Waste Time with Me, My Dear Duke

Humiliation

Time seemed to drag on forever, or at least, that's how it felt for Teal.

When the king summoned her father, Phillip Callahan, to lead a cross-sea expedition, both she and her mother were scared, but they were equally as excited as he was. However, now, they felt only fear.

The last message they received from the man was several months prior, and he seemed to suggest that he would return to them in just two short months, but four had gone by, and still, nothing.

With her elder sister already married and removed from the family, Teal and her mother, Emily, were left to manage the family’s estate, but without the head of the household present, making money was becoming an issue, and pretending that their instructions came from the man through post was becoming much more difficult.

The trade guild members were starting to question them about how they were receiving their communications , and feigning offense when accused of lying could only go so far.

Sadly, with Josephine's husband being of illegitimate birth, he had no sway over the guildsmen, who were eager to appoint a new master.

However, so long as they could continue to pay their guild fees, and accumulate wealth through private trade deals, they were safe, but household expenses were another thing altogether.

"My daughter and I have grown tired of these trinkets; we wish to put them on the market." 

"But the implications, my lady."

"Never mind the talk. Rumors will always spread. My husband has promised to return with new jewels, and I wish to make room for them."

"But-" Emily shot the man before her with a warning glance, one that she practiced in the mirror, and that she hoped conveyed the anger she genuinely felt. Being a widow was one thing, but having a husband completely disappear left her in an awkward position.

Either her brother-in-law would swoop in to 'manage' the 'family' resources until his brother's 'return' or everything would be stripped from them, as women were not allowed to own or run anything of substance other than in a few rare instances.

With a heavy sigh, the jewel merchant appraised the value of the items before him, then cataloged them.

The man was fond of the Callahan family, so he would do his best to get them the highest value of the jewels they were clearly selling under the guise of 'making room.'

"Shall I offer you an advance on the sale?" He cautiously questioned, fully aware that his standing within the merchant guild was heavily tied to his relationship with its missing master.

Should the man ever return, he wanted his wife and young daughter to have nothing but good things to say about him, and 'advancing' them a few shillings was a sure way to do it.

"No need," said Emily.

Although her mind was shouting for her to accept, she needed it to appear that her family was fine, but in reality, they were on the very cusp of disaster.

As the lady of the house, she was adept at its management, but without her husband present, his earnings from the guild were being withheld, meaning that she had to dip into the emergency reserves to keep the household running.

With another p*****t period approaching, she was worried that she'd be unable to pay the king's taxes and cover the wages of those in the family's employ.

The guards trusted with their protection alone collected up to two shillings per day, while each of their house maids ranged from six pennies and above, depending on their position within the home.

As it was, Teal, a young lady ready for marriage, was secretly learning to prepare meals in the event that they could no longer afford their kitchen help.

Teal, herself, did not mind the task being thrown at her; she was well aware of her mother's worry, but the guild could only withhold her father's earnings for so long, and she knew it.

She spent several nights reading through the by-laws of the entity, and so long as her father was considered living, her mother was entitled to income due the family until he was legally declared dead.

That declaration could only come from the king himself, and without her mother's knowledge, Teal had already sent word to her uncle, reminding him of such facts while simultaneously mentioning that in order to formally replace her father as guild master, a vote would be taken, and the many relatives who often spent months away from home, would likely be unimpressed by his handling of their affairs; for their troubles could belong to anyone.

"Mother, I really like this piece," Teal said, pointing to a small brooch the jeweler brought with him. 

Originally, they sent for the man with the 'intention' of buying, not wanting to appear desperate, but unlike her mother, Teal knew that their desperation was obvious.

Fortunately, she was not a daughter prone to asking, so Emily understood what her daughter was doing. Teal produced the coins needed for the purchase, sure to let the weight of her purse show.

It was, of course, padded with bolts she collected from the work shed, but the jeweler did not know that, and it was evident in his expression that the sight confused him.

With the transaction completed, Emily collected her receipt and allowed the butler to see the jeweler out.

It was only then that she could feel relieved, and not expecting any more visitors for the evening, she dismissed the man, wanting to save money wherever she could.

With their butler working half days, his salary was also halved, and while he did not complain, she was well aware that reduced income lessened the appeal of working hard.

It was Teal who originally suggested cutting the man's hours, and it was obvious that he was planning to make an exit.

"That was quick thinking,” Emily said as she entered her daughter's room behind her.

They'd already lost their chamber maid to pregnancy, so the women were left to help each other dress and undress each day.

They took care not to wear out their dresses, as they were unsure if they could afford replacements or repairs, but Emily hoped to improve in her sewing to allow for them to stay decent for longer periods.

As it was, they spent their time in day gowns, but even those were subject to fraying, so they took them off whenever possible, and stayed isolated in one room to avoid being seen by the few household servants that came and went throughout the day.

Teal, however, would soon make her way into the kitchen where she would try her best to pick up cooking skills.

She was getting better, and although she pretended to just be interested in the craft, she was almost certain that the kitchen aids knew that it was something more, so they indulged her.

It was in the middle of their meal when a gong alerted them of the presence of a visitor. Without a butler present, it meant the women would have to send a housekeeper to greet the 'visitor' in the man's place, and that could lead to rumors of a bitter truth; if Phillip did not return, the comfort the Callahan family once enjoyed would be no more.

The rest of their meal was spent in the awkward silence of both women wondering what would have happened if the ‘visitor’ was not just a courier.

In all noble households, women simply did not answer the door. Even the maid who was sent was weary, likely believing that she was being tested.

It was odd to receive a letter so late in the evening, but the sender needn't follow the rules of society.

Teal and Nelson became acquainted through their general studies, and for at least the last six months, they were considered to be in a courtship.

They often exchanged letters, pleasant writings that she planned to keep even after marriage, not that she knew why, it just seemed romantic.

Because of the nature of the society they lived in, rumors were always brewing among the gentry, and her relationship with Nelson proved no different.

This time, however, the rumors spoke of an engagement between him and another woman, and without the head of the household present, Nelson would be unable to personally address the gossip as baseless in the typical fashion.

Teal did not love the man; in fact, the courtship they were in was forced on her by her father, who worked with Nelson’s father. She was extremely resistant in the beginning, remembering him as mischievous in their youth, but boys and girls were no longer permitted to interact at the age of sixteen, and her father led her to believe that Nelson had matured.

Sometime later, Teal willed herself to believe that he was a man she could count on, but now, she had her doubts.

Praying that the letter would somehow redeem the man her father chose for her, Teal sat at the small desk in her bedroom, intending to read Nelson’s message before bed.

Lady Teal,

I do hope this letter finds you well.

I have fallen in love, and I will be married in the upper spring.

You have been a great companion, but I'm afraid that my beloved will not take kindly to the furthering of our friendship.

All the best,

Your former confidant, 

Sir Nelson Cunningham.

If Teal had gotten the message before hearing the rumors, she would have felt less annoyed, but as it was, she felt humiliated.

Several times she was invited to tea parties, and at many such events, she would speak highly of Nelson, believing the words he wrote of love and longing in the past.

Not long ago, she suspected other ladies her age of jealousy, and refused to allow the words of others to taint her budding ‘romance,’ but alas, they spoke the truth.

Teal sighed, wondering why now of all times that Nelson would decide to marry. He always claimed to be wary of rushing, but if his engagement was to the woman spoken of in rumor, then it had only been a matter of weeks since the pair met. 

Teal knew that she’d grown distant from Nelson after her father traveled, but that was to be expected, or so she thought. She now could not help but to feel foolish, telling herself that she should have been able to guess.

It was no secret that her family's standing was in trouble, and the state of their household was on the verge of shambles, and yet, the man who once wrote that she meant as much to him as the sun meant to the sky hadn't even sent a word of encouragement or concern.

Folding the letter, Teal placed it in the case she kept all of Nelson's tidings, but no more did they represent reasons for her to open her heart to the man.

It was just as her mother had always said.

Love was the only luxury a noble could not afford, which was why her sister, Josephine, chose to abandon everything for Oliver Livingston, the illegitimate child born of an Earl and a scullery maid.

An unwanted son that was only kept alive because his father had no other sons to replace him, and by the time one was born, it was too late to remove the child from his registry, thus he was stuck raising him; a boy, not a peasant, but not quite a noble either.

It helped that Oliver was wise enough to stick to his studies, and actively sought employment that would separate him from his ‘family.’

Eventually, he was able to acquire land, and through a king's decree, he was made lead educator of a small town just a few hours away by carriage.

Sadly, Josephine’s successful ‘escape’ was rare, and so, Teal could only continue to endure.