I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 31

A DEEP SCENT OF WINE.

DOES THIS WOMAN EVEN REMEMBER WHAT SHE SAID

AND WHAT SHE DID RIGHT NOW?

COME TO THINK OF IT, THIS FEELS A BIT UNFAIR.

UNFAIR...?

ONCE YOU WAKE UP, TODAY'S EVENTS...

YOU'LL FORGET THEM ALL ANYWAY.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING.

TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING WHILE SOBER

SO THAT EVEN A BRUSH OF MY FINGERTIPS LEAVES YOU WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO THINK OF ME...

HERDIN, I'M SLEEPY...

...BE PREPARED WHEN YOU WAKE UP.

WHAT DO I DO...

MY MEMORY KEEPS CUTTING OUT HERE AND THERE.

HOW DID I RETURN TO THE MANSION?

ONE THING FOR SURE IS

THAT I SHOWED AN UNSIGHTLY SIDE OF MYSELF IN FRONT OF HERDIN THAT I SHOULDN’T HAVE.

I'D RATHER NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING AT ALL.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE DRUNK SO MUCH ALCOHOL YESTERDAY...

I SHOULD LOOK HIM IN THE FACE AND APOLOGIZE PROPERLY.

HERDIN, DO YOU HAVE A MOMENT?

HELLO, MADAM.

I'M SORRY,

I WAS OUT OF IT AND FORGOT THAT IT WAS WORK HOURS.

I'LL COME BACK IN THE EVENING.

NO! IT'S FINE.

PLEASE SPEAK FREELY.

AH, BY THE WAY.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THE MATTER REGARDING MARQUIS BALDWIN'S HOUSE THEN?

IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAND THEM SOME MONEY AND WRAP IT UP QUIETLY.

JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.

BECAUSE HE ASKED FOR IT.

WON'T IT GET NOISY IF WE LEAVE IT BE?

IF YOU STUFF MONEY INTO HIS MOUTH,

HE'LL ONLY BARK LOUDER NEXT TIME.

...I SHALL FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS.

FORTUNATELY, IT SEEMS YOU DON'T HAVE A HANGOVER.

DID MARQUIS BALDWIN'S HOUSE SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YESTERDAY'S MATTER?

THERE WAS A BIT OF NOISE, BUT IT'S NOTHING FOR YOU TO WORRY ABOUT.

BECAUSE OF ME...

AND YESTERDAY... I SHOWED YOU AN UNSIGHTLY SIDE OF MYSELF.

I'M SORRY.

DO YOU REMEMBER EVERYTHING FROM YESTERDAY?

WHAT?

...I REMEMBER IT IN BITS AND PIECES.

JUST ABOUT MEETING LORD BALDWIN,

AND YOU SAVING ME.

WHAT ABOUT AFTER THAT?

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT,

AND WHAT WE DID.

WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO IT IF I WANTED TO.

DID YOU MEAN IT?

I HAVE NO LINGERING ATTACHMENTS.

I NO LONGER LONG FOR HIS LOVE,

AND SINCE I EXPECT NOTHING, I WILL NOT BE HURT EITHER.

SO I AM READY TO DISAPPEAR FROM HIS SIDE AT ANY TIME.

BUT IF I RUN AWAY FROM HERE...

IT WILL ONLY PROVE TO MYSELF THAT I STILL HAVE FEELINGS LEFT FOR HERDIN.

SO...

...I WILL PREPARE AND WAIT FOR YOU TONIGHT.

WHY...

DOES HE HAVE SUCH AN ANGRY LOOK ON HIS FACE?

I WANT TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

THEN TO THE BEDROOM...

NO, RIGHT HERE.

H-HERE...

WE CAN'T DO IT HERE.

THIS IS THE OFFICE,

AND IT'S STILL BROAD DAYLIGHT...

THIS IS MY OFFICE,

AND I WANT IT RIGHT NOW.

ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?