"I lost Vonny in the store." The Countess muttered in a strained voice thanks to the weeping that she had engaged in earlier.

Raylene's revelation stunned both the man and child alike as they stared at her with their eyes wide open.

'Motherfu-' Yvonne coughed to stop herself from spewing the vulgarity that had come to her mind.

She gulped when she felt the aura surrounding the Earl turn dark and menacing which was the biggest indication that he was not pleased with what he had just heard.

"Explain yourself." He uttered with a neutral voice that held no warmth, unlike his usual indulging voice which he always used for his wife and children.

Yvonne was also glaring at her mother but for different reasons.

'I was under the impression that she was going to mention the conversation with Baron MacIntyre but she was crying about that incident?' She shook her head at the woman who had dug her own grave.

Yvonne was found soon after Raylene had thought that she went missing, which meant that there was no need to inform the Earl about this incident.

However, Raylene's guilt had made it impossible for her to keep mum about this and hence she had spilled the entire incident before her husband.

'I would not have tattled even if she had not mentioned this to him.' She sighed as now there was another matter that needed her attention along with the one which was already on her mind.

Rutherford remained silent as he heard the entire narration of what had taken place in Madam Norma's store.

Raylene was nervous when she saw that he had not spoken a single word even after she had completed saying her piece.

"Ruthy…" She called out as trepidation for what he might say encompassed her heart.

Rutherford did not answer her as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying his best to calm his anxiety and anger which were filling his chest.

'It's alright… Vonna has come back home safe and sound.' He repeated to himself to ensure that he would not snap at his wife who had already been through a lot today.

Though it was she who had insisted on taking their child along and it was also she who had taken her eye off the child which led to this entire fiasco, he could not bring himself to yell at her.

He had pampered his wife from the day he had married her and he was bent on fulfilling the vow he made to her father of loving her through thick and thin.

"Be careful the next time you take her outside." He reprimanded her with a stern voice which he had not used for her in a long time.

Raylene accepted his words with a nod and then glanced at her child who sat and watched their interaction in silence.

'That is all!? Aren't you a little too soft on her?' Yvonne scowled at the man who had not flipped out like she had expected him to.

She was waiting for some harsh words, a whole round of blame game, and finally a silent face-off but none of that had happened.

Instead, all she heard was the man's few words, teaching her what to do the next time they went outside.

'That was a mild reaction, I must say.' She pondered and was now sure that her father was too mild on his wife.

But Yvonne did not realize that even when Rutherford was seething in anger at the reckless behavior of his wife, he couldn't bring himself to be rude to her.

The love in his heart would not allow him to put her down in any means no matter what her mistake was.

Therefore, he followed his heart and gave her his word of advice before letting the matter go.

After all, his child was right here and he had witnessed just how guilty and sorry Raylene was for what she had done.

This made Rutherford desire to not mull over this topic any longer as it would make his wife feel worse than what she was already feeling.

Raylene's tears welled up when she heard his words which did not blame him but were respectful and cared for her feelings.

Her love for her husband grew further as she leaped into his arms and hugged him tight to express her gratitude for what he had done.

"I will never let Vonny out of my sight ever again!" She vowed and was sure to keep her promise whenever she would take her daughter out of the estate grounds.

Yvonne rolled her eyes at the couple who were once again in each other's arms and was glad that this time she was not trapped between them.

"As long as Vonny is safe…" The Earl mumbled while rubbing her back.

'I did not get to fill my stomach at that cafe.' Yvonne scoffed as she glanced at the table on which laid two trays filled with snacks for her and her mother.

The little girl had just gone back to eating the treats that were placed on the table when she heard her mother speaking up.

"Vonny was safe and she even had fun with her friends at Baron MacIntyre's cafe." Raylene mentioned as she looked up from the hug.

Rutherford furrowed his brows for a second which was how long it took his brain to connect the name he heard to the face of the said man.

An oval face filled with fat and a round belly which made it hard for the man to look down at his toes, this was the description that Rutherford had of the man in his mind.

'I seem to have had some business dealings with him in the past.' He recalled after he was sure that they were talking about the same man.

He nodded as he was least bothered about the plump and greedy man but was interested to hear more about the friends that his wife had mentioned.

"Vonny's friends?" He questioned with a hint of incredulous bewilderment laced in his voice.

The surprise on his face which was clear for Yvonne to identify made the little girl narrow her eyes at the man who had such low expectations from her.

'I can have friends if I want to!' She scowled at the man who was now scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

Rutherford was quick to glimpse at his child after he had spoken and grimaced when he saw her angry expressions.

"Yes, yes… Vonny had that friend back at our summer mansion in the fief but you aren't talking about that child, are you?" He inquired of his wife who was lost now.

Yvonne's brain comprehended the information faster and only one name has come to her mind.

'Hilda!' She deduced but scoffed as that girl was not her friend but the lead character that she needed to stay away from.

Raylene took a moment to remember that Rutherford was talking about the gardener's daughter who was a year older and had become a good friend with their Vonny during their stay in the fief.

"No, you silly Ruthy! I am talking about the daughters of Duke Brodie and Marquess Kiron." She corrected him with a smile.

'Those girls are also not my friends!!' The seething girl sneered once again but the adults were too lost in their discussions to notice her expressions.