Whispers of the Sea (The Compulsion Bride Series) Book II (Unedited)

Part 11~ Chapter Twenty~Two

 At breakfast two days after the fisher's visit, the butler Martin, arrived with stacks of letter on a silver platter. "For you Your Grace," He rested it beside Jake who reluctantly placed his fork back in his unfinished plate. "A great deal of them came yesterday and I was reluctant to disturb you in your study."

Or he simply forgot. Jake was not ignorant to his butler's deteriorating memory.

Managing multiple estates proven to be more challenging than expected, he had never read so many ledgers before as he tried tirelessly to upkeep his ducal duties. There had also been the movement of the gold he would need to be supervising but for now it was much safer buried deep in the hull of the ship. Only Ambrose knew about it, and he had proven to be loyal over the past years but still Jake needed to be caution, fortunately the drunkard cook was not present at the time, of discovery, saving him additional worries of having the information slip to all the pubs in England.

"Are all those invitations?" His wife asked, looking up from her plate. She didn't sound too thrilled about it.

"Indeed, it is." He began sorting through the pile." We can decline what's not of interest--"

"Or all of them." She interposed, causing him too slightly frowned. "I don't know any of these people and wish not to be pretentious sitting in their presence."

He understands her withdrawal, it was more out of fear that perhaps people would come to know her background as the child who was raised in the brothel. Jake didn't care for rumors, about himself when it's about his wife and her peace of mind, it worries him, and he'll need to do something about that. "You cannot be unsociable forever my love, and this would be an opportunity for them to know you, the real you. Charm them with polite conversations."

She quirked a brow at him. "Polite conversations? I don't believe they would approve of my knowledge in medicines."

"No, I don't think they would," He muttered under his breath as his hands stopped at one invitation and he opened it. "You may be able to ignore the others but definitely not this one, it's an invitation from the King and he's decided to throw us an introductory Ball at the palace."

Samantha gasped and quickly took the invitation from his hand, that was thrusted towards her. "When!" Jake watched as she quickly scanned through the writings. "Tomorrow! But that's too soon, I haven't even retrieved my gowns from the seamstress!"

"I'm leaving to visit a friend soon; I'll stop by the seamstress's shop and inform her of the haste."

***

Jake left immediately after breakfast leaving Samantha in a state of panic, she didn't have a dress! she hadn't attended a ball in such a long time but most importantly, she was going to meet the King of England! She knew of her husband's close relation with His majesty, but never knew it extended to the point where he would personally throw them a Ball! And on such short notice. Samantha left the breakfast room and hurried up the stairs, she took out her wedding gown and laid it on the edge of the bed, smoothing the wrinkled details with her palms, this was just for precaution, in case the seamstress failed to produce a gown. She thought. It still looked as beautiful as she had worn it on her the wedding day, and Jake loved seeing her in it. She shook her head at such a thought and continue smoothing her at the wrinkles. What she knew of the King was that he was a kind man....to people he liked and when crossed could be like the devil himself. She had never saw his face and was both excited and nervous to finally meet him, Samantha wanted to make a good first expression, to at least show that she was worthy of marriage to the duke, though it's a marriage of inconvenience. Samantha sighed, the more she thinks about it the more foolish she sounded, she'll never be good enough for him, there were to many secrets between them, and she was far from being noble, that doesn't change, no matter who she married.