Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"so, you are Evangeline, the future duchess of the Thawyne family?" The sharp voice took all the attention of Evan who was still groggy. She blinked her eyes and tried to dissipate the left sleep in her eyes and she turned at the direction where the voice had come from.

A lady in her late fifties was descending from the stairs.

A lady with a noble aura around her. Her face felt filled with pride that reached the level of arrogance. She was dressed in a lavish outfit despite her age. While her face was stern. Her steps were calm and collected and there was not a single expression on her face of being angry or annoyed. Yet everyone trembled when they heard her voice. As if the god of death had come to take their lives, their faces turned ashen and their bodies froze on the spot.

Yet the woman did not even spare to gaze at the terror- stuck staff. She looked straight at the girl standing in front of her. She took slow and collected steps towards the girl who was still confused and dazed.

"Are you Evangeline, the chosen duchess of the Thawyne family?" she asked again with patience. She was not looking in a hurry to get the reply as she looked at the girl from top to bottom as if assessing her worth.

"Matriarch! The lady had just come from her trip to the academy. She must be tired and needed…" before the maid could complete her sentence. The lady tilted her head and looked at the maid. Only a gaze was enough to create goosebumps all over the body of the maid and a chill ran down her spine.

"Were you saying something?" she asked in the same calm voice. But her eyes were chilly, only her gaze was enough to freeze the maid then and there.

  The maid shook her head and bowed further in hope to get speared from the wrath of the woman who was called hurricane. 

"I can see that the staff here had forgotten the meaning of discipline. Shall I teach you personally a lowly maid like you can not speak until she is asked?" the words came out in a polite tone with a sweet smile on her face yet the words were nothing but rebuke. Even dazed Evan came back to her senses when she heard the merciless words of the old lady.

"I.. i apologize, my lady. I did not intend to.." the girl was already pale from the remark. The job meant everything for her. The only way to support her family and keep them together. She knew a single word from the matriarch and she would lose her job without any notice. Tears welled up in her eyes as she plead for mercy. 

Evan was confused at the conversation. She did ot understand why the maid was so scared. Though the lady had scolded her, she wasn't looking angry. And Matriarch! Didn't they say that the duchess had died and she was not looking too old to be the mother of the duke. She was looking in her fifties only, the same age as the father of Eli. 

"Tch. are you really sorry?" asked the woman in a haughty tone as if she was sure that the maid was only apologizing to save her job. Not because she was even a bit remorseful about her words.

"I.. I am. I promise that it will never happen again." the maid bowed and shook her bowed head. She did not have the courage to stand straight and look at the face of the old lady.

"You know i have only learnt one thing with time, an apology without any repentance, did not mean anything. It is hollow. If you are truly apologetic, you would not mind getting a slight punishment as a reminder. Will you?" she tilted her head, her lips curled up a bit as a smirk formed on her face. Her face was still looking calm and kind. There was not a hint of malice, yet the words were enough to break down the maid completely. The tears she was holding too tightly flew like a broken dam!

"I.. of course. I am ready for any punishment, my lady!" replied the maid in her trembling voice. Her knees were already shaking! She knew that the punishment would be very painful yet if she refused to take it then she would be thrown out of the villa in the name of ill-discipline. 

"Very well, I am glad that you still have some self awareness. You can go and meet my servant. She will give you apt punishment." responded the lady in a kind voice. A soft and sweet smile on her face while her eyes filled with a sense of accomplishment. 

The maid nodded and turned to leave for her predicament. Her heart had turned heavy with the fear of upcoming punishment yet she was relieved that she was able to keep her job!

Just when she had thought everything was sorted out she heard a voice stopping her.

Evan that was still stunned with the new face and trying to understand what was happening around her felt the fear and pain of the girl standing near her. But no matter how she think, she did not remember her doing anything that lacks discipline. She was just telling truth about her yet she was getting punishment because of it. Did it not mean that the maid was getting punishment because of her?

No! She could not let that happen. Not when she did not feel the maid had said anything wrong.

"I did not understand what was the basis of punishing her? Even if you think that  she has said something wrong, then punish me. As she was only taking my side. And I apologize if you have felt that I had disrespected you but there must be a reason to punish anyone. We are not living in the age of tyranny. Are we?"

"........."/