To Dishonour A Duke

Chapter Twelve

On the other side of the Thames, many streets between Clara and her abhorrent captor, the itching on her skin has stopped, and her heart is no longer throwing itself against her ribs. Her fleeting bravado feels like a moment of madness and her courage fails her as tears threaten to escape her eyes but she keeps walking, fighting the overwhelming surge of emotions flooding her body and mind. The urge to relieve herself returns as she hobbles down the road, a headache forming in her temple and a heavy block of dismay in her stomach. She reaches the safety that is the heart of the city, but the streets are flooded with people from all walks of life; highborn ladies to street rats mingling as they go about their daily routines. A few familiar faces crop up in the crowds and cause her anxiety to spike but her captivity has left Clara unrecognisable with her face smudged and her clothes a mess. Her supposed peers do not give her a second glance as they pass, too absorbed to see the familiar face under a layer of dirt.  

Thirsty, hungry and uncomfortable, she hurries towards the area of Westminster, journeying away from the river and the hustle and bustle. Her flat boots allow her to stride quickly, soon she has left the noise and commotion of the centre of town. Her breathing levels and some of the tension leaves her body, but her bladder throbs, feeling like it's on the edge of bursting. Cursing, she slips into an empty alley behind a bank. She creeps along the shadowy passage and presses herself against the wall, holding her dress up to her waist. Her body is rigid with fear but when she steps to the side and finally drops her skirts, the sensation of an empty bladder feels euphoric. Back on the street, she cast a wary glance before lowering her head and leaving the alley behind. 

It takes her over an hour to walk across town, her mouth uncomfortably dry and her stomach heaving with hunger. She walks blindly, with no clear destination in mind, but slows down when she enters the quiet neighbourhood of Belgravia, the location of her childhood home, Eccelstone Square. This area of town is green and serene, with white marble houses and towering manors nestled between abundant parks.

A sense of melancholy and longing fills Clara as she walks down the street to Eccleston Square, a line of bushy trees on the opposite side of the street creating a fresh scent in the air. With five floors and another two for the serving staff, the house is built from the purest white stone with two large balconies on the first-floor windows. A set of steps lead up to the door, covered by a porch supported by four pillars, the name of the house painted on one of them. Black railings line the house and a small gate leads down to the servant's entrances as well the basement and wine cellar. 

She hesitates, her hand hovering above the railing as she stares through the open window, the familiar furniture covered in dust sheets. The oil paintings are hidden from sight, and the candles are tall in the fixtures, having not been burnt for several months. 

"You could not resist could you?" 

Startled, Clara whips around to see a young gentleman leaning against a tree, a cane swinging from his hand. His smouldering amber eyes study her with curious intent, his dark brown hair ruffled at the front. He hops out of his pose and crosses the street, a deep olive coat covering a crumpled white shirt and black trousers. He sweeps his hat off his head as he reaches her and offers her an extravagant bow. "A pleasure to see you again, Lady Clara." He straightens up and looks her up and down before winking, "Scandal is your shadow I see."

"I've come to claim it back from you." Clara replies, holding her head up high, "I leave for a few months and they almost hang you for murder. Not particularly good behaviour from a duke."

He waves a dismissive hand. "Ah, they could never have hung me. My mother was ready to commit any crime necessary to save my neck, including sending an innocent to their death. And to think I once thought she disliked me."