Ditching The Duke

from then until now

Four months later..

Dustin reached up and finished tying the last strand of popping corn around the old tree. Leaning back on his heals to examine his work. "What do you think mother? Will she like her surprise when she comes home from school for the holidays?"

Her Grace, Margaret, Duchess of Starsborough, placed a reassuring hand on her sons shoulder. "Any young lady, who has someone purchase such a divine tree for them, is indeed lucky to have such a caring friend."

Dustin blushed a little and looked away from his mother and her all seeing eyes. "The truth is, I just couldn't bare the thought of having the new neighbors children climbing up our tree. Its branches grew as we grew. As if the tree knew it was meant to hold just the two of us." 

He beamed as he looked at the tree, now naked of all its glorious green leaves, but flourished in his beautiful strings of popping corn. And he knew this was the best gift he could have ever given his friend that was closer to him than his own sister.

"She will love it my dear." Margaret said while giving her son a warm smile. And she couldn't help but wonder if he yet realized just how much he loved his Clarissa. Well, she thought, time could only tell. Just then they could hear the sounds of a carriage coming from a distance.

"Hurry mother, we mustn't be gone when they arrive."

Dustin didn't even wait to see if the Duchess followed, he hopped on his horse and rode back to the stables next to their house as fast as he could. Handing his horse over to one of the stable boys, not pausing long enough to thank the lad. He continued to run down the lane until he finally reached the gravel road that would bring Clarissa back to him.

He stood their waiting, pacing, scuffing his good riding boots along the dusty gravel road for what felt like an eternity. Though he knew it only took a fifteen minute drive from where he had heard the carriage coming from.

His mother joined him. "Stand tall and stop scuffing your boots. A future Duke must show great strength and patience to the outside world, regardless of how he is actually feeling on the inside."

Yet another lecture on molding him into a great Duke of Starsborough. That seemed to be all anyone cared about around him. Everyone except for Clarissa. Why, around her he could truly be, well, just Dustin. Not a Marque, or the future Duke, but a boy of fifteen.

The carriage finally made a stop in front of them. He could barley contain his excitement. It took every bit of his Ducal training to lift his hand and help his sister down from the carriage. Slowly, she moved so slowly as if Grace knew it was torture for him to help her down, when all he really wanted was to get to Clarissa.

When Grace was safely to the ground, Dustin continued to stand next to the door with his hand raised. Waiting for Clarissa to take her turn and exit the blessed carriage. But her small hand never reached out for his own.

"Come now Clarissa, I cant stand like this all day." he whispered into the darkened carriage. When there was still no reply that's when panic started to kick in. Dustin swiftly gripped the door handle and swung himself up into to carriage. It was only a small space with a cushioned bench on either side. It didn't take him long to realize that Clarissa wasn't there.

"What ever are you doing in there Dustin?" his mother asked. But he wasn't hearing any of it. There was only one question on his mind that needing answering.

"Where is she?" he asked in a small voice as he climbed back down from the carriage.

Both the Duchess and Lady Grace just stood looking at him. His mother with sad eyes. His sister, Grace, was trying to look as if she didn't know who he was talking about, but he could detect the tiniest gleam of sinister in her eyes. As if she knew a secret she wasn't about to reveal just yet.