James pov

"Are you sure this was the tea house?" she asked for the fifth time as she looked around and I sighed.

The day she had married she had lost her mind. And no matter how much I tried, her mind was not ready to work anymore.

"Do you think everyone is a fool like you, Mari?"? I asked and she looked back at me with surprise, which soon turned into puffing her cheeks up.

"Can you be nice to me, brother?" she asked glaring at me and i sighed.

"Trust me, Mari. I am trying. But it is becoming harder every passing second." i replied honestly, and she looked at the other side with a Hmph!

"Beth go and book the room." she ordered as I looked around, the town had changed a lot in this one year.

"Excuse me, we want a private room for 4 people"

"Yes, sure Sir, Rachel showed them our best room."

"My lord, please this side"

I nodded as I walked towards the room but she was not following me.

"Mari, where are you going?" I asked, confused as she stared out of the window.

"Oh, I saw father going towards the store." she replied with a cheerful face which instantly made me annoyed.

"And, what does it have to do with you?" My voice was low, clearly indicating do not even think about it!

"I will come in 10 minutes, I promise. I have some business to handle there."

"Mari, it can wait. Come with me ``I ordered and she looked so disappointed that I sighed, I just could not understand what she was doing these days.

"Fine, go.. And there is no need to return. I will handle it"

She laughed mischievously as she came close to me.

"Brother, don't tell me, you want to spend some time alone with the lady" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"For Christ sake, i didn't even see the girl's portrait. Now go and come back soon.'' I was already tired of the whole conversation and she laughed and nodded. Why did I not see the humour here!!

"I will be back soon.'' With that she walked out followed by her two maids and I was left alone as I did not like servants following me everywhere like a fool.

I walked into the private room. It was spacious with the decoration of flowers and the aroma of tea was strong there, the view from the window was of a bustling city where everyone was in a hurry. It had been a year since I had seen so many people moving around freely.

I heard the door knocking and I turned back. A lady entered with a servant behind her.

But when i saw her my brows furrowed. She was looking different, her face was fairer than us and wider too. Her eyes were big and bright, there was a different charm on her face, but the innocence she had I have never seen before.

She looked at me with sudden confusion.

"I apologise sir but this room was booked by Marianne De Luca, or am i mistaken." she asked in a poised voice though i could see she was alert than before.

A smile bloomed on my lips as I saw her behaving like that.

"Yes, you are in the right room, my lady. Mari had gone out to meet someone for a minute. She would return soon. Would you like to have some tea till then? ``I asked as I gestured to her to sit but she remained standing.

For a second it felt like she was here to meet my sister but not me! Or was she afraid to meet me alone? Nodding at the possibility I decided to assure her but before I could open my mouth she spoke first.

"I have never seen you in the empire before?" her eyes were calculating as she looked at me suspiciously making me chuckle. Did she think i was a fraud? This was the first time someone had doubted me that was also a young girl!

"Ah, i apologise for the lack of introduction, my lady. I am James Essendson, the heir of Marquess Essendson, and I am commandant of the first order of knights that serves the border. I have come to the empire after serving my one year of duty there." mostly i avoid to mention my achievements much less being the heir of the business empire but i did not like the way she looked at me with doubtful eyes.

I thought my introduction would make her mesmerised like it always did. The eyes of people get filled with the spark of money and power but she stood there unperturbed, as if she did not care and this was not enough at all to gain her attention.

"How much time would she take?" she asked again, finally sitting down like a queen.

Though she was polite her eyes were filled with pride as if I was below her making me amused.

"How am i supposed to know that, my lady. I do not have psychic abilities." i chucked at the joke but she did not, she continued to look at me with pensive eyes, making me stiff.

"I apologise, but i am still waiting for your introduction my lady."

She raised a brow surprised, and her lips parted.

"You do not know who i am?"

I felt guilty for not reading her details or looking at her portrait before but her reaction was still a bit exaggerated, but since it was my mistake, i decided to apologise.

"As i said, my lady. I was not in the empire for 1 year, so my memory of noble ladies had turned a bit hazy. If you would not mind, would you please introduce yourself."

A chuckle escaped her lips which she tried to cover in a haste, i did not know why? Her laughter was like music and so as her voice.

"I am Sylvia,"