The Next Duke

Thirty Eight

Note to self...
Do not edit or write while in a moving vehicle...

The engagement wasn't announced and the woman in the blue dress wasn't found. Try as he might, he searched for her in all the areas of the manor but ended up failing. He then took to drinking instead.

The woman in the blue gown intrigued him, he had to admit. He wondered who she was. Sounding like his late wife and danced the waltz with the scent of motor oil and spent a lot of time fixing cars. It was a too much of a coincidence.

He stopped drinking when he realized he was just about tipsy. He finally remembered what happened to him a couple of nights ago he still couldn't remember how that large bottle reached him and a woman called his valet. He shook his head from his thoughts and left his private study. He stopped again when he heard her voice.

"Oh, I love you too, mama misses you. I will see you soon!" Lillian said excitedly.

Joseph frowned and listened to her and ended the call. He turned around the out on the balcony, he saw her, still dressed in that blue gown. He realized her mask was off. He frowned, her back was to him and he walked closer. He watched her take a deep breath and closed her eyes. He froze as he finally saw the woman behind the mask.

"Lillian," he whispered brokenly.

The woman slowly opwned her eyes as she turned to look at him. She gave a small smile, "Good eve, your lordship." A frown marred her brow, "Is everything all right?" She asked, noticing the loneliness and the sadness there in his eyes.

"We have a daughter?" He asked.

In the dim light of the night, Lillian saw Charlotte's eyes and dark red hair. She gasped and her eyes widened in recognition. "What? You?"

The man collapsed to his knees and then wrapped his arms wound her waist suddenly. "My love, please don't leave me." he whispered. He didn't know what brought this delusion on, but he didn't care, his Lillian his woman was there, even if this was just a dream.

"Joseph," she said, unwittingly. The shock was still too much. "What's going on?" She whispered.

Andrew's eyes were wide as he saw the pair together. His sister's eyes were wide with disbelief. She had just seen her husband, well, not really, but she did see someone. He wondered if she remembered the man kneeling before her.

Lillian pulled the distraught man to his feet intending to take him to bed. But the man bad other ideas. He lifted her up and kissed her. Sending her thoughts into the winds. She could only close her eyes and savor the sensation. She reveled in the kiss, she realized. She shouldn't allow him such liberties, after all, she was at a disadvantage, this man determined to take her all. She didn't know what happened next but she was suddenly placed onto a bed.

Lillian gasped as the man finally released her lips. Her breathing was heavy as though she had run up the Spanish steps. He rolled over to his side, "Please stay with me, my love. Don't leave me again."

She was absently running her hands through his hair. She looked at him and saw tears were falling from his eyes. "Stop those tears, now, I'm here."

He closed his eyes as she began to hum softly a melody she used to sing to their unborn child. He sang the melody much to her surprise. She sang the song until he fell asleep. She had to make sure he was in deep sleep before she left him alone in bed. And when she did, she couldn't resist kissing his lips one last time before leaving. "Whomever she was, you must have loved her a great deal. But I am sure denying yourself the chance at happiness is not what she had in mind for you. She would want you to be happy. I would," she whispered softly to his ear.