Lady Lyana seems nice.

I mean: of course, she is. Alexander chose her!

However, she talks with ease to me. Sometimes I answer shortly to her questions, but she isn't demotivated by that.

I don't know myself how it happens, but we soon start to communicate. Lady Lyana is skilled in many areas ladies like to brag about, and she promises to teach me about embroidery and music.

We pass the day in her apartment, lazying next to the fire.

We walk to the main hall for lunch and find Alexander and the Countess already waiting.

«Sorry for being late,» I whisper while sitting down.

«You're perfectly in time, wife,» my Duke mutters before the Countess has time to meddle in.

When the plates arrive, I smile happily. Today's main course is fish.

I was used to eating a lot of it, in Polis. In the Empire, it's rare to see nobles eating sea products. They believe that fish is only for the poor.

Luckily, my Duke doesn't have time for idle beliefs.

The cooks did a decent job, all things considered. The fish is edible, even though our fellow diners have weird grimaces on their faces.

Alexander observes my face attentively, happy that I enjoy the food.

«Is my Duchess busy this afternoon?»

«I'm not, my Duke. I was planning to take a stroll in the garden with my lady in waiting,» I admit and smile to lady Lyana.

«And in the evening?»

«I wanted to paint with lady Lyana.»

All of a sudden, Alexander's good mood disappears. At this rate, he'll give me back Kate.

Or he'll take away lady Lyana as well.

«Have you scheduled some activity for the night too?» he asks in a dark, gloomy tone.

«Not yet,» I smile.

At least, we don't need a teacher for me anymore. Lady Lyana can explain everything I need.

While my husband murmurs something indistinguishable, I start to eat. I hope the other women haven't understood either what he's said, because it sounded very much improper.

After eating, I finally see Stoneyard's gardens.

The largest one is near the outer walls, and there are quite many people passing through it. Then, there are several middle-sized courts around the central building of the castle.

My favourite one, though, is almost under my bedroom's window. I need some time to figure out where the chamber is, but, in the end, it exactly is over my head when I sit on a bench in the garden.

«This is a place where only the Lord and his closest people are allowed,» lady Lyana explains.

«Am I included in that definition?»

«Definitely!» she shouts. «How could the Lady not be included?»

«The weather is getting chilly, so we can't stay here for too long,» I start while fixing the shawl on my shoulders. «However, exercise is important. I hope lady Lyana won't be bothered by my walks.»

As soon as Kate comes back, she will be able to accompany me. Lady Lyana needs to tolerate it just for a few days.

«Resting by the fire is even more pleasurable after a walk outside,» she replies.

«Also, you can teach me how to make letters,» I whisper, thinking of the clumsy As I tried to draw.

The rest of the day passes fast.

In the end, I don't find a way to make decent letters. At least, I now understand the differences between the different stitches.

«It's late, my Lady. It's better not to force your eyes with embroidery anymore...»

Oh, she's right.

«What can we do now?» I inquire. I don't even know what time lady Lyana is supposed to go back to her life. She's been very patient with me, and I'm not willing to let her go.

Yet, I can't keep her here forever.

«My Lady, you've worked a lot today! I think it's better if we do something you must be used to,» she proposes.

«Oh, all right.»

What can we do that is interesting, and I know how? Eating?

«We can play cards!» she exclaims.

Oh, wonderful.

I blink a couple of times while looking for a way to tell her that I have no clue about card games. Oh my, people here are so fixated with weird things.

I don't want lady Lyana to think that I'm unsophisticated and uneducated. Not more than what I've shown her so far.

«I'm not into...» I start, but a knock interrupts my sentence.

It's Alexander.

He walks to me and lands a peck on my hair. It's becoming a habit of his. Still, I don't dislike it.

«What were you ladies doing?» he asks.

«I was getting ready to leave,» lady Lyana says and gets up.

She curtseys and disappears behind the door. I stare at Alexander for a while, wondering if everything is really a coincidence.

«Hmm?» he moans while sitting by my side. He grabs my hand and starts kissing my fingers.

«Do you want to play cards?» I ask innocently.

«Can do,» he nods. «I'm a bit tired, though. I hope my Duchess won't be offended if I'm not good enough as a player.»

«I'll close an eye for this time,» I murmur.

«After dinner. Let's go.»

He's so hurried that I wonder what he's prepared this time.

In fact, after dinner, Alexander shows me a plate with roasted chestnuts. He starts peeling them while I patiently wait by his side.

He leans the clean fruits on a plate, and I observe how he quickly finishes peeling all of them.

Then, I sit at his side and steal a chestnut from the plate.

«Tasty!» I exclaim, just like a gluttonous child.

While I finish the plate, Alexander brings a deck of cards and starts showing me the figures.

«This is a queen,» he murmurs, revealing a woman with red lips and straight black hair. «This is the king...»

He continues to explain the values and the roles of the cards.

«The king counts more points than the queen!» I complain, and Alexander bursts out laughing.

«I agree with you, wife. However, we can't change the rules of the game.»

I pout but continue to listen to him.

«First of all, we have to define a stake.»

«What's a stake?»

«Usually, people play with money. However, it wouldn't make too much sense in our case.»

«That's right,» I nod. I don't own any money that didn't come from Alexander.

«Then, we can decide our own way of playing...»

I'm sure he's planning to make this Duchess do something unrefined and naughty again. Still, I nod and follow his skilled fingers while he shuffles the deck.

«Let's get rid of a piece of clothing every time one loses a hand,» he proposes.

I blink again, wondering how to answer to this indecent proposal.

Oh, I just have to make sure I don't lose too much. And I can stop playing as soon as I start feeling uncomfortable. Alexander won't force me to continue, I'm sure of it.

My Duke delivers me two cards, and I try to order them logically. I calculate my possibilities and wait for the next step.

«What do you do?»

«What do I do?» I repeat.

«You can decide, right now, whether to continue playing or giving up immediately.»

«If I give up, what do I lose?»

«The hand,» my husband shrugs.

«And if I don't but lose?»

«Well, it depends on my cards. I can raise the stakes.»

«And that would be what? Two pieces of clothes?»

«Probably,» he nods.

«And how are your cards?»

«I won't tell you, my Duchess...»

So, he's not planning to undress me one piece at a time. He'll just do that until he thinks I will retreat. Then, he will raise the stakes and make me undress completely. Too bad I've started to understand him.

«I will play,» I breathe. It doesn't make any difference, right now.

Alexander turns a card on the table, and I move my eyes to those in my hands.

I have a pair! Oh, nice. However, I can't start raising the stakes now, or Alexander will figure it out.

«What now?» he asks again.

«I will continue,» I pout.

He grins, amused, and leans back on the sofa.

«I raise the stakes to two pieces,» he spits out.

I look down and focus all of my attention on not laughing out loud.

«Fine,» I whisper.

Alexander continues leaning cards on the table, and my pair turns into a three of a kind by the end of the hand.

Before starting to jump in place, I raise the stakes to seven pieces.

I smile at Alexander while he considers my offer. He had brought the game from a single piece of clothing to four, so I almost doubled it.

I know he will eventually concede, but I want to show him that I understood the rules and learned how to play on my own.

I don't need tutoring.

Alexander throws his cards on the table, giving up on the game. He then starts unfastening the buttons of his waistcoat.