Woman Hating Duke 35 - 36

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35 Henry: 

‘Did she fall asleep?’ James asked, ‘She is tired from the strains of the day. I will look after her. Henry, you need to go to the Castle to report. She will be safe near me.’

Julia had fallen asleep defencelessly in my arms. I wrapped the sheet around her properly and took her up to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. Her golden wheat hair was still wet and stuck to her cheek; I gently stroked her cheek with my finger. She gave a small moan and turned over. The moment she turned, a silken white thigh was exposed. She was in my shirt, looking rather sensual. The memory of that rainy afternoon awakened…

‘Henry…’

James’ voice returned me to reality. I didn’t want him to see Julia like this, so I covered her with the coverlet so her face was half hidden.

 ‘I will look after Julia, you have to go and report to the King. After I send Julia home tomorrow, I will come to the King and give my report. I don’t think I can quietly withdraw from this situation. I also have to go and see George.’

That was true, I couldn’t leave it all to Percy, but I did not want to leave James here alone with Julia while I was at the Castle. Even though she had been injured, she still slept innocently without care like a child.

What was she dreaming of, I wondered. I could feel the corner of my lips rise in a smile.

 I turned to James and said, ‘I will be back as soon as I finish. Look after Julia until then.’

There was a feeling of being hooked back, but after watching Julia’s sleeping face for a short time. I headed for the castle.

In the carriage, I recalled the events of the day…

At the Bourbon garden, after Julia and James slipped away, I immediately wanted to follow but Isabel held me fast. I managed to endure the nausea that was caused by the choking scent of her perfume and the exposed abominations on her chest.

‘Your Grace,’ she said in her irritating breathy voice as she pushed her breasts against my arm, ‘I am prepared for you today. I do not mind if you embrace me. Please be free with me, you can do whatever you want.’

It was the worst, I could feel the nausea rising. It was difficult to endure.

It was hard for me to remain a gentleman to a woman. I scoffed and roughly pulled my arm from her grip. She stared in shock at my change.

‘I do not want to spend time with you any longer. I am neither sincere nor a gentleman. Even if I marry you, I would not remain faithful. I have no interest in producing an heir. When I die, my title and wealth will be left to my nephew. Are you still willing to marry me?’

‘But…but, you had said you liked me the most at the royal ball.’

She looked at me with an expression of insincere piteousness; she just looked worse and worse each passing moment. It just reconfirmed that Julia was special to me. 

‘I was lying. I was enjoying watching young well bred ladies like you getting thrilled by my words. You are like parasites that pick up on men based on their appearance and rank. You are like hungry mites. Get away from me.’

‘But I truly adore you, your Grace. You just have to be by my side.’ She said tearfully.

I diverted my gaze because I found her irritating to look at. I didn’t even want to hear her sobbing.

‘Stop crying. It is annoying. My intention today was to let you know I had no desire to marry you. It would be better for you to decline rather than I jilt you. I can find you a nice gentleman that will suit you.’

‘I will not give up on you, my Duke. Besides, it’s already too late…’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You have already drunk it. We cannot turn back anymore.’

I was suddenly hit with a wave of dizziness and my fingertips became numb.

Isabel noticed and her formerly piteous face distorted into a smile. She had drugged my tea. My head spun and I began to lose consciousness.

It had been too late.

Isabel was not the first person to try and drug me.

Women like her were hyenas waiting for a moment of weakness to pounce, and I had encountered them many times. It was why I was very cautious about eating outside of my home. Most sleeping pills did not work on me because I had worked on building immunity, but this afternoon, I had been distracted by Julia and James, and I had not been concentrating.

‘Isabel! You!’

I wanted to kill her.

I extended my hand to strangle her, but caught air instead.

At that moment, everything went black.

...

When I woke, I was on a canopied bed. My head was sore. I looked around and noted a naked Isabel sleeping next to me as expected. Perhaps we were at the resting gazebo behind the rose garden as she had described. She woke up and smiled with a blush,

‘Your Grace, it was like a dream that you sought me so fiercely.’ She began in her breathy tone of voice trying to clamber on to me, naked, ‘Although it was my first time, I would never have thought it would be so pleasurable. I could only rejoice, my Duke.’  (Zuben: First time? Yeah right)

I leapt out of her way quickly.

‘Do you think I would let you coerce me, Isabel? You think you can get me aroused with a drug? You are trying to turn a Duke, and in turn the Royal Family into your enemy? Your father will know of this.’

Isabel covered her face and began to cry. I stared at her as though I was watching a crude farce.

‘Your Grace, you’ve taken the purity of a young lady but you aren’t going to take responsibility? There is proof!’ She cried as she whipped off the covers to show the red stain. Isabel’s expression was triumphant as she said, ‘Your Grace, it is well known that you are a womaniser, no one would doubt you took my virginity. I didn’t just make you unconscious; the drug has an aphrodisiac effect as well.’ (Zuben: Japan and their aphrodisiacs)

‘I never did anything to you, Lady! Such bloodstains could be fabricated, so it cannot be used as evidence. I honestly detest women like you. I will report this to the Earl of Bourbon!’

This was the truth, whether or not I’d been drugged, I could not be aroused by any woman other than Julia.

I put on my clothes that had been strewn all over the floor, coldly dismissing Isabel. She began to wail,

‘You can’t do that! I will tell my father that you took my virginity and fled. I will marry you!’

I wonder if she thought I would be deceived by such a lie. She was a foolish woman. She mustn’t have thought deeply about what she would do if she was denied. I finished dressing at the left the room, in a corner of the ante-room I spied the butler and a maid; they must have helped Isabel.

I shook with anger, but went in search of Julia. By the time I returned to the manor, it was evening. I headed for the manor to speak to the Earl Bourbon. At the house, I was informed that James and Julia had disappeared but they had not used a carriage.

I tried to judge the situation calmly even though my expression was dark. I decided to investigate; there were only two routes that two people could take out of the Earl’s estate without being seen. I found James’ button on a barely used path in the Earl’s grove.

I followed a carriage’s rut until it stopped. Perhaps they changed to a new carriage. Whoever had kidnapped James must be quite skilled, they came fully prepared. The must be waiting for dark to continue moving.

I returned to the Castle and took my men out to investigate from where the carriage stopped. Choosing three likely wards, I sent teams there. I could only wait for their report. On my horse at the crossroads to the three wards, I waited. It was the most frustrating time of my life.

‘Is the kidnapped lady the woman you like, your Grace?’ Percy asked while we waited, ‘Your complexion is blue. Is Prince James your love rival? I see. He is a strong rival. Was it the prince that gave her the hickey? Oh, is that a pulsing vein?’

I became so angry from the waiting an aura of slaughter was emanating for me.

‘Percy, if you wish to continue, I hope you are prepared to die.’

Percy paled. Even my horse shifted in fright. I was irritated like never before; the last time I saw Julia she had been angry with me.

At this moment, I felt that I could throw my life away in return for her.

One of my scouts returned, they had found Julia, though she was a little hurt, she was safe. I patted my chest, and ran my horse to the Central Ward with Percy close behind.

When we reached the hideout, I was greeted by the sight of one of the assailants collapsed on the floor at the door. I could hear a female voice replying a booming male one off to the side. Was that Julia? Why was she still here?!

I moved without thinking, as I reached the room there was a loud bang that shook the building a little.

‘Julia!’ I shouted.

I looked inside to find her sitting on the floor against the wall in a corner of the room, with a terrified looked on her pale face. I ran over and hugged her trembling body.

Thank goodness! She was safe! Thank God!

I needed to get her out of here. Julia had set a trap for to defeat the giant sprawled on the floor. I was rather impressed by her cleverness. As soon as we got out, Julia began to call for James. If I had not stopped her, she would have gone to the second floor where there was a fight raging on. Did she like James this much? Thinking back, Julia had told me that she hated me a few times, never once had she said she liked me. Dark emotions turned inside and grew. Jealousy filled my mind; I did not think I could stay rational looking at her face.

Gordon came down from the second floor and reported that James was not there. Just then, the men who had been searching the ground floor came back followed by Edward holding James hostage with a sword to his neck.

I didn’t want Julia here; she might end up in danger. As Edward said, we could not do anything to him. He and James were not subjects of Bosch. Did I have no choice but to watch as James was used as a bargaining chip?

But then Julia unexpectedly came out from behind me and began provoking Edward. It was clear she was trying to make him let go of James and attack her. Even if he was the Prince of another country, if he attacked a weak young lady of Bosch, I would be justified in using force to stop him. Even though I knew this, I did not want Julia in danger. Just thinking of it made my heart cold.

Edward took the bait and attacked her; I immediately threw the dagger in my hand at him while at the same time pulling Julia to the safety of my arms. With her so close to me, my cold heart gradually warmed. (Zuben: You’ve got it baad ♬)

I never wanted to experience a moment like this again.

Julia…you’re the only one – I love you absolutely. (Zuben: If only your love wasn’t such a dense one)

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36 I Spent the Night with Two Men:

(Zuben: Not in an even remotely exciting way¬.¬ Why they could not have a "who can pleasure Julia the most competition" I do not know)

I awoke to the dazzling light of the morning with the birds singing from out of the window. I was surprised to see that James and Henry were sleeping on either side of me. No matter how I thought about it, I could not fathom why these two men were sleeping on either side of me. It couldn’t to be that that was only one bed in such a big house. So why were three of us sleeping in one narrow bed?!

They were lying on either side of me, on their sides facing me, so they were both breathing into my ears. Their bodies were closely touching mine from head to toe; must be why I slept so comfortably. But, how am I going to get out of this situation now; climb over James or Henry?

I turned to Henry, and got entranced by his perfect handsome features; his soft well shaped lips, his straight nose. Even though he was so enchantingly handsome when he was smiling, he only ever showed me his stern and angry face.

A hand came over my waist and turned me to face James, who should be have been fast asleep.

‘Good morning, Julia,’ he whispered, ‘I’m happy to be waking up next to you. How do you feel? Would you like to eat?’

He drew closer to me, so that his face was close to mine; his lips were nearly touching mine (Zuben: Back off, she ain’t yours) His light brown hair fell over his sleepy face, he was also very pretty. His bruises had slightly subsided, remaining slightly reddish but not swollen. I was relieved.

‘Why are you both sleeping beside me, aren’t there any other beds?’

‘There are, but James was sleeping beside you on my return from the Castle. I was not allowing a young unmarried man and woman to sleep together alone, so I decided to stay and chaperone.’ Henry said crankily from behind me.

He was also awake.

We greeted each other, and I was able to get up and wash up in the bathroom.

Since there was no change of clothes, I went down to the living area in the shirt and bedsheet. Breakfast was ready; bread, some heated canned soup and water. I quickly ate it; I was famished. I hadn’t eaten anything since our tea party yesterday morning, I felt like I was about to die from the hunger.

James and Henry were dressed in formal clothes already. Henry must have got them when he went to the Castle last night. James was wearing a crisp white shirt under grey morning three-piece suit. The Duke was wearing a strange dark high collared suit; I wondered whether it was his Knight uniform or not. 

The two of them were sitting side by side in the morning light looking amazingly cool. I felt like I was tarnishing the cool atmosphere in my ghost bedsheet.

When we finished breakfast, the Duke presented me with a dress.

‘The dress size should be fine; unfortunately I could not prepare any under-things. But, you should be able to manage until you return to the Bourbon Manor. While I get the carriage, please get dressed.’

‘Where is it from?’ I asked a bit nervously. Once glance told me it was an expensive dress. It was very pretty, cream with lots of beading and trimmings.

Henry shrugged as though it was no big deal as he replied, ‘It’s the Queen’s. It was made before she was married, so she said you don’t have to return it.’

What?! The Queen’s?!

James chuckled at my shocked expression,

‘The Queen is Henry’s aunt. She always complains that Henry doesn’t come to visit her, especially after he became such a misogynist. Didn’t you know, Julia?’

‘I hadn’t been interested in the Duke of Magnaria at all, so I did not think to look into his family history. I knew there was a royal connection, but I didn’t realise it was as immediate as the Queen.’ (Zuben: Say things like this and you wonder why he gets annoyed with you)

I had not realised he was of such a noble line. Not only that, he was very handsome; it made sense for women to flock to him, even if he disliked women and had a terrible mouth.

It would be rude to return the dress back to the Queen, so I decided to send a thank you letter to her later.

I quickly returned to the bedroom and changed. If fitted well, like it was tailored for me. The drape of the dress was beautiful, I stood in front of the mirror admiring myself but it was ruined by my bandaged hands.

‘I won’t be able to go out until the injuries are healed.’ I said to myself. If I had no choice, I suppose I could wear gloves, but otherwise, stay in the manor.

 I looked back at the room. It was the one I spent the rainy afternoon with the Duke.

James had said Henry did not feel lust for a woman, but I had thought his confession was true at the time (Zuben: Only three days ago) But when I see his cold manner, I felt like it had all been a mistake, I could not imagine it.

James had proposed to me, but to be honest, I could not tell if he had been serious or joking. And currently, the situation with the royal family and Kingdom of Basseterre was unstable. It was not realistic to be tied to him in anyway.

If I was asked if I loved James, I could only say no. Not as a lover. Even as a friend, he required considerable energy and patience to keep up with him and his troublesome twisted character.

I was soon to be twenty, and I would like to marry a man who could save my family’s finances at once if possible. It would be better to not get any more involved with these two men anymore. The difference between us was too vast.

For an impoverished aristocratic daughter from a remote province, the third son of some aristocrat would suit me better. (Zuben: But you don’t have an eye for good men. Instead of clinging like a barnacle to the one that fell on your lap, your pride is holding you back)

I made my decision before the mirror.

The carriage came, and I left the house. James did not let my hand go until I was seated on the carriage, but Henry had his usual cold visage and did not look me in the eyes as I left.

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