Published on:- 17/12/24 [Tuesday]
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Dinner was a quiet affair. Rose found herself seated next to Edmund, but their exchange remained limited to brief, polite words.

His demeanor was unchanging. He was calm, reserved, almost detached. He didn't engage her with the usual pleasantries of introductions, nor did he ask questions about her interests or desires.

Instead, he ate his meal with quiet efficiency while his thoughts were seemingly far away, even though he remained physically present.

Rose's curiosity about him only deepened.

'Why was he so distant? So unyielding? Was this a man bound by duty, or was there something more to him?'

She couldn't help but wonder. There was a quiet storm in her heart.

The tension between them was palpable, but not in the way she had expected. There was no immediate connection, no flutter of excitement.

Instead, it was as if a storm was brewing just beneath the surface and the silence between them was thick with possibilities.

His eyes, when they met hers across the table, were unreadable, but there was something there.

Something deeper. It was a challenge, perhaps. A mystery too.

....

As the evening drew to a close, Rose found herself walking with him in the garden and her father retired to his chamber.

The cool night air wrapped around them, and the moon cast a soft glow over the sprawling gardens.

They walked side by side, but the silence between them felt heavier than before.

It wasn't uncomfortable, just... laden with things unsaid.

Rose glanced at him and caught a fleeting glimpse of Edmund's profile. His jaw was set, his gaze forward, as if he were lost in thought.

"I'm curious, my lord," Rose finally said and broke the silence. He looked at her as she began to say, "What is it that brings you to this marriage? Is it merely duty?".

His eyes flickered toward her but he said nothing. For a long moment, she thought he wouldn't answer, but then he spoke as his voice was low and almost contemplative.

"Duty, yes. But there is more than that, Lady Rose," Edmund replied while his gaze turned to meet hers and finally allowed a glimpse of something deeper, something that hinted at a hidden vulnerability and that was carefully guarded.

Rose felt a strange flutter in her chest. His words weren't exactly a confession, but they weren't entirely a rejection either.

It was the closest they had come to speaking of their future together, and it left her with more questions than answers.

"What do you mean?", She asked him but he didn't reply to her.

Rose clenched her jaw tightly and looked away from his handsome face.

As they reached the end of the garden, Rose's pulse quickened. The Marquess's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer. There was a quiet intensity in his eyes.

She could feel the weight of it. It was the same way she had felt it when they first met.

"Good night, Lady Rose," he said and his voice was soft but commanding.

"Good night, my lord," she whispered.

With a final nod, Edmund turned to leave. She watched as he walked away and his figure disappeared into the shadows of the night.

As she stood there, alone in the moonlight, Rose felt a strange ache in her heart.

Edmund Sinclair 'The Marquess' was a mystery, a puzzle she wasn't sure how to solve.

But in that moment, she realized something: this marriage, this duty, wasn't just something to endure.

It was something to be explored. Something that might yet hold more than she could imagine.

And somehow, she couldn't shake the feeling that, like a butterfly in the garden, she was caught in the web of something far more complicated than she had ever expected.

....

The next morning, Rose was called into her father's study. She walked slowly down the hallway as her heart was heavy, knowing her father's cold nature would make the conversation difficult.

When she entered the study, the Duke was sitting at his desk and looking through papers. The air in the room felt cold, and she hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Duke didn't look up at her, but his voice was firm.

"Rose, come in," he said.

Rose stepped forward and stood in front of him as her hands neatly clasped.

"You wanted to speak with me, Father?", Rose asked.

The Duke finally lifted his gaze to meet hers. "Tell me about the progress of your relationship with the Marquess".

Rose hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to say.

"He is very distant, Father. I am unsure how to proceed with him. He doesn't talk much, and it's hard to connect with him", she replied while choosing her words carefully.

The Duke's hand stilled for a moment, but he didn't look up. His tone remained cold and impersonal.

"The Marquess is a man of duty, Rose. That should be enough for you to understand", he said.

Then he looked at her and his face remained as cold as ever. "And It's not about connecting, Rose. You are to marry him, and the marriage must go smoothly. His silence does not concern you."

Rose's heart sank, but she didn't show it as she replied, "I understand, Father. But sometimes I feel like the Marquess is only marrying me because he has to, not because he wants to."

The Duke's eyes narrowed. "Do not question his intentions. He is fulfilling his duty. Your only concern is to do yours."

Rose nodded quietly while her chest tightened, "Yes, Father."

Rose bit her lip and felt the weight of her father's indifference. She stood straight and was trying to remain composed despite the growing frustration inside her.

"But... surely, we should know each other better before the marriage. I don't want to be bound to someone I can't even speak with", She spoke in a soft voice.

The Duke finally lifted his gaze and met her eyes for the first time. His look was piercing and his expression was as cold as ever.

"You speak as though marriage is meant to be about affection or understanding. It is not. It is a matter of duty and family, nothing more.", The Duke said and Rose lowered her gaze as she felt the sting of his words.

"Yes, Father," she whispered as her voice was barely audible.

The Duke turned his attention back to his papers, signaling the end of the conversation.

"Do not trouble yourself with such things. Focus on your duty, and the rest will follow.", He said and Rose stood there for a moment longer with her heart heavy.

With that, the Duke turned back to his papers, signaling the end of the conversation.

She nodded and then she left the study, her thoughts filled with uncertainty about the future.

"Edmund Sinclair, I don't care if you are Marquees or what. But it's true that I don't want to marry you", She thought as a fire of determination ignited in her heart.

....

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