Their wedding night (1)

Nobles began to disperse one by one until the last one disappeared from the duchy. The servants also started to clean up the garden with spencer taking the lead.

''How could his grace..'' Spencer sadly stared at some empty patches on the green pasture. He knew how much hard work and money the duchess used to develop the garden from scratch, and yet it took some words from the duke to destroy brutally for his wedding to another woman.

''The duchy would not be peaceful anymore,'' His ears pricked at whispers from some maids.

''Which madam will you be loyal to?''

'' Honestly, I don't know, but the new wife has his grace's love. Being with her could guarantee my safety.''

''But her grace has the grand duke..''

''This is not the south. Besides, can't you see that his grace had never looked her grace since the beginning of their marriage?''

''If you have time to be discussing about the masters, then you are no longer needed in the duchy,'' Spencer appeared between the talking maids like a ghost.

''B-Butler!'' The maids shrieked, then quickly took the table covers and hurried out of the garden.

''Hmph!'' The butler harrumphed as he adjusted his white gloves, ''Changing sides immediately. They have forgotten who took care of their needs in the duchy because of the second madam.''

Spencer turned his head to look at the empty balcony, then shook his melancholy. ''Her grace will be very sad.''

—-

''Is her grace not joining us, dante?'' asked annalise as a maid dropped a plate at her front.

Dante, about to cut through the steak, paused and looked at annalise, who sat at his right. Her position was different from the duchess who always sat opposite, at the end of the table.

The servants present noticed the difference, and some hearts began to change.

'She took you from me, and now her child takes you as a father..my child's place. How amusing, duke.'

'You can have as many weddings as you want, duke. I don't care. However..I want one thing from you, and that is, never let her path cross mine in this duchy.'

'I would not be responsible for my actions.'

The duchess's words echoed in his head. That day was something he did not want to remember, as the gentlewoman who always brightened up in his presence was no more.

Now she was cold, distant, bitter…so unreachable.

Dante felt like he destroyed her...the former her, but he did not want to admit to his thoughts.

'I only wanted to be happy. Her being like that is not my fault,' Dante assured himself and tried to brush away that day, especially her eyes.. her empty eyes, like a glass window that he could see through.

''Don't look for her. Whatever you need, you can see spencer or me but never the duchess, annalise.'' Dante warned and resumed eating.

''O-Okay,'' Annalise did not expect him to be so serious about the duchess. She only wanted to know if she was eating with them.

''I also wanted to thank her for the beautiful garden, but it's fine. I won't look for her, Dante,'' She smiled and proceeded to start her meal.

Dante returned her smile and was about to put the sliced steak in his mouth for the second time, but the dropping of the cutlery at his side alerted him.

''Ugh!'' Annalise covered her mouth as she felt like throwing up after taking the first bite of her meal.

''Annalise?'' He called out, confused, then yelled in the dining room as he stood up from the chair. '' Get the doctor!''

—--

''It seems you still feel nauseous, madam,'' Baron Stewart said on the chair beside the bed.

''Why is she feeling that way?'' Dante asked, worriedly.

The baron froze in surprise as he did not expect that question to come out from the duke.

'He does not know about the duchess' pregnancy?' He glanced at the butler standing by the door, but the latter did not look his way or this way at all, which was very unusual as the spencer he knew would never avoid anything that concerned his master.

He returned his gaze to the duke, who stared worriedly at the woman and held her hand on the bed, very different from the duke who had never been present when the duchess was diagnosed with fever or any sickness.

'So sad.' Pity is what the baron felt for the duchess for having this kind of husband.

Annalise tried to smile to ease Dante's anxiety as she understood her predicament. ''It seems our baby dislikes steak.''

''Yes, the madam is correct. Women at the beginning of their pregnancy feel nauseous, dizzy, fatigued, and many other symptoms. Normally women should start feeling better during their fourth to the fifth month of pregnancy. Pardon me madam, but how long are you?''

''My baby should be five months in four days,'' Annalise answered his question.

'Before the duchess,' The baron glanced at the duke, then instructed annalise, ''For now, madam should not eat anything the baby dislikes. I will come back when the baby is fully five months old. By then, you should stop feeling nauseous.''

''Yes, thank you.'' Annalise smiled gratefully, and the duke turned to Spencer. '' See the baron out, spencer.''

Once the door closed, Baron Stewart and Spencer walked quietly down the hallway.

''How is her grace?'' The baron asked after some time.

''She and the baby are well,'' replied spencer.

''If anything goes wrong with her grace, do tell me, spencer.''

''Yes.''

—--

''What was the commotion about?'' Isla rose her head from the book to stare at Amelia, who just came into her room in her nightgown.

Walking up to Isla on the bed, Amelia said, ''The mistress vomited during dinner and his grace called for baron Stewart. I heard he is coming back in four days, But my lady..that day is also for the baby's check-up.''

Amelia was worried.

She knew that if the duke knew about it, he would want the mistress to be checked first, then her lady. That simple action is a disgrace to a duchess like she cannot be compared to the favored second wife.

Isla was also aware as something like this happened in her second life. Then she swallowed her grievance and never uttered a word of complaint.

'But not this time..'

She would never take insults or bring disgrace to herself or the little one in her belly.

''Amelia, get me a paper and ink. I need father to do something for me.''

Amelia's lips turned upwards, clearly pleased with her lady's words. She answered, enthusiastically, '''Yes, my lady.''

>>>Who is excited about the series of drama about to occur in the hayes duchy? 😁😁 Well, writing this story, I cried..like really cried. My mum was worried about me because of my tears that won't stop. Anyways, Vote Vote Vote, my dear readers.<<<