The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 17

BY THE POWER INVESTED IN ME BY OUR GOD...

...I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU MAN AND WIFE.

YOU MAY NOW KISS THE BRIDE.

STOP!!

YOU SNEAKY LITTLE RAT...

HOW DARE YOU STEAL FROM ME?

HERE, WHY DON'T YOU...

...TRY TAKING A SWING FROM MY SWORD, AS WELL?!

AH...

PHEW...

I'VE BEEN HAVING THE SAME NIGHTMARE FOR DAYS NOW...

MAYBE I'M JUST STRESSED ABOUT THE WEDDING?

WHY DO I KEEP DREAMING ABOUT THIS...?

MY FIRST KISS, AND IT'LL BE WITH THE EDWIN ASCAR.

JUST THINKING ABOUT IT IS MAKING ME BLUSH...

I KNOW IT WAS JUST A DREAM...

BUT DID IT HAVE TO BE SO SCARY?!?

ELIZE...

IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN AVOID HER TILL MY CONTRACT WITH EDWIN ENDS?

ARE YOU ALRIGHT, MY LADY?

YOU LOOK RATHER UNWELL.

I'M FINE. I'VE JUST GOT A LOT OF THINGS ON MY MIND...

WITH THE WEDDING AND ALL.

YOU'RE LOOKING PRETTY TIRED YOURSELF, ANAIS.

DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT FIXING MY DRESS.

I THOUGHT YOUR ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS PLENTY—

NO!!

YOU ONLY GET ONE WEDDING DRESS! I NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S PERFECT!

ALTHOUGH I STILL CAN'T SEEM TO COME UP WITH A NEW DESIGN...

I'M REALLY FINE WITH WHATEVER.

HMM...

THEN, HOW ABOUT THIS?

SINCE WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE A NEW DRESS, LET'S REMOVE THE ADORNMENTS FROM THE BODICE OF THE OLD ONE...

AND FOCUS ON MAKING THE SKIRT FANCIER.

LIKE A MODERN WEDDING DRESS!

I'LL TRY THAT, MY LADY. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I'M SURE IT'LL TURN OUT GREAT.

A LIAR SHOULD HAVE A BIT OF FLAIR (2)

IT'S THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING...

AND MY FATHER WILL BE ARRIVING WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE HIMSELF.

GOT MY NEW CHARLOTTE & AUDREY DRESS ON, I BET CANDICE WILL BE SO JEALOUS.

WHAT WAS THAT FOOTMAN'S NAME, AGAIN?

LOUIS!

YES, MY LADY.

HAS VISCOUNT WENTWORTH ARRIVED YET?

HE HAS, MY LADY. I SHOWED HIM TO THE PARLOR.

THANK YOU, LOUIS!

N-NO PROBLEM AT ALL, MY LADY.

YOU LOOK... QUITE STRIKING TODAY.

OH MY

LOUIS HOWARD.

ALBERT.

JUST WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TEACHING THE FOOTMEN?

A SERVANT SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO MAKE SUCH IMPROPER REMARKS.

MY APOLOGIES, MY LORD.

GET OUTTA HERE.

IT WAS NOTHING. WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY?

DO I SEEM ANGRY TO YOU?

YES.

WELL, I'M NOT.

LIAR. YOU ARE, AREN'T YOU?

LET'S PROCEED TO THE PARLOR. THE VISCOUNT MUST BE WAITING.

THIS WAY, MY LADY

IT'S ONLY MORNING, AND HE'S ALREADY GRUMPY.

ANRIETTE!

MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER!

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? FOUR MONTHS?

I KNOW YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD QUITE THE INDEPENDENT STREAK...

BUT DON'T YOU THINK YOU SHOULD'VE AT LEAST DISCUSSED YOUR MARRIAGE PLANS WITH ME?

WHEN WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT? YOU'RE NEVER HOME!

I-I CAN'T BREATHE, FATHER.

YOU SURE MADE IT HERE QUICKLY.

OF COURSE! I WOULDN'T MISS YOUR WEDDING!

PLEASURE TO MEET YOU AGAIN...

...VISCOUNT WENTWORTH.

DUKE BRISTON! I BELIEVE WE'VE MET IN PARLIAMENT.

I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT CONTACTING YOU SOONER.

NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE! WHAT'S DONE IS DONE.

I SHOULD MENTION THAT MY ANRI HAS SPENT HER ENTIRE LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE...

SO I'M NOT SURE SHE'LL BE READY TO TAKE THE ROLE OF A DUCHESS.

NOT THAT I'D EVER TURN DOWN A CHANCE TO FORM AN ALLIANCE WITH THE GREAT HOUSE OF BRISTON!

YOU'RE TOO MODEST, MY LORD.

YOUR DAUGHTER IS CLEVER AND KIND, AND I'M SURE SHE'LL BE A FINE DUCHESS.

I SEE...

IT DOES MAKE ME FEEL BETTER TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT, DUKE BRISTON.

ANRIETTE.

I KNOW IT'S LATE BUT CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT, MY LITTLE CHICK.

HMPH, WHY'S HE TRYING TO ACT LIKE A FATHER AFTER ALL THIS TIME?

THANK YOU.

FATHER!

DON'T BE TOO SAD, FATHER. YOU STILL HAVE ME AND EUNICE!

LOOKS LIKE ANRI'S ALREADY ACTING THE PART OF A DUCHESS.

GOOD FOR YOU, FATHER.

CANDICE IS EVEN WILLING TO PUT OFF HER OWN MARRIAGE SO SHE CAN KEEP CARING FOR YOU INTO YOUR OLD AGE.

THAT LITTLE...!

I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO ANRI ABOUT A FEW THINGS...

BUT SHE FEELS SO FAR AWAY NOW, SOMEHOW...

WILL IT STILL BE ALRIGHT FOR ME TO STOP BY HER ROOM LATER...?

EUNICE?

EUNICE! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.

COME ON IN!