Page 14 of Loving a Noble Gentleman
Walter’s eyes closed; this was starting to become his own personal hell. “Mary, I do not know what your father was thinking when he gave me these instructions. I cannot speak on his behalf ...”
“No, I understand,” she jumped in quickly, not wanting to go around in circles with Walter. “I am terribly sorry; I must be thinking aloud.” She glanced up at him through her eyelashes to see him giving her a very curious look. “Sorry, I shall leave now. Thank you for your time.”
Mary closed the door behind her with a click and walked rapidly down the hallways of her home towards her bedroom. Her heart thumped so loudly it was almost as if it was bouncing off the stone walls of her house rather than just her ribcage.
I am not quite sure what happened then,she thought desperately.But I do not believe that went well.
Mary stopped in her tracks as she stalked into her bedroom; she had been searching for some time alone, but there was a maid in her room straightening out the light blue sheet that covered her bed. Horror struck her. She did not know what to say; the shyness that normally crippled her voice box came back with a vengeance. She wanted to turn on her heels and find somewhere else to get some alone time, but it was too late for that. The maid had already heard her.
“Oh, I am sorry,” she said. “I shall be out of your way in a moment if that is what you want.”
Mary sighed with relief. Daisy was actually a welcome sight. She was probably the only person in the world that she actually did not mind being in her bedroom at such a horrible moment of her life. “Oh no, it is fine. I shall just sit here.”
Mary watched Daisy work ... or so it seemed. She was not actually watching what Daisy was doing; she was examining her closely trying to work out just how much she could tell her. The young girl had given her no clue that she was not to be trusted, but Mary still felt anxious about letting anyone in. It was not common for a Lady to confide in a maid; it blurred the lines between the classes a little too much, but since her sister was not around, she found herself with little choice. It was Daisy or no one, and she did not think she could suffer in silence.
“Is there something you wish to discuss?” Daisy asked breezily as she worked. “You look like you have something on your mind.”
“Only the same as before.” Mary chuckled mirthlessly. “I am trying to work out the right thing to do with regards to this marriage.” She sighed deeply. “I thought that I had made up my mind, and I was all ready to sort things out with Walter, but things did not go to plan.”
Now that Mary was away from it all, she was starting to think that maybe Walter had manipulated her a little. He did not seem to answer any of her questions directly which was utterly infuriating. Maybe Mary was brave enough to speak out a little more, but she did not feel confident about yelling at the man.
“Has something changed?” Daisy did not want to sound too eager being embarrassed that she so desperately needed to know if her household position was safe. The last thing she wanted was for Mary to think that she was being callous and uncaring about her situation.
Daisy’s problem might have been different to Mary’s, on a completely different scale, but she felt that both their issues needed to be treated with equal severity.
“I think that there is not much option for me,” Mary admitted. “I believe I must marry the Duke. I do not see another way out.”
Daisy took a seat on the edge of the bed and stared at the Lady of the house, Guilt racked through her as she realised that she had probably impacted on this decision a little too much. “I am sorry, do you feel this way because of me and what I said about my job? Because I am sure we will all find work elsewhere if it comes to it ...”
“It is not just you; it is everything,” Mary admitted. “I am starting to feel like I am being backed into a corner.”
Daisy wished that she had some better advice to give Mary, but this was not something that she had any experience in. Nor could she be biased, which meant it was safer to say nothing.
“Maybe meeting with the Duke a second time will be a positive experience,” she offered hopefully. “It is always challenging to get to know a person based purely on first impressions. He could have been showing off, or maybe he was a little stiff from shyness.” Daisy hoped that she was not stepping out of line with this remark, but she felt it essential to say to get her point across. “Maybe you were not the best version of yourself either.”
“Hmm, maybe not,” Mary agreed with surprise. She had not been the best version of herself in an attempt to appear undesirable. Maybe if she acted differently the next time, then the results would be different too. “Maybe it will all work out alright.”
This time she really hoped that she could develop some true feelings for the Duke. If there were to be even a glimmer of hope that she could fall for him, it would be fine. She needed to love him now, even more so than before.
“Thank you for your advice, Daisy.” She smiled, a little happier now. “You have made me feel a whole lot better about everything.”
Daisy reached forward to hold onto Mary’s hand. “That is what friends are for.”
She did not know it when she said it, nor did she mean for it to happen, but Mary felt the pressure intensify. The heavy blocks on her shoulders were growing by the second; any minute now she would be unable to move under the pressure of it all. If Daisy was her friend, then she owed her the opportunity to keep her job and her life.
“I see you as a friend now too,” she whispered. “You have been very kind to me, and I hope that I do not let you down.”
