Chapter 38
"Duchess Etkinson you don't have those give bastards separate rooms with those soft beds" Duke Fogreiver said and ate the big chunk of meat he was holding.
"How can I not? They are our guests" Duchess said with a smile.
"They are used to sleep on hay in the barracks. Such rooms might make them reluctant to leave" he said chewing the meat hard.
"Your men are really good, Duke Fogreiver. It will be our pleasure if they wish to stay" Duchess complimented.
"Hahahaa. Duchess Etkinson, you are a funny lady. Ah…arrange some place for them to train?" Duke asked.
"A place to train?"
"Yes. Those boys will get horny if they don't have anything to do."
"Cough. Cough" Alice coughed lightly as she felt something stuck in her throat.
She immediately drank water and timidly looked around smiling sillily. Everyone had a weird smiled on their face. When she looked at Daniel and Stella, she decided to bring some eardrums for them when they come next time.
In the room with a dinning table, covered with several dishes, there was Duchess Etkinson and her three kids, Alicia, Daniel and Stella sitting on one side. While the Count and Countess Ashaxe sat opposite to them, beside Duke Fogreiver and his son. The middle of the table was empty due to absence of Duke Etkinson.
There were servants and maids around, who already became red faced. Ben who was standing with them felt really uncomfortable while Maria was expressionless.
"I am sorry, Duke Fogriever. But my husband still needs some rest" Duchess said, "I know you have some urgent work with him but…"
"It is fine. Health is more important than work" Young Lord Fogreiver spoke.
"We can stay for here for few days. We don't have anything to do in our fief anyway" he continued.
A spoon slipped from Countess Ashaxe's hand and fell down making a bang sound. Her face clearly asking 'how long do you intend to stay'.
"Mother you dropped your spoon" Duchess Etkinson reminded.
Her eyes asking 'what are you doing'.
The Countess hid her feelings and smiled.
"Oh… yeah. Maria, bring another spoon for me" she asked with a smile.
"I will bring it now" Maria said and signaled the servant. The servant left room immediately.
Both father and son did see hesitation and tense surrounding around them as they were busy eating the food laid in front.
When the awkward dinner finally ended, Alice was still hungry. She couldn't eat properly because she felt uncomfortable in the dinning hall. So did Stella and Daniel. They ordered Emma to bring some food for them in Alice's room.
"Run, run, run, run" they heard some voices as they secretly ate.
"What is happening?" Stella curiously ran into the balcony, leaving her dinner.
Daniel and Alice followed her and saw the soldiers of North running around the garden. All of them were shirtless with stiff faces, covered in sweat. All of them had good body with perfect abs. She could even see few maids observing them and blushing among themselves.
"When will they leave?" Alice asked, completely annoyed.
"They train hard" Stella mumbled.
"They look strong" Daniel also mumbled.
Alice, completely annoyed, looked at them again. Among the training soldiers, she spotted the young master of Fogreiver. She cannot help but blush when she remembered their first meeting.
After they introduced each other, Duke Fogreiver spoke.
"Lady Etkinson, my son is twenty-one now" he said.
"Oh…" Alice looked at him again. He didn't look that young.
"Young people like you should become friends with each other. What do you think Duchess Etkinson?" he turned towards her mother.
Her mother who was smiling said, "yes, you are right".
He then turned towards his son and said, "Harris, if I were as young as you, I'd have already proposed this young lady."
Alice looked at him with wide eyes with face clearly asking 'what did you say'.
"I thought of doing the same. But I thought she might think I am weird since this only our first meeting" Harrison Fogriever said with an innocent face.
"That's my son" Duke Frogriever started to pat his son.
Alice who was standing in front, did not understand what to say. No one ever talked to her in this way. She was stupefied with a confused face.
Then her mother held her hand and with a smile said, "Duke Fogriever, you are really a funny person. And even your son jokes a lot."
"No, I said the truth. Lady Etkinson looks very beautiful" Harrison continued without reading the situation, "so beautiful that I wanted to roll on ground and beg for her love when I first saw her."
'Thank goodness you didn't' was the only thought inside head Alice. She stood there completely embarrassed, not understanding what to speak. Her mother looked at her pitifully as everyone in the room stared at those two. Since then, she felt uncomfortable around him.