The Compromise

Chapter 8 - Drunken, Dazed and a Little Concerned (I)

He had not seen her since that morning and he was panicking.

She persisted to evade every soul within the estate throughout the entire day, even when it came to dinner- he still hadn't intercepted her. Duke was waiting at his allocated seat, William and Georgiana Cavendish having invited him before he would leave that night back for his estate further up north. They were not the only ones, Elizabeth Foster, that Cavendish man's mistress was there, sat in silence which Georgina didn't seem too fond of. He could see the spears of jealousy within her eyes as the other woman occasionally looked up to gaze longingly towards William. Her gaze eventually drifted from him to stare at Duke, curious and not at all that innocent.

Tension was ever thickening the longer it took for Missi to show and the continuation of the woman staring at him. The others had already started eating without her and her Father seemed the least bit bothered, where as Georgina had seemed a little apprehensive.

"Might I ask to where the young Duchess is?"

Duke was the first to break the silence and William looked up from his plate.

"She'll be dining in her chambers tonight, she was feeling tired and retired earlier."

Williams cobalt irises unfocused for a moment, reliving a moment before looking down nonchalantly at his ringed hand. He clearly knew what was going on and wasn't telling.

He already knew too much.

Duke would find out anyhow and quickly ate what he could stomach which was very little in comparison to William before permitting himself to leave.

His travel to Missi's chambers were short lived, finding a maid to point him in the right direction was simple enough and his long strides worked the trick.

Something was off when he'd reached her apartments. The food had been left outside of her room on a small table next to the door, untouched and cold. Curious and partially worried Duke knocked for her but when he gained no answer, that worry intensified. He tried the decorative door knob but it was locked. Of course it would be locked. Whatever William had done to her, it was clearly worse than what he'd thought if she'd seek complete and utter solitude.

Trying again to make sure it wasn't unlocked, he stepped back and kicked it with a surprising amount of strength that broke the lock so the handle dropped without the support. Duke cared little for it as it could and would be easily replaced.

Waltzing in, Duke found the room empty, devoid of life and light. He nearly tripped on some discarded clothes on the floor, haphazardly scattered - the grey dress from this morning.

Minimal light was given from the moon that shone into the room from the open window and Duke instantly knew where she had gone, especially if the bed without bed sheets was any indicator. Walking over, he looked out into the night, a slight frigid wind caressing his face as his eyes darted downward. The missing sheets had been knotted together to make a makeshift rope that allowed her to abseil down the side of the building and onto the courtyard. They had been tucked away to the side within the close corner of an out branching segment of the house to hide them.

Duke was quick honestly surprised at her tenacity and well bravery -or stupidity, he couldn't decide- at performing such a stunt. It was impressive and he hadn't guessed Missi had had it in her.

Duke knew for a fact that if Missi were on the premise that she would have been found and bought back. She would probably be found in the town he had passed the day prior, a ten minute or so walk from here. Turning back toward the door and idea came to his devious mind.

Grabbing a chair, he placed it in front of the door to stop the others from entering before he moved back to the window and used the impromptu rope to climb down. The chair would block most visitors from getting in, make it seem that Missi were still in her room refusing guests.