How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 10. Apologise To My Husband

This chapter has been re-worked by Regan, we have picked up the novel from chapter 64

Gerard was a promising butler. Capable, which earned him the approval of the Duke of Bavaria. Coming from a family of foreign nobility, his manners were perfect, and he was handsome, too. He was very good at his job, and Annette had received meticulous care from him since she was a child.

But that’s it. I can’t stand by and let him be rude to my husband.

Annette bit her lips, moving to the front door. She saw Gerard standing straight, calm and graceful as always, and at once, she spotted the problem. He would never have adopted such an attitude before.

And his posture…

He looked very proud and confident, and it wouldn’t have been a problem, had he not been addressing a superior. He was speaking to none other than Marquis Raphael Carnesis, and it was disrespectful, and there was no way that Gerard would not know this basic etiquette. It could only be deliberate.

Annette frowned and walked toward the door. Raphael, who was as sensitive as a beast to his surroundings, sensed her first and glanced back. When Gerard followed his gaze and saw who was approaching, his eyes widened very slightly.

“Good morning, Marchioness of Carnesis.”

“Gerard.”

Immediately, he bowed his head to her in recognition. Apparently, his neck only bowed to members of the Bavaria family.

Raphael’s blue eyes narrowed dangerously. Maybe he would see if the butler was so stiff-necked after he had cut his head off the top of it.

Annette, who could at least guess Raphael’s mind, was stung by the violence in his eyes. Before he could do anything that could not be undone, she cleared her throat.

“Gerard, what’s going on?” She asked. “Why are you making a fuss so early in the morning?”

“I beg your pardon, madam. I came here at the Duke’s command, but was unable to complete my task without disturbance. I apologize if I have inconvenienced you in any way,” he said, politely bowing.

He no longer called Annette my lady. Well, that was the correct address, now that she was married, though since this was the first time she had seen him since the wedding, it felt a little strange.

“I’m glad you’re following your orders. Gerard, how many years have you been serving the House of Bavaria?”

“Twelve years now, Young La–I mean, Marchioness.” Gerard corrected himself belatedly, sweating. Anne’s sudden appearance was very embarrassing.

In an argument, the first one to be unbalanced was most likely to lose. Annette had already won this one.

“Twelve years! That’s long enough to have learned proper etiquette. Can you explain your attitude toward my husband, Gerard? Anyone who saw you would think you were the master of this house.”

“Madam, that was never my intention! I’m sorry, I think there is a misunderstanding, but I’m…”

Flustered, he hurried to try to save himself, but Annette was not a person who could be swayed by eloquent apologies. She was also a Bavaria. Correcting an erring employee was as natural to her as breathing.

Annette lifted her chin to confront the much taller man.

“What misunderstanding! I saw it with my own eyes! How could you be so rude to my husband? Is it that you think I am no longer your mistress anymore, now that I have married? So there is no need to show the proper respect to me or my husband?”

As she scolded him, it seemed that she was about to burst from anger and sorrow. But that was only for show. Annette knew that Gerard had not chosen to do this himself. He was an exemplary butler who would have politely entertained even commoners that came to the Bavaria house.

Gerard is probably doing this because my father ordered it.

Annette’s father Allamand was the most dreadful sort of aristocrat. Even before Annette’s marriage, he had openly snubbed Raphael for his illegitimate birth. Though half the blood in Raphael’s veins was from the king, it could never compensate for his vulgar mother, a woman of no family and unknown origin.

Allamand’s contempt continued even after Raphael became his son-in-law, and young Annette had not been strong enough or experienced enough to make peace between them. But she had never thought her father would issue such an insult.

This is so…mean! Why did you marry me off to Raphael if you never meant to accept him as your son-in-law?

Annette’s pink eyes filled with angry tears. Her father had always been cold and selfish. She glared up at Gerard, unaware of the change in Raphael’s expression behind her. And all it took was her tears to make Gerard hang his head. He had never been able to bear to hurt his young lady.

“No, madam, I beg your pardon for my rudeness. Please forgive me generously.”

“Apologize to my husband, not me.”

At her implacable command, Gerard shut his mouth. His green eyes still refused to acknowledge Raphael’s presence. He could not apologize to Raphael, against his master’s express command. Instead, he could only try to prevail on Annette to overlook it.

If you were the lady I served, you’d take my side. But if you’re just saying it…

The lady he had served, though clever, had been easily cowed. Gerard clung to that. With her husband beside her, of course she had to pretend to scold Gerard. But he had known her since she was a child. It was worth a try. Gerard swallowed.

“No, madam, I was instructed to pay a formal call by the Duke of Bavaria,” he said, in his most graceful tones. “But there seems to be a misunderstanding. My actions do not reflect any personal intentions, but the command of the Duke…”

Annette was only halfway paying attention to the excuse. Her suspicions that her father had ordered this insult were correct. Allamand must have ordered this to signal to Raphael that he would not be acknowledged as his son-in-law. Instead of allowing Raphael to think that he had married into the Bavaria family, he wanted Raphael to know that Annette had been thrown out of it.

So you are so eager to insult Raphael, you never even considered what would happen to the daughter you married to him.

Annette smiled bitterly. She couldn’t believe her father had sent a servant to insult a nobleman. This explained why Raphael was so spiteful to her. And it was not just evidence of her father’s selfishness, but proof that he did not care about her. At all.

In fact, no matter how hard Annette’s previous marriage had been, her father had always kept his distance, even to the day she died. The last time she had seen her father was her wedding day, and he had only attended that at the king’s command.

He had abandoned her.

Once she could no longer become Crown Princess, she was useless to Allemand. It should have surprised her; he was a cold-blooded Bavaria, with ice in his veins. So it was time for the abandoned daughter to make some decisions for herself.

Raphael is my husband. And now…he’s my only family.

It hurt, but it was true. She was obliged now to protect her husband. So Annette did what she hadn’t done in her previous life and lifted determined pink eyes to her former butler.

“All right, Gerard,” she said, with all her elegance. “I want to hear it from your mouth. I, too, have the blood of Bavaria in my veins. Even after marriage, I am Annette Bavaria Carnesis. Am I your mistress or not?”

Her sudden resolution was crushing. Her lofty attitude and cool eyes were every inch a Bavaria, and Gerard realized she had no intention of compromising.

“Madam was born to Bavaria, and will always be of that line. I am loyal to the House of Bavaria. I have devoted my whole life to that noble line,” he agreed, his voice quivering. He had never before gone against his young lady. From the moment little Annette had smiled at him, Gerard was defeated, and he had always given her her way.

“Good. Then please apologize to my husband, who deserves your respect.”

Annette lifted her head, her hands lightly clasping Raphael’s arm. Every line of her figure was haughty and arrogant, and Raphael was surprised that he didn’t think it was bad. He actually rather liked it.

Never in my life did I think I would see a Bavaria taking my side.

It was unbelievably strange. He had always been alone. He had had to fight his way to his current rank by himself, and he took for granted that no one would ever help him. Even his father, King Selgratis, would not have recognized him as his son if Raphael had not proved himself. That was the ruthless world that Raphael knew.

But suddenly, this woman named Annette Bavaria had appeared in this world, and she had not left him to solve the problem for himself. Instead, she had put her slender body in front of him like a shield, and even scolded her own family’s servant. She was indignantly demanding to know, how dare you disrespect my husband?

It was the first time in Raphael’s life that anyone had ever protected him.

And it was by a woman whose head didn’t even reach his shoulder. A daughter of the Bavaria family, who had despised his very existence. It was all very shocking.

What a strange woman.

Raphael glanced down at her, and then back at the butler, whose face had gone pale. It seemed this rude servant was fond of Annette. One man could easily read the heart of another.

All of Gerard’s arrogance came from the fact that he was backed by Duke Allamand Bavaria, but it was clear to Raphael that that hostility was his own. And it seemed clear where that hostility came from. Frustrated, Gerard bowed his head, and at the order of his lady, politely apologized.

“I beg your forgiveness for my rudeness, Your Excellency, Marquis Carnesis. Please forgive me.”

Raphael looked at his bowed head with cold eyes. He would have liked to make an example of this man for his insolence, but he knew if he issued such punishment to a servant of his wife’s house, he would never hear the end of it. The public would call Annette a poor victim, and him a butcher. Better to show mercy than to provoke such talk.

And above all else, he had never expected to raise her voice in support of him like this. Since she was doing her part as his wife, he was determined to do his as her husband.

“You said your name was Gerard?” He asked coolly.