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Chapter 20

Sophia had never cared too much about how she looked. She considered vanity to be a pursuit that was useless, but this morning when Sophia woke up from her slumber, she found herself glued to her looking glass as she tried to make herself look presentable for the day.

For Sophia finally had a reason to look good now. She wanted to look good for Duncan.

“Clara,” she said to her lady’s maid, “can you do a side braid on my hair today?”

“Of course, Madam,” Clara said as she began braiding Sophia’s hair. “What is the special occasion? I know that you only request this hairstyle when something special is going to happen.”

Sophia bit down on her lip. What was she even supposed to say? Everything had started to feel special as of late. That was the magic of being in love.

“It’s nothing special,” she replied. “I just want to look good when I go downstairs to have breakfast with the Duke.”

Clara’s face lit up from her answer.

“Oh, that is indeed splendid. I will make sure that I do your hair well so that he cannot keep his eyes off you,” Clara replied.

“Do you believe I should put on a dash of makeup as well?” Sophia asked, examining her face in the mirror.

Clara laughed. “Just for breakfast downstairs?”

“Why not?” Sophia shrugged. “A lady must look presentable at all times, should she not?”

“Of course. It just seems a bit out of character for you if you do not mind me saying so,” Clara observed. “Usually, you are not too concerned with outward appearances.”

Sophia sighed. Clara was right.

“Usually, I have not won the favor of a certain duke. I am trying my best to keep his attention, and dressing up seems to be the most obvious way,” Sophia replied earnestly.

She did not hide things from Clara and felt comfortable sharing something like this with her. After all, Clara was like family to Sophia.

“Oh, Madam, I am sure that the Duke likes you for what is on the inside, not for any outward appearances,” Clara reassured her.

“You may be correct,” Sophia replied, “but it does not hurt to keep him interested by looking the best that I can.”

“Fair enough. We shall do a little bit of your powder on your face then,” Clara agreed. “I am happy to hear your relationship with the Duke seems to be progressing.”

“It is,” Sophia replied. “I have fallen for him, and he seems to return my feelings.”

“Oh, I am sure your Aunt Rose is going to be thrilled when she hears that. That is something that she has always wanted for you,” Clara gushed, her voice growing emotional. “For you to have marital bliss.”

“I will write to her soon. Or better yet, I might go and see her. These things are best told face to face,” Sophia decided.

“That reminds me, another package arrived for you this morning. I suspect that it is from Lady Rose again,” Clara announced.

“Another package?”

“Yes, shall I bring it in for you?”

Sophia nodded. Clara left to go retrieve the package, and Sophia stole one final glance at herself in the mirror. She was nearly ready.

Her hair looked good, half of it pinned to the side, and she had applied just a subtle trace of makeup. It was barely noticeable, but it enhanced her natural beauty manifold.

Clara returned with a box in her hands.

“Oh, what is this now?” Sophia asked as she took the box from her maid’s hands. “I fear that Aunt Rose misses me a little too much, for she keeps sending me these packages.”

When Sophia opened it up, it was another bag of tea.

“Oh, very good,” Sophia noted in appreciation.

The tea that she had sent before seemed to be working. Sophia had not gotten any nightmares last night. This one looked to be a different color than the last, and the smell was different too. Sophia noticed that there was no note attached this time, but she figured that it must be for the same purpose.

“Shall I brew a cup for you?” Clara asked.

“No, not right now,” Sophia shook her head. “I must go downstairs for breakfast first, and then later, I can think of brewing myself tea.”

Sophia set the bag of tea to the side and rushed downstairs. She had completely lost track of time.

At the breakfast table, the Dowager was already there with Jacob and Duncan flanking her on both sides.

Sophia greeted everyone at the table and took a seat next to Duncan, who squeezed her hand discreetly underneath the table.

“Good morning,” the Dowager greeted her. “I was just speaking to the Duke about you.”

“Oh, is that so? Then it is a good thing that I am here now.” Sophia smiled politely.

“Indeed, it is. I was just asking Duncan if he has given you a tour of our family heirlooms,” she explained.

“Family heirlooms?” Sophia raised her eyebrow. “I do not think I have had the pleasure yet.”

Duncan shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

“Mother, I do not consider it to be important,” he replied. “Certainly not enough to warrant a tour.”

“Oh, but it is family tradition to do so,” the Dowager insisted. “In fact, I was given a tour the next day after I got married to your father. It holds an important piece of history.”

Jacob snorted at his mother’s words.

“By important piece of history, she just means that the tour consists of portraits of our ancestors that have long passed and now rest comfortably in their graves,” Jacob chuckled.

“Precisely,” the Duke chimed in. “Hardly an exciting prospect.”

“Why don’t we leave the decision to the Duchess?” Duchess Anna turned to Sophia. “What do you think? Should you not be given a tour and a short history of the family that you have married into?”

“I suppose it would be a good idea,” she decided.

“See? The Duchess has spoken.” Duchess Anna grinned. “A tour must be arranged for her at the earliest notice.”

The Duke shook his head, “Fine. If you insist on it so much then, Sophia, I will give you a tour after breakfast.”

“I cannot wait,” she replied, enthusiastically.

“Trust me,” the Duke muttered under his breath, “you have not missed out on much.”

After breakfast, Duncan took Sophia over to a corner of the estate that was thus far unexplored by her. They walked across the polished marble floor until they found a large door in front of them.

“Now, since my mother insists on me having you remain updated on all the dead members of my family, we shall now go to the portraits room together,” he said.

“I am eager to know more,” Sophia replied, brightly. “Especially when I have you as my tour guide.”

The Duke’s face lit up. “I must say, the idea appears to not be as dull when you flirt with me like that.”

“Flirt?” Sophia teased, faux-surprised. “I did not do such thing. Please.”

“Oh, really?” the Duke replied. “Well, I suppose we will have to ask the ghosts of all of my dead relatives.”

They entered the room, and Sophia gasped as she took in the grandiosity of the whole place. The room had high ceilings, and the walls were covered in oil portraits of faces whose names she was not familiar with yet.

“This is…” Sophia paused. “This is breathtaking.”

“If you cannot tell already, this is my mother’s favorite room in the house. I am sure that she is waiting for the day that her portrait is going to be installed here so that her legacy can be recorded for the generations to come,” he explained.

“It seems like quite a regal concept, having a portrait room of one’s own. Surely, only kings and queens do things like this,” Sophia commented, looking around and taking in the beautiful paintings.

It was clear that whatever artists they had commissioned were top of their craft as the paintings were well-done and preserved well.

“Oh, it was my great-great grandfather’s idea to do this. I am sure he must have taken inspiration from the royal family themselves,” the Duke chuckled. “Personally, I find it to be quite a waste of space.”

“Why do you say that?” Sophia asked, surprised. “I think it is a wonderful idea. It helps you preserve your family history.”

“Yes, but not all history deserves to be preserved,” Duncan replied. “It does not matter how horrible they were in their lifetime. In this room, they are portrayed as some kind of heroes.”

Sophia immediately understood the Duke’s reservations now. The room reminded him of his father and framed him as a hero.

She touched his shoulder to comfort him, and he relaxed immediately under her touch.

“If this is difficult for you, then you need not give me a tour. We can just make up some excuse to the Dowager, and I can tell her that we saw everything already.”

Duncan shook his head. “No, no. Now that we are here, we might as well.”

“But your father…”

“Yes,” Duncan replied, “His portrait is here, too. But to be fair, this room is not the only place where his portrait hangs. It is in practically every room of this estate. I cannot run away from him.”

“But…” Sophia stammered, “I thought that was the reason why you did not like this place. I am confused now.”

“That is one reason.” Duncan chuckled darkly. “But the major reason for my dislike is that I find the whole exercise to be quite vain and unnecessary.”

“Why is that?” Sophia asked.

“Why must you be preserved for all of eternity? I believe that once you are dead, your time on this Earth is finished. You should let your memory die with you,” the Duke replied.

“I am not sure if I agree with you there,” Sophia replied. “What about your children?”

“What about them?” the Duke repeated.

“Would they not want to remember you? And tell your stories?”

“Depends on what kind of stories I leave behind.”

“Oh, stop,” Sophia remarked. “You must not be so pessimistic. We have already discussed that you will not be like your father. I am sure that your children will have nothing but positive things to say about you.”

“You mean our children,” he replied,“my dear flower.”

Sophia blushed at this new nickname and tried to distract herself by looking at the paintings.

“Well, allow me to introduce to you my ancestors…” Duncan trailed. “Here we have my great, great grandfather.”

Sophia observed the stern countenance of the man in the painting, his eyes seeming to follow their every move.

“He is quite….” Sophia struggled to find the right word. “…imposing, shall we say?”

“That is exactly the impression I have of him, too,” Duncan laughed. “Now, what do you think of his wife?”

Sophia took in the portrait of the woman by his side. She had a smile on her face.

“She seems to be hiding a few secrets behind that smile,” Sophia observed.

“Oh, wow, you have a knack for this,” Duncan replied. “She was known particularly for her scandalous affairs. She kept the ton gossiping for years.”

“How fascinating,” Sophia replied. “And you said that this room was not interesting…”

“My mistake. I had no idea that you would be interested in the scandalous lives of people who have been dead for over a century now.”

“Oh, don’t you discount them like that.”

“Madam, you are glowing,” Clara said to Sophia as she prepared her room for the Duchess to sleep.

“Do you think so?” Sophia replied, a smile dancing on the corner of her lips. She stole a glance in the mirror, and it was indeed true. Sophia’s skin was flawless and had a radiant glow surrounding it.

“Yes. Women indeed have a different glow when they are married and loved properly,” Clara noted. “I can see that you are quite happy in your marriage with the Duke.”

Sophia could not even deny it. These last few days with the Duke had been nothing short of a dream come true. She felt as though she was walking on clouds.

“Well, Clara, you must pray that we remain happy like this always,” Sophia replied, a hint of doubt creeping up in her voice.

The Duke had done an excellent job of making her believe that her curse was not real. In his company, she forgot all her worries. But now that she was in her room without him, her worries returned to her. Not as intensely as they used to in the past, but they persisted.

“Oh, I will pray that the two of you have a happy marriage that lasts for decades to come,” Clara replied.

“A happy marriage,” Sophia smiled to herself. “For now, I feel content with him. Being around each other… is exciting, for both of us. I hope that never goes away.”

“If you wish to preserve your connection, you must give the Duke something that will remind him of you forever,” Clara suggested, causing Sophia to look at her in confusion.

“Oh, what are you talking about, Clara? I do not understand the riddles which you speak in.”

Clara laughed out loud.

“Well, I meant that once the two of you have children that you share with each other, your bond will only strengthen.”

“Children of our own,” Sophia repeated, a wistful look settling on her features as she gazed into the distance, almost forgetting that Clara was in the room with her.

Sophia had always been convinced that she would never procreate due to her curse. As such, the thought of children was a wild impossibility. But now, the idea did not seem as impossible anymore. To her surprise, it even seemed like the next logical step in their relationship.

“I hope that you will give us the good news soon,” Clara continued. “I know that your Aunt Rose has always wanted that for you. Your parents did, too.”

“My parents? Surely, I was too young back then for them to have those sort of aspirations for me,” Sophia argued.

“You may have been young, but a mother imagines the entire life of a child as soon as it is born. It is natural instinct,” Clara pointed out.

Sophia was on the edge of her seat, curious for more. “Did my mother say anything to you?”

“She would mention it sometimes,” Clara recalled, folding her arms in front of her. “When she would see you and your sister playing in the garden, she would joke to your father that since you are the only two daughters, any suitors interested in asking for your hand would need to first convince them. Only those who would treat you with the most delicate hand would be selected.”

Sophia found herself getting choked up at the story.

“They really loved us,” she observed with a sigh.

“Of course. You and your sister were their entire world. However, I believe that they would have been accepting of the Duke,” Clara declared. “He is the perfect gentleman who would have fit their standards with ease.”

“It is a shame that they never got a chance to meet him,” Sophia replied, biting down on her lip.

“Madam, they are with you at every step. You may not see them, but you can feel their presence if you try.”

“Thank you, Clara. You are always kind to me.”

Clara’s words repeated themselves in Sophia’s ear even as she retired to bed. She found herself missing her parents more than usual, thinking what their relationship would have been like with the Duke.

She imagined the Duke and her father going away for hunting trips while Sophia and her mother waited for them at home. She imagined her mother taking the Duke as her son since they never had one of their own. Most of all, she imagined them being a happy family.

It was a bittersweet feeling.

The water surrounded Sophia, and she began to swim away. The tide pushed her back, and she felt herself sinking…

Until a pair of strong arms pulled her up and brought her to safety.

“Sophia, you are safe with me.”

It was Duncan’s voice. He had appeared as a knight in shining armor.

“You always manage to appear at the right time,” Sophia smiled.

“Look around you…”

Sophia’s parents alongside her little sister stood waiting for her by her side. She immediately embraced them.

“Oh, I have missed you so,” Sophia said in between her tears. “All these years… it’s been so awful without you.”

Her mother smiled at her kindly and plucked away a strand of hair from her face.

“My dear, we never left your side. All you had to do was look.”

Sophia woke up at the crack of dawn, disgruntled. For the first time in years, she did not want to wake up. She did not have a nightmare. Instead, her dream was a pleasant one.

“It must be the tea,” she muttered out loud to herself, feeling hopeful for the first time in a long while. “Oh, I cannot believe that it is working.”

Sophia had a spring in her step for the entire day. The ‘glow’ that Clara had mentioned seemed to have made permanent residence on her features.

“You seem to be in a terrific mood this morning,” Duncan commented at the breakfast table.

She smiled to herself.

Oh, I had the loveliest of dreams. For once, I did not wake up with anxiety after a nightmare.

“I had a restful night of sleep,” she replied, deciding to not give too many details.

“Well, that is very good. Today I have to head into town for a business meeting,” he said.

Sophia could not hide the disappointment in her voice. She had been hoping to spend more time with him.

“But I shall return in the evening,” the Duke said, observing her face closely. Had he picked up on her disappointment? “I was wondering if you would like to join me for some tea then.”

“Of course.” Sophia’s response was immediate. “I would love that.”

“It is settled then. I shall see you in the evening,” he smiled.

That smile. Sophia was certain that it could disarm even his enemies. She blushed, looking away from his gaze.

“I look forward to it, Your Grace.”

“Duncan,” he corrected her softly. “Did we not already decide that we shall do away with these formalities? You are my wife now.”

Sophia’s blush deepened, and she nodded timidly.

“Duncan, I shall see you in the evening for some tea.” She savored the way his name sounded in her mouth.

“Thank you, Sophia,” he replied and then got up. “I shall take my leave now. See you very soon.”

“Take care,” she said, getting up after him. As she watched him leave, butterflies began to erupt inside of her stomach once again.

She had fallen for the Duke, irrevocably. And now being away from him even for a few hours seemed too much.

Jacob joined her for breakfast, just as Duncan was leaving.

“Busy man,” he teased his brother when he saw him leaving in a rush.

“Duty calls, dear brother. I must go even when I wish to stay.” Duncan patted his brother on the back before disappearing into the hallway.

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