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Claudine found herself strolling along the rose garden. Their thin vines arched overhead on the pergola they walked under through, allowing the morning sun to seep through the gaps, but enough to make them remain in the shaded area.
She stopped for a moment, glancing around with a pleasant smile on the garden, before she finally turned to her companion.
“Ah, don’t you think the weather today is nice? Seems like spring really is arriving any day now! Don’t you think so too, Leyla?” She inquired, trying to engage the other woman in light conversation.
Leyla stood away from her, a few paces behind, and her head bowed pitifully as a stiff smile was held on her lips. She remained silent. Claudine tilted her head, raising a brow over to the girl.
“Leyla?” She prompted once more, and Leyla finally let out a grimace of a smile.
She was very pale as she stood in front of the Duke’s fiance, and her damp hair was tied haphazardly behind her, as she was prompted to come quickly in front of Lady Brandt. She barely had time to pick out some proper clothes.
She couldn’t help shivering at the droplets that drizzled down her hair and landed on her back.
“I- I agree as well, my Lady.” She answered softly. Claudine shot her a satisfied smile, before turning her attention back to the rose garden.
Leyla was acting just as she expected. Then again, Claudine also firmly believed if the Duke were to ever have just one mistress, it would always, and remained to be, one Leyla Lewellin.
Mistresses in the aristocratic class were not unheard of. In fact, having one was hardly special. But while the Lords would parade their mistresses like trophies on their arm, a mistress was a direct blow to a Lady’s worth.
She’s seen and heard of the many Lords who fell for the less desirable sorts. People like their own maids, or prostitutes. They all ended up being humiliated in front of society, especially when their husbands proceeded to make a fool of themselves for everyone to bore witness to.
That’s why, as far as wives and fiances were concerned, having a mistress of high stature in society was far better.
So perhaps Leyla wasn’t too much of a bad choice. She knew many wives who wished their husband’s mistresses knew their place to not act above a wife, and someone who wasn’t crude or vulgar. Leyla fit that criteria.
Additionally, she was considered to be intelligent among her peers, and beautiful. Despite her lower stature, she’s garnered a reputable life. People would think her, Claudine, a fool to ever complain about her fiance having such a mistress.
But as she thought earlier, all those qualities would be attributed as a praise for the Duke . Rumours about the Duke’s affair couldn’t be stopped, Claudine knew. And society will praise him for having found such a one-of-a-kind mistress! And where would that leave Claudine?
She’d be shamed twice. One for being an insufficient wife, and two, for the Duke’s mistress to be of lesser stature than her.
Claudine approached a nearby bench, flapping her handkerchief over a spot with a flick of her wrists before sitting down. The rose garden was in a transition between winter to spring season. She could spot the light dew glinting with sunlight and the lessened thickness of the snow around the ground.
A gentle breeze went past them, brushing lightly up against her rosy cheeks, billowing some locks of her hair and ribbons on her hat, behind her gently.
Events of last night came back to her, remembering the way she stood right outside the door as she listened to their love making. It was unmistakably Matthias. She would recognize his voice everywhere, but the words did not hear his profile.
Those gentle words, they did not seem as though they belonged to be said by such a foul man. If she were an idiot, she would have burst through the doors just to really see it for herself that he was the one saying them, and not someone else who just sounded like him!
But alas…
‘Should I have done that instead?’ Claudine mused to herself. It would probably have quieted the incessant disbelief she had in the back of her mind ever since she listened to them.
Ever since she returned to the mansion last night, Claudine had kept pacing in front of the window, which brought her a massive view of the forest path. She would have no trouble tracking Matthias’ return at that spot in the mansion.
So troubled, she hardly felt the need to sleep. And she was rewarded soon when Matthias returned at the crack of dawn.
She watched as he went up the stairs looking a little worse for wear, before he abruptly stopped in his steps, and looked back from where he’d come from. Almost like he was expecting for something to follow.
He stood there longer than just a moment, before finally continuing on his path, a sullen look on his face. Claudine had reached her decision by then.
She must act now. She didn’t have any more luxury to wait.
Matthias was becoming less and less of the Matthias she grew up around in her youth. He was getting harder to predict, and the same could be said about Leyla. Last night’s events bore witness to that.
She never expected Leyla to be writhing wantonly in the arms of her tormentor as though Kyle hadn’t just witnessed them moments before. She was getting bolder, and Claudine didn’t like that.
She finally spared her companion another glance. Leyla flinched when Claudine’s eyes went back to her.
“Why do you appear so nervous?” Claudine asked, taking off her gloves and holding them daintily in one hand, “People might begin to think I’m bothering you, if you act like that Leyla.” She smiled at her prettily, “Aren’t we just taking a walk together as friends?”
Leyla flinched as Claudine practically called her out.
“O-of course we are, m-my Lady.” She stuttered, resolutely standing away from her, turning pale in complexion.
“Ah well, that eases my troubles then.” Claudine hummed, shrugging her shoulders before adjusting her hat with ungloved hands.
Leyla couldn’t help but recall earlier events with Lady Brandt’s maid.
Mary had been insistent they needed to leave right away, barely giving Leyla enough time to get dressed and dry herself into a presentable manner. Even before Leyla had come to open the door, she kept calling and yelling for her name…
A repeated demand for her to hurry up and answer the door.
As soon as Leyla swung the door open, she was met with a cold and calculating gaze from Mary.
“I have been given a request to invite you over for a morning stroll Miss Lewellin.” She immediately said. But despite her polite words, her tone implied Leyla had no room to refuse her mistress’ orders.
And that there was no further time for delay.
Hence Leyla’s less than presentable state of dress. Even her hair was a mess! As soon as they arrived, Leyla felt fear grip her heart at the sight of Matthias’ fiance waiting for her  by the garden trail, smiling so amicably as though she was another one of her friends.
The two women remained in the garden in pregnant silence. The tension between them remained so thick, you could have cut it with a knife, even as Claudine sat down on the bench, and Leyla remained standing a few paces away beside her.
CLANG!
The sound of a bracelet hitting the stone floor broke the silence around them, as both looked down and saw the way the bracelet rolled on the floor, before wobbling to a stop. It was Claudine’s platinum bracelet, glinting on the stone floor as the sun’s rays hit it beautifully.
Claudine frowned as she felt her wrist grow light before hearing it fall. It seemed as though the clasp had gotten loose and broken through the many times she wore it.
“Oh my, can you help me Leyla?” She called out softly, and Leyla blinked, unmoving.
“Y-yes, my Lady?”
Leyla felt a little frustrated over this whole thing. Why was it that she had to be here? But when she met his fiance’s eyes, she immediately understood what Claudine was asking of her as soon as she shot her that toothy smile.
With an inaudible sigh, Leyla leant down to grab the fallen bracelet. Just as she was about to straighten out, Claudine’s foot moved, and stepped on the bracelet.
“Ah, m-my Lady-” Leyla’s breath hitched as she landed on her knees and looked up at Claudine, before her eyes widened in surprise and the intense look Claudine was giving her.
“On second thought, I think you should have it.” Claudine hummed, Leyla gulped up at her. “Oh, why do you look at me in such a way?” She wondered, before her foot moved up, and stepped right over Leyla’s fingers.
She didn’t make any sound, but her eyes started glinting and shimmering as Claudine pressed harder on her.
“Aren’t you happy I’m giving you something that’s rightfully mine?” she asked, tilting her head at the speechless girl, “After all, you have a knack for wanting what’s mine, don’t you?” She hummed thoughtfully, assessing her own pristine fingers before looking back down on Leyla.
Leyla refused to make any sound, though Claudine saw them twitch the more she applied pressure over Leyla’s fingers. Her tone was patient with Leyla, as though she was speaking to a naughty child.
Claudine felt a tinge of pity at how pathetic Leyla looked. Almost like she’s got a noose over her neck, waiting to snap it apart.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that, Leyla. It’s true isn’t it?” Claudine continued.
She bent down, and grasped Leyla’s face gently, caressing it softly with the tip of her sharpened fingernails. Leyla’s breath hitched once more.
“After all, don’t you seem so fond of my fiance ?”
Leyla’s eyes widened in fear at Lady Brandt’s words.
“So why should my jewels be any different? Let’s stop kidding ourselves Leyla, it’s so unbecoming.” Claudine sighed in slight disappointment as she whispered against the poor woman’s ears.
Somewhere by the edge of the garden, stood Claudine’s aide, Mary. She had been tasked by her mistress moments before she left to fetch the Leyla girl to be on a lookout for the Duke.
She was to warn her mistress if he arrived unexpectedly.
In her vantage point, she could see what was happening by the balcony. She knew before that her orders, though simple, were of vital importance. But what could her mistress be discussing with a lowly orphan?
She tried to take a peek out of curiosity at what was going on, but the pergola blocked most of the view of the women from where she stood. Which was a disappointing moment, because she really wanted to see how her mistress was putting that cheeky girl in her place.
Mary remembered the first moment she saw Leyla, and immediately felt unnerved about her presence. She’d known the girl since childhood, yet something about her was off, especially when she remained so stiff and ungrateful even as she was being paid to do honest hard work.
She took an assessing gaze around the mansion, jaw clenching as she performed her duties.
The Duke had mentioned he had a gathering to attend to, and thus couldn’t come home until evening at the earliest moment. It was far from evening, but the Duke was well-known to be prone to finishing things earlier than he said he would. He could even return a day earlier.
She needed to remain vigilant, even against the sun’s glaring rays.
Leyla remained frozen in place, her heart thundering in her chest as she grew numb to the way Claudine was putting more pressure over her fingers.
Everything around her was muffled, as though she was seeing and hearing things under water. It almost felt like a dream…
But if it was, then this was just a cruel nightmare.
“You poor thing,” Claudine cooed at her, “Look at how much you’re trembling right now.”
She continued to caress Leyla’s cheeks gently.
“Oh, but fret not Leyla, I could hardly do anything to my fiance’s precious mistress.” She sighed out, “He adores you too much for me to be able to do anything.”
Her hands stopped caressing Leyla, before it moved to cup her chin gently, lifting it up enticingly to make Leyla look up at her. Claudine looked so innocent and kind, but her eyes held a visceral anger towards Leyla.
“Contrary to how I usually treat you Leyla, I don’t hate you that much.” Claudine admitted, “In fact, I find that I am rather sympathetic to your plight, after all how could this have been your fault to begin with?”
Finally she removed her feet off Leyla’s fingers. The poor girl let out a shaky breath as she looked up at the woman in confusion with a hint of fear.
“M-my Lady?” Leyla’s eyes began to glimmer as tears pooled on the corners.
“Shh,” Claudine hushed softly, “Are you going to cry in front of me?” She then let out a knowing smile, “I’m sorry to say Leyla, but they don’t work on me as well as they do with my fiance.”
And then the smile slipped away from her face, and the look in her eyes darkened as she continued to look down on Leyla.
Leyla felt as though her heart was being seized, her chest tightening as she tried to breath properly, yet the chill in her bones kept her frozen!
She couldn’t help but let out a gasp, praying for the deities above to spare her!
“I’ll tell you a story of a maid just like that, Leyla.” Claudine told her, releasing her chin, before she began petting Leyla on the head like one would with a well-behaved dog.
She began her tale about a daughter, she came from a high ranked family. She was getting married, but before that, she made a request from her maid. She asked if she would sleep with her soon-to-be husband, just to give her an assessment on what kind of a man he would be.
After all, no noble lady such as her must engage in premarital acts. It was frowned upon. And she trusted her maid, she’d been proven to be very loyal to her lady, and accepted the task readily.
“Our situation is very similar to that one, don’t you think so, Leyla?” Claudine asked the unresponsive girl, “Truthfully, affairs are no problem to me. I’ve learned to navigate around them. So I’m thankful for you.”
She watched as the faint hope in Leyla’s eyes began to dim the more she spoke.
It was like she was already being sentenced to hang, and suddenly, the wooden floor beneath her feet was pulled right under her and the noose tightened up around her neck with a painful snap!
Claudine had a feeling this could be the final blow for Leyla, and soon she wouldn’t have to endure the incessant cries of noisy birds in the background. She might have gotten down and dirty against her fiance’s mistress, but who could fault her for trying to create a perfect marriage?
“Are you surprised?” Claudine piped up once more, “To be honest, I was really surprised. All this time I thought my fiance would always be such a cold and calculating man. He probably wouldn’t even break a sweat when our wedding night arrives.”
She gasped, and then tilted her head towards Leyla.
“Is he good in bed? I’ve been dying to know. Perhaps it’ll be the only thing I can look forward to in a wedding with him.”
Leyla remained trembling in place. With Claudine no longer holding her chin up, she could only remain resolutely staring at the ground beneath her, wishing for the ground to swallow her up now and never return her to this place.
“Come now, don’t be shy. After all, the maid in the story was very thorough in describing them to her lady.” Claudine teased, “Also, I heard you moaning so wantonly last night, so he must be good at it!”
Suddenly, the gentle caresses stopped as Claudine gripped a handful of Leyla’s damp locks in her hand, and pulled her up, smiling when Leyla gasped at the sudden harsh treatment she got. Claudine drew closer to Leyla, their breath intermingling with each other.
“Tell me Leyla, tell me how much you loved it.” she softly demanded.
Leyla’s eyes could only glisten blankly as she stared into Lady Brandt’s icy glares. The glassy look in Leyla’s eyes was grating at Claudine’s nerves, but she also found some satisfaction in them, and let it be.
“Come now Leyla, your Lady is asking you how much you love basking in the arms of the man who keeps ruining your life?!”
It made Leyla freeze in place.
“Miss Lewellin!”
It was Mary, Claudine’s maid.