Count Governal#Wattys2016

Chapter 4

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Constance, try as she may was not able to sleep. She closed her eyes only to open them again. Her foot hurt but that was not the source of her sleepless nights. He was the owner of the house he had made that clear, but why had he refused to give her his name? She had heard the low growls of a dog, it must have been a large dog to make marks on the walls. As she tried to wander off to sleep again, for the seventh time, she heard a whistle followed by hooves and then silence. Where would a horse be riding off to at this time of night? Constance abandoned all reasoning and decided if she was staying here till the end of October she would do her best to walk only on the path she was told. This house held far too many secrets and she was finished with secrets. She looked over to William he was sound asleep oblivious to the storm that was now brewing in his mother's heart.

The glass of brandy hit the wall and shattered, William's rage scared his mother. What had happened to her son? She had never known him to be a violent man and up until that fateful night she had thought him a responsible man. She and her husband had done the best they could to raise the boy right. The same morals they instilled in him they instilled in Camille. She was now married, living a life of her own and taking care of her own household. The Duke had refused to hand over any of his properties to William. He had discovered of child sired out of wedlock and deemed it the biggest disgrace.

William turned to the bottle and became what he and Jasper had once laughed at.

'Where is that wretched woman? Who let her leave?' he asked through clenched teeth.

'She has gone to London William.'

'I never want to see that blasted woman again, her and her bastard son.'

The Duchess gasped, 'William.'

'I have spoken mother, if she is to return to Sussex she will be under your care. She ruined my life and now the very people that would lie to me just to be invited here are nowhere to be found. I do not want to see her ever again.' He slammed his fist on the desk and left. The Duchess was sure her son had lost his mind. She looked to her husband whose expression had not changed.

'If that is what the boy wants,' was all he said before he went back to his pile of papers atop of his desk.

Constance had remained out of any hallways for the better part of the day choosing to stay in the room assigned to them and teach William his lessons. She thought back to the life she had led all in memory of her sister. If she had taken a different path she would be married and happy. She looked at William who was sitting by the window, he was too young to understand why his life was as it was, but when he was old enough she would promise him she had never considered removing him from her. She would not tell him because she loathed his father, she would tell him because he needed to know the truth and decide for himself whether that was a man he wanted present in his life.

She was sure William had long lost his temper and sent out guards to search every gutter until she was found. The Duchess was a kind woman and had sympathized with her, took pity and addressed a letter to Wickam who acted swiftly.

A knock on the door pulled Constance from her thoughts, it was pushed open by Jasmine and the lady that always accompanied her wherever she went. 'Miss,' she began, 'it's a beautiful day why not let me take the boy for a walk. We do not have much in way of a garden but we do have some interesting places about this small estate.'