My Idiotic Protector – Part 4

By: Ghostwriter

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Serena screamed. Suddenly, her fatal descent halted abruptly.

Her screams caught the attentions of the patrolling guards to her. She was still screaming when they arrived. (Ghostwriter: Well, what do you expect if you're twelve feet above the ground and you start to fall?) 'Miss Serena!' the captain cried in horror.

Serena stopped screaming immediately at the captain's shout. I'm not dead yet, she thought dazedly as she felt the rope being lowered to the ground slowly along with her. She looked up to see a tall figure at her balcony.

It was the unmistakable figure of Darien Shields.

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            'Will you please stop being childish and start using your head?' His Grace roared at his daughter. He was in deep sleep before a frightened maid had pounded on the door leading to his bedchambers, to inform him that his daughter had tried to runaway and nearly broke her neck in the process.

            Serena bit her lip defiantly and glanced at her stoic bodyguard from the corner of her eye. His face was as blank as possible.

            'Now, darling,' Lady Stradtfield said soothingly. 'Serena is just going through a phase which…'

            'A phase?' her husband shouted. 'She has been going through this phase for the past four years!'

            To Darien, Lord Stradtfield could not have looked more comical than he did now. His hair was askew and he was clad in a loose nightclothes. He commanded hundreds of people who all jumped to fulfill his slightest desire. He possessed more wealth and importance than a normal man can accumulate in ten lifetimes.

            But he can't control this hoyden of a daughter that hasn't seen Society for the last two years.

            Darien could fully understand Lord Stradtfield's dilemma. As the Duke of Moonhaven, he cannot possible lock his daughter away from Society forever. However, Serena, in her present behavior, cannot possibly be presented to Society. He had heard, from his travels, of how she had remarked on Lady Ashton's hypocrisy. Although Serena was beautiful enough to put the moon to shame, her naivety and straightforwardness will make her the laughing stock of Society, which was known for it's subtle insults and corrupted morals.

            'And it's getting late. Mr. Shields must be extremely tired from his activities. Let us all retire, and we will settle this in the morning,' Lady Stradtfield persuaded her husband.

            Lord Stradtfield glared at Serena before turning to Darien. 'Go find her maid to sleep in her room tonight. Do not let her out of your sight once the sun rises,' he snapped before striding out of the room. His wife sighed and followed him out.

            Serena could not bear her curiosity any longer. 'How did you manage to get to my balcony so fast?'

            Darien could not resist a small smile. 'I am a light sleeper. No doubt your screams can waken the dead.'

            'How did you get there so fast?' Serena insisted.

            'I was sleeping in the bedchamber adjourned to your room,' he said coolly.

            'What?'

            'I was shown to that bedchamber earlier this evening,' he informed her. 'Your father seemed to know his daughter well. He predicted you might try to pull a little stunt tonight,' he finished with in an amused voice.

            Serena flushed red. Not only did her plan fail miserably, she had made a total fool of herself and owes her life to this man. Again.

            'Why did you take this job on?' she asked curiously. 'Surely you have better things to do than to play chaperone to an immature eighteen year old girl??'

            Darien shrugged. 'Money,' he said with indifference. 'Your father is paying me a lot of money to look after you.'

            Serena's eyes lighted. 'If I give you enough money, will you leave?' she asked hopefully.

            'No,' he said firmly, preparing to go and find Molly, to inform her of his grace's wishes.

            'Why not?' Serena persisted. 'Name me a price and I'll pay you. If its money you want, I can give you,' she said.

            'Money is not the only thing I want,' Darien told her baldly. 'Your dear father is a man of great consequences. To be in his favor gives me power.'

            'So, you are just like other men, willing to play lady's maid just to satisfy your craving for power,' she said scornfully.

            'One can put it that way,' he replied, without a hint of emotion in his voice.

            Serena walked away stiffly down the hallway. She turned back and said in a voice filled with contempt, 'I despise men like you.' With that, she walked off to her bedchambers.

            Outwardly, Darien showed no signs of emotion. But deep within him, he felt hurt. But there was also a surge of pride, to know that Serena isn't like the other women he had met. Grinning softly to himself, he went to see Molly.

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            'For the next few days, everywhere Serena went, Darien was bound to be there. He rode with her, ate with her and studied with her. He was present, even when she was having her 'ladies' lessons. Serena could have sworn he smiled when she tried to sew.

            'Ouch,' she said as she pricked herself again with the needle. She had spent the whole morning sitting there, trying to do some embroidery. Darien sat at the other end of the room, reading his paper with his usual air of detachment. He looked so handsome, now that he is properly attired.

            He is not handsome at all! Serena scolded herself. Andrew is so much more handsome, she thought with a smile as the image of the handsome blonde youth flash across her mind.

            'Thinking about your knight in shining armor, my lady?' Darien asked, turning the page.

            Serena felt herself go red. 'I certainly was not,' she retorted primly. 'Females today to not necessary need men. In fact, I plan to spend the rest of my life alone,' she declared.

            Darien looked at her with amusement. 'You might want to take back your words when you see what London has to offer.'

            'London?' Serena asked, startled.

            'Yes. London,' Darien repeated. 'Located somewhere between…'

            'I know where London is,' Serena snapped. 'But what do you mean by "you might want to take back your words when you see what London has to offer"?' she mimicked him.

            'Your father has decided to repair us your Aunt Rowena next week,' Darien informed her. 'Rumors has it that she is planning to introduce you formally to Society the coming Little Season.'

            'Introduce me?' Serena looked at him confused by his words.

            'Yes, you'll be a debutante this season. If you're lucky, no man will offer for you. After all, not many people have known the real you,' he remarked snidely. 'But then again, not many can withstand the attraction of the Moonhaven fortune,' he added grimly.

            'The London Season,' Serena said with awe. No matter how she behaves, she is still a young girl, filled with hopes and dreams and romantic notions.

            They lapse into silence once more.

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All Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Heyz…

This time, I did not take such a long while to update, right? So I guess everyone's happy. And yup, no cliffhangers in this chapter.

So I guess that's it….Yeah…MAIL!!! REVIEWS!!!! DON'T YOU DARE NOT REVIEW ME.

Ghoswriter.