Chapter twelve

"I have a secret admirer" Eunice blurted out that night as she readied Missy for bed 

"oh?" She played dumb . Eunice nodded . 

" Someone wrote me a note signed 'A certain gentleman' . Do you think it's Thierry?"

Missy froze "why would you think it's Thierry?"

" Because he's always talking about how his ma would love me and I'm the prettiest lass he's ever seen" she wrinkled her nose "it was quite flattering till I heard him say Madame Roubette is elegant"

Missy giggled . Madame Roubette was a temporary cook who had insisted she was french even though he accent was clearly fake . And she went around acting like a lady with her nose in the air. She had been as wide as a house and very temperamental. Everybody in the Fensworth household had been relieved to see the back of her. 

If anybody thought Madame Roubette was elegant, the person clearly was no good judge of appearance. 

"I wonder who it could be?" Eunice paused "I don't know any gentlemen. And it has got to be a gentleman. He writes so beautifully. Didn't go around praising my fair face or such nonsense. He likes books too"

Missy grimaced "It's probably someone you know . You will reply won't you?"

"is it safe to carry on correspondence with someone i don't know?" 

"I don't know. I've never been secretly admired " Missy picked up the brush Eunice had abandoned on the vanity and began to brush out her hair . 

"I will reply just this once and tell him i want nothing to do with his shady correspondence. It's such a pity too. I never have anybody to write too"

"what can go wrong ? It's innocent letters right ? It's not some lewd , written seduction"

"The countess can find out . She might not be too happy about me having a man friend when her daughters are being ignored by gentlemen everywhere" 

Missy laughed "oh what I'd do to be in their shoes . But I will be a duchess in no time and I'd insist on having you as my maid . Countesses can't disobey duchesses" 

"If only his grace survived dancing with you" Eunice began to braid her hair .

Missy blushed unexpectedly "Dancing with him was easy. He's really good. I wonder if he's bad at anything-" she trailed off .

"Being cheerful" Eunice filled in 

Missy gasped in mock outrage " I thought you were the sensible one"

She rolled her eyes .

"Eunice, the duke is really handsome" she whispered then blushed again 

Eunice's eyes went saucer wide " Handsome? Handsome?! Did you get knocked on the head?" she made to check Missy's forehead . She knocked her hands up and stood then sauntered over to the window staring out at the starless night .

" He's still a rigid , proper , Boring man but that doesn't mean he can't be handsome. It was his eyes Eunice . They were like carefully cut gemstones" she sighed "i don't think marrying him would be all that bad. He said -"

" Missandrei. Do- do you like the duke?"

She turned to face the shorter woman "No"

"Good. Keep it that way . His grace is the kind of man you shouldn't ever fall in love with?"

Missy scoffed and slid under the sheets "fall in love with the duke?! That's the silliest nonsense I've ever heard . I don't think he even likes himself. The bad ones are always so handsome" 

Eunice picked up the candelabra "will you get me paper and ink for my letter?"

"Yes. Tomorrow. Goodnight"

" goodnight"the door shut behind her

As the room fell into darkness all she could see was Chadwick's sparkling eyes . She'd never noticed anyone's eyes. So why was she trying and failing to find the right color to describe his eyes. Gemstones were a pitifully inadequate comparison. She shut her eyes tight and yet the images were as clear as day. She felt safe in the assurance that she'd probably like his eyes on any other person. It wasn't about the duke at all. His eyes were just too unique to not be captivated by. She smiled at the comforting thoughts and promptly fell asleep.