Stay away

Mia gulped and looked behind her shoulder. She saw a pair of distinguished eyes and also, her reflection on them. 

“Grand… Duke.” She started to say, but he leaned even more, turning her around to face him. 

“Mia…” He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent, feeling his mouth watering instantly. His lips were very close to her face and Mia didn’t know what to do. 

“Are you alright?” The coachman asked, patting on the window of the carriage. It brought Radna and Mia back to reality. He cleared his throat, before releasing her and sitting on his seat. 

Mia said nothing, she just took her seat across from him. 

“Yes, it is all right, Mr. Dubois.”

Mia didn’t look at Radna, she was afraid of looking at him and seeing his judgment. What was she thinking? She was aching for his kiss. She had never kissed before.

‘That’s your problem. You are too old for those foolish things now, Mia Chapman’, she told herself, looking out the window. 

Radna wanted Mia to look at him and, at the same time, he didn’t. He was confused, because no other woman had made his heart beat the way it did just a few moments before. 

‘You are in this human form for too long. Those mortal feelings are clouding your mind’, he reminded himself. Yes, it had to be it. 

Once the carriage stopped in front of the house, the coachman opened the door and Mia got out immediately, running to the kitchen. 

Radna noticed the coachman looking at him and so, he glared at the man, as if asking what was his problem. Radna was not called ‘The Beast’ just because of the battlefield. He was not a soft man, on the contrary, he was quite ruthless. Unless he wanted to be pleasant. Then, nobody could be more delightful company than him. 

Mia entered the kitchen in a hurry, her face all flushed. 

“Madam, what happened?” Gabriel asked, frowning of worry. 

“Ah, I just came back to get some things for a picnic. You know Lily.” 

Everybody knew Lily. A sweet girl, but quite… wilful. 

“I’ll see to it.” Gabriel said and got to prepare things with the cook and the other assistants. 

Mia went to the living room to wait and saw Radna there. He was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, looking at her with a smirk. 

“I know you were just in a hurry and didn’t invite me in for that. Not that you were intending on insulting me.” Radna said and Mia bowed. He could be the Devil, but still, he was the Grand Duke and she, as a subject of his brother, should pay him due respect. 

“Of course not, Your Grace.” She said. “The refreshments will be ready soon.” She sat in front of him and started to clench the cushion. 

Radna couldn’t stop looking at her. 

‘What is it that human has? Is it because of her blood? But I don’t feel it for her sister. How odd…’

“Miss Chapman, here is what you asked me to prepare.” Gabriel said and walked to Mia. He bowed to Radna and turned his attention back to her. 

Mia got up and smiled openly at him, holding the basket. Gabriel didn’t let it go and Radna looked from one to another. 

“Can we leave now?” He interrupted and Mia nodded. Gabriel seemed a bit embarrassed. Mia walked ahead of Radna and when this one passed by Gabriel, he gave the other man an ugly look. Gabriel felt as if he was cold inside. 

The coachman was ready to offer his hand to Mia, but Radna did it first. Mia thanked him and got inside the carriage. 

The way back to the park was not so troublesome, but when they got there, Lily was talking to Lady Campbell, while Ewald was just looking around. When he saw the carriage, his smiled opened and Radna twitched his mouth. 

He knew well that the Marquess was not interested in Lily, but in Mia. He just didn’t know why it bothered him so much. ‘It is because you don’t want him as your in-law. If you marry Lily and Mia this man, you’ll be relatives’, the voice in his head assured him. 

Mia was ready to leave the carriage first, but Radna moved in front of her, confusing Mia. The coachman took a step aside to let the Grand Duke get down, and Ewald took the opportunity to approach and offer Mia his hand. Radna didn’t move, but turned around and he offered his hand to her. 

Lily, although was talking to the Viscountess, smiled at that. 

“Thank you.” Mia said and once she was out of the transport, Ewald was faster this time and offered her his arm. Mia accepted and Radna pursed his lips. 

“Let me take it, Miss Chapman.” Ewald said, motioning for the basket.

“Oh, Thank you, My Lord.” 

Other man approached them, trying to get Lily’s attention. But not all men. Some were looking at Mia and trying to make conversation. Radna shook his head at how unaware Mia was of the fact that those men wanted to court her. Ewald noticed and was grumpy. 

Since the Grand Duke was around, a few women too approached the group and tried to get his attention, but not for long. He was in a terrible mood. 

By the end of the picnic, Lily got invited to at least three balls, but Mia was the one who got more invitations for a dance. 

Ewald wanted to accompany them to their house, but Radna made sure not to let it happen. 

“Please, Marquess, make me company.” He said. “I would like to have a word with you.” 

Mia and Lily got inside the carriage and left. 

Once they were a bit far from the park, Lily smiled at Mia and winked. 

“What is that supposed to mean, Lily?” 

“You and the Grand Duke, huh?” 

Mia frowned.

“What are you talking about?” 

“Oh, please, Mia… it is possible to see the tension between you two from miles!” 

“Yes, Lily, tension. Because the Grand Duke and I have nothing but disgust between one another.” 

“Why do you dislike him? I mean, he is quite annoying, but…”

“It is something I would like to keep for myself at the moment, please.” 

“Oh… a secret. I see. Well, just tell me that: did he try to be funny with you?” 

Lily’s expression was not so jolly anymore. 

“No, nothing of the sort.” 

“Hmm… good.” 

Mia chuckled inside. ‘No, Lily, it is not good. Actually, what he did was worse than saying something bold and inconvenient to me’. 

….

“What is it that you would like to talk to me, Your Grace?” Ewald asked Radna, while they were waiting for their carriage. 

“Stay away from Miss Chapman.” 

“Why? I believe you are interested in Miss Lily, am I wrong?” 

“No.”

“So? I want Miss Mia, the older sister.”

Radna looked at him intensely. 

“Do you?” 

"Absolutely! She is the most stunning woman  I have ever seen! Smart, witty, but not to the point of inconvenience. No mean to offend Miss Lily, but.. she is too childish. I want a woman, not a daughter.” 

Ewald was about the same age as Radna and that was an indirect insult.

“I too want a woman, Marquess. And I want you to stand back.”

Ewald frowned. 

“Why? Do you want to have your chances with both? Quite ambitious, aren’t you now, Grand Duke?”

Radna looked inside Ewald’s eyes. 

“Stay away from Mia.”