The Forbidden Fruit

Demelza had not been told that I was no longer a maid until Mrs Rutherford had left. When I tried to explain this to her, she threw my uniform at me. I figured I could quickly change out of it when I was done. I saw Darius talking to his mother in the lounge and kept my head down as I passed the room. It was best if she never saw me. I walked in the kitchen to find Alejandro cooking like never before.
"Whose the big meal for?" I asked as Demelza ordered one of the kitchen stuff members to prepare some tea and warm up the scones.
"Everyone," he replied as he walked to and fro, "Grace put me in charge of choosing the wedding meal. I shall teach it to the staff and they will prepare it."
"You shall be having a reception?" I said rather shocked, "Grace spoke nothing of it."
"That may be because we decided to do so just last night actually," he said as he gave an order.
"No, firmly!" he shouted as he walked towards the young woman, "if you do not use force when kneadinf, it will not taste as nice. Sorry Elise, I am not ignoring your presence."
"No, I understand," I smiiled as I recieved the tray from Demelza. I heard George's voice in the background and the next thing I knew, he was in the kitchen. We looked at each other for a split second before I walked off.
I stopped half way when I realized I did not know where to go. Demelza sighed and said the lounge.
"I could not. Find someone else," I said as I tried to hand the tray back to her.
"I truly apologized but she specifically asked that it be you," Demelza smiled as she walked away, "best of luck child."
Self-consciously I walked into the lounge, meeting Darius' eye. It was asking me what I was doing in the room. Albert and Portia walked in as well. The two of us sat next to Darius as we watched her sip her tea, whilst Portia went to sit by her mothers side.
"Elise Crofton, older sister of Albert Crofton, daughter of a peasants who don't deserve my recognition," she said as she put her cup down and looked at me through her opera glasses, her eyes scrutinizing every part of my body, "I have every reason to believe that you are a witch."
Albert looked at me and I refrained from making any eye contact with him.
"Am I wrong?" she asked. She was serious, "unless of course if you have a reason as to why my son is doing so much for you?"
"It's because..." I said, but paused to think of a reply. My brother was still staring at me. It was unnerving.
"It is because you bewitched him," she finished the sentence for me as she broke a piece of the scone, "such an abomination. You should be stoned to death!"
"I love her," Darius confessed. There was a long silence as Albert stared at me then Darius. She coughed, evidence that she had choked on the scone, "don't be absurd, it's the dark magic speaking. Portia told me she disappears in the night. That is rather suspicious."
Darius put his hand on mine and looked at his mother, "She does so because Elise is my-"
"Betrothed!" George shouted as he entered the room, "Elise is my betrothed! She is not in her room at night because she will be with me."
Portia giggled and smirked at Darius, "hm, Darius. What were you going to say?"
Darius glared at Portia. He knew too well she was behind it all.
"I will not stand for it," he said as he looked at Darius' mother, "I will not allow you to make such accusations. I love her. Darius is a generous man. That is why he took pity on the Crofton's."
He had lied for me, but why? I wondered how much he had heard as well. I did not care however, all I could do was thank him. He had saved me.
"George?" I said as I smiled at him, "you-"
"We need to talk," he interjected as he walked out of the room. Confused I walked out, following his lead. He looked different from usual. He looked like a man who had just found out his horses had been stolen. He looked angry.