Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"You should not be standing out for long, my lady." said Reynold with a hint of worry in his voice as he stared at Evan who was still waving her hands when the carriage had already gone far.

"Reynold, I am not a lady now. You can call me Evangeline like others." she smiled at the young man. They could have been friends but she did not get the chance to talk to him again.

But that did not mean that she had forgotten about his kindness.

"You will always be a lady for me!" he said in a solemn voice as if he was taking an oath that brought a smile to her face.

"Alright, i will not impose you then." she bowed her head a bit just like a formal greeting while holding her belly from one hand. "Are you not coming in with me?"

He was still standing like a statue on the door while she had opened the door.

The man looked surprised as if he was not expecting the answer when she raised a brow.

"Were you expecting to stand out in this chilly weather?" she asked with a frown, "since you are protecting me, you should stay with me in the house."

The eyes of Reynold widened and he shook his head hard.

"How could I even think about it, my lady!" her husband had just left and if he, an adult man, would follow her in, would she not be in the scrutinizing gaze of everyone.

"I am fine here. The weather is not that cold and I should guard the door instead of you." he said in a tone full of righteousness that she shook her head.

"You are coming with me. Since you are only assigned to protect me." she started but saw that he did not look convinced, "what if i fall from the stairs or need a thing from the upper shelf and use the stool to get it but lose my balance?"

Her voice looked scared that he seriously analyzed the situations in his mind and it was indeed scary.

She did not have any maid since Jenna left with Leo to carry the gifts and his highness William would already be sleeping due to his medical schedule.

He took a deep breath and nodded with a helpless face but he still felt awkward to follow her in the house.

She walked in and warmed the soup Jenna had prepared for them.

"Here!" she gave one bowl to him and sat on the other chair of the dining table with a bowl in her hands.

He could not refuse her goodwill so he only thanked and sat there.

"So, how is the training going?" she asked when he smiled,

"It is going fine, my lady. Since there is no chance to start the war again. We have been assigned in the different parts of the empire to protect the commoners and stop crime now." his voice got a bit excited when he talked about work that it instinctively brought a smile on her face too.

"I hope Leo did not give you a tough time." she asked when the smile on the face of the young man dimmed.

"Is there some problem, Reynold?" she asked with a hint of worry, as his face fell as soon as he heard about Leo.

"That.. lord Leo is not working with us anymore. He had been assigned to work in the palace under the direct command of his majesty." That surprised her! Leo never told her about the change in shifts and duties.

"I have heard that soon his majesty is going to ask him to be an all time guard for him." to treat the real heir of the thorn that way, Evan felt a surge of anger. Her grip on the spoon tightened so much that Reynold regretted telling her.

"But lord Leo had refused. He is standing on his grounds as the head of the knights who did not work directly under his majesty but for the empire. I am sure that there is no one that could force lord Leo to follow their orders." he tried to cheer her but she knew that.

She passed him a small smile and nodded her head but he could feel the difference in her mood.

Dumb man! How could you worry about a pregnant lady?

"I am sure with your love, you should trust him. He could do anything for you, my lady." she finally smiled and nodded her head.

"But I am glad that you are having a better life." she said earnestly as she looked at him, "it is a shame that we did it get more chances to meet. We could have been good friends." he chuckled at that thought.

He would have proposed to her then. She was so kind and gentle. And when that beauty was mixed. He could not have taken his eyes away from her.

He knew Leo was aware that was the reason he never brought Evan back to the training ground again.

"But it is fine! I will have a good friendship with your future wife. Who knows our kids would play together!" said the lady with a smile as she took another sip from her bowl.

Reynold just chuckled softly though his face turned bitter. How in the world was he going to find a girl much less.. He shook his head at the thought.

The warmth from the soup was not enough to make him feel better.

"I am just glad that I met you, Lady Evangeline." he said as he looked back at her, "i do not know if our kids would be friends. But I promise you that I will take care of your child and protect her well."

She smiled warmly as she nodded.

"As long as you will be her knight, I am sure she will never be hurt. But I still hope to see you with your own kids."