Serving House Beneviento

15

Four glasses of wine later and I had to carry Donna out of the castle on my back. She hiccupped as she nuzzled into the back of my neck. Angie barely was able to move behind us. I knew our carriage was powered through her mind. There was no way that was getting us home. Elena and Lady Demitrescu followed us as far as the door before they waved goodbye. I rolled my eyes. Why did Donna deny sleeping at the castle for the night. My ears perked up at the sound of horse hooves. My head whipped around at the Duke was pulling out from the side of the castle.

"Duke?" I called out.

"Caiden?" The Duke waved over to me and I trudged on over. "It is you! How are you doing? Are...are they okay?" I looked down at Angie fell in front of my feet.

"They...are slightly drunk. Do you think that maybe...?" The Duke punched on the top of his carriage and the back doors flung open.

"Drop them in the back and join me up front."

"Thank you Duke," I said with relief in my voice. I gently set Donna down on the carpeted floor in the back. The owl crest was ordained on the carpet. I placed Angie in Donna's arms as she passed out in the back. Duke moved the carriage I gave him from the side seat, and I hopped aboard. He snapped at the reigns and we strolled on ahead. "So, I finally got that door put in for the greenhouse. Your carriage should be able to slip through now!"

"Oh, how wonderful!"

"Yeah, I was going to tell you in a few days when I came by for the weekly order. If you want, I'm sure Donna won't mind."

"How is your relationship with the Benevientos? Word around the carriage is that you are quite the charmer to Lady Donna." Blush crept on my cheeks as I glanced back at the sleeping figure in the back of the carriage. I turned back and watched the trail in front of us.

"I wouldn't say I'm the charmer here," I admitted quietly. "She stole my heart a while ago."

"Are you sure that she is who you want to be with?" He inquired. "You know a lot of people would be terrified to live with a dollmaker, especially knowing hers can kill without her needing to say a word."

"Her dolls never scared me, Duke." I looked down at my hands and slightly lifted up my sleeves. The scars were as prominent as ever. "She never scared me by just being her. She doesn't threaten me, nor does she find ways to terrify me. All she does is go about her daily life and I just happened to fall into suit with it. I got to find out how caring she is and how gentle she is as a person. If she cared about you, you knew it. She would do anything to make you smile if you gave her enough time to warm up to you." I pulled my sleeve back down and looked up. "She made me feel normal in her own quiet way. I'm in love with her Duke. I don't think that is ever going to change either." The Duke chuckled lowly.

"I'm happy for the both of you. You two seem to work very well together. I was hoping those rumors were true."

"You're a great friend, Duke."

"You know I was telling you about that friend that I was going to visit?" I nodded. "Well, he gave me something to sell. He said I may have better luck than he did." I raised a brow to him.

"Am I a captive audience for a sales pitch?" I chuckled.

"Actually," he said as he shifted in his seat. We pulled into the village as the carriage swayed while he moved. I held onto my seat as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a very small bag. He dropped it in my hand as headed toward the manor. "Free of charge. It may serve you well."

"Duke you never give anything away for free."

"Call it thanks for being a great friend." I felt the heavy object that stayed in my grip. Whatever was in the bag was smooth. I put it in my pocket and smiled.

"Thank you. I'm very appreciative." He nodded as he smiled.

"You could also call it incentive to give me a great review to others that may stop by." We laughed together as we strolled to the manor. The Duke let me down and opened the back doors of the carriage. I grabbed the sleep drunk Donna and Angie and shut the doors. "I will see you in a few days!"

"See you soon, Duke! Be safe!"

"Please, be well." We waved goodbye, and I headed into the manor. I trailed Donna upstairs. I put Angie in her small bed in her room and set Donna down in our bed. I gently pulled the veil off of her head and kissed her cheek. I covered her and slid my hand into my pocket. When I opened the bag, I saw a small box. My brows shot open as I opened the box.

"Holy shit."