The Devil is The Duke

It was weeks after the wedding but the Duke had been absent for most of that time. He suddenly became more interested in his Asian based businesses than he was in his wife.

During the days, Emeera did not allow his absence deter her. She ruled her home like a proper duchess. But at nights, she woke up to a strange big bed and lay wondering why her husband abandoned her. Even fights would have been better than the silence. The Duke just left, obviously with a mistress to spend his time. It was dawning on Lucille, the ladymaid that the marriage was only in name. Emeera could see the pity in the young girl’s face whenever she came in to help her with her toilette while the chambermaid cleaned. Most times, they said nothing. But one morning, while helping Emeera with her dress, Lucille asked when the master would be returning home.

“He is not certain as business is very unstable at the moment,” Emeera answered. Lucille nodded. “Are the servants talking?” Emeera did not care for gossip but she needed to know. Their eyes locked and Emeera could read from the girl’s eyes that they certainly were. She knew it was the servants gossiping to servants in other households that would expose her marital crises to the whole of Savoy. “Who in particular?” She asked Lucille after a long pause. The girl fiddled with Emeera’s rings as she answered nervously.

“Your grace, I cannot…”

“Give me the name. Nobody will know.”

Lucille told her it was one of the chambermaids who regularly cleaned the master’s suite. Emeera nodded. She was not surprised.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

That afternoon, she sacked the maid. Nobody knew exactly why the maid was fired but they all guessed. And the idea that someone lost a job in the highest paying household in Savoy because she could not keep her mouth shut was enough to shut all other mouths itching to discuss the bosses’ business. Though that contained the gossip problem, Emeera was still left with the absentee husband problem. That night, as she rolled on the bed, she wondered why he had moved her to his room if all he planned to do was abandon her there. Love match indeed.

****

The first lunch Emeera attended with the ladies was at Baroness Rhodes family estate. The Duke had been absent from home for weeks so Emeera had not told him of the forthcoming lunch and the fact that she was going to be in attendance. It happened that he returned from yet another business trip that afternoon and met her in the closet trying on clothes.

“What are you up to, madam?” He asked.

“To lunch with the women of Savoy. They are talking about creating a safe playground for the children,” she said absentmindedly while trying on earrings that were part of her wedding trousseau.

“You know you cannot attend,” he replied.

“Pray tell, why can’t I attend? Am I not a future mother? Will my child not use that playground? Or am I not a woman in Savoy?”

“Emeera Charles, you know quite well why you can’t mingle with the women of this town.”

“Because you are afraid they will tell me about you? A clear conscience fears no accusations,” she retorted.

It took everything in him to ignore her remarks.

“We already discussed this and decided you shall not-”

“We certainly did not. You do not discuss. You command and you give orders.” She said and walked out to the bedroom in just underwear. “Thou shall not meet with the women of the Duchy. Thou shall not stay in the mistress’ room. Thou shall not host lunches. Thou shall not travel. Thou shall not befriend a soul. Thou shall not enjoy this lunacy called our marriage!”

“Do not talk to me in that manner.”

“Thou shall not talk to his grace the duke, in that manner. Thou shall not breathe!” He grabbed her, heaving.

“What do you stand to gain by being disrespectful? I gave you everything any woman would want and all I ask in return is your obedience. What else do you really want from me?”

“Freedom from this sham of a marriage. You are never here. You married me to abandon me. I am your pregnant wife!”

“But the doctor is always at your beck and call.”

“A pregnant woman needs more than a doctor!” She was screaming now. “A pregnant woman needs to wake up beside the father of her baby on nights she battles nightmares. A pregnant woman needs people to talk to.”

“You have female servants-”

“A pregnant woman needs to confide in and draw strength from loved ones!”

“There is Nancy Athelstan.”

“A pregnant woman needs sex! Is that Nancy’s duty now?” Emeera said and began to cry. She had never known a day would come when she would beg the man she married for sex. The statement stunned the duke. He had never considered her frigid but at the same time he did not think of his wife as a woman who could cry of being sex starved. It was probably the pregnancy.

He had heard his friends talk about sex during pregnancy and how supercharged it was. He wanted of all things to experience that and here was his wife, willing and waiting. But he could not touch her. He had warned her that marriage to him would be brutish and harsh and here it was. She had trapped him into a marriage he had not wanted so she could as well deal with the consequences.

He walked out of the room to the study, leaving her there. Emeera walked to the mirror and wiped her tears. She needed to look happy at the meeting or the women would have a fresh topic for conversation. She rang for Lucille who helped her finish her makeup. If she noticed the tear streaks, Lucille did not mention. As Emeera walked into the waiting car and sat back as the driver drove her towards the Rhodes’ home, she wondered if the financial security and fine clothes were worth sacrificing her happiness for.