Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 310: Violet: Eternal Things

The Duke of Arlington bowed and kissed the back of her hand. She couldn’t stop herself smiling back, despite the man probably being almost twice her age.

"It would be a pleasure to dance with you, Your Highness." Duke Robert’s voice, low and melodic, was strangely alluring.

Violet gave a coy little laugh. "I’m afraid I’m not in peak dancing condition, my lord."

He grinned. "Nonsense. I led my wife dancing through her carrying our four little ones. I’ve no doubt you can do the same."

Violet could feel her smile dimming slightly when Duke Robert mentioned a wife. It shouldn’t have really been a surprise, though. Such a handsome man wouldn’t be running around unwed, especially not as an heir to a throne.

Even if it was a barbarian throne.

She let the duke lead her out towards the other dancers. He smiled down as he gently started gliding her around in time to the music. For all that he came from an unrefined pagan people, he was a very skilled dancer. "You’ve very youthful, Your Highness. I gather you’ve not been married long?" he asked as he carefully spun her around.

Violet shook her head. "Not really. And yourself?"

"Fifteen years to the most wonderful lady alive. I’m the luckiest of men." Duke Robert beamed a smile of pure happiness.

At that, Violet nodded stiffly but felt her eyes unexpectedly fill with tears. It was clear from a just a few words that the man adored his wife.

What would it be like to be loved like that, she wondered? To know your lord and master actually cherished you, beyond whatever empty vows he’d been forced to parrot at the altar?

I guess I’ll never know.

Violet spent the rest of their dance wishing it would never end, her sore back and aching legs quite forgotten. It turned out the duke had a delightful wit and a gift for conversation. He spoke to her as if she were an intelligent woman, not some kind of punishment pushed onto him.

She couldn’t stop smiling at him.

She smiled even wider when she caught Leo standing a little off to the side and staring at the two of them, clearly in a sulk. Apparently it was alright for him to flirt shamelessly with other ladies but if she so much as danced politely with a royal visitor, it was a going to cause problems.

Wasn’t Leo the one that had insisted she be at the banquet to begin with? She would’ve happily remained in their apartments.

Speaking of flirting with other ladies, Leo had started dancing with Queen Celia’s new lady-in-waiting, a slip of a girl with peach-gold hair named Florence Treacy. The young woman had recently been taken on to replace the sudden departure of the Thierre sisters from Her Majesty’s service.

Life was rich in irony like that.

Lady Florence seemed to have made fast friends with Kathryn Danner so of course, she wasn’t going to like Violet at all. The stupid girl kept aiming sly little looks at her while dancing with Leo, deliberately pressing herself up against him.

Violet’s smile held quite steady. Even when Lady Florence beckoned to Leo to lower his head so she could whisper in his ear.

Even when Violet turned to speak to a courtier and after she eventually looked back towards the dance floor, she couldn’t see either Leo or the girl anymore.

She didn’t like it, of course. What woman would? If Leo was going to seek release from other women because his own wife was too heavily with child to want to lie with him, no one was really going to berate him for it. All Violet asked was for him to be discreet about it.

For Leo not to make it obvious, not just to every Islian but also to the dashing foreigner, that he was dallying with others right under his wife’s nose. Was that so much to ask for?

Yes, it seemed that was too much to ask of him.

Violet took deep breaths to calm herself and quickly blinked away the start of tears. Her tears always seemed to be bubbling just below the surface these days.

What did Lady Florence matter? Why did any of those other women matter in the long run?

Catching Leo’s eye for a night or two was temporary, she told herself. But carrying the future King of Islia in your womb?

That was eternal.

Not long after, she stood to ask the king’s permission to retire for the night. As she did, Violet couldn’t resist releasing an arrow of her own.

She leaned down to whisper to the queen.

"Good night, Your Majesty. When my beloved husband finishes burying himself in your newest lady’s skirts and returns to the hall, please tell him I’ve gone to bed. I’m tired from his son kicking me without respite."

The older woman’s eyes flashed with anger. "This is an important banquet. We can’t risk a scandal brewing. Why didn’t you do more to keep Leo in line?"

"Why didn’t you, Your Majesty? The habits your son has, he gained while raised at your bosom. I take no responsibility for the kind of man he is, but you should."

Without waiting for a response, she swept the queen a dignified bow and walked out of the banquet hall.

- - -

The sweet obliviousness of sleep was just starting to wash over Violet when she was suddenly startled by thundering footsteps. She smiled to herself.

In only a matter of months, she’d become completely familiar with the sound and pace of Leo’s footfalls. Not only that, but she’d become adept in picking whether he’d be drunk or sober, just by listening to them.

From the sound of what she was hearing at that moment, Leo would be roaring drunk when he stepped into their bedchamber.

And if her hunch was correct, he’d probably also be roaring mad.

"Violet!" she heard him bellow.

Yes, he was roaring mad indeed, she nodded to herself.

The bedchamber door swung open with an almighty crash and she saw her husband’s broad frame silhouetted against the candles still burning in the presence chamber. The man was swaying on his feet.

Violet smirked inwardly. Did the fool never learn? Why did he think he was going to ever win an argument with her if his tongue was slow from too much wine?

"Are you awake, wife? I know you must be, so stop pretending you’re asleep!"

Violet kept her face completely serene and even managed a smile as slowly sat up in their bed. "Well I’m certainly awake now, husband. What can I do for you so late at night?" She knew her sweet tone was sure to fire him up further.

Leo pulled off his elaborate tunic and threw it to the floor in obvious temper. "Why, why why the fuck did you go and tell my mother about me and that girl Florence?"

"Tell her what? That you were dancing together? I’m quite sure Her Majesty was more than capable of seeing that for herself. She has eyes in her head."

"That’s not what I’m talking about, so don’t play dumb with me, Violet! It doesn’t flatter you." Leo tore off the cuff links at his wrists with ferocious effort.

"Why don’t you tell me what you’re talking about then?"

"You told Mother I was outside with the wench!"

"But you were, weren’t you?" Violet asked pointedly.

"Well, yes but..."

"And there’s no doubt in my mind that it was all completely innocent. A chaste walk through the gardens, some polite conversation about how Lady Florence is settling into her new role of virtuous lady-in-waiting. Then you would’ve escorted her back to the hall, safe and sound, like a true gentleman." Violet gave him a knowing look. "Isn’t that how it all went, my lord husband?"

Leo began fidgeting in clear embarrassment. He tried to hide it by unbuttoning his shirt, staring at the buttons as if they were a complex puzzle. "Well..."

"Oh, wait? Did something else happen then, that I don’t know about?" Violet asked innocently.

"That’s enough, for fuck’s sake!" Leo growled, his face going an amusing shade of red, even under the candlelight. "You know that’s not quite what went on."

"So why don’t you enlighten me? Tell me exactly what happened that’s got you so flustered about your mother finding out-"

"Violet!" he roared as he pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the floor as well. It was an annoying habit of his, carelessly tossing his garments and possessions around and creating endless messes for the maids to clean up. Lord forbid the man tidy up anything himself.

Violet crossed her arms and stared at the drunk young man, her false smiles falling away. "We both know what you did, Leo. What you always do. Just because you want to rut with anything that moves, doesn’t mean you should. Yet you not only do it, but then expect me to lie to your mother for you? Why should I have to be constantly covering up your behaviour?"

"You don’t have to point it out to her either!"