"Am I supposed to wear that?" She looked at the pale monstrosity sitting on her bed. A wedding dress, or something made to look like it. She could already hear all the rumors coming out of wearing such a garment.
"It's from the prince, miss." Emmeline informed,and Jane swore she saw a flash of a wicked grin from the professional. "A wedding present for your grace."
"Wedding present?" That bastard, she couldn't help smiling. A joke then. Not a mockery, but an understanding as to where their relationship was headed. Two years ago, she would have been overjoyed, misreading his prank entirely. But much has changed since then. "Is it tradition? Should I get him one as well?"
"That would be the right thing to do, your grace." The maid coughed a chuckle as she helped Jane into a much simpler dress.
"What do you think, Emmeline? Another ridiculous crown to match last years?"
"I'm not sure the duke would take too kindly to your whims." The lighthearted expression disappeared almost immediately, a dark look crossing Emmeline's face. "The staff has received word of his return. An hour from now."
"An hour?" Was it Wednesday already? "Give the younger maids the rest of the day off." Jane said, fastening the clasp on her watch. "Hide all of my mother's portraits and prepare only one servant to tend to my father."
"Is Mr. Smith sufficient?"
"Mr. Smith will do good." She nodded. "He knows father's favourite drinks and his opium measurement. Ready the essential staff Emmeline," her expression was almost bored as the maid arranged her hair. "We're going into battle."
__________
Once before, she might have greeted the Duke of Dewward with open arms, hugs and anecdotes. But his absence had changed them. Jane thought she had prepared herself, prepared the house and the staff, but she couldn't shake the uneasiness in her chest. Perhaps he had changed. She laughed mirthlessly as she made her way to the entrance. Could people really change?
"BE CAREFUL!"
She could already hear him screaming.
Her father's face was turning red with impatience, yelling at a maid carrying his bag of foreign trinkets. She already knew the duke and his temper, mumbling her apologies as she continued handling his trunk carelessly.
"I SAID BE CAREFUL GIRL!" The maid merely shook her head, muttering what Jane caught as very colourful language. "What kind of incompetent service did you hire Jane?"
"That was your hire, papa." She smiled gently, watching a grim-faced Emmeline take the bag from the maid. "Tea? Maybe then we can go over the account books."
"No, no tea yet," he looked around at the minimal staff, frowning. "Where's Berkley? I should have a word with him first. Friends before family, don't you always say?"
"Berkley left father." Jane reminded him. "After your first trip."
"Did he? Who's the new head then? This fine man perhaps?" He motioned to a broad shouldered man in a servant's uniform.
"Mr. Smith will tend to your stay. Emmeline," The maid stepped forward. "Is head. Should you have any complaints, you can take it up with me."
"So formal," he smiled, amused by their little show. "I'll have a bath, then we'll speak." Without another glance to anyone, the duke stepped inside, voicing his complaints at the new drapes Jane had picked. Jane caught Emmeline's subtle glare to the duke. He wasn't quite anyone's favourite.
"How long is he staying?"
"A week," Jane sighed. "Less if I can help it. He already has ten other debt ridden estates. Maybe he'll stay there instead." Her father liked to spend on trinkets and houses. Some were bizarre, some merely there to entertain him. But as long as it kept him away, she was ready to provide. "Has Miss Pembrooke sent the papers?"
"Taped to your desk as per request, miss." Emmeline nodded. "She also sent this," She pulled out an envelope from her apron. Simple, empty. But Jane knew what it meant.
__________
"I need to take control."
"Pardon?"
"I need to take control," Jane repeated. "Of the duchy, the finances, the charities."
"What charities?"
"Exactly." Her fists clung to her sides as Jane stood in her father's study, demanding things she had no right doing.
"You're seventeen," her father gave an amused laugh. "What can you possibly know about running a duchy?"
"Teach me," she pulled out papers from her pockets, each one written over in red. Her own notes and adjustments to her father's ruling. "Debts, enemies, loose ends." She handed one to him. Adoption papers. "Is there anything else you're hiding?" His face paled as he shook his head. "Then teach me."
__________
"Everything seems to be in order." He said, pushing his glasses up as he studied the ledgers. "I see you've opened another school, for free."
"I'm only one of the investors." Jane said, stirring her drink. "Ophelia Moon is owner."
"Yes, but you've still pampered quite a reputation for yourself haven't you?" He sat down, assessing her appearance. "The stingy little duchess. Opening charities, getting people off the streets, but always with a price." He leaned back, taking off his reading glasses. 'You do realise you aren't eligible as my replacement?"
"I am aware."
Being adopted, being a girl even, only left her with an unfair advantage. A marriage. Now that she was twenty two, there were only a few years before she would be labeled a spinster, or a tramp. But she had struck a deal and it was time to collect.
"Then why work so hard? Why made your name known just to be sullied in a few years?"
"I'm not known."
"Sure," he dragged out the silence as he took his tea. "I haven't heard a word from Audrey. How is the prince?"
"Engaged." She said simply, her lips tugging upwards as her father choked on his tea.
"When?" The duke managed to say after a fit of coughs. "Is it Lady Millicent? He's always had an eye on her. I'm not surprised. She always dresses like a princess." Her father having to juggle both roles of a parent was always amusing to witness. One moment he would be teaching her sums and the next he would be fussing over her hair. "Or is it Everton's girl? That little brat."
"Papa!" she mocked scolding him..
"What? She's not very pleasant." He said, moving away from Jane's careful aim. "Really, Jane. Who's taken your little friend?"
"Take a guess." She offered her hand, putting the small diamond on display.
"You?" He whistled in appreciation as she nodded. "Oh no," his smile faltered. "What did you do to him?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, keeping a straight face. "He proposed. What more is there?"
"Don't you 'he proposed' me. Watching you two grow up is like a game of chess." He stood and began pacing around the study. "He made his move, what does he owe you?"
"He doesn't owe me anything."
"Jane,"
"250." She sat down next to her desk. "A month."
"A month? Jane—" He stopped, looking at her with a tired gaze. "It's for the debts. It's for the debts." He told himself. "For how long?"
"Six months." She said quickly, her hand inching towards the bottom of her desk. 'Please Papa. Show a little restraint, nothing too big. Maybe not an entire staff for each of your houses. We need to minimise if the duchy is going to survive another economic collapse."
"What do you mean another economic collapse?" He turned to her. "Jane, what do you mean another one?"
"I've received word that the Earl of Althea is about to pull out of Lyrell entirely." She just needed to cut down a bit more. The schools, the charities, all of them provided her with income. 2% was her price. That was all. Now she only needed her father to comply. "He owns the majority of our shops. That's why I asked for the money. Once I have enough I'll pay off the debts, I swear. I only need a little compliance from you. A bit of spare change."
"No," His response shocked her. "I never asked you to handle the duchy, Jane. You remember demanding me for it? I taught you. The best I could, girl." His voice started to rise as Jane flinched in her chair. "More debts, more of your 'borrowing'. Were these accounts a lie then?" He picked one up and threw it to the floor. "I will take charge of the duchy. Their finances and well being will be my responsibility. I won't be taking anymore trips to Ealdor—"
"Papa,"
He brushed the plea aside. "You will start attending functions with the rest of the nobility, keep up appearances in the Queen's favor. Go shopping tomorrow," he glanced at her dress. "I can't have you going around dressed like a servant anymore."
"Papa," she interrupted him. "We have to be careful about spending. The duchy's only starting to get back on its feet."
"What do you mean? I'm the lord of a duchy. Of course we can afford it!"
"No, we can't." her mind was going through the amount of money they had left, how little she'd left for themselves. "We won't have enough to go on. The money we have left is going back to the people. I've arranged it with the tax collectors to do as much as they can to get people off the streets."
"Then we will tighten our staff." his tone remained quiet, disappointed. "We do not need more than a handful of people."
"We only have a handful of people left. You left for a year papa. I kept what was essential for me to live on."
"I never asked you to do anything." he groaned in frustration. "I knew this was a mistake. How can you let them step all over you? Let the tax collectors trick you into excessive spending?"
"I have done no such thing," she swallowed, gripping the file in her hands. "I suggest you consider my rank and my place in this house before speaking, Lord Wilson."
"As a woman?"
"As a duchess," she snapped. "One who does far more than you in every aspect of your life. Who is there for her people when you run away."
"You are my daughter."
"One you have not looked at properly since your wife's death." She tossed the file to the floor, watching the papers scatter. "One who is casting you out."
"What is this?"
"Papers to transfer the duchy to me." She spoke with glassy eyes. "And every single scandal you can possibly imagine. I wanted this to go better. I really did. But it's time to walk away. It's time for another era, father."
"Blackmail?" He scoffed. "You have no proof of this. Not even the slightest trace. How will you authenticate it?"
"Audrey." She smiled bitterly and watched the blood drain from his face. "Now will you bow out?"
They remained that way, one looking at the other in disbelief as they each plotted their next move.
"Five houses." He grabbed the papers and signed in one dramatic gesture. "My allowance can be cut down."
"You're contributing to a wonderful cause." She smiled, wiping away the faked tears. She couldn't get herself to feel sorry for this man. "You can take your blackmail and go. Find a job papa." She stood and patted his back. "It's what mama would have wanted."
"What do you mean—"
"Emmeline?" The maid appeared almost instantaneously. "Could you prepare some tea for my father? He's had a rather long journey." Jane raised her brow, watching her father slump out of the study. "No alcohol for the duke. He'll likely try to drown his sorrows in it again."