Lord Blackwood Promised Me Death — Chapter 15

I WENT THROUGH ALL THAT TROUBLE TO BRING HER HERE...

AND SHE JUST RAN OFF WITHOUT A WORD. WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?

WOOF!

...ITS GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO, YOU LITTLE RASCAL...

...?

BRANDY.

BRANDY?

ARF!

...!

HE'S CERTAINLY FULL OF ENERGY.

HE'S AN EXCEPTIONAL HUNTING DOG WHO WINS THE HUNTING COMPETITION EVERY YEAR.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT ONCE YOU START PLAYING WITH HIM, HE SIMPLY DOESN'T KNOW WHEN TO QUIT...

HE'LL KEEP AT IT UNTIL...

...?

WHY DID HE SUDDENLY TRAIL OFF?

...IS THE WATER STILL TOO COLD?

...NO.

THEN IS SOMETHING WRONG?

...THAT'S ENOUGH PRACTICE FOR TODAY.

AND NEXT TIME, MAKE SURE YOU'RE DRESSED PROPERLY BEFORE COMING OUT.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TEACH YOU WHEN YOU'RE DRESSED LIKE THAT?

AS IF HE HADN'T DRAGGED ME OUT HERE WHILE I WAS STILL IN MY LOUNGEWEAR...

YES, MY LORD.

I'LL SEND PHILIPPA TO YOU. LEAVE THE GREEN- HOUSE WITH HER.

...IS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?

I CAN FIND MY WAY BACK MYSELF.

JUST DO AS I SAY, UNLESS YOU NO LONGER WANT THAT MUSIC BOX.

...THEN I'LL WAIT FOR PHILIPPA.

GOOD.

AND DON'T FOLLOW ME OUTSIDE. STAY HERE UNTIL SHE ARRIVES.

Brandy, Come Here!

...WHAT IS HE TRYING TO PULL THIS TIME?

LADY BELLA, THE YOUNG DUKE ASKED ME TO BRING YOU SOME CLOTHES-

GOOD HEAVENS!

H-HAVE YOU BEEN WALKING AROUND DRESSED LIKE THAT?!

PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVEN'T LEFT THE GREENHOUSE!

...??

...OH.

DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE ONLY REALIZING IT NOW...?!

DON'T FOLLOW ME OUTSIDE. STAY HERE UNTIL SHE ARRIVES.

WAS THAT WHY HE...?

AND THIS IS THE MAN THEY CALL THE GRIM REAPER WHO RUINS YOUNG MAIDENS' VIRTUE...

WHAT WAS THAT EMBARRASSINGLY PROPER REACTION SUPPOSED TO BE?

...I HAVEN'T STEPPED OUTSIDE THE GREENHOUSE.

PHEW...

THANK GOODNESS. I WAS AFRAID SOMETHING AWFUL HAD HAPPENED.

THE ONLY ONE WHO CAUSED A SCENE WAS THE YOUNG DUKE. HE PRACTICALLY THREW HIMSELF INTO THE CANAL.

I KNEW IT! HE LOOKED LIKE A DROWNED RAT!

COME ALONG. LET'S GET YOU CHANGED.

IT'S SPRING, BUT YOU CAN STILL CATCH A CHILL IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL...

...HOW STRANGE.

JUST A MOMENT AGO, I WAS DROWNING IN DESPAIR...

BUT SOMEHOW, THOSE SUFFOCATING THOUGHTS HAVE ALREADY FADED AWAY.

BY THE WAY, SALES OF THE WEEKLY MAGAZINES HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE ROOF LATELY, ALL THANKS TO THE BRIGADIER GENERAL'S ROMANTIC AFFAIRS.

I KNOW, RIGHT? SHOULDN'T I BE GETTING A CUT OF THOSE PROFITS?

They've Made Quite A Fortune Off My Face, After All.

HAHAHA! THAT'S ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS.

COME TO THINK OF IT, MY LORD, I'VE NEVER KNOWN YOU TO KEEP A WOMAN AROUND FOR VERY LONG.

EVEN IF THIS IS JUST A CASUAL ARRANGEMENT, IS THE PRINCESS THE REASON YOU'VE KEPT HER BY YOUR SIDE?

MORE LIKE SHE'S SABOTAGING EVERY WOMAN I TRY TO MEET, LIKE SOME VENGEFUL SPIRIT.

YOU'VE BEEN SEEING THIS ONE FOR QUITE A WHILE. COULD IT BE THAT YOU ACTUALLY LIKE HER?

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE WAGER? I'LL BET TWO THOUSAND THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP WON'T LAST MUCH LONGER.

MAKING BETS OVER A WOMAN'S AFFECTIONS? HOW VULGAR.

Please, Your Highness. Calm Down.

FIVE THOUSAND.

OH? AND WHAT ARE YOU BETTING ON?

THAT HE'LL ENJOY HER COMPANY FOR A WHILE, THEN LOSE INTEREST.

TYPICAL BLACKWOOD.

YOU'RE BETTING ON THE OBVIOUS OUTCOME? AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A COMMANDER?!

THEN I'LL WAGER FIVE THOUSAND THAT WILLIAM FALLS HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH HER!

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A BET!

Didn't He Just Lecture Me About Being Vulgar?

AND I'LL ADD ANOTHER FIVE THOUSAND THAT WILLIAM ENDS UP GETTING DUMPED!

CAPTAIN, I'LL SAY THIS JUST ONCE. YOU'D BETTER THINK TWICE BEFORE JOINING IN.

HE'S RIGHT. ARE YOU REALLY PREPARED TO LOSE YOUR ENTIRE FORTUNE?

WHY DISCOURAGE HIM?

THE PRINCE IS KINDLY OFFERING US A CHANCE TO WIN SOME OF HIS PRECIOUS POCKET MONEY!

LOOKS LIKE I'VE WON THIS ROUND.

WHO ON EARTH MAKES A BANK SHOT AT A MOMENT LIKE–?!

ANYWAY, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT BACKING OUT OF YOUR BET LATER.

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING AFTER MAKING A WAGER LIKE THAT?!

SETTLE DOWN...

HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE...?

WHAT AN UTTERLY RIDICULOUS THOUGHT.

ONCE BELLA WALKER HAS SERVED HER PURPOSE,

I WILL BE THE ONE TO KILL HER WITH MY OWN HANDS.