Page 44 of A Tempting Maid for the Beastly Duke
She set up on gathering the bouquet with skillful fingers, finishing it within a minute. He took it into his hands, the delicate scent of the flowers mingling with the market’s earthy aroma. “Thank you,” he said, handing her a few coins, which were more than enough to cover the expense of the bouquet.
“Wait, I shall have your change for you within a moment,” she said, but he shook his head.
“No, that is fine, madam,” he smiled.
She smiled back. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
As he waved a little awkwardly in goodbye, he turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction, when suddenly, he caught sight of a familiar face. Henry was alone, without Rose, walking straight towards William. William inhaled deeply, wondering what sort of conversation would follow. He was prepared for anything. For Rose, he had to be.
“Your Grace,” Henry approached him respectfully, bowing his head. William could immediately sense that there was no antagonism in the boy’s gesture. “May I walk with you?”
“Of course, Henry,” William nodded, slightly caught off guard by Henry’s behavior.
As the two men continued their walk with all eyes still on them, neither of them seemed to mind. Henry was the first one to break the silence. “I… I would like to apologize for everything, Your Grace.”
William turned to him, as they locked gazes. He could see genuine regret in the boy’s eyes, and he knew that the apology truly came from the heart. Henry seemed as if he had more to say, so William gave him enough time to gather his thoughts, without being urged to do so.
“They were all just silly games at first,” Henry continued. “It was nothing but mere talk how we would do this or that, but I never thought we would actually do anything. Then… things got more and more serious. They kept reminding me of what you did, how you made so many people unemployed, stealing their livelihood in the process, making them feel worthless, as if they could not take care of their own families.”
William had to interfere there. “I never thought about that,” he admitted. “I never knew what far-reaching consequences my actions would have. All I wanted was to lock myself up in my mansion, and not see anyone around.”
“I know that now,” Henry nodded, as they continued to stroll. “But before, I didn’t, and I was angry. I was so angry for my uncle, for my friends’ families. Then, I was scared that Rosewould get hurt… I should have known better than to allow them to cloud my judgment. I should have just walked away.”
“Anger is a difficult thing to walk away from,” William acknowledged wisely. He could see the appreciation in Henry’s eyes.
“The things we did to you were wrong,” Henry admitted apologetically. “And I know that no apology could ever make up for what we have done to you.”
“You’re wrong,” William smiled. “An apology is a precious thing. Not everyone is brave enough to offer it.”
Henry smiled back, reaching into his pocket. A moment later, he extracted a pendant, one that William immediately recognized. He shivered at the memory, but he reminded himself that it was all over.
“I took it from the other boy, the one who knocked you out that day,” Henry revealed. “I… I fought him for it.”
“You… did?” William asked with a trembling voice, as Henry offered him the pendant.
“Yes,” Henry nodded. “Mr. Trent had given it to him, as part of his payment… for the trouble, he said. None of us knew that Mr. Trent wanted to kill Rose, we were all shocked to find out. We…we just thought that he wanted to scare you. And I want you to know that I am no longer friends with any of them. Please, just take it, I don’t think that any of us should keep anything from that man. We should not be rewarded for what we have done.”
William smiled even more at the young man’s words. He could see that Henry had truly learned his lesson, and that was more valuable than any scolding William or anyone else for that matter, could give him. Gently, he curled Henry’s fingers around the pendant.
“Sell it,” he urged. “You helped me in the end, and I understand why you did what you did. I understand that anger at the world, at life. I understand it more than you think, Henry. Sell it and give the money to your aunt, I know that she needs it. Let something good come out of all this.”
Henry nodded, pocketing the pendant once again. He looked relieved that William had accepted his apology. “Thank you, Your Grace,” Henry replied.
William patted him on the shoulder. “You are a good lad with a good head on your shoulders, Henry. Never let someone else think for you.”
“Never again,” Henry promised, then he ran in the direction of one of the stalls, where he proceeded to show the vendor the pendant.
William nodded in a satisfied manner, then he continued to stroll through the market. He stopped at various stalls, making small purchases—some fresh bread here, a few apples there. Each transaction was an exercise in facing the curious and sometimes skeptical glances of the townspeople. He smiled politely, making a conscious effort not to retreat into himself.
As he wandered, his thoughts turned to the practical matters that needed addressing at the estate, particularly the barn that had been damaged during the recent storm. He knew he needed skilled workmen to rebuild it, and now seemed as good a time as any to inquire.
He approached a group of men standing near a blacksmith’s stall, their muscular arms and weathered faces suggesting they were laborers. “Good day, gentlemen,” William greeted them, nodding respectfully.
The men looked up, clearly surprised to see the duke addressing them directly. One of them, a burly man with a thick beard, stepped forward. “Good day, Your Grace. How can we assist you?”
“I’m looking for skilled workmen to help rebuild a barn on my estate,” William said. “Do you know of anyone who might be available for the task?”
The bearded man exchanged glances with his companions before nodding. “Aye, we’ve got a few lads who’d be more than capable. We’ll need to take a look at the site first, of course.”
