Murderous Suitor | Rebekah Mikaelson

Chapter Eight

 Lucrezia waited for a chance to get Rebekah alone. It had to be a time when she wasn't with Vittorio, which wouldn't be easy since those two seemed to be inseparable. But she knew her brother couldn't and wouldn't stay at Rebekah's side every moment of the day; something would have to pull him away from her.

 Her chance came the next day, when the duke had gone to talk with someone and Rebekah was left alone in the drawing room. Lucrezia came in stealthily, made herself smile, and said, "Why, hello, Rebekah. You...do not mind if I simply call you Rebekah, do you?"

 Rebekah looked up at her. "Oh, no." She smiled. "Not at all. I would like us to be friends."

 "Ah, good. Then you may call me Lucrezia. I would not wish to have it any other way." She sat down in a chair. "I thought I saw my brother leaving the room not very long ago."

 "Oh. Yes, he was just here. If you were looking for him, I am afraid you missed him. He had some important visitor to greet."

 "Ah, yes. He seems to always be having important meetings, does he not? If I may say so, Rebekah, it seems to me that you and the duke are...well, quite fond of each other."

 Rebekah glanced away. "I suppose you could say so. Does that seem a problem to you, Lucrezia?"

 "No, of course not!" She pretended to be shocked at the idea. "It is no problem to me at all. There is no reason that it would be. But I am afraid it could be an issue for you. You see, I was at breakfast with your brothers the other day, and they expressed...some concerns to me."

 Rebekah's smile faded completely as Lucrezia spoke, especially at the mention of her brothers.

 "What have they been telling you?" she asked.

 "Oh, it was only a small conversation at breakfast yesterday morning," Lucrezia answered in a carefree tone. "Your brothers are concerned that the duke is not very honest with you after all, and that he may not care for you as much as he says. And, I must say, I do not disagree with them."

 "So, you do not approve of your brother courting me?"

 "Not entirely. I know it is not my place to say-"

 "No, it isn't!" Rebekah sprung up from her chair and gave Lucrezia a furious look the girl had never seen before. "It isn't your place to say whether the duke loves me or not. It is his. Everyone, including you, seems to think he is a monster. How well do you really know your brother?"

 Lucrezia gave Rebekah a serious look. "How well do you know him?"

 "What?"

 "I asked how well you know him. You see, with different people, he will show a different part of himself. I know he has done it before. His late wife, our dear Francesca, feared him. I knew it, and he knew it, too. He can make people love him or fear him, or perhaps both.

 Rebekah sighed. "You're-"

 "He knows he can do it," Lucrezia went on, "Because I am proof that he can do it. So, before you accuse me of telling lies, think about everything I have said. I know my brother, and I believe your brothers have a very good reason to worry for you. I wish I had brothers like them. Unfortunately, I do not, and I consider you lucky to have them. Please," she stood, "Think over it carefully. Whatever you decide will be your choice, but I have given you my warning."

 Rebekah opened her mouth to say something, but she whipped her head around towards the doorway.

 "I hear him," she said.

 Lucrezia turned in that direction. "I do not hear anything."

 "I can. He's nearby."

 Rebekah went the door, with Lucrezia trailing behind, wondering what she was hearing. The latter almost crashed into the former when she suddenly came to a halt.

 "If you master will agree with me on everything, then I will be happy and grateful for all of the arrangements."

 "Indeed, Your Grace. There are very few honors like being able to have the Duchess of Ferrara for a daughter."

 "Ah, I suppose not. Well, I shall be kind to the entire family. Tell your master the only thing I could possibly wish would be to have my new bride with me as soon as possible, so that we may continue the family line."

 The first voice belonged to the duke, the other to someone else.

 "It's a marriage arrangement, isn't it?" Rebekah whispered.

 "I am afraid it seems so," Lucrezia replied. She reached out her hand. "Rebekah-"

 "Don't." Rebekah pushed her hand away and marched off down the corridor, leaving the other girl standing alone, wondering what she was going to do next.