The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 36

THE MORNING OF THE PICNIC DAY

THIS IS...

A LETTER FOR HER GRACE.

BUT WHY...

HIS GRACE OPENED IT FIRST.

WHAT?!

AND HE ORDERED IT TO BE DISPOSED.

WHAT?!

IT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND, SO...

I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE IT WAS GONE FOR GOOD.

THIS SLY MAN...

HE DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT ALONE, SO HE'S DRAGGING ME INTO IT TOO!

SO, YOU MEAN FOR ME TO KEEP THIS?

WELL, IT'S OUT OF MY HANDS NOW.

I'D SAY THAT COUNTS AS "DISPOSING" OF IT.

HAHA...

THOSE TWO STILL HAVEN'T FULLY OPENED THEIR HEARTS TO EACH OTHER YET...

THAT NIGHT

I'M SO GLAD THEY MADE UP...

EVEN IF THEY BOTH STILL LOOKED A BIT FLUSTERED.

AND NOW, TODAY

FOR HER GRACE, WHO'S ALWAYS THINKING OF US...

I CAN'T JUST PRETEND I DON'T KNOW.

COME IN.

WHAT IS IT?

...MY LORD.

I HOPE YOU DON'T DISPOSE OF THE MAIL ADDRESSED TO HER GRACE ANYMORE.

...ALBERT WILL HAVE HIS PAY DOCKED FOR A MONTH.

MY LORD, I FEAR HER GRACE MIGHT HEAR OF THIS.

IT COULD REFLECT POORLY ON YOU AS WELL, SO...

DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

YOU WERE TOLD SO WHEN YOU SIGNED YOUR CONTRACT.

I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE WORRIED,

BUT THIS IS AN ORDER TO PROTECT ANRI...

FROM UNWANTED APPROACHES BY SOMEONE OF DUBIOUS BACKGROUND.

THEN... MIGHT I SUGGEST INFORMING HER GRACE?

IF YOU EXPLAINED, I'M SURE SHE WOULD UNDERSTAND-

...I'LL HANDLE IT. YOU MAY GO.

YES, MY LORD. FORGIVE ME.

BRING ME ANY MAIL FOR TODAY AS WELL.

FROM NOW ON, IT COMES TO ME FIRST.

I CAN'T LET HER GET ANYWHERE NEAR ANRI.

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S CAPABLE OF— SHE HAD NO MERCY FOR ME.

HOW LONG AGO DID I TELL HIM TO LOOK INTO EVANS BRAWRENE?

I'LL HAVE TO HURRY HIM ALONG.

...WHY NO ANSWER?

AH—NOTHING, MY LORD. UNDERSTOOD.

ALBERT...

SHE'LL SEND ANOTHER LETTER SOON.

FOR NOW, I'LL HAVE TO KEEP MY GUARD UP— WHATEVER IT TAKES.

AN INVITATION TO A SOCIAL GATHERING...

AND A TEA PARTY? I SHOULD FIND OUT WHO'S ATTENDING.

THIS CREST...

ISN'T IT THE MARK OF THAT PAINT COMPANY?

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

EXCELLENT TASTE IN ART...

...JUST A PROGRESS REPORT.

SO SHE'S INVESTED IN THIS PAINT COMPANY.

TO LADY BRISTON.

GOOD DAY, MY LADY. THIS IS WALTER.

WHILE WORKING ON A NEW PRODUCT, I CAME UP WITH AN IDEA AND HOPED TO SEEK YOUR ADVICE...

...PATHETIC. I'M THE WORST.

ONCE TANGLED, A THREAD IS HARD TO UNRAVEL

A-ACHOO!

I'M SORRY, YOUR GRACE.

I HEARD YOU WENT IN ON A PICNIC AND GOT CAUGHT IN A RAIN SHOWER.

IT SEEMS YOU ARE CATCHING A COLD.

IT'S NOTHING SERIOUS—JUST A SLIGHT CHILL.

HERE.

THANK YOU.

PERHAPS IT'S BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE YOU LAST TOOK IN SOME FRESH AIR.

AND THE RAIN WAS QUITE HEAVY YESTERDAY...

WERE YOU SOAKED?

N-NO, HIS GRACE WAS A PERFECT GENTLEMAN AND SHIELDED ME,

SO I DIDN'T GET TOO WET.

IT SEEMS THEY'VE MADE UP WELL.

WHEN I FIRST MET HER, I WAS HONESTLY RATHER TAKEN ABACK.

SHE STILL HAS SUCH AN UNPRETENTIOUS SIDE...

BUT PERHAPS THAT'S HELPED HER SETTLE IN HERE.

I...

THOUGHT CAREFULLY ABOUT THE ADVICE YOU GAVE ME LAST TIME.

ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD DO.

TO BE HONEST. IT WAS LITTLE MORE THAN NAGGING,

BUT HEARING YOU SAY THAT PUTS ME AT EASE.

NAGGING? NOT AT ALL!

I KNOW YOU SPOKE OUT OF CONCERN FOR ME AND HIS GRACE.

I JUST...

WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, FEEL FREE TO VISIT ME MORE OFTEN.

I'D LOVE TO SHOW YOU EVERY CORNER OF THIS GREENHOUSE I'VE WORKED SO HARD TO CULTIVATE.

THE GRAND DUCHESS TRULY IS A GOOD-HEARTED WOMAN.

I WILL!

STILL NO REPLY.

THE LETTER I SENT TO THE DUCHESS BRISTON...

COULD IT BE THAT I MIGHT NEVER GET AN ANSWER?

WELL... IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE,

YOUR HIGHNESS.

HMM...

THE DUKE WAS EXTREMELY WARY OF ME BACK THEN.

IF HE KNEW I WAS CONTACTING HIS WIFE, HE WOULD'VE BEEN REALLY ANNOYED.

...NO HELPING IT, THEN.

I'LL HAVE TO SIT DOWN FOR A LONG, PATIENT TALK WITH HIS MAJESTY.

THERE'S NO CHOICE BUT TO BRING THAT COUPLE HERE.