{NOVEL PREVIOUSLY NAMED: "PALE EYES"}
𑁍Julius Cadwell is a pauper from an impoverished village, Porlock of Somerset in England. Julius journeys to Wellington to work as a footman for the Duke of Wellington, Somerset.
♕︎Reuben Griffith is the only s...
❝I just sit where I'm put, composed of stone and wishful thinking: that the deity who kills for pleasure will also heal❞
•Margaret Atwood.
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It is such a shame how footling human beings can be at times...
Scullery Kitchenꨄ︎
After just a few days in the Griffith household, Julius Cadwell had already learnt quite a few things about the infamous family. Not that he cared to, but because tittle-tattles and rumours flew about this Estate like avid food searching houseflies.
Rumours mostly weren't spread by the servants, even though they of course also participated, but by so-called friends of the family who paid them visits.
Firstly, Julius knew of Duchess Augusta, and of the fact that this wasn't her first marriage, which was fiercely frowned upon. People believed the Duke cheated himself by marrying her, or that she simply bewitched him. There were also whispers about her having a daughter who visited her in winter times, but most believed that was mere furphy and that the mysterious lady and the Duchess were only friends.
Secondly, Julius came to know that unlike the Duchess, who most folks in Wellington secretly deemed a slut, her eldest daughter, lady Elizabeth, had procured the nickname, “Boring virgin.” The people of Wellington did not understand why she wasn't married when she was already twenty-eight years of age and were also bemused by the lack of interest men in Somerset seem to have in courting her.
Thirdly, lady Adelaide was known as the whore who slept with every Duke, Earl and Marquess's sons that came around for festivities or simple soirees. If not their sons, then lady Adelaide was allegedly said to have bedded the fathers as well. The last born child of the Griffith household, sixteen years old, lady Alice, was called: the “lost cause,” for her untamed and free temperament, whilst the only son of the family wasn't spoken about much, but when they did, they referred to him as the arrogant blind young man, or as the family's misfortune.
In regards to the Duke of Wellington, he was the feared and respected ruler of the county. Even though he was hard-headed, the people saw it fit for a man of his status.
Julius had successfully not stepped foot into the manor for days now. He worked at the stable most of the hours or ran errands for Madame Marian. He did everything he could to avoid going into the manor, not wanting to cross paths with lady Alice, whose growing interest in him only served as an impending calamity. He also avoided the manor in an attempt to not come across the man that just by the thought of him, peeved Julius greatly.
What did the young master mean by him discovering how much of a brute he could really be? Julius assumed that it was indeed a threat! However, he decided he had no desire in finding out. Yes, Mr Cadwell had regrets after the remark he made that day, because It was only supposed to remain in his thoughts, yet, somehow, Julius was certain he wouldn't take anything he said back.
