I spent a night with a mysterious Duke

chapter 2

Chapter 2

Why do they call him lord, I know that he is not very famous but he is still a duke.

My mother looked at him and smirked with mischief "what a fine genletman you are, how old are you?" My father looked at her with big eyes and added "you are married to me my dear, stop bothering the young man", "Count and countess Whitemore, a pleasure to finally meet you" he said smoothly, bowing his head slitly " I've heard a lot about you". My mother seased the opportunity and said haistly "these are my tow daughters Émilia the eldest and Edwina the youngest". he looked to  me and then my sister and he focused his gas on me quickly "ladies?!"

After that, without making it too obvious that he knows me he turned to my brothers and nodded, they did the same. He took a fast stepstep towards me and and said under the eyes of my surroundings, " may I have the pleasure of taking your first dance Lady Emilia Whitemore?", I was flabbergasted, I don't want to dance with him but I don't want to refuse either. I forced a smile, my heart pounding. "The pleasure is mine, Lord Blackwood."

My mother, sensing an opportunity, interjected. "Emilia, why don't you take a stroll with Lord Blackwood? Get to know each other better, before the dance?", "Lady Emilia," he said softly and gave me his gloved hand in demand of mine. I had no choice but to comply. We walked through the grand hall, my mind racing with thoughts of the old woman's prophecy and the child growing inside me, and the fear of puking ll over him, while trying not to think about how nauseous i am.

Once we were out of earshot " why does your friends call you lord?, Duke?" I questioned, he smiled "my family does things differently, we hide our title till we completely inherite it, I'm yet to be a duke. " I see, and why did you call me by my name, and in front of everyone", " I like the sound of your name" he said without hesitation, I felt the heat rising to my cheeks, he smiled at me and continued "more importantly, we need to talk to talk about what happened between us." I looked up at him, trying to mask my fear. "Yes?". "You don't remember much of that night, do you?" he asked, his voice was sharp, and confronting. I shook my head. "What night?." Trying to deny his words. He sighed as if he wnted to say you don't lie and I know that you know "It was a mistake. We were both... not only in our right minds, but we've been fed mushroom powder mixed into our drinks. But now, we must face the consequences together."I blinked, taken aback by his words "Together? What do you mean? and who fed gave us the drinks"

"I've been looking for you, at every ball I attended this month" he admitted, and ignoring my questions, "I knew there might be repercussions. If you are with child, I will take responsibility, even if you are not pregnant we have to get married, in the end I am the one who took your innocence". His words should have comforted me, but instead, they filled me with dread. Marrying him might save my reputation, but it would bind me to a man I barely knew, to a man who doesn't love me, to a man  who who will marry me by duty, to a man who just want to be a gentleman. "...I don't know if that's what I want," I confessed my inner thought out loud without knowing it, I know that I have no choice but to marry him."Then you have two weeks to decide," he said, echoing the old woman's words. "But know this, Emilia, whatever you choose, I will support you". His words feels like what I need to hear right now but I can't shake the feeling of uneasiness, like this is too good to be true.

The music to the first dance began, and he gave me his arm to join the dance floor, as we danced he said looking down at me, his eyes piercing mine " In these tow weeks I will court you and we'll get to know each other better, and then I hope you'll accept my proposal". His gaze was disarming, and for the first time since that fateful night, I felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps, with his help, I could navigate this impossible situation. But what if he didn't like me, I know that I'll marry him no matter what, or I'll doom both me, and my family. I looked at him and said "instead of tow weeks! lest make it one". He gave me a side smile and replied " I agree". The dance ended and he accompanied me to my family, he excuses himself and went his way.

As the evening wore on and the ball continued, my sister and my brothers found dance partners and my parents were chatting with a groupe of what seems arrogant nobles, as for me, I'm thinking if what couldve happened to me, I couldn't shake the feeling that my decision, whatever it might be, would change my life forever. as I was lost in my thoughts I was surprised and nearly screemed, I felt something touching my shoulder, " Oh I'm very sorry my lady Whitmore, I was trying to get your attention as you seemed lost in your thoughts." I looked at the voice owner, it was lord Cedric Haistings, the archduke son who proposed to me, he's smiling at me like he's amused, "Lord Haistings?!" I nodded. " Lady Whitemore" he nodded back. I don't know what to say to him, so I stood there like an idiot, which does not seem brothering him at all, he stood there with me in the silent, I like the quiet but not like this. So I decided to be the one who breaks the silence first " lord Haistings, I want to apologize for refusing your proposal, it's not because I didn't like you, it's me I am the one refuses the idea of marriage". I said with a trembling voice. He looked at me and said " Don't worry, I do understand you, I hâte the idea of marriage too, but I know that one day I have to get married, and it's true that I liked you the most from the women I met till now, I just said to myself if I get married with a woman that I do appreciate even a little it would be better than a marriage of convenience, and one day you'll get married too and you will think the same as me".

I took a deep breath trying not to vomit, I do think like him I just didn't like him enough to accept his proposal, even thogh he is a perfect husband material, handsome, riche, listens, polite, totally a gentelman " you are right, I do think as you do, but marriage for me is a little late, being a spinster doesn't help secure a marriage, only old man will propose to me from now on". "On the countrary my lady, you don't look old enough to be called a spinster, and if you are afraid of old man proposals mine is always valid"