I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 14

YOUR GRACE!

I FEAR HER GRACE HAS MISUNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION.

LINA FAILED TO CARRY OUT THE DUTIES ASSIGNED TO HER, SO WE MERELY REPRIMANDED HER.

BUT INSTEAD OF REFLECTING ON HER MISTAKES, SHE RESPONDED WITH AN ARROGANT ATTITUDE AND--

I DON'T RECALL ASKING FOR YOUR EXPLANATION.

I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF DISCIPLINING THEM.

THESE MAIDS HAVE BEEN DELIBERATELY MISTREATING LINA AND TREATING HER LIKE AN OUTCAST.

A-AS IF TELLING HIM WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WILL MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE...

HIS GRACE WOULD NEVER SIDE WITH THE DAUGHTER OF HIS SWORN ENEMY.

SHE SHOULD KNOW THAT BETTER THAN ANYONE!

THE FAULT LIES WITH ME FOR FAILING TO PROPERLY MANAGE MY STAFF.

WHAT?!

THESE MAIDS WILL BE DISMISSED FROM THEIR POSITIONS AT ONCE.

BUT YOUR GRACE...!

Y-YOUR GRACE! I'M TRULY FINE.

THEY MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE CARRIED AWAY, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY MEANT ANY REAL HARM. SOMETIMES THESE THINGS HAPPEN WHILE PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER.

ISN'T THAT SO, YOUR GRACE...?

WHILE I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER...

AND WHILE I REMAIN DEEPLY UPSET BY WHAT TRANSPIRED, I BELIEVE DISMISSAL WOULD BE TOO SEVERE A PUNISHMENT.

SHOULD THEY BE TURNED OUT OF THIS HOUSEHOLD IN DISGRACE, THEIR PROSPECTS ELSEWHERE WOULD BE GREATLY DIMINISHED.

I ASK ONLY THAT THEY OFFER LINA A SINCERE APOLOGY AND THAT HALF OF THEIR WAGES BE WITHHELD THIS MONTH AS PUNISHMENT.

FORGIVE US, YOUR GRACE!

WE ACTED FOOLISHLY AND BEHAVED IN A DISGRACEFUL MANNER.

WE HUMBLY BEG FOR YOUR MERCY.

ENOUGH. IT IS NOT MY FORGIVENESS YOU SHOULD BE SEEKING, BUT THAT OF THE DUCHESS AND HER MAID.

INFORM MASON THAT THESE MAIDS ARE TO FORFEIT THEIR WAGES FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

HERDIN...

I BELIEVE THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT.

YOUR GRACE, IT IS TIME WE WERE ON OUR WAY.

INDEED. LET US GO.

I SHALL SEE YOU WHEN I RETURN.

"THIS WOMAN IS MY WIFE. YOU WILL SHOW HER THE RESPECT SHE IS DUE, AND YOU WILL ENSURE NOTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN."

IT WAS A WARNING. A REMINDER TO EVERYONE PRESENT OF MY PLACE AS THE DUCHESS OF THIS HOUSEHOLD.

HERDIN BELIEVED ME.

SO WHY IS IT THAT...

...INSTEAD OF FEELING GRATEFUL, I FEEL STRANGELY HOLLOW?

THIS SHOULD HELP. I'D HATE FOR HER GRACE'S DELICATE HAND TO END UP BRUISED.

HONESTLY, WHAT WAS SHE THINKING...?

SHE'S NEVER HAD TO DO ANYTHING SO ROUGH WITH THOSE HANDS, AND YET SHE WENT AND STRUCK SOMEONE...

I'M SORRY, LINA.

I SHOULD'VE REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING SOONER...

I'M SO, SO SORRY...

YOUR GRACE, IT'S ME! I'M COMING IN FOR A MOMENT.

I BROUGHT SOME COLD WATER FOR YOUR HAND--

Y-YOUR...

YOUR HIGHNESS?!

NO! YOU CAN'T!

LINA, WAIT!

IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO--

NO! I'M NOT LETTING GO!

IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO THROW YOURSELF OFF, THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE ME WITH YOU!

THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M--

NO! I'M NOT LISTENING TO ANOTHER WORD UNTIL YOU'RE SAFELY BACK ON THIS SIDE!

QUICKLY! LET ME HELP YOU BACK OVER!

LINA, CALM DOWN AND LOOK AGAIN.

I WAS TRYING TO SNEAK OUT, SO I WAS GOING TO CLIMB DOWN WITH THAT.

THERE'S NO NEED TO CRY.

W-WHAT?

Y-YOUR GRACE, THAT'S STILL AN INCREDIBLY RECKLESS THING TO DO! WHAT IF YOU HAD SLIPPED AND GOTTEN HURT?

WE'RE ONLY ON THE SECOND FLOOR, AND THE SHRUBS BELOW WOULD'VE SOFTENED THE FALL.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH. SO YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY.

HER HIGHNESS MAY LOOK EVERY BIT THE PROPER NOBLE LADY...

...BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, SHE COMES UP WITH THE MOST ALARMING IDEAS.

VERY WELL... AND WHERE, EXACTLY, WERE YOU PLANNING TO SNEAK OFF TO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?

WAIT A MOMENT... ISN'T THIS THE GUILD DISTRICT?

IT'S THE BUILDING UP AHEAD.

I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY.

YOUR GRACE, IF YOU'RE NOT BACK IN THIRTY MINUTES, I'M COMING IN AFTER YOU.

I MEAN IT!

THE RIVELUS GUILD.

THEY SAY NO OTHER ORGANIZATION CAN RIVAL THEM WHEN IT COMES TO INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION.

SINCE HERDIN INTENDS TO FIND A NEW HYPNOTIST, I WON'T NEED TO RECOVER MY MEMORIES FOR THE TIME BEING.

WHICH MEANS I CAN USE THIS TIME TO BEGIN PREPARING FOR MY DIVORCE.

WELL NOW, EVEN WITH THAT HOOD HIDING YOUR FACE, I CAN TELL YOU'RE A BEAUTY.

SO WHAT'S A PRETTY LITTLE THING LIKE YOU DOING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS?