The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

”What’s wrong with Xenia? She hasn’t been eating properly for the past few days,” Henry said, looking at his brothers with concern.

”She spends most of her time lost in her thoughts,” Thomas remarked, recalling how often their sister had been distracted lately.

”I think she’s in love,” Oliver declared with a knowing smile.

Ethan, who had just finished wiping the last table, turned toward him before sitting down on the bench.

”How can you be so sure? If she were in love, she would have told us by now,” he argued.

”Not necessarily,” Oliver replied. ”Besides, she doesn’t look sad. She just seems distracted, as though something is constantly on her mind. Other than falling in love, what could make her behave like this?”

He leaned forward, looking increasingly convinced by his own theory.

”She must have given her heart to some man at the market. We should investigate.”

Henry raised an eyebrow at him. ”And how exactly do you intend to do that?”

Oliver grinned. ”Simple. We’ll find out where she goes, who she meets, and whether there’s a man she’s been secretly looking at.”

Thomas chuckled at his brother’s enthusiasm, while Ethan shook his head.

”Don’t make trouble for her, Oliver. If she’s really in love, she’ll tell us when she’s ready,” their eldest brother, Charlie, finally intervened. ”Xenia isn’t the sort of person who would hide something like this from us. She’s mature enough to understand her own feelings, and she knows we would never stand in the way of her happiness.”

The other four brothers exchanged glances before agreeing with Charlie. They trusted their sister and had no intention of forcing her to reveal something she wasn’t ready to share.

”Let’s go to bed now. It’s already quite late,” Charlie suggested.

He rose from the bench and headed toward his room, leaving his brothers to follow. One after another, they retired for the night.

Only after she was certain that everyone had left did Xenia step out from behind a pillar at the farther end. She had overheard their entire conversation and felt a mixture of embarrassment and unease at the thought of her brothers discovering her secret.

”They’ve started suspecting me,” she murmured to herself.

She pressed a hand against her stomach, feeling its emptiness despite having little desire to eat.

”It’s not that I don’t want to eat. I just don’t seem to have an appetite anymore.”

Her thoughts drifted, as they had so often in recent days, to Prince August.

”I keep thinking about him, even when I try not to. Have I really lost my mind? How could I ever imagine being with someone like him? He’s a prince, and I’m just a commoner. Besides, he doesn’t even like me because of the things I’ve done to him in the past.”

A sudden gust of cold wind swept through the corridor, raising goosebumps along her arms.

Deciding not to linger any longer, she hurried back to her room. She slipped beneath the covers beside her little sister, hoping that sleep would quiet the thoughts that had troubled her.

~~~~~~

Late that night, after putting Roman to bed, Eilika returned to her chamber and lit the lamp beside her bed.

She settled into her usual seat and picked up the woollen sweater she had been knitting for Roman. A considerable portion remained unfinished. Ever since returning to the estate, she had barely found the time to work on it, with one responsibility after another demanding her attention.

A yawn escaped her lips, and she rubbed her tired eyes. Despite her exhaustion, she was determined to finish the front and back of the sweater before Roman’s upcoming examinations. Once the academy closed for the holidays, he would be spending most of his time at home, and she knew it would become much harder to find free hours for knitting.

She had just resumed her work when a maidservant entered the chamber.

”Your Grace, Prince August wishes to see you,” the maidservant announced.

Eilika looked up in surprise.

”At this hour?”

”Yes, Your Grace. He said the matter was urgent.”

Setting the knitting aside, Eilika considered the message for a moment before making her decision.

”Bring me my overcoat.”

The maidservant bowed and hurried to the dressing room. She returned shortly afterward with the thick overcoat and helped Eilika put it on.

Eilika fastened the buttons herself, then gathered her loose hair into a neat bun. Once she was ready, she walked out to see August.

”Duchess, forgive me for disturbing you at this hour, but the matter is urgent. I need to go somewhere, and I thought it best to inform you before leaving,” August explained.

Eilika looked at him in confusion.

”Where is Your Highness going at this hour?”

”Well, I can’t simply sit back and let drug dealers continue making a profit,” August replied. ”I’ve received a tip, and I need to make sure I apprehend the person tonight before he has a chance to disappear.”

He noticed the concern on her face and added, ”Don’t worry. Samir will accompany me. He’s quite skilled, and I have my pistol and dagger with me.”

Eilika stared at him for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

”Your Highness, do you ever listen to anyone?”

August raised an eyebrow but remained silent, allowing her to continue.

”I’m not going to stop you from doing your duty. However, don’t return without an injury,” she warned firmly. ”The same goes for Samir. Both of you must be careful. Remember that you’re a prince, and while you’re staying in Varos, your safety is our responsibility as well.”

August’s expression softened slightly at her concern.

”I’ll be careful, Eilika. I won’t do anything reckless.”

She gave him a doubtful look, clearly unconvinced by his assurance.

August almost smiled. He knew that once Eilika had made up her mind to worry about someone, a few reassuring words would hardly change it. But he didn’t have words to convince her and simply left.