My daughter

"It is Lady Irene, Your grace!" Peter said in his trembling voice pointing at Astrea's injured body.

Duke Augustus widened his eyes and rushed towards the water not caring about his slacks getting damp. His heart raced in shock as he hoisted up the injured girl in his arms, "Hurry!" he commanded breaking Peter from his daze, "Call the doctor. Now!"

Peterson nodded his head and rushed towards the stables and took his steed riding towards the doctor's manor near the duchy.

Augustus dashed inside the villa with Astrea in his arms and looked at the guards near the door and said in a serious voice, "I will have your heads if word gets out about this"

"Yes, your grace" the guards replied in unison and followed behind the duke.

After walking for some minutes he entered one of the guest rooms on the ground floor and laid the girl on the luxurious silk mattress. He looked at the girl's pale face and frowned, "Get a maid to change her dress"

"There are no maids inside the mansion your grace. Butler Peterson gave all of them a day off following your orders" one of the guards replied politely.

The duke frowned, it was his order to grant a day off because he didn't want Iris's death to leak out. He even got rid of the empress's spies before Iris's death preventing her from finding out.

"Get Lary Clarence here," he said after thinking. It was better like this, he was not in his right mind to predict the empress's next move if she finds his daughter's passing.

One of the guards nodded his head and went out of the room to get Clara.

Clara was wiping the sweat beads on the duchess's forehead when a guard dashed inside the room startling her. She glared at the guard and said, "How rude! You dare, barge into her grace's chamber!?"

The guard bowed his head, "I apologize for my rude regard lady Clarence, but his grace is calling for your audience and it seems serious"

Clarence got up from her seat still frowning, "Lead the way"

The guard agreed and guided her outside the master bedroom towards the ground floor. Clara followed after him in confusion as they reached the guest room near the corridor.

Duke Augustus lifted his head from his hand and got up from his seat, "Get her dressed up lady Clarence, I'll answer all your questions after that"

Clara watched as the Duke made his way out of the room and closed the door leaving her alone. She furrowed her brows and turned towards the bed but gasped when she saw the girl lying on the bed. Her mind was blank striding towards the bed and she covered her mouth with her hand sighting the rise and fall of the girl's chest.

Then she grimaced seeing the wet dress on her young miss's body and absent-mindedly went to the wardrobe in the guest room and took out a simple blue dress and put it on the girl's body after removing her wet clothes.

As she observed the girl's face, she was sure that this was not lady Iris. Her face was very similar to their young miss but equally different in certain aspects. She had the same silver hair as the duke and her face looked familiar to the duchess, but some of her facial features looked more defined. Lady Iris was a beautiful lady, there was no doubt in that, but her health was never good. Because of that wench of an empress, her young miss had to suffer all her life, until she met her demise. However, this girl had fuller cheeks and a well-endowed body.

Clara continued observing the girl when there was a knock on the door, "The doctor is here"

"You can enter" she answered as she tucked the girl with a purple silk sheet.

The duke entered the room with the doctor behind him.

Dr.Stanley made his way towards the girl and sat on the chair near her taking out his stethoscope. He halted his movement when he noticed hardened blood on the side of her forehead.

"She is severely injured, your grace. I can only treat her using my healing powers" he asked the duke's permission.

"I trust you, Dr. Stanley" the duke replied.

The doctor nodded his head and closed his eyes putting his hand on the girl's forehead. Soothing white light flowed into her injury, hurrying her healing process. After a few minutes, the light faded away.

Dr.Stanley removed his hands and started checking for any superficial wounds before getting up from the chair, "I treated her serious injury and she will wake up after a few hours"

The duke nodded his head and said, "You can stay in one of the guest rooms until my daughter wakes up" he glanced at Peter and informed, "Guide Dr.Stanley into a room and arrange everything for his stay"

"Yes your grace" Peter answered and gestured to the doctor out of the room leaving behind Duke and Clarence.

Augustus glanced at Clara's questioning gaze and replied, "It is Irene"

Clara widened her eyes and looked back at the girl on the bed, "Ir-irene!?"

He nodded his head and smiled looking at his long lost daughter's face, "She has a crescent moon shaped mark on her foot"

Her eyes instantly drifted towards the girl's foot, "Oh my!" her excited voice rang inside the room, "Duchess.....I have to tell this to the duchess" she ran out of the room even forgetting about Duchess's unconscious state.

The duke chuckled seeing her excitement and turned towards his daughter, "Thank you for coming back, dear...We missed you"