🌷The Duke and The Widow🌷

{24}𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 IV

🌷Chapter 24🌷
𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 IV

"I want you to be my husband."

Henry began to cough as the water came back up through his nostrils. Breathing heavily, he tapped on his chest to ease the pain.

"What?" He stared at her wide-eyed. "Ain't it supposed to be the other way around?"

"I suppose so.." She sighed and closed her eyes. He wouldn't take this proposal seriously if she was timid, she had to speak up. "I am in need of a man.. For protection and to be the head of my household. And you, Henry, would surely need a place to stay. Surely you can see how beneficial this is for the both of us."
"So.. A marriage of convenience?"
"Moreso, yes.."

"Marriage is not just two people living under one roof, y'know?"
"I'm fully aware of that, Henry." She nodded.
"We have to sleep in the same bed, make love, raise children, arguments, finances..make love.. arguments?"

"Yes, I know- look," She tossed him a small sack. He opened it and saw two rings.
"You have until dusk to accept my offer. If you refuse, have it mailed to back me. Am I clear."
"Crystal."
"Good. See you at dusk." She ascended the stairs to the deck. All the sailors were gathered around the stairs to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Thank you." She nodded to the man that helped her find him. He introduced himself as Jack.
"No need to. Henry's a great lad, just needs to get his ginger arse off this ship."
She chuckled, "I hope he does."

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"What are you still doing here?" Jack tugged the blankets off of Henry that had been sleeping almost all day.
"She said by dusk, it's only midday." He replied as he rubbed his eyes.
"Perhaps you're not aware of this but it's the first of the month and the Palace sends their taxmen to collect taxes from home owners and businesses. They will continue to raise her taxes until she's unable to pay it and take her house away."
Jack dropped a sack of gold onto his chest, "Here are your wages, with a little extra. Help her pay off for that house. This is your calling to be a man."

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Orletha finally made it back to her Province, and was rather confused at the ghostly appearance of it. She saw one of the market women packing away her goods and decided to ask her.
"Leela, what happened around here?"
"It's the 1st. The taxmen are making their rounds for the month."
"Oh my goodness, how could I have forgotten?" She bolted off into the direction of her house.

Wary and out of breath, she made it to her house and realised she had guests.

"Salutations, Miss Croft." She was greeted by an ugly face in her own home, boots on, feet up on her dining table.
"Mr. Wilson." She gritted her teeth as shd shut the door behind her. "As someone Who works for The Palace, I think you'd have more manners than barging into someone's home."
"This 'home' is barely even your own, I might say." He countered with a raised brow.
She stormed into her room and opened one of the drawers on her vanity, grabbing a satchel. She came back out and threw the satchel on the table, some of the gold coins falling onto the table. "Here's your tax money, now leave."
"This isn't all of it." He said once he was finished counting them all.
"What? The tax for this house are fifty gold pieces!"
"It's increased to one hundred now. If we are not paid upfront I'm afraid we'll have to take the house away."

"You-"

The door flung open suddenly, capturing the attention of both Orletha and the taxman. Her shoulders relaxed as she recognised the man in the doorway. "Henry." She breathed.
"This trip had me away for very long, the hardships of being a sailor." He welcomed himself in.
"Who on earth is this man?" Asked the taxman.
"I'm glad you came for me, Henry." Her chest heaved as she held in her emotions.
"Don't cry." Henry made his way to her side. Gently holding her hand as he descended to one knee.

"Dearest Orletha, would you do me the honor of being my betrothed?"
"This.. This is preposterous!" Wilson slammed an angry fist on the table.
"Yes.. Yes Henry." She nodded desperately as he slid the ring on her finger.
Henry then rose to his feet. "And for you good sir," Henry tossed a sack of money in the man's face. "Are the rest of your gold pieces. Off you go. There is a wedding to be planned."

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For the past week, the couple had spent planning a speedy wedding and getting Henry settled into living at his new home. A lot of townfolk wondered why the wedding was being rushed, most of them simply assumed that it was a Shotgun Wedding (couple being wed because of pregnancy). Instead of purchasing a new wedding gown and suit, Orletha sat and made alterations to the ones of her late Foster parents. She has always known how to sew, she was taught by her loving Foster mother.

"So, how do I look?" Henry stepped out of the bedroom fastening the cufflinks of his shirt.
"Quite handsome, I must say." Nodded in approval. "Do you like it? Does it fit you well? Comfortable?"
"Yes, it's perfect." He smiled at her, "You have blessed hands when it comes to sewing, or everything for that matter. What a great wife you'll be."
"Thank you, Henry."
"Now.. Where's yours?"
"Where's what?"
"Your wedding gown."
Orletha got up from the dusting the waist apron of all the bits of thread and cloth that she snipped away. "You'll have to wait until the wedding day."
Henry frowned, "That's no fair."

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