Chapter 46 - Bold declaration

With her prototype toilet bowl in hand, Eloise ran through the deck. So many pairs of eyes focused on her, unlike before people actually approached her and tried to start a conversation.

"Miss Ayles. What is this peculiar thing you are carrying around? Its…. Spectacular."

Eloise brightly grinned. "I know right? You never know what a bit of tree sap and a few corsets could fix up like this," she proudly held up her creation.

The lady who inquired about it smiled ever so awkwardly. "oh…. Before I forget, I have a birthday ball in the conservatory hall. I would relay like to invite you. in fact, I've already sent the invites but I didn't hear from you…" she blinked up at her expectantly.

Eloise simply peered down at the sophisticated lady. She had no interest in balls and no instant in attending any, but her mother seems to be fond of it. 'but if I agree I might have to dress up like a doll and be scrubbed up with a freaking wool brush... do I want to go through that torture?'

She thought about it a bit.

Her mum had weirdly been glum lately. She wasn't her usual self.

'Maybe this ball can relay cheer her up. fine I'll put up with the torture.' She nodded. "I'll make it."

"Oh, that's fantabulous. Can't wait to meet the duke." Saying so the lady happily walked away shaking her fan,

Eloise frowned slightly. 'Didn't she ask me for the ball? Why is she talking about the duke? People in these times are weird, man.' shaking her head she snapped out of it and ran to the duke's study.

To her surprise, Fred was there along with that annoying guy from last time. The midget was standing close to the beloved doctor with a bright grin on his face.

She could not hear what they were talking about but from here all she could see was the doctor's grim expression.

"Is that midget bullying, mister Fred? Unacceptable.' She stomped over. "Mister Fred! What a pleasant morning. Is the duke here?"

Mister Fred pushed past the annoying blond head and bowed to her slightly., "miss Eloise, the duke is in…. and this is…" he pointed to the weird apparatus in her hand.

Eloise cheerfully laughed. "My next project."

"Fascinating. I have never seen anything this unique." the blond guy walked up to her and tried to touch it.

Elois pulled back. "Look, don't touch."

The man looked flabbergasted by her words. "Is it so delicate, miss?"

"No but I don't want your grubby hands on it," she pushed past him and knocked on the door.

"Get lost!" Raymond harshly shouted.

"um… mister Raymond?" she said doubtfully gazing at Fred. "Is he mad or something?"

Fred sighed. "Our highness is in a mood today. It is wise if miss can visit him another …"

Before he could even finish his words, the door banged open. "Miss Eloise. I apologize I didn't realize it was you and raised my voice. It was unmanly of me. I hope you can forgive me for the imprudence,"

"Nonsense. it was I who came unannounced." Eloise patted his shoulders.

The duke stiffened up under her hand. "Please come in."

Eloise smiled and hugged the creation in her hand. But as she was about to enter, another person shouldered her and entered the study

"My pleasure ~" the blond guy said with a nasty smile

Eloise frowned. 'Who is this rude guy?' upon closer look, she noticed that the guy was young. He looked like an eighteen or fifteen-year-old teenager. His old fashion and frilly clothes really did not fit his looks. It was like a child dressing up to look like an adult.

"Excuse his rudeness, please come in, miss Eloise."

Eloise entered the study, curiously peering around. The windows were tightly sealed up, not letting even a single bit of light in. the whole room was lit up with an array of candles.

'He seems to prefer the dark…'

The duke held out a chair for her.

Eloise placed the makeshift toilet bowl on the ground and sat down. "Your highness, this is the creation I was talking about. This is just a prototype but this is the way the bowl will be shaped."

"it's a chair?" the blond dude sat down on it.

The moment his ass landed on her toilet bowl, the tree sap crackled and the whole structure came down leaving a mess of corsets and torn cloth all over. "It doesn't seem sturdy."

Eloise gaped at it. "it… it took me all night…you weren't supposed to sit on it!! Not yet at least. Oh my god… you…"

"Sorry," the boy just shrugged and plopped down on the seat the duke had pulled out for her.

Eloise just glared down at him. 'This man is getting on my nerves. Should I just throw my fist at his face… no Eloise he looks like a kid… you need to be et adult here.' she gritted her teeth loudly and smiled up at the duke. "I will make another prototype but this is what it will look like. it will be in porcelain."

The duke nodded. "it looks... good."

Eloise smiled instantly. "I know right? With this, we don't have to use that darn chamber pot. Aww, I want to use this one so bad."

"chamber pot? Hahahaha you guys are talking about camber pots? What an interesting conversation between men and a woman. the duke seems to like the talk of excrements so much?" the blond dude once again intervened.

The duke weirdly let out a growl. "don't get on my nerves Domonique."

"I'm just saying. Your skills seem rusty. Maybe I should teach you some."

"I don't need to learn anything from you!"

Eloise backed away from them slightly. For a second it seemed like they were talking about her toilet bowl and then their conversation derailed to something else. 'What are they even fighting about?"

"Your highness, please quench your anger." Fred intervened and hand a bottle of wine to the duke.

The duke's gaze fell on her monetarily and shook his head at the wine.

"oh, the wine is here. why don't we offer some to the lady." The blond dude once again stared with a weird smirk on his face.

the duke's quenched anger once again burned like a freaking volcano.

She could visibly see all the veins on his body bulging up.

'Shit, he looks pissed. Who is this guy? Why are they even fighting?'

She noticed something. Fred had worriedly tried to pull the boy back. weirdly so the boy held Fred's hand tightly, not letting go.

Her eyes widened. 'Oh my god, he is a love rival? This boy likes Fred but Fred is already in love with the duke. The duke is pissed because this boy is intervened in their relationship. No wonder the man is angry…'

Eloise nodded to herself. 'I need to help out our dear couples. Who else will stand up for them if not me?>' she walked up to them whilst holding up her skirt.

The three seemed to notice her arrival.

"Miss Eloise, you must try this wine," the blond guy forcefully plucked the wine from the duke's hand.

"No!" the duke shouted and grabbed the wine bottle's neck. "I-I'm sorry miss Eloise this is not appropriate for young lady, I will offer you finer wine other than this."

Eloise nodded at him with a comforting smile. "I understand mister Raymond. If you will allow me, let me help you."

"Pardon?"

Eloise reached out and grabbed the boy's ears tightly.

"Ahh! What do you think you are doing!!"

She pinched his delicate pink ears. "I know what I'm doing. Discipling a brat. Don't you know not to intervene in people's relationships? It's an unwritten rule. This man here is taken." She pulled at the duke's outer coat. "don't come to him and bother him like this.' She let go of his ear.

A loud shatter was heard.

Cold wine splashed all over her skirt.

Eloise gazed up at the duke surprised. The man looked like he was hit by lightning. He was swaying slightly with his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Are you okay, mister Raymond?"

"I…."

"You!" the blond guy intervened. "Do you know who I am!" he tried to grab her hand.

Eloise pulled away and grabbed his slender hand. "Yes, a child. A child should behave like a child. Where is your mother? I'll talk to her and teach her how to educate your wild ass."

"w-wild? wild?!! oh, you uncouth woman! I will have your head for this!"

Eloise blinked down at him. "You can't even have my hair." She pulled him close and smacked his back. "Go back to your room and behave. Children Should not fall in love so early in life!"

"I'm not a child!!!!! You… you wrench!"

"I'm not a tool." Eloise rolled her eyes. "And I will address you as a man when you grow taller than me."

the boy's eyes teared up slightly. "you… I'll deal with you later!" saying this he ran out of the study.

Eloise patted her hand with a satisfactory smile. 'This is how you deal with love rivals. Did you see that duke?' she looked up at him.

The duke's whole face was flushed red. He was breathing slightly faster.

Eloise tilted his head confusedly. 'Is he drunk from just smelling the wine?'

"Miss Eloise … your dress is ruined. It's wise to change it before you catch a cold." Fred came up to her with a kind smile.

Eloise only then noticed the red stains splashed all over her skirt. "Odette is going to kill me. I'll come back with another prototype, duke. See you later ~" she rushed out with her skirts swishing side and side.

Just as he exited the room, the duke collapsed to the floor holding his flaming face. "I'm taken…... Fred… she just declared in hers…..."