Duchess Atallie, who seemed so helpless on the ground with her pale and startled appearance, unbeknownst to anyone, was already beaming on the inside.
What great timing.
She was satisfied with her little antics.
But wait, the show was yet to finish.
Atallie's gaze swept past the stunned Janette and the little maid who was now in panic by being caught in the act of mistreating and disrespecting the duchess.
Janette knew that she couldn't do anything anymore. It was her fault for tolerating Tae to the point that she grew bolder and bolder. Now, she could only suffer from her own shortcomings.
Leonor and Lila couldn't be bothered by how the faces of the other party looked like. They quickly went forward and help the duchess up.
"Your Grace, are you alright?" Lila was in a panic as she swiftly check on the duchess for any possible bruise or wound as she gently patted off the dust and dirt on the duchess' dress.
Leonor was also doing the same. But she was more composed and calm than Lila in panic. However, deep inside, she was also truly worried. She was well aware that the duchess has just recovered and it was not an easy road to take. Because of it, every day, they had to report to the duke without missing anything, making sure that the duchess was taken good care of.
It surely was not an easy road.
It was a tricky one!
Leonor was also aware that during those times, other than observing the duchess and taking some notes down for reporting, she noticed that with all of these, the duke somehow seemed to care for the duchess.
But alas, Leonor could only speculate.
After all, she would not be able to fully understand the duke.
She only knew that the duchess should not suffer at any cost or even feel aggrieved. Thinking up to this point, Leonor's stern and sharp eyes landed on both Janette and Tae.
With fury underneath her sharp gaze, she only said a sentence, but her meaning was clear with warning and danger. "Get back and wait for punishment."
When Janette heard Leonor's words, it was like being condemned right away without any trial. But she knew that they were caught in the act. Thus, no need for any questions.
She could now only wait for the punishment.
"I understand," Janette answered with her head lowered. She wanted to speak words of apologies to the duchess, but she knew that it was not needed at the moment. So she could only bitterly drag her maidservant for them to finally leave the Hall of Hues.
Seeing the two figures disappearing, Leonor huffed in annoyance and dissatisfaction.
It was actually the first time that Atallie saw such a scene. She knew that Leonor must truly be annoyed this time. From this, Atallie believed that Leonor was now already caught under her charm.
Leonor was a tough nut to crack. She was strong-willed, strict, and meticulous. With her stern look and old but sharp eyes, Leonor was not someone who could easily get along with someone.
However, during the days when Atallie spent most of her time with Leonor, Atallie's performance and behavior were both impressive and satisfactory. But above all, Atallie has not done any actions that could go against the interest of the duke.
Thus, Leonor could not help but accept the duchess in her heart. But of course, this didn't mean that her loyalty now lies with the duchess. This could only mean that Atallie has now gained authority in Leonor's heart.
With all of these being said, Atallie's authority should not only be rooted and established in Leonor's heart or on just a few people's hearts. Since she already decided to try her best to make the marriage work, Atallie knew that she must also take her role as a duchess seriously.
Hence, establishing her authority should commence, starting on this little play of her.
Atallie was clear on the things that she needed to do. But first, this was the primary task on her agenda.
Purge the swarming flies!
---
Inside the luxurious, elaborative yet classy, and intimidating study room of the duke.
There was a woman kneeling in front of the man, whose standing against the window with the hue of the glaring sunset behind him, masking and hiding his expression through the shadow of his own.
There was a numbing and terrifying silence brewing in the room.
Even the kneeling woman was not making any noise. Maybe she was afraid. Maybe she was terrified. Or maybe she was scared witless. Different ways to express what the woman must have been feeling at the moment. But it all came down to one word: fear.
And that woman who was kneeling and full of fright was none other than Janette.
Janette could not even lift her head and dare to look at the duke.
"Janette," Duke Calex spoke. His cold tone and voice that was devoid of any emotions sounded, cutting through the impregnable silence.
Upon hearing her name from the mouth of the duke, Janette could only feel pain and trepidation.
"You are fully aware of the rules," Duke Calex said.
Janette inhaled a cold air that seemed to penetrate deep within.
"Have I not treated you well enough?" Duke Calex asked.
Duke Calex's sharp and fathomless dark eyes were gazing down at the kneeling Janette who could not even lift her head up.
"I know that you are a rational person, and yet, a situation happened involving you," Duke Calex continued to speak. His every word was like shards of glasses for Janette.
"Perhaps, I've been too lenient on you, thus making you forget about the rules and even your place," Duke Calex said further. His every word was like shards of glasses for Janette.
And Janette, a proud, well-known, sophisticated, and outstanding daughter of a Marquis could only stay silent as the duke continue to speak.
However, no matter how proud she was and how firm her self-control was, this kind of confrontation and upon hearing the sharp words of the duke, Janette's tears couldn't be stopped.
Duke Calex, upon seeing the now trembling Janette in front of him, could only say, "Speak up."
Upon hearing the signal from the duke for her to speak, Janette let out a sigh with her quiet tears.
Looking up with her redden and tear-stained eyes, Janette said, "Your Grace, this humble person knows her wrongdoings."
Janette was a very beautiful and stunning woman filled with graceful bearing and proud air of nobility, yet at this very moment, only frailty and vulnerability could be seen on her appearance.
However, this could not bring any favorable effect when it came to the duke, as he further asked, "Yes, I believe you know, then do you dare to speak of your wrongdoings?"
Janette knew that her tears wouldn't do anything, though she didn't deliberately cry just to steal pity from the duke. However, being asked if she could speak of her wrongdoings, Janette's breath almost stop.
Did the duke already know?
He must have already known...
Realizing that even her most subtle actions that might be against the wishes of the duke were already exposed, Janette could only smile in despair and dejection.
Seeing how Janette only stayed silent, choosing not to speak further, Duke Calex narrowed his unfathomable dark eyes. A sharp light flashed past it. One could not know what he was thinking gazing down at the still kneeling woman in front of him.
Silence once again reigned. Janette's tears had already dried but the tension inside the room was not even less cold than before.
After several minutes, the duke's low, cold and stern voice sounded.
"Go back first. Remember not to disappoint me anymore."
Upon hearing the duke speak, the slightly dazed Janette was like drenched in cold water, but at the same time, she was relieved.
Relief and pain.
Ha, only the duke can do this to me...
Janette laughed at herself on the inside as she slowly stood, her legs were already numbed long ago, thus making her action of getting up stiff and difficult.
Tightly holding onto her skirt, Janette gritted her teeth as she endured the difficulty of getting up with her stiff and numbed legs.
"Thank you, Your Grace. This humble person will leave now," she said as she walked out of the room.
Janette calmly and still gracefully exited the room. She was relieved that the duke didn't give any harsh punishment or banish her from the estate. But she was also in pain for every word of the duke meant that she has never been in his eyes. The duke even reminded her of her place.
That place was nothing but only a bit different from the places of any other women in the estate.
An insignificant place.
But she was a significant pawn under the ruthless hands of the duke.
Looking up at the starless night sky, Janette's eyes were dim as the darkness around.
She was truly helpless that she has fallen in love with someone who was as cold and unmoved as a hard rock.
As she walked back to her room inside the building which was designated for the women under the duke, Janette remembered the first time she saw the duke.
She was still so young and naive during that time.
On one of the many banquets that she had attended before as the only daughter of the Marquis, there was a time when a handsome young man with an unusual fiery red hair and extraordinary strong aura, intimidated and captivated her in just a breath away. Janette knew that her young and naive heart has been captured right there and then.
During the banquet, she even had the chance to dance with the young duke, and the duke himself was the one who initiated the dance. And even during few occasions, the duke and herself were able to be in the company of each other.
However, what Janette didn't know back then, was that from the very first time that her fervent gaze landed on the duke and her heart started to race, she had already offered herself voluntarily in a silver tray to the duke. And it was only later that she realized how deeply she had already fallen under the schemes of the duke.
What was laughable and even pitiable, was upon knowing the real intentions of the duke and the truth upon his motives, the proud and noble daughter of the Marquis, Janette, still chose to jump without any hesitation into the intricate web prepared by the duke.
His Grace...
With a self-deprecating smile and an unmasked sadness and pain, Janette could only resign herself to the fate that she had chosen.
I had already fallen too deep...
Now that the duchess is obviously starting to move, what am I supposed to do?
I know that His Grace is not someone who could fall –
But who am I compared to the entitled and legal one?
However, I am also not someone who could easily surrender with regard to His Grace.
Might as well continue doing what I'm doing and try to please His Grace more.
Janette eventually made her way back to her room.
Upon her return, her gaze was fixed and determined. A fire of resolution burning inside.
The duchess' authority...
Janette's heart is burning more and more for the duke.
_______
A/n: Hello! Took me quite a while again to come up with a new chapter. But hey, I hope you like this update!
\(^•^)/
For the past few days, I've been thinking about Wattys 2021 and if I should rush the story just so I can join it. But finally, I decided not to compromise the story. I still have a lot of ideas to bring into the story, so I'm choosing to work on it further rather than rushing it.
Also, I'd like to thank you, my dear readers, for your patronage! I'd like you all to know that I truly appreciate you reading this work of mine (=^•^=) Y'all making me blush for every read, vote, and adding to your reading lists. You know that for a simple writer like me, your seemingly simple and little actions are a great encouragement for me to continue my work. So hey, my dear readers, I hope you'll be with me in this entire journey!
Xoxo!
🖤 Elle Dee