Waste Time with Me, My Dear Duke

Burden

More time...

Yet still, there was no word from her father, but Teal was beginning to settle into her responsibilities.

Sir Nelson's wedding was fast approaching, but Teal no longer felt any bitterness when confronted with it.

Thinking back, Teal could have looked elsewhere when the man grew distant, but she was never truly interested in courting, and now that they were on bad terms, she was unwilling to turn to her uncle, as he'd already written to her about a widower with a daughter just a year her junior.

Teal did not mind being a stepparent, as her own mother was raised by a woman who had not birthed her, yet they had a decent relationship.

However, at the age of nineteen, Teal did not yet feel as though she had completely passed her peak, no matter what the prime age of marriage was said to be for women.

"Teal, please come inside now. It’s not yet warm weather." Brushing the mud off her hands, Teal began to approach her mother, who, after a full ten days of isolation, had finally come out of her bedroom.

"Are you feeling fine, mother?"

"I am feeling like I need to cherish the things that I still have; like you…"

"And Josephine?"

"And Josephine," Emily repeated, hating that she had allowed depression to take over her mind and spew ill words about her eldest daughter.

Emily did not honestly believe that Josephine had abandoned them. In fact, she was proud of her daughter for making the bold choice to walk away from the family when they threatened not to bless her union with Oliver.

Ultimately, it was Phillip who caved first, but neither parent held any regret.

Oliver was good to Josephine in a way that was sometimes hard to believe as real, and despite having little in terms of wealth, the pair were envied.

“Perhaps we should write to your sister.” Teal nodded, for she had already put pen to paper in an attempt to inform Josephine about their missing father, but she feared that jotting the words would make it real. “What is it dear?”

“Can we invite her for a visit?” Teal could not imagine getting news of her father’s uncertain whereabouts through courier, and she also feared her mother’s reaction if she were honest about her illogical worry.

“The trip would be expensive, and I wouldn’t want to burden her family.” At that, Teal produced her purse, which, while still padded, was much healthier than it had been.

“Without staff to pay, this is the remainder of the household budget.”

“Teal… You would tell me if you were doing something elicit, right?” Teal was not doing anything wrong, but she allowed Gwen, the wife of Paul, one of the guards, to ‘borrow’ materials to make lace, and the woman made a nice profit during the autumn market.

“I invested in ‘Winter Lace.’” That was what Gwen called it, as it was made with thinly spun wool as opposed to linen.

Since lace collars on dresses could easily be removed and reattached, women of the nobility ordered in mass, seeing a way to maximize the usefulness of their clothing.

Gwen also made decorative scarves for men and used her husband as a model.

For that, they ‘borrowed’ one of her father’s suits, and as expected, men liked to stay warm as well.

“Is that not illicit?” Emily asked in a whisper, fearing that her daughter had gone against the crown.

Women were forbidden from owning, running, or investing in any sort of business venture. It was said to be a protective measure to stop men with foul intentions from forcing themselves upon them, but it did very little.

Heiresses were still being used as pawns, but in Teal’s case, she had a qualified uncle. Thus, she could not inherit her father’s legacy.

“I studied the law well, and I am not in violation. I provided no funding. I simply allowed Gwen to use the material Father collected and never found use for.”

“He always did call his workshop a place of treasures.” It was odd hearing her mother speak fondly of her father, not that the pair were at odds, but her mother was a true woman of nobility, and she had a certain coldness about her.

Teal’s father was much more affectionate; and she remembered him playfully sending her and her sister on adventures around the manor.

They were often found looking for tree sprites, or tiny gnomes, much to the chagrin of their mother, who hated the sight of her daughters covered in mud.

Fortunately, they outgrew most of the fantasies the man sold them, all but Josephine, who found, and held onto, ‘true love.’

“Okay my dear, but please be careful. Your uncle’s set his eye on your father’s wealth and-”

“He is overstepping,” Teal interjected. “He cannot actively do anything to us without the king’s declaration of death, which he’s yet to give.”

“You’ve been reading.”

“Since I learned how,” Teal replied, almost afraid that her mother would think that she was a scheming daughter.

She often spent time in her father’s study, and because he was not a man to send her away, he would randomly suggest a book, which she would gladly finish.

Sometimes, she would quit and leave, making her father chuckle at her frustrated expression, but other times, she was unwilling to lose to the man, so no matter how boring a title was, she would finish it.

“Thank you,” Emily whispered, not sure if her actions conveyed to her daughter how grateful she was. “My incompetence has reduced you to a servant.”

“Mother, look at me; I haven’t any sorrow at all.” Although she was not being entirely truthful, Teal meant her words.

However, she was beginning to feel physically exhausted from doing all the house chores on her own, and sleeping in was not an option.

“Do you perhaps need any help today?”

“Not particularly,” Teal lied, knowing that her mother would be more likely to get in her way. “But I do have a dress that needs mending.” It was only then that Emily noticed her daughter's shed pounds, and she could not help but to stop and scan the girl's body.

“Teal? Are you ill?”

“No, mother. I feel stronger than ever.” Seeing that her mother’s worry was not placated, Teal gestured for the woman to continue walking. “Let’s quickly write. If we hurry, we may be able to get a courier out today.”

“Al-Alright…” Emily wanted to say more, but she was afraid to pry. If Teal were hiding an illness, it was for the best, as she would have trouble finding a husband if any negative news regarding her health were to spread.

The thought made Emily curious about her daughter's plans for the future, and she could not say that she was shocked when the girl denied having any.

“Then… I shall support you in those wishes.” That was surprising to Teal, but she was, nevertheless, relieved.

— — — —

Josephine entered her family home carrying her toddler. It had been long since she and her husband paid her family a visit, and she expected to be welcomed with open arms, but instead, she was greeted by a face that confused her.

“Teal? Where are all the servants?”

“I think you should come inside,” Teal replied, taking her nephew from her sister with a tight smile.

She could not help but to think of her father while holding the boy. James was named by his grandfather, a right given to him by Oliver, who drew blank after witnessing the boy’s birth. He said the name just felt fitting, but everyone knew it was the name he would have given a son if he had one of his own.

“Where is mother?” Teal ignored her sister, and only after Oliver entered the home, did she fetch the woman so that they could properly speak. “What do you mean missing? For how long?” Josephine looked around the home, which was darker than she remembered it ever being.

“Times are tough,” Teal admitted, seeing her sister take in her surroundings.

She explained her uncle’s reluctance to release their father’s earnings, the implications of him being gone for as long as he was, and finally ended with the possibility of becoming penniless.

“That will never happen,” Oliver replied, moving closer to his mother-in-law.

He could see that the woman was struggling with sharing her troubles, but he was no one to judge, not that he would.

“If ever a time comes, Josephine and I will make room in our home. Even if we have to build new accommodations, it shall be done.” Anger swelled within Teal as she, for whatever reason, thought of Nelson.

Had Teal married the man, she seriously doubted that he would be as accommodating as Oliver, and thinking back, she wasn’t even sure the man knew her mother’s name.

“If it comes to it, Teal and I will manage whatever it is you are able to provide.” Josephine did not know if she hated or liked her mother’s attitude toward their situation, but she said nothing, wanting to leave the conversation on a positive note.

It wasn’t until mealtime that the seriousness of the family circumstances were revealed, causing her to fight back tears while watching her sister toil in the kitchen.

Teal, however, looked un-bothered as she kneaded a giant mound of dough.

“Where is Martha?” Josephine asked, confused because, while she was no longer a noblewoman, Teal was.

“Rumor of our situation got back to her family. They came to fetch her not long ago.”

“And the rest of the servants?”

“You are looking at them,” Teal mocked, fully expecting her sister not to find humor in her jest. “Do not pity me, Josephine. Mother does enough of that already.”

“Fine,” Josephine said. “But you can’t possibly be planning to serve us a meal without dessert after we came all this way.” Teal froze as she watched her sister adorn an apron and ask for honey.

She did not know that she needed her sister's support in the way she was getting it, and she was too afraid to say anything to spoil the mood.

“Have you learned to bake?”

“I would like to,” Teal replied, wiping her hands on a nearby cloth before going to check on her simmering meat.

She discovered that slowly boiling chicken with potatoes and salt allowed the meat to cleanly fall off the bone. It was delicious when paired with fresh baked bread and garlic roasted butter, so even though the weather did not call for soup, it was what she was making.

With her portion of the meal nearly complete, Teal waited for Josephine, who seemed more used to being resourceful than her sister knew she would be.

She watched as the woman mixed water, butter, and honey in a pot, then brought the mixture to a boil as she slowly added some of the dough Teal prepared in the morning.

“What is this named?” Teal asked, curious because it seemed as though her sister was simply wasting food.

“Mind your elders,” Josephine said, playfully using her childhood rebuke towards her sister.

Fortunately, she had a kind neighbor that walked her through lots of meal preparations before she was confident enough to experiment on her own.

Teal could only watch on as the goopy mixture started to bubble in the pot, and then her sister removed it and placed it in the oven.

“Let’s see where it takes us,” she said to her sister, hoping that she was helping and not hurting. “Worst case scenario, I’ll give you five shillings.”

“How is that an even trade?” Teal questioned, not understanding her sister's logic because honey and flour were not that expensive.

“It’s not, but I know my husband and he will insist. Speaking of husbands. When will you marry?”

“I would prefer it if I didn't,” Teal said.