The Duke's Obsession With His Wife — Chapter 6

A FEW DAYS LATER

THE FIRST THING I DO WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING IS READ THE NEWS.

THIS HAS BEEN MY MORNING ROUTINE EVER SINCE I ARRIVED IN THIS WORLD.

WHY THE NEWSPAPER?

"THE QUEEN'S PARAMOUR" MAY BE SET IN 19TH CENTURY ENGLAND...

BUT IT'S NOT COMPLETELY HISTORICALLY ACCURATE.

AND SO, IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS WORLD...

...AND TO CHECK HOW FAR ALONG IN THE NOVEL WE ARE...

...I MAKE SURE TO READ THE NEWSPAPER EVERY DAY.

BUT LATELY, I'VE BEEN SO PREOCCUPIED WITH THE MARILYN INCIDENT...

THAT I'VE FALLEN BEHIND ON MY READING.

HENDEL AND JEFFREY ARE RECOVERING NICELY.

AND, TO MY SURPRISE, THAT MAN HAS CHOSEN TO STAY AT OUR MANOR...

INSTEAD OF RETURNING HOME.

I'M HAPPY THAT CANDICE HAS BEEN QUIET BECAUSE OF HIM...

BUT I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT RUNNING INTO HIM AROUND THE HOUSE.

THE ROYAL PALACE TO HOST SPECIAL EXHIBIT

IS IT THAT TIME ALREADY?!

I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT!!

I'VE GOT NO TIME TO WASTE.

I NEED TO GET DRESSED AND GET THE CARRIAGE READY...

OH NO...

WE DON'T HAVE A HORSE OR A COACHMAN RIGHT NOW...!!!

SHALL I RENT A CARRIAGE FROM THE VILLAGE?

BUT THAT'D ONLY GIVE ME A FEW HOURS TO ENJOY THE EXHIBIT!

BUT I ALSO DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO STAY OVERNIGHT AT THE CAPITAL...

NO!!!

I DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON A SINGLE PIECE OF ART AT THE EXHIBIT!!

WHAT DO I DOOO

OOO

OO!!

THIS ISN'T A JOKE

I THOUGHT I'D RUSH THE CARRIAGE RENTAL...

...SINCE BOTH OUR COACHMEN ARE INDISPOSED.

COZY AND CHIC ON THE INSIDE!

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!

FANCY, YET SOPHISTICATED ON THE OUTSIDE!

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'LL BE RIDING IN A "ROGERS & HOUND" CARRIAGE!

LOOK AT THESE GLEAMING WHITE WALLS AND THIS ROSE GOLD FRAME!

THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF CARRIAGE THAT'S ALL THE RAGE RIGHT NOW!

I WONDER HOW MUCH IT COST...

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE DISSATISFIED WITH ANYTHING.

I'LL TRY TO REPLACE IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

OH NO, YOU'VE DONE MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR US.

THANKS TO THIS, I'M SURE HENDEL AND JEFFREY WILL BE ABLE TO RELAX AND FOCUS ON GETTING BETTER.

THANK YOU FOR BEING SO CONSIDERATE, PAPA KIRISTAN.

NOW I CAN GO TO THE EXHIBIT!

THIS IS A RENTAL, NOT A GIFT.

JUDGING BY THE CONDITION OF YOUR COACHMAN...

I'VE DECIDED THAT TEN DAYS SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH REST FOR HIM.

OH... MY.

WHAT A STINGY JERK!

I SUPPOSE THIS MEANS THAT...

I'LL HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INFORMING SOMEONE ON HIS SICKBED THAT HE HAS A DEADLINE TO GET BETTER BY.

SIR!!

AHAHA

NO, OF COURSE NOT!! FEEL FREE TO USE IT FOR AS LONG AS YOU NEED.

MY LORD TENDS TO TELL JOKES WITH A STRAIGHT FACE!

BUT IT WASN'T A JOKE...?

WELL, THEN...

I'LL BE TAKING MY LEAVE, LADIES.

PLEASE TAKE CARE OF KIRISTAN FOR ME.

OF COURSE, AND WE'LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE CARRIAGE AS WELL!

SINCE IT'S CLEARLY SOOO VALUABLE TO YOU!

WELL THEN...

YOU CAN STAY LONGER, YOU KNOW...

YOU LOOK...

...QUITE PLEASED TODAY, MY LORD.

WHY? WAS I SMILING?

THAT'S NOT IT.

THEN WHAT MADE YOU SAY SUCH A THING?

THAT JOKE YOU MADE...

...WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING TO LADY WENTWORTH.

IT'S RARE TO SEE YOU TALKING TO A WOMAN AT ALL.

DID IT REALLY SOUND LIKE I WAS JOKING...?

WEREN'T YOU...? YOU NEVER MENTIONED A SPECIFIC RENTAL PERIOD.

NEVER MIND...

YOU NEVER MENTINONED A SPECIFIC RENTAL PERIOD

JUST TRY TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO DELAY THE BALL.

WHAAAT?!

YOUR MOTHER WILL DISOWN YOU, MY LORD!

DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU TRIED TO ANNOUNCE THAT YOU HAD NO PLANS TO EVER GET MARRIED?

IS THIS A JOKE?

DELAYING THE BALL WILL ONLY MAKE HER ANGRY.

FORGET ALL THAT

NOT AT ALL

TELL ME, ALBERT. WHO IS YOUR MASTER?

IS IT MY MOTHER?

W-WELL, NO...! BUT YOUR MOTHER SPENT SO MUCH TIME PREPARING FOR THIS BALL...

WHY ARE YOU SO AGAINST GETTING MARRIED, MY LORD?

NO REASON.

I'VE JUST NEVER BEEN VERY FOND OF WOMEN, EVEN AS A CHILD.

B-BUT WHY...?

IS IT BECAUSE OF SOME SORT OF TRAUMA, OR—

I'VE DISLIKED WOMEN EVER SINCE I WAS FOUR.

BUT NOT FOR ANY SPECIFIC REASON.

DID THAT ALSO SOUND LIKE A JOKE?

OF COURSE NOT.

HE MUST HAVE GOTTEN QUITE THE THRASHING FROM A LITTLE LADY WHEN HE WAS A CHILD.

BUT YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING YOUR NAME ALIVE.

ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME TO LET GO OF WHATEVER CHILDHOOD TRAUMA OR HEARTBREAK...

AND MOVE ON?

I EVEN KNOW THE EXACT DATE I STARTED DISLIKING WOMEN. "JULY 7TH," THE SUMMER I TURNED FOUR.

BUT I'M SURE NO ONE WOULD TAKE ME SERIOUSLY...

SO IT'S NOT WORTH MENTIONING.

I'D ACTUALLY PREFER IT IF PEOPLE JUST FIGURED IT OUR FOR THEMSELVES...

LIKE ALBERT HERE.

WON'T YOU PLEASE CONSIDER GETTING MARRIED?

FOR ME?

YOU'RE ALREADY 24.

YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE OLDER...

...THAT WHAT THE HEART WANTS DOESN'T MATTER.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I DON'T WANT TO GET MARRIED, MOTHER.

BUT... SHE'S RIGHT. I CAN'T KEEP PUTTING THIS OFF FOREVER.

IT'D BE BETTER TO START PICKING OUT A DECENT BRIDE.

I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS...

...AS LONG AS WE CAN REACH AN UNDERSTANDING.

THE NEXT DAY, AT THE CAPITAL

OH MY...

WHAT A BEAUTY!

I MADE IT!

WAIT FOR ME, ALL YOU PRECIOUS PAINTINGS!