The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 20

AND AFTER THE CEREMONY, IT WAS TIME FOR THE RECEPTION.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET MY FIRST KISS TODAY...

AND I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!

I HAVE TO DISAPPEAR ONCE ELIZE ENTERS THE PICTURE...

SO I WAS SECRETLY HOPING I COULD LIVE OUT MY FANTASIES, JUST THIS ONCE!

THIS WEDDING WAS MY ONE CHANCE TO SHARE A KISS WITH EDWIN!

WHY IS SHE POUTING?

I WAS EVEN CONSIDERATE ENOUGH TO AVOID KISSING HER ON THE LIPS...

I NEED TO SPEAK TO ALBERT ABOUT SOMETHING. I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

SURE.

CHAMPAGNE, PLEASE.

OH WELL, I GUESS I'LL JUST ENJOY A FEW DRINKS.

OH MY! THERE YOU ARE, DUCHESS!

CONGRATULATIONS!

YOUR RECEPTION DRESS IS LOVELY AS WELL.

WHAT A BEAUTY YOU ARE! NO WONDER THE DUKE FELL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR YOU!

THANK YOU.

ABOUT YOUR WEDDING GOWN...

...DID YOU DESIGN IT YOURSELF, DUCHESS?

WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SO DARINGLY REVEALING AND ORNATE!

WERE THE ROSES SEWN FROM SILK?

I SUPPOSE WE CAN'T EXPECT SOMEONE WHO BECAME A DUCHESS THROUGH SUCH "UNCONVENTIONAL" MEANS...

...TO WEAR ANY OLD GOWN, LIKE A "NORMAL" LADY.

I CAN SEE HOW YOU EARNED THAT "FAMOUS" REPUTATION OF YOURS.

WOW...

OUR FIRST MEETING, AND THEIR CLAWS ARE ALREADY OUT.

THANK YOU, BUT I'M NOTHING SPECIAL.

MAY I ASK YOUR NAME, MY LADY?

APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE INTRODUCTION, DUCHESS.

MARQUESS ROSELY. PLEASED TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE.

MARQUESS ROSELY.

THE DUKE AND THE DOWAGER DUCHESS GRACIOUSLY HELPED ME DESIGN MY WEDDING GOWN.

AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEIR SUPPORT.

IT TRULY WAS A WONDERFUL GOWN, WASN'T IT?

= MY HUSBAND AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAW ARE COOL WITH IT, SO I DON'T NEED YOUR APPROVAL.

I'M PLEASED THAT YOU THINK SO HIGHLY OF MY HUSBAND'S TASTES.

O-OH MY.

TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE DRESS I HAVE ON NOW IS WHAT I WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNING TO WEAR AS MY WEDDING GOWN.

I TOLD THE DUKE I WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH THIS ONE...

BUT HE SAID IT WAS TOO PLAIN FOR ME AND INSISTED THAT I GET ANOTHER, NEW GOWN.

THAT HUSBAND OF MINE...

THIS UNBEARABLE RADIANCE! IT MUST BE ALL THE LOVE SHE GETS FROM HER HUSBAND!

WELL, EDWIN DID DEMAND I GET A NEW DRESS, SO IT ISN'T A TOTAL LIE.

MY LADY!

WHO DID YOU COMMISSION TO MAKE YOUR GOWN? WAS IT CHARLOTTE & AUDREY?

IT TRULY WAS A REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN!

COULD YOU INTRODUCE ME TO A DRESSMAKER?

I HAPPEN TO HAVE PLANS TO GET MARRIED NEXT YEAR...

A LIAR SHOULD HAVE A BIT OF TACT

EDWIN.

A DUKE SUCH AS YOURSELF SHOULD TAKE MORE INTEREST IN SOCIALIZING.

I'VE BEEN UP SINCE DAWN...

TO FULFILL ALL MY DUTIES AS A GOOD SON.

ENDING THE RECEPTION EARLY WILL REFLECT BADLY ON YOUR WIFE, YOU KNOW.

THIS IS HER CHANCE TO MAKE A LASTING FIRST IMPRESSION AS A DUCHESS.

I'D LIKE SOME ALONE TIME WITH MY BRIDE.

WH-WHAT? HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!

THAT BOY!

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S WRAPPED UP BY SUNSET.

MY LADY, PLEASE... HEY! I'M NOT DONE TALKING TO YOU!

HEY! I'M NOT DONE TALKING TO YOU!

MY SINCEREST CONGRATULATIONS, LORD ASCAR!

MY APOLOGIES, BUT WHOM MAY YOU BE?

OH DEAR, IT SEEMS I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF!

MY NAME IS EVANS BRAWRENE, MY LORD.

HIS MAJESTY AWARDED ME THE TITLE OF EARL...

BUT SINCE I AM FROM A FOREIGN LAND, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF ME.

I RUN A SMALL BUSINESS RELATED TO ART EDUCATION AND EXHIBITION.

... THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR FESTIVITIES, EARL BRAWRENE.

THE "EARL" OF "BRAWRENE"?

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME EVANS, MY LORD!

YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD A VILE SENSE OF HUMOR.

OH, I SEE.

I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU WENT OUT OF YOUR WAY TO ATTEND THIS WEDDING...

...AND I DON'T CARE TO FIND OUT.

I'M ACTUALLY MORE INTERESTED IN YOUR WIFE, YOU SEE.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

OH, PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOUR WIFE'S EXCELLENT TASTE IN ART.

WHAT ABOUT IT?

I WAS HOPING WE COULD GET ACQUAINTED.

RUB HIM THE WRONG WAY JUST ONCE, AND HE IMMEDIATELY GETS AGGRESSIVE.

I BELIEVE HER INSIGHT WILL PROVE INVALUABLE TO SOMEONE IN MY LINE OF WORK.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. GOODBYE.

HUUUH?

IF MY BUSINESS SUCCEEDS, YOUR WIFE ONLY STANDS TO BENEFIT!

NO NEED.

IF YOU TRULY VALUE YOUR WIFE...

YOU'D KNOW IT'D BE WORTH IT TO AT LEAST HEAR ME OUT.

THERE'S BEEN MUCH TALK IN HIGH SOCIETY REGARDING YOUR WIFE'S HUMBLE BACKGROUND.

YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT RUDE SINCE THE MOMENT WE MET, EARL.

MEN...

I JUST WANT TO SAY HELLO, THAT'S ALL.

WHY WON'T SHE LEAVE US ALONE?

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY SHE'D GO SO FAR AS TO DISGUISE HERSELF AS A MAN, JUST TO MEET ANRI.

IF I CAN'T SHAKE HER, MAYBE I SHOULD ARRANGE THEM TO MEET UNDER MY SUPERVISION.

YOU MAY MEET HER DURING THE DANCE.

THAT'S AS MUCH AS I'LL ALLOW.

THANK YOU, MY LORD.

BUT IF YOU INSIST ON BEING THIS STUBBORN EVEN AFTER MY WIFE HAS EXPRESSED HER DISPLEASURE...

I WON'T BE AS NICE AS I AM BEING NOW.

REST ASSURED, MY LORD!

I'M NOT THE TYPE TO BE CLINGY.

I'VE WASTED FAR TOO MUCH TIME.

I NEVER MEANT TO LEAVER HER ON HER OWN FOR THIS LONG.

I SHOULD HURRY BACK...

YOU TRULY LOVE YOUR WIFE, DON'T YOU, MY LORD?

YOU CAN'T SEEM TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF HER—

I'M NOT A PATIENT MAN, EARL BRAWRENE.

AND I'VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOUR NONSENSE.

OH MY... I APOLOGIZE IF I'VE OFFENDED YOU.

THAT BASTARD...

HE DARES TREAT ME LIKE THIS EVEN AFTER SEEING THROUGH MY DISGUISE...

BUT IT WAS WORTH COMING ALL THIS WAY.

LOOKS LIKE I FINALLY FOUND DUKE BRISTON'S SOFT SPOT.