The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 32

DUKE BRISTON?

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE, MY LORD?

...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

HER GRACE, DUCHESS BRISTON, HAD SOME BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO...

AND I ACCOMPANIED HER.

WHERE?

DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG?

SHE HAD A CONTRACT TO ARRANGE WITH A PAINT COMPANY...

HER GRACE HEADED HOME AS SOON AS SHE CONCLUDED HER BUSINESS.

THEN YOU'VE ONLY JUST PARTED WAYS.

UH... YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

AND YOU LET HER GO AT DUSK...

WITH HIGHWAY BANDITS EVERYWHERE...

...WITHOUT AN ESCORT?

I'VE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE...!

GO TO THE STATION AND TELL THE PEELERS TO SEND TWO MEN TOWARD BRISTON MANOR...

TELL THEM THERE'S A CARRIAGE THAT NEEDS AN ESCORT.

Y-YES, RIGHT AWAY!

I'LL TAKE ONE OF THE HORSES MYSELF...

YOU'LL STAY HERE IN THE CAPITAL FOR THE NIGHT.

YES, MY LORD.

AH, JOSEPH...

DO YOU HAVE A GUN ON YOU?

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS (4)

DAMNATION...!

GAHHH!

CONTEMPTIBLE CREATURES, ALL...

M-MY LORD...

WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE LOOKING DAZED, JEFFREY?

NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.

Y-YES, SIR!

ANRI...

EDWIN...!

...!!

EDWIN! BEHIND YOU!!

UGH...!

THE PEELERS...! THE PEELERS ARE HERE!

SIR STEWART MUST'VE CALLED THEM!

THANK GOODNESS, MY...

M-MY LADY!

MY LADY, PLEASE... STAY WITH ME...!

OH NO, SHE'S SO PALE...!

I... I SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED HER...

BUT SHE WAS THE ONE WHO PROTECTED ME...

ANRI...

SHE'S NOT HURT, IS SHE?

NO, SHE'S ALL RIGHT...

THANK GOODNESS...

I'M FINALLY FEELING A LITTLE BETTER...

IF EDWIN HADN'T ARRIVED WHEN HE DID, WHO KNOWS WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED...

ONCE WE'RE HOME, I MUST THANK HIM.

ANAIS...

TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER.

AND SEE TO IT THAT LADY CHESTER ATTENDS TO HER EVERY NEED.

YES, MY LORD.

UM...

WAIT!

YOU'RE NOT COMING WITH US?

THERE ARE STILL MATTERS TO ATTEND TO WITH THE PEELERS.

YOU SHOULD RETURN TO THE MANOR AND REST.

HELLO, MISS.

JOSEPH!

MY LADY!

I'M SO RELIEVED YOU'RE SAFE!

DUKE BRISTON SUDDENLY APPEARED...

THEN DASHED AFTER YOU ALL ALONE, WITH A GUN! I WAS SO, SO WORRIED...

W-WAIT! THEN... ALL THESE PEELERS...

HIS GRACE CALLED FOR THEM?

YES, INDEED. THAT'S TRUE.

I-THOUGHT IT MUST HAVE BEEN JOSEPH...

...HE WORRIED ABOUT ME THAT MUCH?

HE MUST CARE MORE THAN I IMAGINED...

AND EVEN THOUGH HE SHOULD REST AS WELL, HE'S STAYING TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS...

LATER, I MUST SAY SOMETHING, TO THANK HIM...

ON THE WAY BACK IN THE CARRIAGE, IMMERSED IN THESE THOUGHTS...

...I COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED WHAT WAS COMING.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU WERE WAITING? JUST TO ASK ME THAT?

YOU MUST THINK I'M SOME KIND OF FOOL, ANRI.