After so many days, Madeline had willingly opened her heart to him, accepting him and ready to step forward. If someone tried to change her mind, Calhoun was not going to take it lightly by brushing it away. He would burn them until there was nothing left of them.

Anyone who would come between him and Madeline, he would kill them regardless of them being a stranger or a family member.

"It won't happen again," Calhoun gave his word to her. Madeline knew associating with the King or the royal family, things like these were bound to happen, but she wished she could protect her family better.

When Calhoun promised those words, Madeline believed it. If there was someone who she believed would help her in keeping her family safe, it was him. After all, he was the King and not any faceless person in the land of Devon or in any other land.

Calhoun let go of her hand and placed it on the side of her face, looking at her, "Are you happy that your family is here?" he asked her. His eyes traced every inch of her face.

"Yes," answered Madeline, feeling his cold hand on her skin that made her shiver. With them away from people and alone in a closed room, Madeline couldn't keep up with his gaze, and her eyes darted to look everywhere but him, "Thank you for having them here."

Calhoun held her face, feeling the softness of her skin as well as her demeanour. He had never met anyone like her, yet for some strange reason, he felt like he knew her. Like he had met her in a memory that was faint. Madeline didn't flinch at Calhoun's touch as she was getting used to it. With him always trying to get closer, invading her space consistently, Madeline was getting used to it, but at the same time, she was not used to the strange feelings that brewed in her chest.

Those feelings stirred within her every time he touched her, looked at her with those unblinking eyes of his. The feelings that had started as fear, had turned to nervousness before moving to the anxiousness of something she couldn't put it in words but only feel the wave wash through her body.

She felt his thumb caress her skin, the hand sliding down to her neck before gliding down her shoulder. When he dropped his hand, Madeline felt like someone stole something from her. A sliver of emotion passed through her eyes that had Calhoun pleased. He put his one leg on the other side of the bench, facing her this time.

Madeline stared at him, her eyes curiously looking at him in wonderment of what he was doing. It was strange to see a King sitting with his legs on either side of the bench, but Calhoun was odd since the very beginning of the time she had met him in the ballroom.