🌷The Duke and The Widow🌷

{15}A Heavy Heart

⚘Chapter 15⚘
A Heavy Heart

       The sound of water splashing on the stoned floor echoed throughout the enclosed room as the sisters of royalty took an idle bath while their maids tended to their hair.
"I'm really growing fond of this Kingdom, I like it much more than father's if I must say." Madison started, looking at her freshly trimmed fingernails.

"Warrick is such a natural charmer. I can absolutely see a wedding happening for us tomorrow." She chuckled to herself and looked over to her sister who was rather silent.

Luella sat in the steaming water with her hands rested over her busty chest as the maids combed her damp hair. She looked rather down and absentminded.
"Luelle, whatever is the problem with you? Why the long face, dear sister?"
"I find it hard to put my thoughts into words, really."

Madison raised a brow to her sister's vague answer. "Are you homesick?"
"No, I like it here."

"Are you hungry?"
"Have I ever been starved?"

"Have you over-eaten?"
"By the heavens, no."

"Are you menstrual?"
"Of course not."

"Don't forget to make use of that oil I gave you. It revitalizes my curls and brightens the sheen of my hair." Luella told the maid.
"Yes, my Princess." Said the maid as she lathered some of the rich smelling oil into palms and massaged it into her scalp.

"Oh my.. what can it be?" She curled a coil of hair around her finger in thought. "Could it be about Howard?"
With only the mention of his name, Luella sat up straight and averted her gaze.

"Ahh I see. The blue-eyed Duke has you under his spell." Madison smirked as she stared at Luella suggestively. "Was it last night?"

"What are you sugg- Maddie! Why on earth would you think that?" Embarrased, Luella splashed water in her sister's face.
"I was only guessing." She chuckled as she wiped her hand down her face. "So, what happened between you and him?"

"We have tea, read books, talk in his garden -which is magnificent by the way- but.. Why do I have this feeling that he doesn't fancy me?"

"And how do you feel about him?"
"I very much like him. I'm.. just unsure of his feelings for me, that is all."
"Well, it takes a while for some people to actually fall in love. This may be the case with him." She parted her curly hair down the middle and began to braid them.
"If that is not the case then, you can go home as the battle is over."
"But I wish to stay."

"When Warrick and I get married, you can reside with us in his palace. Plus there are many noblemen here; Merchants, Ministers, Businessmen, Counts." She counted some types of noblemen off her fingers.  "You can consider marrying one."

"All right." Luella sunk herself deeper into the tub, wondering if she was overthinking things and that Howard might actually be a Agape type of lover.

"How about we go on a lovely afternoon stroll. No boys, just you and I?"
"Yes. I would love that very much."