To Hate The Duke

Chapter Ten - The Original & The Favourite

Bloody, bloody Duke.

"For heaven's sake, why is it that this whole weekend hasn't gone by without seeing your pompous face?"

He breathes hard. "Can you please make an effort off the insults? I came to drop your bag off." He places my light pink bag on the sofa. But he takes a brown paper bag from his coat and places it next to my bag, he doesn't look at me and turns to leave.

"Wait." I request quietly. Daniel, clearly surprised turns to look at me. "That brown bag is not mine."

He looks at the ceiling, affronted. "You know, a thank you would have sufficed." Daniel shakes his head at me. "The cookies you stuffed in your bag that night, had hardened, so I brought you new ones since you lost the opportunity to try them."

I am so confused, is there poison in them? Before I can thank him, he starts leaving again.

"Daniel, wait!" He stops but only turns his head slightly towards me. "Despite what you may think of me, I was actually given an education." He squints his eyes. "Thank you, for your kind gesture." He only nods and heads to his car.

Not entirely sure if it's because of the moon, not sure if it's because of the stars, not sure if it's because of those bloody cookies, but my feet begin to run after him.

Daniel turns around hearing my footsteps, and rests his hand on the opened door of his car.

I can only stare at him, feeling suddenly nervous.

"Yes?" Inquires The Duke.

I shake my head. "No. Nothing. Have a safe trip." What on earth did I run out here for? And then I feel it again. So when Daniel is about to close his car door, I ask him to wait one last time.

"What is it, Miss Vincent?" Asks Daniel, distinctly puzzled.

I swallow. "If you don't have... anything planned right now, you... could stay and... have the cookies with me or... not?" I go red, so red I have to look away causing me to miss his expression. All I hear next is Daniel close his door and drive away. The Duke drives away. And I'm left standing alone in the parking lot.

Stupid, stupid Madeline. Why on God's green earth did I do that? Why? I want to cry, but I don't. I'm not about to be upset that someone I hate rejected me. No. I'm glad he drove away, thank God, now I don't ever have to speak with him, because if he had stayed then I'd have to talk to him, better count my blessings.

I go inside to pet Kit but forthwith the tears begin to fall, so many of them that all I can do is let them fall and I let myself cry. Cry because of this Duke, cry because Molly's baby won't have a Father, cry because Pennie won't know Molly's baby, cry because Maximilian died, cry because my grandpa doesn't know who I am, cry because Jack doesn't love me and finally, I cry because Thomas never did. The whole 7 years, he didn't love me and just like Daniel drove away, I saw Thomas in his car driving away from me, driving away from the love we promised, driving away from the future promised and as he did, my heart drove away with him.

I'm crying so much I don't hear the bell of the door, I'm crying so much I don't see the man standing behind me until I turn around and scream.

Daniel extends his arm. "I only went for hot chocolate, they taste better with it."

I feel like crying again. "I'm not crying because you left, I couldn't give one-"

Daniel interrupts me, with the expression that makes my aversion towards him lessen. "I know. I didn't think you were at all." A part of my heart believes him but the rest of it objects. "The cookies are still warm I think."