Page 3 of Trapped with a Wicked Duke
William raised an eyebrow at his sister's sudden defiance. "I think we both know you are not capable of doing anything unescorted, Rose," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips. "Besides, I would not want you to get lost on the way to the privy."
Rose rolled her eyes but could not help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Oh, William, you always know how to make me laugh," she said, with a shake of her head. "Is that how you make your mistresses fall for your charm?"
William nearly lost his footing as he turned to Rose, "How…Never mention this again, especially in here."
"Why? Do you not want our parents to know about the life you are hiding from them?"
"I have nothing to hide, Rose. Stop playing around."
The two of them continued on, bantering back and forth as they made their way through the castle. Rose was feeling more relaxed in William's company and she found herself opening up to him.
"William, there is something I need to tell you," Rose said, her voice serious. "I know about the debt you owed, and I know the duke paid it off for you."
William's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"Do not deny it, William," Rose said, her voice firm. "I know the truth. You owed money to some unsavory people, and the duke paid it off for you before marrying Jasmine."
William blustered, trying to deny the truth. "That is not true. You have no proof."
"I do not need proof," Rose replied. "I know the truth, so you should not try to appear as the perfect heir."
William's bravado faded, and he let out a sigh. "Fine, you are right. I owed money, and the duke paid it off for me. But this is the way of the world, Rose. People make deals and bargains all the time."
"I will not be a part of it," Rose said, her voice resolute. "I will not continue to hide your secrets. Who will you trade next to hide your vices from our parents if the duke refuses to pay? Daphne?"
William shook his head. "You do not understand, Rose. This is just the way things are."
William's words only fueled Rose's determination to escape. She was not going to be a pawn in someone else's game, and she was not going to be trapped in a loveless marriage to a man her parents declared a perfect match.
"You need to be more careful," William warned. "Your new husband despises talkative women. He will not tolerate any of your antics."
Rose fumed. "I do not care what he likes or dislikes. I am not going to be trapped in a marriage where I am not happy."
William sighed. "Rose, you are being foolish. You are a woman, and in our society, women do not have many choices. You need to accept your fate and make the best of it."
"I will not accept it," Rose replied, her voice resolute. "I will not be trapped in a marriage where I am not happy. I am going to escape, and I am going to show them all that I am the one holding my fate in my hands."
William's eyes widened in surprise. "You cannot be serious. You would never make it on your own."
"I will make it," Rose replied, her voice firm. "I will find a way to be happy, even if it means leaving everything behind."
As they reached the privy, William reached out to stop her. "Rose, think about what you are doing. You are making a huge mistake."
Rose pulled away, her eyes blazing with determination. "I am not making a mistake. I am taking control of my own life, and I am not looking back."
"You are not serious?" William gave her an incredulous look.
She laughed and placed a hand on her brother's arm. "Of course not, silly. I am simply making a point to you. You needed to feel a bit of pain for what you have done."
William slumped in visible relief. "You are incorrigible, Rose. You had me believing that you planned to call off the wedding."
"No worries. I shan't say one word." With that, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, leaving William standing outside, shaking his head in disbelief. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the walls as she made her way through the castle, determined to escape.
"You know," William waited outside the bathroom, muttering to himself. "Everyone has a purpose to serve, and a man's responsibility is much more severe. He has to provide for a wife and children. When you think about it, men have it much worse…"
Rose listened to her brother's words, but she could not agree with him.
As William's voice faded away, Rose made her escape. She quietly opened the hidden door in the privy and stepped into the dark, musty passageway. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the walls as she made her way through the castle.
