A Perfect Match

7

Nora woke up feeling the need to do some training her wound look like it was healed. She felt the needed to make sure she was in top shape before she entered Mr. Richards house and got into any trouble. The Duchess had told her about a set of ruins on the property over near the pond. It had a wall to use to practice her climbing skills and since Nora thought swimming would help strengthen the wound. This field sounded as if she could do different types of training. She learned after yesterday's competition she was still sore. The Duchess told her there would be a place to practice her knife skills. The Duchess had secretly set up a training course using the old ruins as a prop.

Nora dressed in a comfortable outfit wearing the special undergarments she had made at Madame Galois for this type of training. When she arrived down to breakfast she found she was alone no one had gotten up yet. She told Louis she would be going for a walk and decided to trust him with the knowledge she would be at the old ruins. He was privy to the training fields and secrets of Restormel Manor. When she finished her food, she started to leave when Louis brought her a basket of food and drink for her day of training. She thanked him and left.

The first thing she did when she made it to the ruins, she walked around getting ideas of the best way to use the place to train. The Duchess had not lied the place was set up disguised as ruins. There were obstacle courses there was even an effigy to practice her fighting skills against. A target had been setup for her to practice her knife throwing. The walls of the ruins were perfect for practicing scaling which she had done quite a few times in her service. A beautiful man-made pond she would practice her laps and strengthen her wound. This was an agent's heaven. If the Duke were available, she would marry him just for this training area. She was in heaven.

Percival woke up close to noon his sleep was restless, and his dreams were filled with the creamy white skin of the goddess Athena who had somehow slipped into this life. He had to be careful he had never once thought of cheating on the Duchess, and he did not want to start now. He was not that type of man. He was not a rake he did not seek the pleasure of woman just for the sake of doing so. He needed to feel love for them for him without love there was no passion.

He was sitting in his study going over books he had put aside yesterday. It was funny he had never once in all the years he was a duke came in this room to go over the books or even be a Duke. This was the room with the finest liquor in it and that was the only reason he had to come in here before Nora's lecture. He was trying to figure out the best way for the fisherman to bring in more money England was surrounded by water there were fisherman everywhere how could he help fill the people's pockets? He would have to talk with his connection Mr. Rodney who was a fishmonger in London. Maybe he could get him to buy the fish from the Cornwall Fishery. The man owed him a favor after he saved his life. He would write him right now to see what he could arrange.

He had been sitting in his study for what Percival thought to be hours but was only one when his butler knocked and brought him mail. A letter from Big B. and one from the Duchess. He decided to read Big B's first he had an awful feeling he was not going to be as happy as he normally was when he recieved a letter from the Duchess. This letter was different there was no special drawing on it nor was there any perfume. That was something that had not happened in the last nine years.

Big B's letter let Percival know he had sent a crew to Cornwall to keep around the clock surveillance on Mr. Richard. He told him he would be housing them at the Viscounts who had offered his house and his service to help the crown thwart the French. They would all be reporting to him and that they would be at his disposable. He was charged with if Nora got out of line he had his permission to use the agents to birddog her to keep her safe. Glen, was nervous she he found out she had gotten hurt. Just what Percival needed Glen mad at him if Nora got hurt. A sealed envelope address to Nora was also in the post. He figured it was from Glen. He would have been surprised it was from Big B giving her instructions Percival would not like or agree with.

He picked up the letter from the Duchess and debated on opening it. He knew in his heart what it said, and he was not sure he could handle his heart being shattered. He took a deep breath and let it out quickly and opened the letter steeling himself and begin to read.

My Dearest Percy,

I know this is not what you would like to hear but it is time you find yourself someone to settle down with. My son has become ill in the short time you have been gone. My duty is to my son and to William to get him ready to carry on the family traditions. I am not going to tell you who to marry but I think Nora would be the perfect Match for you. Think about it she is someone you could talk to about your work and never have to hide anything from. I know she does not want to be married because she does not think she deserves to be loved because of what she is. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Open your heart, and you will find someone if not Nora who will love you, as much as I do. Find someone who can do for you what I could never and that is to be the Duchess of Cornwall. My duty was always to be the Duchess of York and to guide the future generations of the crown to be able to protect our homeland and king. You will always be the only man I love but cannot have. I will love you always and forever.

Ada Nash the Duchess of York.

He felt the stinging of the tears, and he felt the shattering of his heart. How could she do this to him they had been together for nine years. He stood up abruptly and walked out the door. He did not know where he was going but, he felt as if the walls were closing in on him. He found himself in the stable and took a horse without waiting for the groom to saddle one for him. He needed to get away.

He rode to the village and walked out on to the cliff. How could she have left him? She was his whole world he needed her he was nothing without her. How could she give him away pass him off to her apprentice? How could he ever find love with someone else? He had many questions he had no answers. He looked down the cliffs edge the water spraying as it hit the side of the rock. If he fell would anyone notice? Probably not he was an insignificant little bug. A trained dog who got its pray. Had she just been using him making him happy to continue with his mission? Nine years Nine what he thought were the best years of his life. How could he have been such a fool for loving one woman. He was young he should have been a rake love them and leave them happy. That is what he should have done. But nooooo he decided to be a man of principals and only be with one woman. To hell with that if she did not want him he no longer wanted her. That is what he told himself, but his heart did not agree. He needed to find something to keep his mind off Ada, or he would go completely insane giving Ada the win of playing with his affections.

He decided to show everyone he was not a trained puppy but a grown man, an Agent of the Crown. He had an assignment and he would do it and do it well. He road to the Viscounts home and met with the men who were now under him. He gave them each assignments. He was about ready to assign one to Nora when he looked at all the young men and realized he did not want to share Nora with anyone. Possibly Ada was right he needed Nora. He knew Nora did not need him she was independent, and the last thing she needed was a man in her life.

He laughed to bloody bad he had wanted her from the first time he saw her he was a free man now no entanglements. He would win Nora over or at least they could enjoy the time they had with each other. He finished with the agents and decided to go and find her and tell her his new goal. But the closer he got to the manor house all he could think about was Ada and why did she not love him. He decided he wanted to beat on something and headed to the ruins hoping to get a bit of sparing in with the practice dummy. To his surprise and dismay Nora was there climbing the walls of the ruins.