Chapter 9 - The Public Shaming

Ally wondered if Lucas had suspected anything. Darian had been poisoned recently with the cookies and milk, but he still managed to make it out alive. It was of great distress to her, but seeing Lucas making an indirect inquiry into the matter turned her insides.

Darian nodded his head in reply to his father. Ally Featherington fixed her eyes on John. The cook's mouth widened as if he was about to say something, but he closed it again. He could read the meaning in Ally's eyes. He had seen Ally deal with people she hated before. She was ruthless and would often drag their entire family into it. This could also be his fate if he did not speak the right words. John knew what to do. He bowed his head to the ground. "I am sorry, My Lord. I failed in my duties as the head chef. My Lady has warned me several times, but I refused to listen. It is only right that I am punished." Then he kept silent.

A brief silence followed. Lucas tipped the side of his mustache. "Hmmm, is that all you have to say in your defense?"

"Yes," John the cook declared.

Lucas lowered his eyes and looked at Darian. "My dear son, what do you think should be done in this matter?"

Darian raised his small hands and spread out his palms. "I do not know, Dad?"

His father replied, "Well, you should learn. After me, you are next in line. You should learn the way things are done."

Ally cut in, "What are you saying?"

Lucas raised his head and looked at her. "It is wrong to interrupt your Lord when he is speaking."

Her chest rose and fell heavily. It was almost like she was swelling.

Lucas faced the other servants. "Take John and punish him as I said he would if he is found to be guilty."

The servants rushed to pull John away.

John began screaming, "My Lady, please save me. I have been faithful to you. I did everything you told me to. Believe me… I don't know why it did not work." His voice faded in the distance.

Lucas grabbed Darian's hand. "Let me show you around my study. You should start to learn how the man of the house behaves."

Ally protested, "My Lord, this should not be the case. You should do this to Jules and Jordan, not him. He is the son of a mere concubine."

Lucas let go of Darian's hand and took a few steps towards her. "Darian is my first son. He will have all the rights that come with that position. As for your sons, they better learn to start respecting their elder brother. If they do not, I will punish them."

Darian felt ecstatic. His father was defending him. He could not help but smile. Ally noticed Darian's reaction. It only made her frown deepen.

At that moment, a servant rushed in and bowed. "My Lord and Lady."

Still looking Ally in the eye, Lucas asked the servant, "What is it?"

The servant replied, "There is a letter from the palace."

Lucas asked Ally, "Did you go to report to your extended family because I did not let you have your way?"

Ally smirked. "Are you scared?"

"Test me. I will give you rocks," Lucas replied. He stretched his hand in the direction the servant knelt. The servant rose and placed the letter in his hand. Lucas bent his head slightly to open and read the letter. He read it without a word and placed the letter in her hand. Ally read through it. "A palace banquet in two days… is Darian coming with us? I mean, he is not in the family genealogy. People may laugh at you if you bring him."

Lucas walked back to grab Darian's hand. "I have already put his name as my first son in the genealogy. He will take over from me as Lord. And there is nothing you can do about it." He turned and began to walk away.

Ally's face turned hot red. She was boiling over. To hell with composure, she opened her mouth and screamed, "You can't do that. Only one of my sons can become Lord after you, and no other person! Do you hear me! Crazy man!" She grabbed her hair and began pulling.

Lucas did not even turn once to look at her. His word was final. He had made Darian his heir.

***

On the day of the royal city’s palace event, the family of Lord and Lady Featherington were properly dressed. Jules and Jordan were dressed in blue. Lady Ally Featherington was dressed in bright purple. They waited in front of the house besides two chariots. As is custom, parents would enter the bigger and most decorated chariot. While children would enter the smaller chariot. Each chariot had four horses each. The coachmen were ready and stood by the spot they would sit. The only people missing were Darian and Lucas. Lady Ally Featherington felt the sun almost melting her makeup. She took out a fan and used it.

Jules complained, "Mother, the sun is hot. When is Father going to come so that we can enter the chariot?"

Jordan complained too. "Yeah, Mother. My legs hurt badly."

Inside the mansion, Lucas was in Darian’s room, and was helping him dress like a gentleman. After that, they rehearsed their past lessons about how to bow, curtsy, talk and walk.

"My champion," Lucas called Darian when he got everything right. "Now let's go."

Darian was excited in his dark green clothes. His father was also wearing the same color and style. They walked out of the mansion and got to where the carriages were.

When Ally saw that the Lord and Darian were dressed the same way, she bit her lower lip in anger. She walked towards the bigger chariot. She wanted to enter and stop seeing Darian. To her, Darian was an eyesore. A pest that must be removed.

As she was about to enter, she heard her husband say, "Stop."

She turned to face him. Lucas walked up to her. Darian was by his side.

Lucas spoke, "You can't enter there. Darian and I will ride in that chariot. You will ride in the other chariot with the children."

Ally's eyes widened in surprise. She gasped, "But my Lord, that is not how things are done."

Lucas replied, "That is how I want things to be done." He used his free hand to push Ally out of the way. Then, he helped Darian in. He entered after. The chariot sped off with some servants walking behind it. Alfred was one of the servants. Ally was left standing there. She was almost in tears.

She walked back to the smaller chariot and entered with her kids.

The servants around understood what this meant. The Lord was publicly shaming his Lady by not allowing her to ride with him.

When the chariot began moving, Ally could not help but cry. She used her small handkerchief to wipe her eyes. She resented Lucas for shaming her in public. She knew the news would spread. Some of the servants were gossips. Also, when Lucas arrived at the royal palace without her, people would immediately assume that they were not on good terms. Her friends would laugh at her and she would become a trendy topic in the palace gossip. She had done the same to others in the past, and she knew how scandalous things could turn out to be.

Jules placed his hand on his mother’s. "Why are you crying, Mommy?"

There was concern in Jordan's eyes, too.

At that moment, Ally had a masterful idea. "It is Darian. Darian humiliated your mother. He took her place beside your father in the noble chariot. My dear children, I need your help."

"Tell us, Mother," Jordan said.

"Note this, you can't carry this out alone. You must do this with the noble children in the palace today," Ally said.

Her sons nodded their heads.