Abby's POV
(A MONTH AGO)
"Duke Dustin, welcome to Bluestone Manor '' he brought his hand out for a handshake and the duke reciprocated.
"Baron Spencer, I must say I found it surprising to receive your invitation to dine with you and your lovely family. It was out of character"
"So…So surprising!" Father laughed out loud in this fake high-pitched voice that made the duke squint his eyes a little bit.
Father stopped laughing and cleared his throat before introducing us "Have you met my lovely wife, Baroness Baltimore Spencer?"
"Never had the pleasure…wow!" Duke exclaimed as he looked at mama like I have seen so many men do before. "You are beautiful! Oh my…I am so sorry, I didn't mean it like that, Baron!"
"You are not wrong …. She is exquisite! And this is my darling daughter, Abigail"
I curtsied like I was taught and he came closer and kissed my hand. His eyes lingered like I was a good bowl of mashed potatoes and he wanted to gulp me up. It made me feel some way.
Later at dinner, I tried to remember the numerous ways Nanny Josie said one could eat soup wrong but all I ended up thinking about was how to defeat father in the game of intellects, a game he called Chess.
We played in secret whenever I could pry him away from his books and sixteen games and counting yet I am nowhere near defeating him maybe if i….
"Ahh!" Mother's scream brought me out of my head into a world where Charlie was on Duke Dustin's spoon.
I reached out to grab my toad but it hopped into mama's hair and she screamed louder forcing the duke to come to her rescue since Father was more amused than alarmed.
"Get it off! Get it off!" mother screamed.
Charlie jumped down to the table like he could understand a word mother was saying in her hysteria.
Duke Dustin took out his sword and tried to hit Charlie with the hilt and I went into a panic and jumped on the table, accidentally kicking a bowl of broth and it splashed on the duke's face.
"Sorry!" I yelled as I secured Charlie in my pocket, away from mama's murderous glance and the Duke who was covered in brown broth.
Father took out his handkerchief and moved closer to the duke.
The Baron used the handkerchief to wipe the duke's face but all he achieved was smearing the broth all over.
"I…I don't think…it is not…working" Father finally admitted and stopped.
Duke Dustin spat out a little broth that entered his mouth before wiping off the ones on his eyes.
The door opened and one of his servants came inside holding a letter.
"Milord?" The servant was aghast. I am beginning to think that it wasn't a common sight to see the duke covered in his dinner.
"Yes…Speak!"
"A letter from the palace, Milord"
Duke Dustin blinked before he turned around to speak to father.
"I have duties to attend to, Baron. Thank you for…. dinner but I must take my leave right now" he looked at father and then mama before…me.
I looked away.
"Of course, I understand. Maybe we will do this again, very soon"
Duke looked at Father like he was saying 'no way in hell' before he turned around and headed for the door. He was barely out the door when a letter came for father too.
"It's from the palace" the footboy said.
"What does it say?" Mama and I asked simultaneously.
"I don't know. I haven't opened it" Father said as he tried to open the letter.
"Maybe the king Aldous Raven is giving you more land, you deserve it, dear. Your strategic plan turned the war in our favor" Mama said.
"That's arguable since the Lord Commander of his majesty's army threw it away and went with his brawn" Mary quipped behind us and we turned around to look at her.
She took a step further to pry. "Open it!" She said impatiently.
"It is true. Lord Commander took up arms and turned the war in our favor…last I heard we've ceased five villages out of eight in the midlands. Southern hemisphere just doubled and King Aldous tyranny continues" I said and everyone stopped moving and looked at me.
"What?" I asked.
"That's blasphemy, Abigail. We are his majesty's subjects and his reign is merciful. You need to watch what you say, bubbles…the walls have ears and it could cost you your head" Father admonished.
"Sorry, Father"
"The letter, dear?" Mama asked and squeezed my hand; she knew how much I hated being scolded by my father.
Father opened the letter. First, his countenance changed and then he looked at mama alarmingly.
"What?" I asked.
"We won the war but the Lord Commander has been mortally wounded…and the king just gave me a raven's seal"
"A Raven's seal…that is rare. A Raven's seal is final and not even death can break it….you can ask a Raven king for anything and it shall be granted, right?" Mama asked.
I tried to ignore the shrieks and the shout of joy coming from the servants as I leaned in to ask a question.
"What are you going to ask for, Father?"
"More books than I can read in a lifetime! I could ask for the book on advanced mathematics in the king's library or…"
As my father listed the mountain of books he wanted from the king, I took Charlie up to my room to get out of the awful corset I was wearing but my thoughts settled on the lord commander…he was mortally wounded but no one seemed to feel that loss. He won the war yet …no one would miss him.
"We should mourn him, Charlie…. Everyone deserves to be mourned ... .to be loved. I shall mourn him"
And that was the last time I was the honorable Abigail Spencer – awkward and happy because the following morning, my parents set out to Zurich to honor King Aldous' invitation and that was the last time I ever saw them.
**
(Now)
And now, I have a husband forcefully married to me against his wishes. If father knew I used his raven's seal to trap him...what would he think of me?
I watched Abbott's retreating back. I turned around, walked back into his bedroom and slammed the door.