The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 26

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D LIVE TO SEE A MORNING LIKE THIS.

I ADMIT I GOT A BIT WORRIED WHEN YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO ON A HONEYMOON.

BUT IT'S CLEAR I HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!

A FEAST FOR THE NEWLYWEDS

OH...

I FORGOT THAT MISS CHESTER SAW US YESTERDAY.

THANK YOU... FOR GOING THROUGH ALL THIS TROUBLE.

YOU SHOULD RELAX AND GET PLENTY OF REST TODAY. I'M SURE YOU'RE TIRED.

BESIDES, YOUR DAYS ARE ONLY ABOUT TO GET MORE BUSY FROM NOW ON.

TH-THANK YOU...

THAT TRUSTING FACE! SHE DOESN'T SUSPECT A THING!

NOW THAT SHE THINKS WE'VE SPENT THE NIGHT TOGETHER, SHE'S PROBABLY ALREADY COUNTING HER GRANDKIDS!

I'M SORRY, MY LADY...

...BUT THE ONLY THING YOUR SON GAVE ME LAST NIGHT WAS A CHANCE TO FINALLY GET SOME GOOD SLEEP!!

I'M SO SORRY WE HAVE TO DECEIVE YOU, MY LADY!!!

THAT REMINDS ME...

EDWIN WAS ALREADY GONE WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING.

I WONDER IF HE'LL BE WILLING TO DO THE SAME FOR THE OTHER NIGHTS WE AGREED TO SPEND TOGETHER.

OH, DID YOU ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH EVERYONE YESTERDAY?

YES, I WAS INTRODUCED TO ALL THE LADIES IN OUR DISTRICT...

AND MANY FROM THE CAPITAL AS WELL.

THAT'S GOOD.

WE SHOULD PLAN A GARDEN PARTY TO REALLY SOLIDIFY YOUR NEW SOCIAL TIES.

SHE'S RIGHT.

A DUCHESS LIKE ME, WHO HAS NO CONNECTIONS AT THE CAPITAL...

...SHOULD JOIN SOCIAL CLUBS FOR UPPER-CLASS LADIES IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A GOOD SOCIAL STANDING.

WELL, I'M ONLY PLANNING ON BEING A DUCHESS FOR THREE YEARS, SO THAT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARY...

...BUT SINCE MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IS BEING SO NICE, I FEEL OBLIGED TO PLAY ALONG.

AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN A GOOD CONNECTION MIGHT COME IN HANDY!

I THINK SOMETIME WITHIN THIS MONTH MIGHT BE GOOD.

EDWIN, COULD YOU PLAN TO BE HERE FOR THE PARTY?

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS STOP BY.

WHY? AFTER YESTERDAY, I'M SURE THAT NO ONE WILL QUESTION THAT ANRI IS MY WIFE...

...AND THE DUCHESS OF BRISTON.

WE'VE ONLY HAD THE WEDDING.

THAT ISN'T ENOUGH TO SATE EVERYONE'S CURIOSITY ABOUT ANRI.

IF YOU TRULY LOVE YOUR WIFE, YOU WOULDN'T MIND SETTING ASIDE TEN MINUTES FOR HER.

HE CALLED ME "ANRI"...

IT'S A LITTLE EMBARRASSING TO HEAR HIM CALL ME JUST BY MY NAME...

OH.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE DAY, MY LADY?

I'M PLANNING ON HAVING A CHAT WITH LADY DILLIS IN THE GREENHOUSE.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GREENHOUSE IN THE KINGDOM, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ASK.

I'D LOVE TO!

ANRI.

Y-YES, MY LORD?

YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US.

COULD I HAVE A MOMENT OF YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON?

YES, OF COURSE!

DON'T FILL UP ON BREAD (1)

HE SET ASIDE SUCH A HUGE PIECE OF LAND JUST FOR HIS HORSES.

I CAN SEE WHY THEY CALL THIS "THE GRAND HORSE PARK"!

IS THIS WHY YOU ASKED TO SEE ME TODAY?

I MISSED YOU

I THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE HOW MARILYN WAS DOING.

BRISTON'S COACHMAN

I HEARD FROM JEFFREY...

THAT KIRISTAN HAS BEEN HELPING MARILYN ADJUST TO LIFE IN HER NEW HOME.

YOU SURE LOOK HAPPY, MARILYN.

ANYONE CAN SEE THAT THESE TWO ARE IN LOVE.

WHAT A RELIEF...

I'M SO GLAD THAT MARILYN IS HAPPY HERE.

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AFTER MARILYN, KIRISTAN.

THESE TWO PULLED MY BRIDAL CARRIAGE...

SNIFF SNIFF GOT ANY SUGAR CUBES?

...BUT I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO THANK THEM.

WELL, YOU'VE BEEN BUSY SINCE YOU GOT HERE, MY LADY.

BESIDES, THESE TWO ARE NEWLYWEDS TOO.

SO I'M SURE THEY APPRECIATED HAVING TIME TO THEMSELVES.

WAIT FOR ME, DARLING!

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE WATCHING MY SON AND HIS OVERBEARING WIFE?

IF YOU'VE GOT NO SUGAR, I'M LEAVING.

MY LORD.

YES?

IT'S FINE IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE ADDRESSING ME...

...SIMPLY AS "ANRI."

THIS SORT OF THING IS BEST KEPT SIMPLE, AFTER ALL.

WILL YOU DO THE SAME FOR ME, THEN?

HUH?

HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP ADDRESSING YOUR HUSAND AS "MY LORD"?

THAT SMILE OF HIS REALLY DOES A NUMBER ON A GIRL'S HEART...!

FOR ALL HER SASS, SHE'S JUST A TEENAGE GIRL WITH NO DATING EXPERIENCE.

WELL...

SORRY, BUT I THINK I'M GOOD WITH "MY LORD," FOR NOW.

I SEE.

WHATEVER YOU SAY, ANRI.

I-IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU MAKE ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE OR ANYTHING!

I JUST... GET A LITTLE SHY, THAT'S ALL.

I GUESS I'LL TRY HARDER TO WIN YOU OVER, THEN.

MY LORD...

I WAS PLANNING ON TAKING A TRIP TO THE CAPITAL THIS WEEKEND.

COULD YOU PERHAPS ACCOMPANY ME?

I WANT TO BUY SOMETHING FOR MY SISTER EUNICE TO THANK HER FOR THE WEDDING PRESENT SHE GAVE ME.

AND I WANT TO PICK IT OUT MYSELF.

ALRIGHT. I'LL CLEAR SOME TIME—

MY LORD!

I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT...

...BUT YOU RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE PALACE, AND I THOUGHT IT'D BE BEST TO DELIVER IT TO YOU RIGHT AWAY.

I ONLY JUST GOT MARRIED YESTERDAY. CAN'T THEY GIVE ME A BREAK?

THE PALACE?

AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE YOUR STALLION'S FINE LINEAGE...

I'M SORRY, ANRI.

BUT I'M AFRAID I WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMPANY YOU TO THE CAPITAL THIS WEEKEND.

IT SEEMS I'LL BE HEADING TO THE PALACE TO TALK HIS MAJESTY OUT OF SOMETHING.