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Story: The Unwanted Duchess

It was a far more enjoyable way of discussing matters, Samantha thought, and she was hoping to keep it that way. She was sure that they would, of course, because Graham agreed with her on the matter.

That night, when they had returned home, Samantha ate dinner across from her husband and listened to him tell her all of his plans for the local farms and the upcoming festival. She had news of her own, but she wanted him to finish speaking first. Graham had so often encouraged her to speak first at dinner because once he started, he scarcely stopped, but she did not mind at all. She enjoyed listening to him speak.

“Ah! I have done it again,” he said after a while. “Please, tell me about your day.”

“Dearest, you were with me for the most part.”

“Of course, but we do not always experience things the same way. I must have missed some things.”

“Well, Emma was strangely nice to me. It is as though she has completely forgotten that she is supposed to loath me entirely.”

“You are to be her sister-in-law soon enough. It is beneficial for her to be kind to you as well as speak kindly of you. It does not do one any good to speak badly of a well-liked duchess.”

“That is hardly my position in society yet.”

“Perhaps not, but if you can win over thetonas you have our butler, then you shall soon have that title, I am sure of it.”

“I have not won over the butler.”

“He does not outright detest you, so that is what I would consider you being on his good side at least.”

Samantha had to laugh as she knew he was right.

“I have some news for you,” she began.

“Is it about Penelope? Do not tell me that she has somehow met the gentleman of her dreams and is to escape to Gretna Green!”

“No, she is very much happily a spinster still, and that will not be changing anytime soon. No, this news pertains to me.”

Graham leaned forward, listening intently to her as she spoke. Suddenly, she felt a shyness wash over her. She did not know how to tell him, despite knowing that she was going to do so all morning.

“Well,” she said, “I wanted Nicholas to have his day, but now that we are home, I can tell you. Do you remember how I was ready very early this morning?”

“Yes, of course. It only happened this morning.”

“Well, it was because I had received a letter beforehand. I had wanted to surprise you because I know how hard you worked to have this happen quickly. Even I am surprised at how quickly this has happened.”

“What is it?”

“It is the university! They have accepted me as a student, and I am to start very soon. They have specified that it is not something that they typically do, but that they are willing to make an exception for me.”

“An exception for an exceptional lady,” he noted. “I never doubted you, not for a second.”

“It also helped greatly that my husband is a duke, of course.”

“That made a difference, to be sure, but they do not accept just any duchess. It is your tenacity and willingness that secured you that place, not my title. Oh, Samantha, I cannot put into words how proud I am of you!”

“I can see it on your face,” she observed, “and I am so grateful for it. I am grateful for you and for the fact that I shall have access to real classes. It truly is a miracle.”

“It is not a miracle any more than it is my doing. This is all you, Dearest. You are a special lady, and I could not be happier that it is at last being seen by others, the way it always should have been.”

The praise continued to rain down on her until they retired to bed. Even then, Graham whispered in her ear about how truly proud he was of her until he drifted off to sleep. Samantha, on the other hand, could not sleep. She was too busy thinking ofthe girl that she once was, who was bold enough to walk up to scholars and discuss topics with them despite them laughing at her each and every time.

That very same girl would be attending the same universities as those scholars had, and she would do as well as they had, if not even better. She knew that she would because she wanted to, and she was growing accustomed to having everything that she wanted. She wondered if that made her spoiled, but she shrugged it off. She had earned what she had, all of it, and that is what made it all even better.

Diana was, of course, also ecstatic for her as was Adam, who had been counting the days until he could take his title and leave once more for Scotland. He was yet to meet Diana himself, but they had written letters to one another, and Diana did not hold any ill will towards him, and so that had been a good start at least. At last, everything was looking up and yet also falling into place, and each of them were perfectly happy with all that they had.

After all, with wonderful marriages, their interests fulfilled, and a family that seemed to be growing bigger by the day, who could ask for more? Samantha certainly could not have, and as she at last drifted off into sleep, she smiled, knowing that she truly could not be any happier than she was in that moment.

The End?