Only A Trap

"Why!" She was sure that she had sent the letter on time. Even if he had received the letter late, he should have come by now.

Penny sighed, fear started to crawl in again. Her eyes never left the door and the watch, which showed that it was already five hours since she had come here.

The sky has started to turn redder, and soon it will be morning. She was sure they would start searching for her then.

If only the law that only men could inherit the properties was lifted off or if only she would have been a man, she did not need to run away in the middle of the night like this.

She was proud of her family. The star of her father's eyes. He had never made her feel inferior to any man, except in the six years since they died. She was…! She closed her eyes.

She will find a man and would be free from the claws of her uncle and aunt. It had taken a lot of planning and sacrifice but she had found a man.

Though he was the old servant of her father, he was still a man and as long as she had his name on the marriage certificate, she was going to get everything that belonged to hers. Her father had helped him in settling down and starting a new business, everything he had was given by her father. He had promised her that he would come and help her.

She had sent him a letter through the only maid she could trust. The moment he would come, she would go to the nearest church and take the vows.

But.. when? Why is he so late? Was it because of the rain! She still tried to be positive about it but as the time passed, her heart started to fall.

"He's not coming." The cruel words felt in her ears like poison was spread from her ears to her entire body and she froze.

She recognized this voice because she had heard it the last time she left the house.

She did not turn to look at him but stared at the door instead. There were two, one on her left and another on her right.

If she ran, she still could escape though one. Or.. she looked at the men. She was at a commoner area where they did not know who were nobles. There were farmers, miners and few collared workers. They were sure to beat him if she started shouting and created a scene if he started to drag her out.

"I have warned you before!" His voice was eerily calm as he whispered again, "you will fall into another trap if you create a scene."

Ha! Was he trying to be benevolent now?

"Why? Do you think that they know you are the brother of the crown prince? Are you not embarrassed that your younger brother is given the position when you are alive!" she mocked, her pent up frustration and his presence here had riled her.

She had kept her silence for long, but the man standing in front of her was trying to prove that she was mentally retarded and it was beyond her bearing capacity. "Your position would not work here."

She could feel his jaws ticking but it gave her temporary satisfaction, she knew that even if she took her position as the duke back, he would be her superior and would take revenge from her. But right now, she did not care.

"Tsk! Even if you wanted to run away, you should not have chosen the day the plan was made, you should have done it earlier."

Yes! She was a fool to believe that she would get her freedom sooner or later. She lived like a shadow, that did not have any mind or mouth. The one who could not create any voice, only with one hope…

She believed that her uncle had to marry her even if he did not want it. But.. who would think that he is so cruel to marry her to an older servant.

If she had to marry an old man, at least she would make sure that he was on her side.

"I am warning you. If you think that you can drag me out of here without any struggle then you are wrong. Even i want to see how you will hide the matter from your brother and father once you will be found fighting with the daughter of the deceased duke. I am sure my father still had contacts. It is just that I am not able to approach them. Your actions here will give me an opportunity."

Her eyes were glittering with the bravery of fools who did not know the end of their actions. Yet he could not take the risk,

His eyes scanned the room and sighed as if he was giving up.

"And you will do all that even when I have told you the man you were waiting for would never come?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

His nose was high in the air and every action and work spoke of royalty. He looked like the crown prince but his leisure attitude and languidness showed that he would not back away from a street brawl.

"Ha! He will. I will never trust the words coming out from the mouth of my enemy." she flared up and then sat back as if they were done.

Whether he stays or leaves, it is none of her concern.

"Your letter, it never reaches out of the palace. The maid you had trusted so much since the start was sent by your uncle. He wants you to think that someone is on your side so that he could keep a check on you. And like a fool, you gave her escape plan in her hands.

Your uncle is waiting with the knights at the other side of the door. If you go out in this condition, your uncle would not even need me to prove that you have lost your mental balance."