Chapter 166: Chapter Hundred And Sixty Five

Suddenly, the sound of a wooden cane hitting the stone path broke the quiet night.

Click. Clack. Click.

"What happened here?" a deep, powerful voice echoed clearly across the garden.

Everyone instantly turned their heads toward the sound of the voice.

Walking slowly out of the shadows, coming from the direction of the bright ballroom, was Duke Carson. The old Duke held his cane firmly in his hand. His face was serious, and full of authority. Walking one step behind him was Mr. Murry, holding a small oil lamp to light the way.

The armored guard immediately stood up perfectly straight and saluted. The doctor quickly bowed his head.

Elora, who was hiding behind the doctor’s legs, saw her grandfather arrive.

Elora’s eyes lit up with hope. She thought the old Duke would definitely take her side. She quickly scrambled up from the ground. She held her bandaged arm against her chest and ran toward the old man. She forced loud, dramatic tears to fall down her face.

Elora quickly pointed her finger directly at Camilla.

"Grandfather!" Elora cried out loudly. Her voice was shaking with fear and anger. "It is all Camilla’s fault! She is a monster! She disrespected my mother. She slapped her across the face and caused her to fall completely unconscious on the hard stones!"

Duke Carson stopped walking. He leaned his weight on his silver cane.

He slowly lowered his eyes. He looked at Lady Adeline lying motionless on the floor. He saw her swollen, red cheek. Then, he looked up and looked at Damon standing firmly in front of Camilla. He saw the broken piece of thick wood lying on the ground near Damon’s boots.

The old Duke did not look angry at Camilla. He looked highly suspicious of Elora’s story.

Before Duke Carson could ask a single question, another voice spoke up.

"Grandfather, that is a complete lie."

It was Allen, Elora’s older brother. He was the young, well-dressed man who had brought the doctor to the garden earlier. Allen stepped forward from the shadows. His face was completely calm, serious, and full of truth.

Allen stood tall and spoke clearly.

"Grandfather, I just saw it clearly with Damon. Elora insulted Camilla first. She acted terribly."

Elora gasped loudly. She stared at her brother in shock.

Allen did not stop speaking. He pointed at the broken wood on the ground.

"Mother tried to hit Camilla with that wooden post," Allen explained honestly, completely exposing his own mother’s terrible crime. "Thankfully, Damon rushed in and protected her. Damon took the heavy blow to his own back."

Duke Carson’s eyes widened slightly. He looked at Damon, realizing his grandson had just taken a brutal hit.

"Then," Allen continued, pointing a finger at his unconscious mother on the floor. "Mother wanted to strike Damon directly across the face. Camilla was just defending her husband. She stopped the slap and protected Damon."

Elora’s face turned a bright, furious red. She glared at Allen with hatred.

"Allen!" Elora screamed at him. She stomped her foot on the stone path. "How could you defend an outsider over your own family? She is just a cheap girl! Mother is lying there hurt!"

Allen looked at his sister with deep disappointment. "I am defending the truth, Elora. You and mother acted like wild, lawless animals."

Camilla stood quietly behind Damon’s broad back. She peeked around his arm.

She looked at Allen. She had never met this young man before. She studied his face carefully. He had dark brown hair, neat clothes, and a very handsome, polite face. He looked like a highly educated, respectable gentleman.

"So this is Damon’s cousin?" Camilla thought to herself. Her internal voice was very calm and highly observant.

She scanned him from head to toe. She noticed how he stood tall and spoke the truth, even against his own mother. He had good morals.

Camilla slowly nodded her head in deep approval.

"Not bad," Camilla thought in her mind. Her internal voice sounded very impressed. "He is quite handsome. He is very polite. He is actually a very decent, normal human being."

Standing right in front of her, Damon completely stopped breathing.

He heard her internal thoughts perfectly clearly. He heard her praise another man. He heard her call Allen handsome and decent.

A sudden, sharp intense wave of jealousy exploded inside Damon’s chest. The heat rushed straight up his neck. His jaw clamped tightly shut.

Damon slowly turned his head. He glared directly at Camilla. His dark brown eyes were completely fierce and full of silent warning. He looked like a dangerous predator guarding his territory.

Camilla saw him glaring at her. She blinked innocently, completely confused by his sudden anger. She had just saved him from a slap, and now he was glaring at her?

Duke Carson completely ignored the silent tension between the married couple. The old Duke turned his sharp eyes entirely onto Elora.

"See what you have caused!" Duke Carson scolded Elora loudly. His deep voice boomed with authority. "Your mother raised you to be exactly like this. You are spoiled, arrogant, and foolish. What a completely lawless, embarrassing behavior. You bring deep shame to the Benson name."

Elora shrank back in terror. She had never seen her grandfather look so angry.

Duke Carson turned to the armored guard standing nearby.

"Grab the both of them," Duke Carson commanded strictly, pointing his silver cane at Elora and the unconscious Lady Adeline.

"Lock them up in the estate’s holding cells immediately. They will not participate in the ball tonight. I will deal with their severe punishment tomorrow morning."

The guard quickly saluted. "Yes, your grace!"

The guard grabbed Elora roughly by her uninjured arm.

"No! Grandfather, please!" Elora screamed in loud protest. She struggled against the guard, tears streaming down her face. "I am sorry! Let me go!"

The guard completely ignored her cries. Two more guards ran into the garden. They picked up the unconscious Lady Adeline by her arms and legs. Together, they dragged the crying girl and the unconscious woman completely out of the garden, taking them away to the cold cells.

Camilla stood perfectly still. As Elora was dragged away screaming, Camilla slowly raised her right hand.

She wiggled her small fingers in a very sweet, mocking, sarcastic goodbye.

Damon watched the guards leave. Then, he slowly turned his full body to face Camilla.

The garden was quiet again. Allen and the doctor had stepped back respectfully to give the couple some space.

Damon looked down at her. He looked at her eyes. He remembered how she had stepped directly in front of a swinging sword to protect him. He remembered how she had slapped an elder to defend his honor. Nobody had ever done that for him in his entire life.

Damon swallowed hard. His throat felt a little bit dry. He was a proud military man. He was not used to expressing gratitude.

"Thank you," Damon said softly. His deep voice was a little rough, and he hesitated for a tiny second. "For... for what you did."

Camilla looked up at his serious face. She felt a very small, strange flutter in her chest. She was not used to him being nice and polite. It felt very awkward.

Camilla smiled a small awkward smile. She gently rubbed the side of her arm.

"You did the exact same for me," Camilla replied smoothly, looking at his broad chest. "You took a heavy blow to your back to shield me. So it was completely natural I do the same for you. We are even."

Standing a few feet away, Duke Carson watched the two of them communicating. The old Duke saw the soft look in Damon’s eyes. He saw the shy smile on Camilla’s face.

A wide, completely satisfied, happy smile spread across the old Duke’s wrinkled face. He firmly believed they were deeply, madly in love.

Duke Carson cleared his throat loudly to get their attention.

Ahem.

"Let’s get back to the ball," Duke Carson announced cheerfully. The music from the mansion was still playing softly in the distance.

Carson turned his sharp eyes to Camilla. He smiled warmly at her.

"Camilla, my dear," Carson said kindly. "I have something very special for you tonight."

He turned his head to look at the older housekeeper.

"Murry," Carson ordered smoothly. "Take the young lady inside. Have her dress into that specific dress I commissioned for her from the capital city."

Murry’s eyes lit up with pure joy. He bowed very deeply.

"Right away, your grace," Murry replied happily. He turned to Camilla and offered his arm.

Camilla did not know what kind of dress the Duke was talking about, but she was very curious. She smiled and offered a perfect, elegant curtsy.

"Thank you, grandfather," Camilla said politely.

Duke Carson smiled and nodded his head.

Murry and Camilla turned around. They walked together down the stone path, completely leaving the dark garden and heading toward the guest rooms inside the massive mansion.