To Deceive A Duke

Chapter 39

The next day Clarissa walks to The Strand, but the journey has jumped from a meagre 15 to a lengthy 45-minute walk.  Nevertheless, excited to see her friends she sets off early, but her attempt is promptly cut short when she can't make it more than a few streets without being stopped by a chattering lady or meddlesome man. She apologises and makes up excuses to leave but people continue to stop and address her, inquiring after her health and engaging her in trivial conversation. 

One particular woman, a lady Charlotte Hainworth, makes a comment about how strange it is to see a duchess in town unaccompanied, leaving Clarissa to stumble through a reason why she is walking the streets alone. She says farewell to this girl and then turns home, her hopes of seeing familiar faces, dashed. On the way back she pouts as she realises that she hasn't properly considered how her change in status will affect her day to day life. 

She tries again the next day but she doesn't even get to the end of the street without being hounded by neighbours and passersby. Each time she tries a similar thing happens, and she is being forced to admit that her new title means that she can no longer risk the streets dressed in boys clothes or under the cover of a hood. Her face is too well known for it to be hidden and while her husband is free to do as he likes, she has to be careful every time she takes a step outside. 

Since the meeting at The Blue Anchor Pub Clarissa has barely seen Daniel. At first, she sort him out to ask for his advice, but his cold fleeting words at dinner on their third night dissuade her from seeking his guidance again. Over their food, she forces polite conversation but he is distant and abrupt, leaving the room as soon as he finishes eating. The next morning he is absent at breakfast, misses lunch and doesn't reappear for dinner. She sees him stepping into his bedroom late that night but she doesn't follow, choosing to spend the night alone. 

Clarissa bites down her pride down and asks Mrs Hill where Daniel is, as he disappears the day after as well, but the housekeeper's reply is both vague and not completely coherent. After that, she tries not to let her husband's absence bother her, refusing to care about his whereabouts despite the loneliness tugging at her heart. She eats every meal alone, a book for entertainment, and ignores the empty chairs around her.

Every day, she continues to try to visit The Strand and eventually, she manages to make it to The One-Eyed Duke, but she is too wary to stay long. Peter quickly catches her up with the progress made with the surveillance on Lestrade and Baines and hands her all the work that she has missed in the last few days. She talks to Iwan and Florence briefly and their bright cheery faces bring a smile to her lips. Before she leaves, Peter agrees to send all her papers to Lygon Place so that if she can't make it to The Strand, then she can at least get all her work done for it.  She knows that Daniel would not be pleased that she is bringing her work into the house, but for him to be angry, he would have to know, and he cannot know if he doesn't talk to her. 

Clarissa begins to slip into a steady routine, most days she receives a package from The Strand, it isn't a lot of work but it keeps her mind busy for a few hours. Her friends also include personal letters along with the accounts and contracts. The most recent update informs her that they have gathered enough information on Lestdrade and Baines to put together a rough schedule, but that more time is needed before they can start to formulate when to strike. 

At times like this, she wishes that Daniel was around more so that they could talk about what to do, but the duke is like smoke in the wind. The only time she sees him is when she chooses to sleep in his bed as to not arouse the suspicion of the servants and her pride prevents her from talking to him and thus they exchange no words and he is gone when she wakes up. 

This change in his behaviour troubles her endlessly and constantly plays on her mind. She was not expecting a doting husband to care for her and please her but she at least thought that she would see him and that they would talk occasionally, even if it was just about work.  However, gone is the cheekiness and cavalier attitude that he once held around her and his constant cold shoulder has driven her to taking out the bottle of hemlock on occasion and staring at the brown liquid, imaging dropping it into his tea and watching him choke.