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“I was just…” Violet struggled, “well, it’s not as if anyone has been here trying to show me the ropes of how to be a duchess…”

Nicholas raised his eyebrow, taking a step back. “Is that what the problem here is? You need… tutoring? ”

Violet felt her face flush again. It was a bit of a sore spot for her, after all. Being thrown into this world and having no direction for it. “That is beside the point I came here to discuss with you.”

Nicholas’ gaze slipped to her clenched fists, an amused smirk forming on his face in response. “What seems to be the problem here, Duchess ?”

“ Why is it that you avoid me?” Violet asked. “I have been in this estate for two weeks, and the only time that we spoken to each other was on the day of the wedding.”

Nicholas shrugged as though this was a completely normal thing. “I don’t see the problem here.”

“Really?” she pressed. “Do you really see nothing strange about two people in a marriage union having so little interaction with one another that it almost borders on non-existent.”

“Duchess, I really must ask you, do you suffer from short-term memory loss?”

Violet glared at him, not impressed with his random insult.

“Because let me remind you, you set some rules when you came here. I am merely following them.”

Oh. How convenient it is for him to put this all on me. “I did set some rules, yes. But I never said that I wished to be left alone for mealtimes as well. You have not been seen at the dinner table even once.”

“Oh, have I not?” he responded, teasing. “Pray, forgive me, then, Duchess.”

“Would you stop calling me that?” she snapped.

“Hmm. You make a fair point. Perhaps you need to start acting like one to deserve the title,” he remarked.

Violet’s jaw dropped at his audacious comment. “ Deserve ?”

Nicholas leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. “I simply meant,” he said, his lips twitching with the threat of a smirk, “that perhaps if you carried yourself with the authority of a duchess, you wouldn’t feel the need to defend yourself so fiercely.”

“I carry myself perfectly well, thank you very much. The problem lies with you and your absence at the dinner table. Your constant avoidance of me,” she fought back.

She was not going to give him the satisfaction of winning this argument.

“Avoid you?” Nicholas repeated, raising an eyebrow, and then broke into a laugh. “You make it sound as if I’m skulking about the estate like a villain in the shadows. You really do believe the vampire allegations, it seems.”

“Well, wouldn’t you?” she shot back. “Surely, it can’t be normal to never show up at the dinner table.”

“It is merely a force of habit,” Nicholas explained, “I wasn’t aware that sitting through hours of strained silence at dinner constituted normal interaction.”

“It wouldn’t be strained if you actually tried!” she countered, her voice rising slightly. “You’ve made absolutely no effort to?—”

“To what? Engage you in bland, awkward small talk?” he interrupted, mockingly. “I assure you, I am a tad more interesting than that.”

Violet narrowed her eyes, her doubt evident in the way her lips pressed into a thin line. She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head slightly.

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You doubt me.”

“Can you blame me?” she shot back. “All I’ve seen of you is your talent for avoidance and sarcasm. Forgive me if I fail to find that riveting.”

Nicholas’ expression shifted slightly. “I see. So, what is it that you want here from me?”

“I just want…” Violet sighed. “Your Grace, if it’s not so much to ask from you… would you please begin to show up for dinner times? I feel as though I might lose my mind if I have another serving of roast in complete silence.”

That got a chuckle out of him. “I am really not one to make negotiations like this.”

“Then let me rephrase myself.” She cleared her throat. “You are to join me for dinner at the table from now on.”

She did not know where this boldness came from. Just that it felt like the only thing that might work.

“Is that a command, Duchess?” Nicholas raised an eyebrow.

“It is.” Violet stood her ground, despite her voice trembling. She cleared her throat again, “Yes, it is a command. You say that I am to act like a duchess then consider this me doing exactly that.”

Nicholas was silent for a moment, something flickering in his dark eyes.

If Violet did not know any better, she would have thought that he appeared to be… impressed.

“I see. I am in a generous mood this evening. I will try and join you for mealtimes,” he finally conceded.

Ah. So, he was not going to forgo the reins of control entirely, but he was willing to make allowances.

Violet exhaled a sigh of relief. It was more than she could have asked for at this point, given their less than ideal relationship with one another. It would be wise to not push her luck any further.

“Very well. That would be most ideal.”

“Good.”

“Splendid.”

“Most agreeable.”

For a moment, they both just stood there, staring at each other. He is so much taller than me, Violet thought to herself. And then, her gaze dipped down to his forearms which were still exposed from the rolled-up sleeves.

A strange tension came creeping in, catching Violet by surprise.

“Splendid indeed,” Nicholas broke the silence. His gaze flicked briefly to her flushed cheeks before returning to her eyes. “Is there anything else, Duchess? Or shall we end this… exchange?”

“You mean this negotiation,” she sparred.

“No, Duchess. Let me remind you again…” He came even closer to her, making her breath hitch and her head start spinning. “… I do not negotiate. So, tell me, is there anything else that you wish to discuss with me?”

She opened her mouth to retort but found her mind unexpectedly blank.

“No,” she said finally, her voice coming out softer than she intended. “That… that will be all.”

Nicholas’ lips curved into the faintest hint of a smirk. “Very well,” he said, stepping back toward his desk. “Then I shall bid you goodnight.”

“ What ? So, you will not come to dinner, still?”

Nicholas seemed to be enjoying this. “Of course not. The time has passed. I supposed you’ll have to wait for another day for the pleasure.”

Pleasure. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and forced a polite smile. “Goodnight, Your Grace.”