Meeting the Duke

"Miss, who was that...?" Olivia asked. Lucille had been escorted home by one of Kalina's knights and Kalina was sitting alone in the inn room. She had thrown away the gloves that had touched Lucille's hands and had ordered them to be burned.

"They are someone that I care for deeply," Kalina's eyes were gentle and she seemed like a benevolent saint.

'Lady Kalina is so kind. She even cares for a beggar...' Olivia thought, watching her miss stare out the window with misty eyes.

A knock sounded on the door. It was one of the knights.

"Lady Kalina, it's getting late..." His voice sounded through the door.

"Oh! Shall we get going, then? Everyone must be very tired. Let's go back and rest." She got up graciously and Olivia hurriedly draped a coat over her shoulders.

On the carriage ride back to the manor, all Kalina kept thinking of what Lucille had said earlier.

'She wants to be a noble, huh...' Kalina tapped her index finger on the window of the carriage while she looked at the passing scenery. She smiled wryly as she thought of Lucille's hopeful expression as she had confessed that she wanted to be like Kalina.

A small giggle escaped her mouth. She leaned against the window and closed her eyes, silently falling asleep to the gentle rocking of the carriage.

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Kalina woke up the next morning in her bed. Her clothes had been changed to one of her nightgowns by Olivia and she had been carried to bed by the butler.

She had just woken up and had just called Olivia in to help her get ready when she heard the sound of yelling coming from downstairs.

She frowned. The Ephraim manor was usually a quiet place as her mother disliked loud noises. "What is that noise?"

"Ah, the Lord is back." Olivia said, almost reluctantly. She, like all of the workers at the mansion, disliked the Duke as he always treated them harshly. They only respected the Duchess, who was kindhearted and was fair to everyone.

"If he's back then he's back," Kalina scoffed as Olivia did her hair in an elegant half-up, half-down style. "What is he causing such a ruckus for?"

Olivia was surprised by Kalina's sharp tone and disparaging words. But then again, anyone would be upset if their father rarely came home and then when they did, they acted out of line.

"That's...I'm not sure, miss. Forgive me."

"Forget it." Kalina sighed. "If anything like this happens again, make sure you find out all the details."

"Yes, miss!"

Kalina, fully dressed in a simple spring green dress, descended the stairs to have breakfast. The sound of the Duke's shouting grew louder as she got closer to the first floor.

"Lady Kalina!"

The servants that had gathered rushed to bow as they saw her approaching. Kalina walked past them and into the dining room, where a chef was kneeling on the ground in front of the Duke. The Duchess had gone out early that morning and had not returned yet.

The Duke was plain and in no way outstanding. He had thin mousy brown hair and dull green eyes. He had no air of nobility about him, and even a commoner was more attractive than him. He was dressed in a gaudy suit covered with gold details, and there was even a gold star sown on his lapel–the Ephraim family's symbol.

Kalina felt disgusted seeing the Duke parading around with her family's crest displayed proudly on his chest. After all, he must have felt inferior next to Kalina and her mother who both had dazzling gold hair and eyes, proof of their belonging to the Ephraim family.

But him? He had married into the family and had to rely on his wife's fame to make a name for himself.

"Father, what on earth are you doing?" Kalina stepped forward. Her arms were crossed across her chest and she wore an indifferent expression.

The Duke turned around and seeing Kalina's disrespectful stance, his eyes flashed with anger. "Why aren't you greeting me?"

"Oh, yes. Excuse me. Good morning, Father. Was your journey to the main manor pleasant?" Kalina said, curtsying gracefully while grasping her skirt. She made sure to emphasize that he had been staying elsewhere, not at the main household.

The Duke clicked his tongue and didn't respond. He felt something unpleasant rise up inside of him when he saw how well-mannered Kalina had become. Usually, she would be trying to get his attention and begging him to spend time with her. But now, looking at the mature and cool girl in front of him, he didn't know what to do.

"So, what did the chef do?" Kalina shifted her gaze to the trembling middle-aged man on the floor.

"Lady Kalina, please have mercy!" he exclaimed, prostrating himself before Kalina.

"Shut up!" The Duke yelled. "You know I only eat freshly-picked fruit! Why did you serve me this trash? Are you looking down on me? Your master?"

He threw a half-eaten apple at the man, who flinched and was on the verge of tears.

'What is this now? Because of an apple? Is his self-esteem that low?'

Kalina motioned for a few servants to help the chef up, still watching the Duke. The chef cried out a few words of gratitude towards Kalina before he was taken away by the workers.

"What are you doing, Kalina?" The Duke spat. "Are you going against me?"

"No, of course not, Father." Kalina smiled gently, taking the Duke's arm and leading him to sit down again. "Father may not know this because you don't stay here often, but all the fruit here is picked every morning from the private orchard."

"Tsk!" The Duke forced his arm away. He had made a fool out of himself and caused a fuss for nothing. By that afternoon, the entire mansion had heard about how Kalina had saved the chef from being fired by the Duke.

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The Duchess had not been there for the ordeal and only returned to the manor during dinnertime. The Duke condemned her for staying out late and neglecting her husband in front of all the servants. Kalina could only grit her teeth and watch. An outburst would ruin her calm image.

"Kalina, where were you last night? I was so worried," The Duchess asked over dinner. Since the Duke had returned, he sat at the head of the table while the Duchess sat to the right and Kalina sat to his left.

"I was at the night market, I'm sorry to have worried you, Mother."

"Girls shouldn't be staying out so late." The Duke said, finishing his glass of wine and calling for another. "Rumors could spread."

"You're right, Father. I'll keep that in mind."

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of the family's utensils on their plates.

All three of them went to sleep with different emotions and thoughts inside their minds.