Chapter 50: An important decision
'I have to expose the marquis' treason.'
This was the first thought on Amelias mind when she awoke in the morning following the banquet.
It was not a rash decision, but rather one that she'd only made after spending most of the night tossing and turning. The sun had nearly risen in the sky when she'd finally been able to settle those gnawing thoughts and fall asleep.
However, despite the short hours of sleep she somehow felt both more rested and calm than she had in a very long time. She knew in her heart that disposing of the marquis was the best solution if she wanted to protect herself for the longterm while at the same time keeping the duke and the poeple of his estate safe.
Of course this determination didn't mean that she was not scared. The thought of that man still made her stomach feel like it was filled with ice, and reason told her that it would be much simpler to just leave on her own and try to forget about the past.
She did have no power, influence nor money and she was a illegitimate woman in a world ruled by men who were likely not very different from the marquis.
However, she would never be able to completely move on with her life knowing that Radford was walking free after what he'd put her through and being fully capable of hurting others perhaps even more than he had her.
'And I do have one advantage' she mused as she slid her feet into the slippers beneath her bed.
'The marquis doesn't know that I'm aware of his involvement with the treason. And I am certain that he thinks nothing of the likes of me.'
She left the bed and wrapped her body in a warm robe, then rang the bell on the nightstand to summon a maid to her room. While waiting for a maid to arrive she leaned her body against the wall by the window, absentmindedly looking at the servants down at the courtyard as they worked hard cleaning up after yesterday's feast.
'He won't see me coming for him. That will be his undoing...'
A knock eventually sounded on the door and Amelia called the maid in without turning from the window. She was too wrapped up in the lingering thoughts from last night that the idea of having to break them even for a moment felt to overwhelming.
But when the maid spoke in a familiar voice Amelia couldn't do anything but to let the issue go.
"Miss, I brought your breakfast."
She tore her eyes from the courtyard outside and was greated by a familiar head of curly blonde hair by the door.
"Hi Liv."
She couldn't hide the happiness on her face since she hadn't had the chance to meet with Olivia at all the previous day. It seemed as if that girl had become a security blanket to her of sorts.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't see you yesterday. I was needed in the kitchen and couldn't get away even for a second."
"It's alright, I figured as much. It must have been stressfull for you yesterday, no?"
"Well I would be lying if I said that it wasn't. But I'm sad I didn't get to see you in the dress, the girls say that you looked beautiful."
Although being complimented on her appearance usually made Amelia feel uncomfortable it was actually nice hearing it coming from Olivia. She even felt a little embarrassed.
"Why don't you join me for breakfast, since it is dull to eat alone?" Amelia asked in an attempt to change the topic.
"Or if you've already had you breakfast, then how about having some tea while I eat?"
To her surprise Olivia actually agreed to the suggestion.
They spent the time together mostly talking about the previous day. The maid told of the chaos that had insued when a chicken got loose in the kitchen with such an emphasis on detail that it made both of them writhe with laughter. And following the relentless coaxing of the maid to not spare any details Amelia retold every little thing that had happened during the banquet, though omitting the part about the marquis.
"I've thought so for a while, but His Grace is treating you quite well, isn't he?"
"I have thought so too. It is strange, isn't it?"
"Well, I wouldn't phrase it as strange. It is surprising though since he has turned down every marriage proposal before."
The maid paused and leaned forward in her chair, lowering her voice into nearly a whisper.
"I just didn't know he was a man who was capable of behaving like that."
Amelia looked at her, dumbfounded. To dare to say that about her employer, Olivia seemed to become bolder by the day.
"Do you know the reason? Why he hasn't accepted any marriage proposals I mean?"
Even though it felt wrong to engage in gossip about the duke Amelia was simply too curious to leave it be. Marriage would be the obvious way to strengthen his legitimacy as duke so the fact that he was still not even engaged seemed odd.
"No I don't know, I apologize. Since I'm not originally from around here there are many things about high society that I still do not know."
"It's fine. I was just curious so it's nothing of importance."
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