Verity watched Mrs Seel their chubby cook with her son in the kitchen. She pushed her head out of her hiding place with the rest of her body behind the kitchen wall.

She's stealing food from her family.

Verity shook her head at the greedy woman packed fruits, fresh bread and cooked potatoes into a huge box. Her stomach threatened to make a sound and she closed her eyes imagining all those food in her stomach when an idea struck her.

Everyone is asleep and she could act like Veronica, they have the same voice, it's going to be hard to tell them apart especially in the dark. Verity ran to the top of the stairs and prayed to God for her plan to work.

"Where is that ol' fat woman." She said as she made her way slowly to the kitchen. Verity watched Mrs Seel and her son drop the box and run towards the servants quarter.

She ran into the kitchen and dragged the heavy box to her room which isn't upstairs, she's isn't allowed to go upstairs until she's summoned by her parents or her sisters. Her room was at the far end of the hallway, opposite the library which made it easier for her to borrow books and read them without her father's consent.

Verity locked her room and danced, happy she won't sleep on empty stomach again and she'll break her fast in the morn. She remembered praying to God in church last Sunday and now this happened. He answered her prayer.

She sat on the floor and unboxed the stolen items. Two freshly baked bread, three bundles of wrapped carrots, four linens, vegetables and the cooked potatoes. She eyes the stolen items surprised, how long had Mrs Seel been stealing from her family.

Verity packed all the items except from the cooked potatoes and pushed it under her small bed. She ate the potatoes as quickly as her trembling hands could allow and left the remaining back in the box for the morn before she hurried to drink some water in the kitchen.

Verity slept well that night with one of the new linen on her bed as she used her worn out linen on her body, she dreamt of eating hot potatoes and fruits with a man while four children ran about in the house. Even though her parents had stopped her from attending the seasons at London she still dreamt of her future.

The next morning Verity sat on her bed eating the remaining potatoes as she broke her fast. After eating she said the Lord's Prayer and stood on her feet. Quickly, she arranged her room and left to do her morning chores.

"Dust the books in the library, take Veronica's horse for a ride and go to the seamstress to fetch Mama and Veronica's gowns." Verity chanted as she moved around in the library, she didn't want to forget inorder to avoid her mother's wrath.

She arranged the books in the library and returned the one she had borrowed, she dusted the chairs, the tables and mopped the floor of the library. By the time she was done her back ached but she couldn't dwell on it, instead she continued her chores.

She walked out of the library and decided to ride Veronica's horse when her mother called her.

"Verity."

"Yes Mama." She turned and saw her mother standing at the top of the staircase with Veronica by her side looking beautiful and flawless.

"Bring our gowns up the stairs now."

"I haven't had the time to collect it."

"So what da hell have you been doing" Her mother shouted.

"The library, in the library moping."

"It isn't my concern, go to town to collect the gowns now." Her Mama hissed and pointed to the door.

Verity didn't need to be told twice, she bolted out of the house with her hands shaking.

Her house wasn't too far from Mrs Ballore's, one of the best seamstress of Wallington town, every woman with a title wanted her skillful hands to work on their gowns. She's also a shameless town gossip.

She was about to knock on the door of Mrs Ballore shop before it opened revealing her first daughter with beautiful black bouncing curls.

"You can't afford our services."

"Let her in Martha." She heard Mrs Ballore's voice. Martha would always find a way to embarrass her.

They used to be friends when they were younger before she started going on tea dates with her sister, before Verity knew it Martha didn't want to be associated with her anymore.

"Thank you Mrs Ballore." The old woman smiled kindly as she watch her fold her Mama and sister's gowns.

"Do you hear the Duke of Lockwood is in town, seeking for a wife." Mrs Ballore says.

"No I didn't." Verity kept her reply short, uninterested in joining the gossip team.

"Urrrgh Mama, the Duke wouldn't pay her a glance even if she knew, she's got nothin' but rags for clothes." Martha eyes Verity distastefully.

"Here, tell your Mama I'll come for a cup of tea on the second day of the next week."

"Okay Mrs Ballore." Verity took the gowns and made her way out of the shops thankful for making an escape finally.

Tears filled her eyes as she thought of what Martha, her friend had said.

Rag for clothes.

She could not blame her because it wasn't a lie, she looks more like a servant and not the daughter of an Earl.

As Verity walked back to her Papa's estate deep in thought, unbeknownst to her she had caught the attention of the said Duke of Lockwood, Every Warlington's woman dream. The tall Duke with broad shoulders and dark hair had followed her to her Papa's mansion and asked to see her father.

He wanted to marry the red head, the woman with ocean blue eyes who had caught his attention unintentionally.

***
In the Colton's estate, the Duke sat in the living room waiting for the Earl's feedback on his proposal. Meanwhile, the Earl and his wife had sculpted another plan to save them from bankruptcy again. When they informed their daughter Veronica she had greedily accepted without thinking of the man she had been giving false hope of marriage for the past three months .The poor farmer was just a backup plan to cover up for pregnancy.

She didn't know how she was going to tell her parents about the scandalous affair between her and her father's best friend. The best plan was to pin the pregnancy on the farmer if her mother catches on before the doctor she summoned from London to bring her abortives arrive. But now things have fallen in place, she had seen her final bleed yesterday. Indeed the pill was effective and now there's a Duke waiting to marry her.

Unbeknownst to Veronica the farmer had come to ask for her hand in marriage while Veronica went on a ride with the Duke.

"You want to marry my daughter."

"Yes sir, I might not have the title or tons of money but I love your daughter and I promise to give her a best life." The brown haired man said strongly.

"Hmmm, does she love you ?." The Earl taunted the man.

"Yes she does."

"I don't have a bride price to offer you lad."

"I love your daughter above her bride price sir."

"Hmmm, but I do have a small estate at White Bridge, t'is two days journey from here and in good condition too."

"Sir I...."

"Is your love for my daughter enough for you to leave Warlington  for White Bridge ?."

"Yes sir, it is." The man nodded firmly, happy he'll spend the rest of his life with a woman he loves. His younger sister would soon love Veronica when they all live together.

The wedding of Verity and Veronica was finalized and she's to be married in three days.

"Mama, mama." Verity gasped as she ran up the stairs.

"What is it Verity." Her mother says irritatedly.

"Is it true..am I..to..to be married in three days time."

"Yes."

"No..no, I don't...don't love him." Verity says and her mother's reply was a full blown laughter of jesting.

"I don't care, you are a huge burden to us."

"I'm sorry Mama, I'm sorry." Verity fell on her knees and held her mother's leg.

"You marry or go to the whore house." Her mother shouted and kicked her off making her fall on her back."

Verity laid limply on the floor as tears streamed down her face, she saw the face of Mrs Seel as she helped her off the ground.

"Don't worry, he's a nice gentleman." Mrs Seel smiled sadly like she knows something Verity doesn't.

"What's his name ?."

"Albert Dexter, that's his name."

Hey guys, happy new year in advance.

I don't want you to be confused about how the Duke thinks Veronica is Verity, In the first chapter it was made known that Veronica and Verity are identical, the only thing used to tell them apart is Verity's deep olive skin and of course the Duke wouldn't know because he only caught a glance of her features.

Sit tight lovers, this book is about to get hella interesting ❤️❤️

Don't forget to vote 😉.