Page 57 of Taken By the Dangerous Duke

“You will be reassigned for now,” warned Margaret. “I am not sure what is to happen with you yet. With any of you. The decision was not yours to make, but you went ahead and took the matter into your own hands. What you did was unforgivable, even with your reasons.”

“It is unforgivable,” said Victoria. “I can’t apologize enough, Your Grace. If there is anything I can do, you only need say.”

“No, you have done enough. I can’t be in your presence right now or I might say something that I regret. I need some time to think this over. For now, go back to your duties, and inform the staff that I shall treat this matter very seriously and come to a decision on the consequences very soon.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” said Victoria. “I will go right now.”

“Victoria,” said Margaret before Victoria could leave the room.

“Your Grace?”

“Was the duke really so unhappy before I came along? I don’t mean to assume that I am the one responsible for his happiness now.”

“He was, Your Grace. He was a deeply troubled man, but not recently. And, I don’t care what you with think about it, we all know that he is a better man today than he once was because of you, Your Grace. He is much happier with you in his life, and I hope that you remain in it.”

There was another silence between the two of them. After a moment, Margaret gestured with her head for the maid to leave her. It was only after the maid was gone that Margaret allowed herself the smallest of smiles. She quickly shook it from her head and sat back down in her chair.

It was barely afternoon, but she would lament the recent turn of events for the rest of the day, perhaps the rest of the week. She could not believe that the staff had done such a thing. It was what they had done and the way they had done it. They had gone behind her back.

But they had not done it for themselves. They had done it for the duke. But, did that make it any better? Did that justify what they had tried to do? Did that make up for the anguish both she and the duke had suffered while trying to get pregnant?

Margaret could not imagine a more messy situation. How had she ended up in a marriage like this? She pondered that as she sat in the same chair, looking out of the far window.

“My dear?”

Margaret looked up to find Arthur standing in the doorway. She had no idea how long she had been sitting there.

“Is everything well?” he asked. “When I returned, the gardener informed me that there had been a commotion in the house. That he heard some shouting.”

“Yes,” said Margaret. “It was….” Margaret looked away from the duke, unsure of what to say. Her eyes flitted around the room until they landed on the broken teacup that was still on the floor by the table. Some of the liquid had dried into the wood, and the offending herbs were scattered around.

“What happened?” asked Arthur.

“I got a fright,” said Margaret.

“A fright?”

“Yes, the maid startled me, that was all. She dropped the cup as she was serving it, and I screamed out. I was so frightened by the crash that I am afraid I shouted at her. I should have told her to clean it up, but I wanted her gone from the room. It is my fault.”

“Are you sure? You don’t look completely well.”

“I am fine,” said Margaret. “I will talk to the maid and apologize for how I acted, and have her clean up the mess. I never really cared for the herbal tea anyway.”

CHAPTER27

Together Again

“Ican go and talk with the maid,” said Arthur. “And, I can get you some other tea if you would like.”

“No, but thank you. I… would you hold me for a while?” asked Margaret.

“Of course,” said the duke. “Are you sure you are feeling well? Do you need me to call the doctor?”

That was the second person to ask her that.

“No,” she replied. “In fact, I think I am doing the best I have been. I feel… healthy. Do you ever feel that your own body is holding you back sometimes?”

“I do,” said the duke.

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