The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 27

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.

TALK HIS MAJESTY OUT OF SOMETHING,,?

IT'S NOTHING SERIOUS.

LET THEM KNOW I'LL BE THERE.

YES, SIR.

SURE...

WHY CAN'T HE TELL ME, IF IT'S REALLY NOTHING SERIOUS?

IF I TELL HER THAT THE KING IS AFTER KIRISTAN, IT'LL ONLY UPSET HER.

HIS MAJESTY HAS BEEN ASKING FOR SOMETHING OF MINE...

...AND I MUST GO TO THE PALACE TO REFUSE HIM IN PERSON.

AT THE MOMENT, I'VE GOT NO PLANS TO BREED KIRISTAN WITH ANY OTHER MARES.

NOT ONLY DO I WANT TO AVOID GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY...

KIRISTAN IS HEAD OVER HEELS FOR MARILYN AND PROBABLY WON'T COOPERATE ANWAY.

IT'LL JUST BE A HUGE WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME.

HE SEEMS GENUINELY DISPLEASED ABOUT HAVING TO GO TO THE PALACE.

I WONDER WHAT THE KING ASKED FOR, TO IRRITATE HIM THIS MUCH.

ANRI...

DOES YOUR TRIP TO THE CAPITAL HAVE TO BE THIS WEEKEND?

HOW ABOUT RESCHEDULING IT FOR A DATE THAT'S CONVENIENT FOR BOTH OF US?

NO, THERE'S NO NEED FOR THAT.

IT'S JUST BE A QUICK TRIP, AFTER ALL!

DON'T FILL UP ON BREAD (2)

DUCHESS BRISTON!

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!

HMM?

WHAT'S THAT?

BELLGRAVIA A MAGAZINE ON HIGH CULTURE AND THE ARTS

IT'S A PUBLICATION DEVOTED TO HIGH CULTURE AND THE ARTS...

...BUT IT'S ALSO A SOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST GOSSIP...

WHICH IS WHY IT'S ENJOYED BY LADIES OF ALL SOCIAL SPHERES AND CLASSES.

THEY OFTEN INCLUDE ARTICLES ON THE FINE ARTS...

...BUT THE VIEWS THEY EXPRESS ARE RATHER SHALLOW, AND WITHOUT SCHOLARLY MERIT.

DID SOMETHING CATCH YOUR EYE?

THERE'S AN ARTICLE ABOUT YOU!

IT'S ABOUT YOUR WEDDING!

OH?

THE VISCOUNT'S DAUGHTER CAPTIVATED THE DUKE WITH HER... BOLDNESS.

I NEVER IMAGINED THAT MY DRESS WOULD CAUSE SUCH A SENSATION!

LOOK!

BUT I SUPPOSE IT MAY SEEM QUITE REVOLUTIONARY TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS ERA.

I WAS AFRAID PEOPLE WOULD BE OFFENDED BY HOW BOLD IT WAS, SO THIS IS A PLEASANT SURPRISE.

I DIDN'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO RESPOND SO POSITIVELY.

I FEEL RATHER GUILTY, SINCE I REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH...

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!

YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH THE DESIGN, MY LADY!

AND WHO ELSE BUT YOU COULD HAVE PULLED OFF THIS GOWN SO WELL?!

OH...

YOU LOOKED LIKE A MYTHICAL NYMPH!

THANK YOU.

BUT I REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH AT ALL...

I'M A LITTLE EMBARRASSED BY ALL THIS FLATTERY...

I FORGOT THAT I HAD SOMETHING TO DO TODAY!

BONITA.

YES, MY LADY.

COULD YOU CALL MISS CHESTER FOR ME, PLEASE?

THE WOLF PACK THAT PREYS ON LADIES IN CARRIAGES

DUCHESS BRISTON, PLEASE...

SERVING THE TEA SHOULD BE MY JOB.

OH COME ON, I CAN MANAGE TO POUR A CUP OF TEA ON MY OWN.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HELP YOU'VE GIVEN ME.

HERE, I HOPE THE TEA IS TO YOUR LIKING.

IS SHE TRYING TO PUNISH ME FOR REPORTING WHAT I SAW ON HER WEDDING NIGHT TO THE DOWAGER DUCHESS?

WHY ELSE WOULD SHE INSIST ON MAKING ME BREAK THE RULES BY SITTING HERE AS HER EQUAL...?

NO NEED FOR THANKS, MY LADY. I ONLY DID WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF ME AS THE HEAD MAID.

I KNOW, BUT I STILL WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE.

THIS IS... A LOVELY CUP OF TEA, MY LADY.

WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THAT BOX?

I'VE ARRANGED FOR THE STAFF TO RECEIVE A SMALL BONUS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING IN LATELY.

THE MANOR EMPLOYS A TOTAL OF 157 PEOPLE, AM I RIGHT?

THE ENVELOPES HAVE ALREADY BEEN LABELED, SO ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS HAND THEM OUT.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S ONE FOR YOU TOO, MISS CHESTER.

M-MY LADY!

YOU'RE BEING FAR TOO GENEROUS...!

YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS A LITTLE BRIBE, IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER.

A LITTLE INCENTIVE FOR YOUR LOYALTY AND CONTINUED EXCELLENT SERVICE.

!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DUCHESS BRISTON.

OH...

BUT NOW THAT I THINK OF IT...

ONE OF THE FOOTMEN QUIT THE DAY BEFORE YOUR WEDDING, SO WE ONLY HAVE 156 EMPLOYEES AT THE MOMENT.

OH DEAR, WHO WAS IT?

I MUST HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY TO NOTICE.

HIS NAME WAS LOUIS HOWARD. HE WAS RECOMMENDED FOR ANOTHER JOB.

LOUIS HOWARD?

Y-YOU LOOK QUITE STRIKING TODAY.

I REMEMBER HIM! HE WAS SUCH A NICE FELLOW!

WHAT WAS HIS REASON FOR LEAVING?

HIS REASON...?

THE DUKE RECOMMENDED HIM FOR HIS NEW POST.

APPARENTLY, A BARON AT THE CAPITAL HAD AN OPENING FOR A BETTER POSITION...

AND THE DUKE PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED LOUIS FOR THE JOB.

YAY, MORE MONEY!

A VERY HAPPY LOUIS

EDWIN WROTE A PERSONAL LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION? FOR A FOOTMAN?

EXCUSE ME, MY LORD.

DID YOU HAVE DINNER YET?

YES, I TOOK A SIMPLE MEAL IN MY OFFICE.

THAT'S GOOD.

I GOT A BIT LONELY DINING ALL BY MYSELF, SO I THOUGHT I MIGHT DROP BY.

STARTING TOMORROW...

I'LL BE SURE TO TAKE MY MEALS IN THE DINING HALL.

HUH?

I WASN'T EXPECTING SUCH A CUTE RESPONSE.

HE REALLY ISN'T...

ALRIGHT.

...ANYTHING LIKE THE EDWIN I THOUGHT I KNEW.

HIS PERSONALITY MAY BE THE SAME, BUT THE CHOICES HE MAKES ARE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I'D EXPECT.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT?

WHY YES. I ACTUALLY CAME BY...

...BECAUSE I NEED TO SPEAK WITH A LAWYER.

ANRI.

WHY WOULD MY WIFE HAVE ANY NEED FOR A LAWYER?