Page 33 of A Bluestocking for the Wicked Duke

“This must really be a good morning, when last did William join us for breakfast?” Regina said, pointing her fork to her elder brother.

William smiled as he picked a large piece of bacon and placed it on his plate. His mother poured him a cup of warm milk and pushed it to him.

“Thank you mother,” he said.

He took a plate of bread and placed a large offering of cheese beside the bread. Regina stared wide eyed when she saw the amount of cheese William put on his plate. William saw her reaction and glared back at her.

“So where are you going today?” Duchess Henrietta said.

William lifted his left eyebrow.

How did she know he was going somewhere?

“I want to get to the house of the Earl,” William replied.

“Which Earl?” Duchess Henrietta asked.

“The Earl of Norfolk,” William replied.

The Duchess said nothing, she continued eating her food. After about ten minutes of silence, she spoke again.

“I heard you had a long dance with Nicholas’ daughter.”

The Duchess said this without looking up; she cut into her bacon as she spoke. William knew her lack of visible reaction did not mean she didn’t hold strong opposition to his new affiliations, instead it spelt the opposite.

“We had a dance and a few conversations,” William answered.

He tried keeping his voice as cool as possible.

“I heard you enjoyed each other’s company too.”

William didn’t reply. He took a sip of the milk, savouring the way it caressed his tongue, leaving a film of sweetness even after he swallowed.

“You are playing a dangerous game William,” she said, finally looking up to face him.

William didn’t reply. He feared that the course along which she was treading would vex him and take away his appetite. He looked up, matching her gaze and raised his glass of milk to his mouth.

“What sort of game is this? I told you to do something and you go ahead to form strange affiliations with the daughter of the man who cheated you in a battle to death. You confound me.”

She had stopped eating, looking directly at William and expecting his response. Her voice wasn’t strained but the tension was palpable, William noticed even Regina had stopped eating.

“Mother,” William said before standing up, “when will you stop meddling in my affairs? I am not a child that you determine his every walk and talk.”

The Duchess looked surprised at his outburst. She fumbled to speak but words refused to form. Regina just gaped at her brother. William had gotten angry at his family a lot of times but he avoided saying words in anger. They couldn’t believe he had just said that.

“Leave me be mother. I’ll leave the table for you,” William said before he turned to go back to his room.

His mother was threatening to spoil his day. William tried to shake his pique off. It would do him no good to see Esther in a foul mood.

*******

William opened his eyes and looked around. It was still afternoon. He could still see the gardener on the rows of flowers.

Then it’s not noon yet. I must have fallen asleep after breakfast.

William wondered why Lord James hadn’t come yet. He could not wait for him anymore. He got up from his bed and wore his shoes. He wore a yellow shirt with a black jacket. The sun was high so he wore his hat too. William went out of his room and walked to the stable behind the house. There was no other person in the stable.

The stable boy must have gone off to play, playful boy.