Miss Wendy Garren has resigned herself to one last tormented season in the Capital's condemning rich and titled high-society, under the critical and abusive eye of her parents, The Earl and Countess of Follies. At seven and twenty she knows she is t...
Rhys could feel the tension creeping into his muscles as he strode through his home towards the study, after what Wendy had said yesterday about Julia showing up and claiming to be his mistress he knew he could no longer ignore her attempts at being more in his life. He shook his head, this was all his fault, he had known for so long the little games his cousin's widow played. He had hated having her tag along when they were kids because of the lovesick eyes she made at him. No, that wasn't right, her eyes never held love when she looked at him, more like greed, like she could practically melt at the idea of being a Duchess. Julia wasn't anyone he would have invited into his life willingly and if it hadn't been for Robert's childhood love turned young romance with the woman he would have never seen her again after their first meeting.
But how long has it been now since Robert passed? so long, so many chances he had, had to end her petty manipulations at being his Duchess. Now all because of his misguided notions that he was doing right by Robert for pitying his widow, he had hurt his wife. The woman he desperately wished would love him, love him the way he knew he was coming to, the way he was fairly certain, and slightly scared he already loved her.
"Faron," Rhys' voice was firm as his trusted butler stepped up to his side, walking in sync with him "why was I not informed of Lady Fairly's visit with the Duchess?" he could see the man begin to frown, the lines in his already weathered face deepening.
"I beg you to forgive me, your Grace," The old man bent at his waist to Rhys, his arm laid across his chest "Her Grace begged me to remain silent on the matter and I did not wish to further distress her, I forgot myself and my debt to you and your family. My sincerest apologies, I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit for this indecent abuse of power on my end, Your Grace."
Rhys felt his temples throbbing, it had been such a short amount of time that his lovely wife had managed to secure the trust and loyalty of his entire house and though he was proud he would need to make it clear that these things should still be reported to him, he would not, he could not risk her safety. "You may go, Faron." Rhys muttered as he was a few steps from his study, he would dismiss this matter for now, there was no harm truly done that he could not reverse and Faron had acted on his Mistresses wishes, a thing he would not fault.
Faron hesitatingly bent at the waist again "If that is your wish, Your Grace" he waited a moment before stopping, leaving Rhys to continue alone and Rhys couldn't help but grin to himself, never once had Faron questioned him, kept anything from him or even taken a second to complete his wishes since he had been a child. He was always jumping without a second thought to whatever command he was given. His wife had truly won his staff over from him, how amusing.
As he entered his study Julia Fairly was seated in his chair, leaning back and gazing around the room as if she owned it, a deep, satin red dress clung to her frame and her small breasts looked painfully pushed up to appear full, a similarly colored red stained her lips and they curled into what he was sure she thought was a seductive smile that only managed to make him cringe. He saw in her eyes, he was nothing more than a fortune to her and he was sure his poor, late cousin had been nothing more as well.
"Rhys, darling" Julia pouted up at him as she leaned over his desk, trying to be sure to give him an eyeful of her cleavage. That useless French shopkeeper had assured her this dress would have any man drooling at her feet and for the price she had paid for it, it had better. "You kept me waiting for so long, how terribly rude." She smirked at him and got no expression or reaction in return, his eyes hadn't even dipped to take in her frame, they remained solely on her face.
She wanted to grit her teeth in irritation and tried to keep the smile pinned to her lips, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this game up. Robert had left more than enough money for his young wife to live comfortably for the rest of her life, but she didn't want to simply live comfortably, she wanted to live lavishly. She wanted to drown in riches and spend without a thought to the ledgers, to feel the softest fabrics against her skin, the heaviest jewels at her throat, she longed to feast on the best foods and be drunk on spiced imported wines, and what she craved above all that, was a title that would have every other lady in this God forsaken place bowing to her, fearing her, and currying for her favor. That was something she could only gain from Rhys, and after all the work that she had put into securing him and his title, she deserved it!
Rhys could barely contain his annoyance, "I think it's best you leave now Mrs. Fairly." his voice was firm and booked no room for argument. He could have laughed at the way her eyes seemed as though they would bulge from her head and her face paled a sickly ashen that made her rouge all the more noticeable on her cheekbones. "I had the most interesting conversation with my wife" he spook slowly as if he was speaking to a child as he stepped further into the room "Can you guess what it was about? No? allow me to enlighten you" he continued when she stared at him silently with her mouth agape "She said you paid her a visit some time ago and led her to believe something you and I know not to be true, in fact it is the furthest thing from the truth." the venom that filled his voice now as he looked at her with open disgust caused her to physically recoil.
She stammered slightly as her mind scrambled with what to say, that little mouse had the nerve to tell Rhys about her visit here? She had only dared be that bold after she was sure the girl's nature was too timid to ever spill to her husband how Julia had revealed their 'secret'. She was sure the girl would be so hurt that she would not want to bring it up at all. She had obviously made a grave error in underestimating the little mouse.
Desperation and panic suddenly clutched her in an iron grip and she surged towards him, throwing herself at him "Rhys! Please!" She forced a hollow sob from her throat "I've loved you my whole life! I never loved Robert, I only ever thought of you and to see you now stuck in a loveless marriage just as I was! say you love me too, Rhys!" she was gripping unto the front of his neatly trimmed vest as she sobbed her hopeless plea out.
Rhys tried to pry the manic woman's hands from him without harming her as his blood ran cold at her words. Had never loved Robert? "How Strange, I remember vividly the day of Robert telling me how you had thrown yourself into his arms and proclaimed your undying love for him" as soon as the words were freed into the air her sobbing ceased and she looked up at him, fear widening her eyes, like a wild animal before it's death. "How my parents had happened upon you and you married not long after. Why would you claim a love you did not feel? Was it for money?" He questioned.
"Of course not!" Her voice came out in a shrill ring, suddenly her french accent was gone and the lilt to her voice returned as it had once sounded when she was a child. She shook her head wildly, causing her carefully done up hair to begin falling apart. Unraveling in a similar fashion to the way she felt her life was.
"If it wasn't for Robert's money.." Pieces like a puzzle began to click in place for Rhys and he had never felt so blind in his life "It wasn't him you had been waiting for...you planned to entrap me." He suddenly felt ill, his poor cousin, who could not believe his luck at finding out the girl he loved, loved him back, had walked into a trap that was not even meant for him. Caring little at the harm he might cause her now he forced her hands from his chest and thrust her backwards as she stumbled slightly before righting herself. "You will leave this house' his voice was cold and emotionless "and if you return I will be sure that everyone knows the kind of woman you are."
He strode towards the door in anger and ripped it open "Faron!" he yelled out and did not wait for more than two seconds before the man was in his sight "The lady is leaving and see to it that she is never permitted back into this house, on this estate, or anywhere near my family." He didn't bother to keep his voice down as he noticed several maids pausing in their tasks to subtly watch the scene unfold, as well as his sister and her husband standing and staring in shock.
"Of course, Your Grace" Faron smiled readily and moved to escort Mrs. Fairly out.
"You cannot do this to me!" Her shrill voice teetered on madness "I have spent my whole life chasing after you and you have never even seen fit to spare me with an ounce of your attention! I will not have it all be in waste! You will marry me, Rhys! I will be a Duchess! Damn you!" She felt mad as she screamed out, it couldn't all come unfolding and tumbling down simply because he had decided to suddenly grow a brain after marrying his pretty, young wife.
"Enough! You will leave my sight this instant." He spoke with finality and with a nod to his trusted butler he turned his back to her and walked to his sister. As soon as Mrs. Fairly was no longer in the room Rhys swept his little sister up into a hug and tried to force the tears he wanted to shed for Robert back. A man he had loved as a brother, he did not deserve that kind of betrayal "Oh poor, Robert" He muttered into his sisters shoulder "That poor young fool."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
