The Earl And The Lady

One Lady Isobel stared at the antique fireplace in her new drab room which was not even fitting for her arm maid. How did the royal chief accountant only daughter end up here, a house with little decorations? Good question. Her father embezzled from the royal empire and plotted treason against the crown prince and contributed to the death of the king and worse of all, she was the one who caught her father then reported him to the guard force and what did the crown prince who is about to become king do? He married her off to the commander of the guard force and if she was lucky, he would not be up to sixty years of age. Maybe she should have let her father have his way ... No, she can't think like that, that's treason. As soon as the thought entered her head, she stood up and began pacing the room in long obvious strides that no lady should take. ‘my Lady’ her new maid said. Turning, she thought she could scandalised her maid then bully her into giving up then quitting but as she turned she discovered that her maid had a serene look on her face, the same annoying and controlled look that she wore since the second they were introduced. ‘Yes Agnes.’ Isobel said thinking that the maid would be scandalized by her actions instead, the maid still had that annoying look on her face. ‘Would you like for me to warm water for your bath or would you like me to shift the table so you can have more space to pace around.’ ‘Are you mocking me?’ Isobel asked in an unbelieving tone. ‘No, My Lady, I just prefer to do something other than sit here and watch you pace’ Agnes answered then asked in soft tone ‘Would you have preferred if I mocked you.’ ‘no,’ Isobel answered drained of fight. ‘were you related to the prince.’ ‘No your Grace, I was only his sister hand maiden all my life.’ Agnes answered uncomfortable about the direction of the questions. ‘Never mind, draw water for my bath and put out the most complicated dressing grown that would be difficult for taking off. I don't feel like doing my wifely duty tonight.’ Isobel ended with a sigh as Agnes bowed and left her. If the Prince wanted to send a maid to watch her every move, the least he could do was send a chatterbox who will keep her company when her mysterious husband was no where to be seen. ‘ my lady your water is ready ’ Agnes said when she returned from her tasks. Silently Isobel moved to the chamber room to take her bath, her freedom and life as she knew it, was over . ****** ‘ Lord Andrew, it is your wedding night, what are you doing in my study drinking one of my finest brandy as if it is gin?’ Crown prince Anthony asked his best friend with raised eye brows. ‘trying to get drunk enough that when I bed my wife she will not see the look of disgust on my face, it's not working I can still see straight and I am still clearheaded.’ Lord Andrew, Duke of Northshire and Earl to Wistonburg said with a grimace not looking at the face of the man who is his brother in every sense of the word except blood. The man whom his "wife" father came so very close to killing. ‘Who informed you of the plot?’ Lord Andrew tried although he knew that his friend would not say a peep on the subject. ‘I am sure you understand the fact that I sworn an oath of secrecy and I don't betray my word Andrew, please speak nothing of the subject again.’ Prince Anthony said in a firm authoritative tone. ‘ yes your Majesty’ Andrew answered automatically with his head bowed. ‘ you should go home to your wife she will be worried either she knows you or not.’ Prince Anthony said as he moved to leave the room. ‘ shut the door behind you. ’ He threw over his shoulder as he left. If she is naive, she will stay awake but these days ladies are no longer naive. He had a feeling that she is going to be a young naive sweet girl, just the type he stays away from. Too bad that the biggest distance that he is allowed to keep is the space on their bed. **** Sipping my tea looking thoughtful, I grimaced at how much my life has changed since a fortnight ago even since yesterday. I was concerned on making it hard for my new husband, to show him I was not in the slight less way ready to do my wifely duty but instead he was not present at all which showed that he was not even ready to be bothered with me. That had stung my pride, although my father was a traitor, he loved me and not once in my life did I imagined I would be locked in a loveless marriage and I am so slow at recognizing things that I realized this a day after my marriage not that I could stop it if I had realised it earlier. When a tear dropped into my tea I realized that I haven't seen my husband and yet he had made me cry which just strengthened my resolve that he will suffer for it, immensely. ' my lady, your husband is in the drawing room .' Agnes said quietly. I stiffened at her voice, she just witness me being in my lowest but I refused to cower to embarrassment and rushed to answer him as I should cause it is my duty, instead I calmly sipped my tea and replied ' would you please tell him that I am in the morning room .' For once Agnes displayed emotion on her face, shock . She was shocked and I smiled inwardly as I realized that this will not be the last time that she will wear this expression on her face because of my actions. ' m m- my lady, ' Agnes stammered ' he asked for you ' ' then tell him that I also asked for him, yesterday, in my bed.' I said with not a single trace of emotion on my face as I tried to appear cool, but as soon as the door closed behind Agnes who left when she saw that I won't change my mind, I jumped to my feet the started pacing round, I am doomed, my marriage was over before it began. **************** ' she said what ?' lord Andrew asked Agnes in a disbelieving tone. Although she was not comfortable with the tension that he brewing in his fury she repeated what lady Isobel said only for Andrew to hit his desk in fury which made her finch back. If it was princess Whitney, she would attack the bearer of the bad news then proceed to make those under her feel her wrath. 'I am sorry ' he said in a soft tone. He was the one who found her brushing blood from the floor of the servants common room in the night after princess Whitney ordered some labourers to disflower her just because a very promising squire who spurn her invitations asked for Agnes release instead so he could marry her. ' it's okay my lord, please understand your wife, she expected you last night and she is still bitter .' Agnes said ' so she is furious. I find that hard to believe. ' lord Andrew said his anger slowly reducing. ' she has no idea what you look like since the king stood in your place, please sir don't hurt her pride anymore than necessary. ' Agnes said beseechingly. ' why do you care? ' he said noting the pleading tone. ' she is a good person. ' ' her father is a traitor ' Lord Andrew countered ' and she has been punished enough, she was removed from her home, her name tarnished. The king and would have just sent her to be a governess in a distant land instead he forced her to be where her mates would ridicule her and attached her to a man she had never met, surrounded her with people who would do anything to see her fail and who watch her as a hawk. She knows that I am to spy on her yet she did not struck out at Me .' Agnes finished her rant only to see Andrew watching her with a bemused expression on his face, as she started to apologized he shook his head no. ' if you are that passionate around people you are free with then I understand why you had a lot of suitors, don't worry we will find a prefect man for you. ' Andrew said. ' the morning room you said, emm stay here look like its time I have a private chat with my new wife ' he concluded as he strode out of the room.