The Duchess (Outsider #2)

Chapter 83: Plan for Josie

At 4 pm, Dusk left for the airport with the teens in an Imperial Security Hover-car she had borrowed from the Governor's fleet. Lord Jules and his wife watched them from a room on the top floor. They were to join them a little later for dinner.

"That girl is so confident, whether it is with her work, or her interactions with Catherine and Scarlet or the way she drives those cars... I can now relate to what Scarlet has been saying." Rhaella commented.

"What's to great about driving an AI controlled car. You drive one too." Jules replied and then he realised he made a mistake. If his wife decided to take offence at his words, he would have to spend hours placating her.

But, fortunately for him, Rhaella's attention was elsewhere. "For you and me, driving is as common as drinking a glass of alcohol. But for someone from a rural background, specially such an impoverished area is it the same? Everything she has done is an achievement of a higher magnitude simply because of her background.

"Julien is going to be very upset when she continues to reject him."

"What? What do you mean? You do not think she will end up marrying Julien?" he asked.

"Look at her, Jules. Does she look like she is interested in him? She has enough on her own. What will attract her to the decision to marry him? Why will she give up her freedom, her independence and her existence to be a slave to his whims?" Rhaella asked flatly.

"What are you saying? She will be the Empress! Father has already stated that he will abdicate 24 months after Julien gets married." Jules cried out.

"So? She does not care. Is she less than an Empress today? Who dares to oppose her or disobey her? Who dares to snub her? Is her fan following anything less than a Holo-novel Celebrity? What will she achieve that justifies her sacrifice?"

Jules' face became grim. His wife was making eminent sense, as usual.

"Yes, he should have married her when he was still at the university itself. Long before she became so famous and successful. At that time, she was in love with him and would have agreed to anything he said." Jules said with a sigh.

"But wasn't a part of the plan that she should become rich and successful before he married her, so that no one would look down on her? Didn't you agree with that?" Rhaella asked.

Jules was quiet for a few seconds before he replied. "He should have married her and kept it a secret. Once she became successful, he could have disclosed it and then she would have no way out. She is a conservative girl who has been taught that marriage is for life."

"Why didn't you suggest this to Julien at that time?"

"Because, Wifey Darling, Hind-Sight is a 20-20 vision. I couldn't predict all that has happened. I didn't know her nature because I had not met her. I did not anticipate her antipathy to Royals, though Julien told me once. And I didn't predict Shanit would go and mess up things, though I should have expected that."

"So now?" Rhaella asked, worried.

"I don't know. But Julien is a scheming manipulator. He will do something."

Rhaella frowned. "Is that how a marriage should happen? Being fooled into it? Being manipulated? Not out of one's own choice?"

Jules just shrugged his shoulders. He wondered which of them had actually had a choice. His father had decided he should marry Rhaella, the Princess of Cadasia. He didn't know whether she had a choice either. Cadasia desperately needed a strong ally to prevent being overrun by Pheroah. Marrying their Princes to a Prince of Bravadia was the best option. And at that time it was thought he would be the future Crown Prince.