Woman Hating Duke 39 - 40

Pixiv - Axle

39 Percy’s Passion:

Yesterday, I unexpectedly met Percy; it was nerve-racking, but I managed to get through it undiscovered. If I really thought about it, the Duke should not be searching for me since he was marrying Isabel.

‘Good Morning, Miss Julia, would you like help with anything? I can do anything pretty well.’ I jumped at the masculine voice. It was Percy, dressed neatly, standing just inside the door of the room at the back of the inn we had commandeered for use. We had just got a delivery of caramel and I was repackaging them with Hannah.

I don’t understand. Why is this guy here so early in the morning?! He promised to come back in a month’s time yesterday! What exactly happened here?

Percy had asked Susanna about me and Shirley and he had been told about Hannah as well. Although, he now knew my name, he did not realise I was the Julia. That meant my disguise must be pretty good.

‘Personally,’ he began, ‘I think Shirley is simply embarrassed. So even though, she wants your approval, I think it will be alright. I will endure not meeting Shirley for a month, but in the meantime, I want you to get to know me.’

They had only just met, barely had a conversation: where did the confidence that Shirley liked him come from? He is as idiotic as his boss, but I was sure to have trouble keeping up with him; I had to do something about this.

As I finished packaging, Percy collected the caramel in my hand,

‘I will take this for you. I know Shirley and I have only just met, but my feelings are genuine. The moment I saw her, everything changed, everything is different. I know it isn’t logical, but that's the thing about falling in love.’

‘I understand that it doesn’t matter what time it takes to love someone, but you don’t have to try to impress me. I can’t raise any objections if you are sincere about Shirley and she likes you as well. So don't bother with me, and wait your month quietly.’

‘But I also want to get to know you, Miss Julia. Shirley likes you, so I want to get to know everything and everyone she likes. But I can see why Shirley calls you sister. You came to Myseln to sell and promote your region’s local sweets, didn’t you? I admire that go-getting attitude. Are all women named Julia like that?’

I would be troubled if you ask me such a thing. I am both of them. I remained silent as we went out to deliver the caramel. Percy and I walked side by side,

‘You have the same name as a bossy woman I met recently. She is wealthier than you, but she had great ability and judgement, I thought it was a pity she was a woman. Somehow, she disappeared. If she is caught by my boss, she will have a hard time.’

His last sentence piqued my interest, so I tried to casually ask Percy more details,

‘What could she have done? I wonder if Julia is really her name.’

‘No. It’s my boss’ privacy, so I can’t say more.’

You have slipped so far, there isn’t privacy anymore, break your mouth quickly! (Zuben: Cool headed Julia)

‘Hmm, I’m not sure which kind of men Shirley likes, but I can introduce other men to her while you’re waiting. Modest, delicate…’

‘Come on! I understand. But this is a secret.’

It seemed my petty threat worked.

‘My boss is a very capable man. He does difficult work with a calm disposition. But he fell in love with a woman who decided to be with someone else. When he got the parting letter from her, a big hole opened in the wall of our office. ‘

‘A-a hole?! Why?’

‘Well, when he first read the letter, he was statue still for a few minutes, but then he got up shouted her name and punched the wall next to him. And that wall isn’t easy to break like that. He must have been very angry.’

I wondered if that letter had any elements that could make him that angry. Certainly there were a few sarcastic phrases, but the letter was mostly thanking him. I wasn’t overtly rude; I just asked that we never see each other again. Was that it?

‘Well, she disappeared after writing the letter; she had said in it that she never wanted to see him again. But the boss has been searching for her since then, without rest. It’s gone from pure love to pure horror. It is the first time I have seen the boss so desperate. If you love someone so much, that love can become hate.’

‘Why is he so angry? Did he like the woman that much? Couldn’t he just marry another woman?’

‘No such thing. The boss is very handsome; so many women try to coerce him into marrying them. That lady is the first woman I have seen close to the boss. Although, there are lots of rumours of him being a philanderer, I think it is a lie. I personally thought that my boss was homosexual and just used the rumours of womanising to mislead people. But it looked like he loves this woman passionately, so I realised that I was wrong.’

It was strange that the Duke’s subordinate denied any talks about marriage with Isabel. I wonder what it meant. No matter how much Isabel rushed ahead, it was hard to carry out a lie like this. (Zuben: It's like she doesn't know what kind of person her cousin is)

‘If you come across that woman, Mr Luke, will you catch her and hand her over to your boss?’

‘Lord no! I will tell her to get away; I don’t know what my boss will do to her if he found her in his current state. I did not think he loved her so much. She’s really something to run away despite being loved by our very esteemed boss. It’s a good thing that she isn’t carried away by his handsomeness. The person she likes is pretty handsome too.’

I watched Percy laugh, while my head was spinning.

I did not understand why the Duke was desperately looking for me after being mad at the letter. (Zuben: selective hearing) I hadn’t realised that the marriage with Isabel was not going to happen when I left the Bourbon Manor. In any case, I am was Myseln because I did not want to be involved with him anymore, but if he was looking for me, it would not be long before he found me. I wondered how to escape.

First, Percy and I finished the deliveries. Then I found a quiet street and dragged Percy into a corner. And got up in his face. Percy looked at me in shock at my actions. It must have looked like I was trying to attack him.

‘Dear Mr Luke, I know your name is really Mr Percy. If you don’t want me to expose your true identity to Shirley, you will help me. I really don’t want to see his Grace again, but as long as I’m here in Myseln, I will be found. If you hide me, he won’t find me. If you help me, I will encourage Shirley to date you, in a month. How about it? Do we have a deal?’

‘Ho-hold on! You’re the Julia?!’ Percy shouted. 

🂬

 

 40 Julia in the Night:

I dragged Percy to a nearby café to discuss the plan. We took seats at the back of the café to be inconspicuous and ordered the strawberry tea that had become popular in the city. (Zuben: does anyone in this stories attempt not to eat some popular confection?)

Percy was living at the Magnaria Manor; he did not have his own abode. He was usually transient except when he was staying at the Manor,

‘I am a single man that barely returns home from work. There has been no need to have my own place…but you’re really the Duke’s Julia. I would never have guessed.’ (Zuben: If she laid low, she never would have been found)

Percy held his head in his hands. I had wanted to hideout at Percy’s place, but I suppose that was out of the question. It would be dangerous to be alone, but I couldn't take Hannah with me because she had to deliver the caramel. And Hannah would never allow me to just go somewhere without her in the first place.

Dammit. I can’t believe I would have to give up the freedom of being in the city because of the Duke. It hadn’t even been for long either.

But, it was the Duke that is in the wrong. Why should I have to run about?

‘Fine! I have to see the Duke before he catches me and tell him not to look for me anymore.’

‘Ju-Julia, are you serious? This person is the Duke of Magnaria!’

‘Is he a bear? He’s only human, and besides you say he hasn’t been sleeping, but he would still return to his house at night. It would be easy to catch him in the moment of weakness and talk quietly. I have a lot of things I want to say to him.’

‘I don’t see where it is easy …’

After a bit of persuasive threatening, he accepted helping me sneak into the Duke’s Manor. Once I parted from Percy, I went to a shop to buy something to tie up the Duke with.

That night, once Hannah was snoring softly, I crept out of our room with my gear and rushed to the place I was meeting Percy. He was waiting with a carriage a few streets away. The night was very dark and it was hard to see even with the pale moonlight.

‘Are you really going through with it, Miss Julia?’

‘Obviously. The preparations are complete; attacking is the best defence. Let’s get going. It is far from Myseln?’

‘But, when you meet him, please don’t tell him I helped you or I will be killed before I can meet Shirley again.’ Percy said with a deep shudder.

He drove the carriage for about twenty minutes when we came to a white boundary wall. Was this the wall surrounding the Duke’s abode, I wondered. I couldn’t hide my surprise as the wall went on and on before the gate was visible. Maintenance must be difficult. This was real wealth. It was wasteful that only the Duke and Percy lived in this huge mansion. (Zuben: The servants don’t matter, I guess)

The portico was a long way from the main gate. When we reached it, the butler, housekeeper and a several maids were waiting for us. The butler noticed my presence,

‘She’s my informant. You don’t have to worry about her identity, I work with her.’

The staff must know about their master’s work, as soon as the key word was said, the butler relaxed and Percy took me to his room while I waited for the Duke.

‘I don’t know when his Grace will return. Last night it was about 2 ‘o’ clock. Are you really going to wait?’

‘Hmm, it would probably be better to wait in the Duke’s rooms. If I stayed here, I would not know if he has gone to sleep or not, and he may lock his door. I will go and lie in wait in his rooms.’

‘That isn’t want I meant, but I know I can’t stop you.’

I took off my shoes and crept out of Percy’s room down the halls to the Duke’s room. The servants' quarters looked to be in a separate building, so I didn’t have to be overtly cautious, but I was sure the butler would be waiting for his master’s return.

The doors to the Duke’s chambers were solid wood with delicate carving work; I thought that it suited the owner of the room. I gingerly opened the heavy door and slipped in. Inside, I was impressed by the prestige of the room, there were no candles, but the moon shone though the high windows into the dark room creating a striking picture. (Zuben: Did it sparkle in the moonlight?)

The décor looked like it had been beautifully put together by a master down to the vases. I sat at the foot of the huge bed in the shadows; I certainly would not be noticed here when the Duke arrived.

As I sat there, the Duke’s scent surrounded me, reminding me of that rainy afternoon. It felt like so long ago. While immersed in the memories, I began to feel drowsy. I pinched my cheeks to keep me awake.

I woke to the loud sound of the door opening. Henry had returned. I heard tired footsteps coming towards the bed, and the springs squeaked as he sat and lay down.

I stiffened and held my breath, Henry, the Duke, the dreadful Duke who tried to trick me. That most hateful Duke was right beside me! My heart began to beat faster and my breathing sped up. I tried to calm down, so the Duke would not hear me. He felt far away despite me being close enough to hear his breathing.

This Duke, who was a member of the royal family, a brilliant gentleman, should not have come across a woman like me. It would have suited him more to be with a wealthy noble lady like Isabel. So why was he searching for me so…I could not think of an answer. (Zuben: If you were as smart as you think you are, we would not be here rolling our eyes)

I waited till I heard his breathing become deep and regular. My butt ached from sitting on the floor so long, but I ignored it and rose to a crouch. I carefully took out the rope out of my bag and rose fully upright.

I looked down at him, he was still handsome; his long lashes twinkled against his neat face reminding me of the morning we were last together. As I sat on the bed the springs made noise, at that moment, Henry opened his eyes and called my name,

‘Julia…’

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