One crazy duchess.

Chapter Fourteen.

Rose.

Being back here, makes me, nostalgic. These familiar walls, the familiar guards who probably don't recognize me, the familiar scent, paintings and everything here just reminds me of how homesick I have been feeling.

A maid leads us through the hall to the east wing where there are too many rooms to count where honourable guests are given chambers when there is a grand event like this one.

"Oh! Your room is next to ours!" Leila exclaims startling me out of my thoughts.

"That is wonderful." I smile following my husband inside. When the maid bows and leaves, closing the door, I immediately give my husband a smile.
"Am going to search for my brother." he nods, gesturing with his hands.

"No problem. Just go and leave your husband alone in this strange room." he looks away and I chuckle.

"I never knew you could be such a baby." he turns pouting and I step closer. I do the first thing that comes to mind and that is to kiss that pout out of his face and that does it.

"Damnit! You have to stop doing that." he complains but pouts again.

"Are you pouting so that I will give you another kiss? huh?" he leans down and I lean away.
"No, not happening." I move away from his face until I loose my balance and hold his shirt for support but instead we fall, him on top of me and just then, the door opens and there is another thump on the floor.

Of course, it's Noah and Leila.
We get up as they do and stare at each other.

"So... we are going to go." they scurry out the door and I stare at Clarence.

"We have crazy friends." I tell him."Anyways, am going to leave before they come back. I love you, do not wait up for me." I rush out of the room and away from the hallway to avoid the Lord and Lady until  am in the clear and then I stop, to take a breath.Rhen it hits me.

"Oh Mary mother of Jesus!" I put my hand over my mouth. What did I just say? My hands land in my hair and I pull at it for a long minute before I hear footsteps and remember my mission. I will deal with the duke later. I rush in between the familiar hallways full of lavish antiques until I stand in front of the brown door.
My hand is on the handle but I think of the scene I might come across and immediately bring my hand up to knock.

"You may enter." comes the guff reply and I enter. Of course his nose is buried in a book instead of some woma- Ewww why did I think about that? This is my brother. But Leila messed with my version of sexual intercourse and I cannot get it out of my head now. I tiptoe to his desk and lean over.

"Old habits die hard brother." the book flies out of his hands and he cusses.

"For fuck's sake Rosa." he says before realizing what he just said and blinks a few times."Rosa?" he gets up and runs towards me.

"No, stay away from me. No, I am a married woman now and I only embrace one man." he ignores me and embraces me in his arms.

"Sister, oh how I have missed you." he sniffs and I pat his back for a second before pausing.

"Are you seriously crying right now?" I ask trying to pull away but he refuses to let go.

"Just let me have this moment will you? I barely get to show any emotions." he continues to cry and I hug him.

"There, there." I pat his back until he pulls back.
"Are you well now?"

"Yes. I can die happy after seeing my little sister well and healthy." I smile ear to ear running to sit in his chair.

"You could not even write a letter to your dear sister? I could have been dead you know?"

I knew you were fine and I knew you would not want to attract attention to yourself, so I kept my distance."

"Hmmm, good point. So how is life behind these lonely halls?"

"I would tell you but it is palace secrets." I click and huff out a breath.
"But you can tell me about your life in some estate. Am I going to become an uncle soon?" he smiles brightly and I just cough, looking away.

"What are you talking about? I only got married yesterday." I try to defend myself.

"I think you mean, about seven moons ago? Unless..."

"You know what? We should talk about something else. Like horses, te-"

"Are you not able to have children?" I blink, once, twice.

"What?"

"You should know, it is totally understandable if you cannot. There are many women who are unable to conceive. But if you de-"

"Laban, it is not that I cannot have kids, my husband and I have not..." I gesture with my eyes," you know."

"You do not want any children? Why? children are won-" I smack my forehead. I thought I was the dumb one.

"We have not consummated out marriage! Jesus!" I look away in embarrassment but the silence makes me look back at him only to see a serious look on his face.

"What is it?" I ask but he only smiles and changes the topic.

***

Clarence.

How am I supposed to react around her now that she said what she said. I groan. It is already late in the night and she has not returned.

I know she needs time to talk to her brother but for some reason, I am anxious about her words earlier.

Why would she say that? She probably said it in the moment and did not mean anything by them.

I hear footsteps outside the door and immediately get in the blankets and pretend to be asleep.

Call me a coward but I do not know how to face her after she confessed her love to me. The door opens slowly and I hear her soft footsteps.

"Are you asleep?" she whispers. I pretend to even sigh in my sleep and she sighs.
"Okay, good night. Husband." for some reason, this feels strange. The way she calls me husband is different and makes me fall asleep with a smile on my face.