The Duchess

Chapter Seven: Party.

  Those who asked what Seren was doing at the party were shocked when she announced she was the Duchess of Blackfall. She revelled in their reactions; the envy that a lowly daughter of a viscount, then the slightly-not-as-lowly wife of an earl, would become a duchess—a step before royalty—was a feeling she was no stranger to.

  However, she could not shake the unsettling feeling pooling within her.

  It did not feel right to be at a party alone. Previously, she had only attended them either with a chaperon—usually her mother—or her first husband. Nonetheless, while it did not feel right, it felt freeing. She could eat whatever she wanted and speak to whomever she wanted to speak to.

  In fact, within the first hour, it seemed like she had spoken to more men than she had before, even during her years of singlehood, including a year as a debutante.

  Nonetheless, she was married.

  "Good evening, Lady Ferguson," yet another man greeted. She could easily meet the man's eyes as he was slightly taller than she. He possessed a head full of well-groomed caramel coloured hair and, most noticeably, a piercing emerald gaze, of which he regarded her with now.

  He was, of course, the unmistakable Earl of Southridge, a well-known womaniser.

  Seren gave him a warm smile. "My Lord, I am no longer Lady Ferguson; I'm now married to the Duke of Blackfall."

  His eyebrows raised, "oh? When did the marriage occur, if you do not mind my asking? I thought I would have heard it through acquaintances, or at least from the gossip papers."

  "It was barely two weeks ago, so that must be why not much word has gotten out," she simply said. She was not going to explain the true reason why the marriage has been kept hidden from the public.

  "I must congratulate you and Blackfall, then," he said warmly.

  On that note, it was announced that dinner was ready to be served.

  Coincidentally, Mr. Richardson had planned for her (or, rather, her husband) to be seated in between Lord Southridge and a fellow aristocrat, the Viscount of Dolhm.

  Seren had met the viscount a few times before, but they were nothing more than acquaintances.

  As expected, Lord Dolhm too, inquired about her presence at the party, and she gave him the same answer she had given everyone else.

  Unexpectedly, he did not congratulate her, instead saying, "I wish you the best for the future, Duchess." Briefly, Seren wondered if she should thank him or feel affronted, but he clarified his statement, adding, "and I mean that in a good way—you were always a honourable woman."

  If only her husband would think of her kindly.

  That night, Seren returned to Blackfall House before midnight.

  She went to be rather tired and very sad, and left for the country house alone feeling equally bad. If any of the servants spared a thought for her, she did not know, and she excused her feelings due to her state of being with child and alone.

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...And we've come to the end of part one of the book.

Next chapter will be published on Friday/Saturday/Sunday depending on your time zone as usual.

Thank you for reading!!

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