“A small piece should be enough demonstration of your skills, Lady Shirley,” the Lord changed his words with a gentle smile on his lips.

Vivian who stood behind Leonard peeked to see the Lady smile queasily. For a person who had lied and claimed something which wasn’t hers, Vivian didn’t need to know that the Lady didn’t know how to knit. With everyone’s eyes on the Lady, the distress was showing up clear on her pretty face.

Vivian’s eyes kept going back and forth between the people and Lady Shirley who were anticipating for her to start knitting. The Lady had tried working both the needles together but every time she tried moving it, it would only end up tangling with each other.

When a good minute passed with Lady Shirley trying to get it the needles working with the wool which only failed with every try, few of the people in the room couldn’t hide their amusement.

“Ah, I think I am unable to get it right today,” said Lady Shirley with an uneasy smile.

“Would you like one of us to help you with the beginning?” one of the women offered help.

“I feel a little dizzy,” Lady Shirley touched her forehead.

Ms Ventress laughed, “Lady Shirley must be feeling a lot of pressure from being asked to knit in front of everyone. A little fresh air should help-” she went on to suggest.

“That won’t be required, Ms Ventress,” Leonard cut in walking towards Lady Shirley to pick the needles and woollen ball, “Pardon me but Lady Shirley’s unwillingness and finding a reason to not being able to knit one line makes me doubt if she really did knit the sweater as she claimed,” he looked at the woman in the eye.

“W-what? Of course, I was the one who knit the sweater for you,” Lady Shirley defended herself, “Why would you think that?”

“And yet even a child could get the needles working to a decent state than what you have achieved,” Lady Shirley only turned redder. Murmurs began filling up the room and even though Vivian wasn’t in Lady Shirley’s place she felt uncomfortable with the shift of atmosphere.

“Aye, Duke Leonard, maybe she isn’t well,” a vampire came to Lady Shirley’s aid.

“If one is ill, one shouldn’t come to a tea gathering. Isn’t that right, Lady Shirley?” the young human opened and closed her mouth. If she wasn’t ill before, she would surely be now with Leonard attacking her without a rest, “Did you make the sweater, milady?” he asked her with an even voice.

“I-I di-”

“Did you steal someone’s gift to claim it as yours?” the human girl’s eyes widened at the thought of him knowing what she had done. Not wanting to give up, she stuck to her lie.

“I was the one who knit the sweater,” her words were firm.

“Sure you did it. I don’t think anyone needs to know further on your talent of knitting or should I say, stealing,” Vivian who was witnessing the scene felt Leonard look at her before he made his way to her. He raised his hand to give her the needles and the wool, “One patch,” his words were softer towards her which many noticed in the change of tone, raising brows in the question of what was going on, “Take a seat there.”

Vivian looked at her hands, gulping before taking a seat in the direction Leonard had pointed her to go in. As she started knitting with her skilled hands, she could feel the audience had moved from looking at Lady Shirley to her. The atmosphere felt heavy and shaking it off was difficult as she concentrated on her hands. It took her a few minutes to create a decent patch of cloth with the help of the wool.

“That should be enough, Vivian,” at his words, she dropped the needles when he came to retrieve it.

The patch was thrown right on Lady Shirley’s lap and it didn’t take many by surprise. Leonard was a person who didn’t bother with people usually but when someone tried stepping into his territory to damage something of his, he didn’t let go of it.

Lady Shirley looked utterly embarrassed, “I am disappointed that you would steal something made by one of my servants and give it to me as a present,” his lips were set in a thin line.

“Is what Leo says true?” Lord Nicholas asked Lady Shirley who opened her mouth, “Please do keep in mind that a lie won’t be tolerated here,” the girl said nothing but stared at her lap with tears falling down her cheek.

By the end of the day, Lady Shirley had apologized to Leonard and the Lord before leaving in her own carriage with a shamed face who didn’t meet anyone’s eye during the time of her stay in the mansion. With everyone gone, Lord Nicholas stood with Leonard at the balcony of the Lord’s room looking at the view of the forest.

“It was a cheap shot to expose her like that. Childish if I might add,” Lord Nicholas commented seeing the girl Leonard was so infactuated with standing next to the carriage and talking to his coachman, “Would you go that far without considering what the society we live in might say?”

“The society has a lot of options which I have no interest to heed.”

“And you aren’t the least bit worried that she might turn against you? She is a human, Leonard, with what you did today. The vampires and vampiress would have caught a whiff of how you feel for the girl.”

“Is that so,” Leonard murmured seeing Vivian smile at something the coachman said about the horse, “I will just have to keep a better watch on my belongings then,” he smiled ruefully.

The Lord looked at the girl closely and couldn’t deny the fact that she was a pretty one but not pretty enough for his own taste. When he met Leonard for the first time, the boy had a certain charm to him. The untamed temper behind his eyes was something that had caught his attention. He wondered how entertaining it would be to tease the boy and bring out his temper for his amusement.

“My coachman seems to be taken by the girl,” the Lord commented, the ends of his lips twisting into a smile.

Leonard stared at the duo next to the carriage, the coachman smiling ear to ear as if his wish had come true. His hand clenched into a loose fist when he noticed the boy say something making her laugh.

“I should get going,” said Leonard not waiting to take the long route, he jumped from the balcony gracefully like a cat and walking towards Vivian.