My wish is fulfilled by some compassionate fairy because I don't see the Duke for the whole week after our marriage.

In the end, I've had to leave my chambers and venture into the palace.

I was invited to drink tea with some noblewomen, and my personal maid advised me to accept at least this request. I guess she wouldn't have talked if she didn't have a good reason to.

She's not the least concerned about my image, so the one that told her to counsel me is the Duke.

«It will be a small gathering, and your grace will surely prefer to have tea with a few people rather than to converse with tens of strangers,» she added.

Just like that, I was introduced to the wives of some middle-tier nobility. The Duchesses are too high to meddle with me, while lower-ranking Baronesses don't dare to approach. In the end, I agreed to talk with Countess Burbon and her closest friends.

«Welcome to our humble gathering, Duchess Kyre,» the woman greets me with a motherly smile.

I reply with a polite grin and walk with her to a table set with snacks and teacups. It's the first time that someone calls me 'Duchess'. I'm not sure whether I can use that title, nor how are people supposed to address me. I don't think that the Duke will care if I don't use it to his cost.

The gathering turns out to be four women, with ages that span from thirty to fifty, drinking tea and talking gossip.

I'm not really interested in their conversation, as I don't know who the people they're talking about are. However, I smile and follow them with my eyes. It's boring, but I can't just leave and look for something else.

My everyday life is boring as well, nothing amusing is waiting for me in my chamber. I might as well stay here and wait for time to pass like I've been doing for the whole week.

«Oh, Duchess, we have to ask you...» the younger of the women utters, at some point. She turns to me with a cunning smile, and I already know that the hard part will start now.

«Are the rumours about the Duke true?» she inquires, her eyes shining with curiosity. Her lips curl up, and she bows slightly in my direction as if she's going to hear the biggest secret of the entire universe.

«I don't know what the rumours say,» I explain, smiling politely. «I haven't been here for that long.»

Am I even supposed to defend my husband? I don't know what everyone thinks about him, so I have to be careful not to ruin his image. Nor to destroy any attempt he might have done to be considered cruel and merciless.

«Well, I heard that the servants had to wait out of the door, the morning after your marriage. The Duke had thrown everyone out because he wanted to stay with his new Duchess...»

Oh, so even the noblewomen heard of that. Good. It means that the rumour spread wide and reached just everyone's ears. The Duke won't be able to invalidate the marriage, so I'm safe until he decides to kill me.

I simply nod, hoping that their questions will end here. I don't have anything to add. These are ladies, so they won't ask about indecent details. At least, I hope it's the case.

«How improper from his side! I knew he was cruel, but to this extent...»

I lift my eyebrows, surprised. This is not what I was expecting.

What is improper in sharing a bed with a wife? Maybe it's because morning is not a proper time? Since I was the one to ask the Duke to stay, I am the shameless person among the two of us. I hope the Duke is less chatty than the servants, though. I don't want just anyone to know how my married life and bedroom practices are.

«He shouldn't strain his wife on the first night of marriage. He should have been delicate, for goodness' sake!» the woman continues, oblivious to my thoughts.

«The Duke was gentle with me,» I whisper.

His caresses were so tender that I felt treasured, even while drowning in that pain. His touch was rough, sometimes, but never disrespectful.

«What I can't understand, though,» an older countess intrudes, «is why hasn't the Duke visited your chambers even once, after that night.»

Why do information travel so fast inside these walls? To be precise, it was me that visited the Duke's bedroom and not the opposite, but I don't want to discuss such details.

«You haven't angered his grace, have you, your grace?»

«I don't think so,» I reply. I keep my head up, more for a habit than real courage. He didn't look angry when he left the room. He was in a hurry, but he was so relaxed.

«We're warning you as friends,» another adds, and I immediately wish I could go back to my chambers. «But there are rumours about the Duke avoiding his new wife. You know that a woman's worth is measured in how much her husband spoils her...»

After those words, they start to show off their jewels and dresses, talking about how their husbands spent so much money on them.

«Oh, and has your grace also received any gift from his grace, the Duke?»

I wince, surprised that they're still paying attention to me.

I force myself to smile, and I sip the tea.

«All I own has been bought for me by the Duke,» I say, even though I'm sure he didn't choose anything.

He must have appointed someone to gather enough clothes to fill a closet worthy of a Duchess and random jewels for the box in my bedroom. I have to admit that the quality of the fabric is exceptional and the sizes of the stones acceptable. However, I can't give any meaning to those presents. The Duke didn't put any attention into the things he provided me with. They're just a formality, something necessary to make things work.

However, these women don't seem to know it. They observe my dress and tighten their lips, unhappy that their second attempt to disgrace me failed. If this is how things work, around here, I'll have to wear the jewels one at a time, acting as if they were fresh presents.

«I don't know why you're doubting my husband, Countess. I don't know how he seems like from a stranger's point of view, but he's always careful that I don't lack anything,» I continue, content by the sudden silence in the room. This seems the right time to fly away graciously before they come up with another way to harass me.

I turn to the maid, and I see that she's obediently looking down. In front of these noblewomen, she's acting like any proper maid would do.

«It's getting late, I have to go now...» I utter while getting up.

The maid runs to me and covers my shoulders with a shawl. I let the cloth slip, and the maid hurriedly puts it back in place.

I snort, pretending to be annoyed by all that attention.

«Sometimes, I think he worries too much,» I say to the women. «He ordered the maids to make sure I don't suffer the cold, so I'm forced to cover myself every time I take a stroll in the hallways...»

«Oh, my!» one of them still dares to talk back. «You wouldn't say it... Why hasn't he appointed a lady in waiting for you? Every other Duchess has several of them!»

«My husband is taking his time, you're right,» I nod. «He said that he wants to make sure the final choice is the best, so he doesn't want to hurry with the topic. Since I'm new here, he's afraid I won't get along with a random person.»

This said I walk out after greeting the countesses with a smile. They get up and curtsey, as per protocol. If it wasn't for this, I would have forgotten that they're of a lower rank than me. They've been so nosy, during the tea party.

I sigh, remembering the bunch of lies I told so leisurely.

I haven't even talked with my husband since the morning after the marriage. He doesn't have time for me, so I've kept out of his way not to anger him.

Yet, people are talking. I have to find a way to stop all these rumours, or even the servants will start to treat me harshly.

They've been respectful until now only because of my husband's name. If they start to think that he's not interested in me, they won't continue this way.

I turn to my handmaid, and I recall the aloof face she has while following the Duke's orders. She hasn't been impolite too often, but she won't go out of her way to help me.

I have to find some people that will be loyal to me, or I won't last long in this tigers' den.