The Fraudulent Duchess | ONC 2022

Chapter Six | The Dinner

     The Dowager Duchess of Kimberly sat at the head of the table. The Duke was to her right, I to her left. Even though he was right across from me, I felt more exposed now that he was not beside me. I felt too close to the Duchess, and it was as if she could see right through me.
"Susan, you have hardly said a word all evening," the Duchess observed as the footmen served the first course.
"I am sorry, I hope that I have not offended you, Duchess. I am quite tired," I replied.
"Yes, we had dinner at the Winton Estate last night and stayed the evening since it is closer to your house than mine is," the Duke of Bedford explained.
I was glad that the Duke came up with that excuse. Not only did it explain my lack of sociability, but I knew the Earl of Winton, so if the subject veered towards him, I would know what was going on.
"Ah, I am glad that you are still friends with Lord Winton," the Duchess nodded. "I always liked him; he is an honourable man."
"Yes, he is," the Duke agreed. "And he is a loyal friend. I am grateful for his friendship."
"Has he managed to find himself a wife?"
"No, not yet."
"Well, there is still time, I suppose. After all, if you can find a wife, then I suppose he can as well."
"Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, Cecil, you know that I am fond of you. But I honestly did not expect you to settle down. You spent all your time in university gambling and spending time with friends. Then once you graduated you spent more time with your companions than at balls trying to find yourself a wife."
"Well, I was young back then, and not ready to settle down."
"If you say so."
The Duke looked as if he was about to retort. He suddenly placed his hand over the wine glass as the butler passed by with a decanter.
"None for me, thank you," the Duke nodded.
"Very well, Your Grace," the butler replied. "Can I get you anything else to drink?"
"I am fine with water, thank you."
"Of course, sir."
The butler nodded and moved on to pour wine into my glass.
"You still do not drink?" The Duchess inquired.
"I never drink," he snapped. "You should know that by now."
For the first time ever, I saw the Duke of Bedford lose his sunny disposition. In all the times that I saw him, I had never seen him lose his temper. I had never heard him snap at anyone, except when he was sarcastic with Lord Winton. However, for a moment, I saw his brown eyes darken until they were almost black. Although he recomposed himself so quickly that I was not sure if I imagined it.
"I am sorry for mentioning it, Cecil," the Duchess said. "I should not have placed the glass at your spot."
"Everything is fine," the Duke muttered and stared down at his plate.
The Duchess nodded then turned to look at me, so I had to tear my gaze away from the Duke.
"Now, Susan, tell me a little more about yourself," the Duchess ordered. "You are the daughter of a baron. Do you have any siblings?"
"Yes, I do," I replied, trying my best to remember all the details that the Duke (and Lord Winton) had written down on a sheet for me. "I have three older brothers, two older sisters, and a younger brother."
"My, that is quite a family. And how is it that you noticed the Duke of Bedford?"
"My entire family was in the grand hall to greet the guests as they arrived for the party. He instantly caught my attention."
"Yes, and she caught my attention as well," the Duke added.
"He caught your attention?" The Duchess repeated, ignoring the Duke's interjection. "How is that?"
"Well, he seemed friendly when greeting us, and he appeared to be well-mannered," I explained.
"And I am much better looking than most noblemen who attended the house party," the Duke smirked, causing the Dowager to glare at him.
"How old are you, Susan?" The Duchess inquired.
"One and twenty," I responded.
"Well, I suppose that is not much of an age difference. After all, I have seen much older men marry women much younger than that."
"Age hardly matters when it comes to matters of the heart," the Duke informed.
The Dowager Duchess scoffed, "Have you become a poet since we last met?"
"Not quite. Although marriage can change someone."
"Indeed, it can. Though not always for the better. Oh, the stories that I could tell you about people who were already insufferable and became worse upon marriage."
"I am sure that you can. After all, you have come across many different people during your lifetime."
"Is that your way of saying that I am old?"
"Of course not," the Duke replied. "You are still young and in your prime."
"I do not appreciate your sarcasm, young man," the Duchess scolded.
I was grateful for the Duke commencing some sort of argument with his great-aunt, as it meant that she seemed to forget about me. I had been in service for many years and had met many different employers. Although none of them terrified me as much as the Dowager Duchess of Kimberly. There was something about that woman; perhaps it was how outspoken she was, or the fact that she was unafraid to commence arguments. Either way, I hoped that I would not have to spend many more evenings with her in the future.