Lord Duke

Chapter 21

My name is Flory.

Thirty years old, living an ordinary life, everything is very ordinary.

Hmm... If there is anything unusual, it is probably that my job is the deputy butler of the Duke.Although he was only serving as the deputy housekeeper in the mansion of Lord Duke Wangcheng.

cough.Actually what I want to say is...

Just today, I was asked a strange question.Well, the reason why I say it is strange is because it is impossible to imagine that this question was asked by the Duke...

Well, it's actually like this...

this day.

The Duke suddenly ordered me very seriously: "Deputy butler, since the butler is not here, go and buy me a violin..." The Duke propped his chin and said lazily.

I bowed and answered respectfully, as a servant, one cannot delve too much into the affairs of the master.But... is it really weird?The Duke doesn't seem to have a hobby of playing the violin...

"Wait." His Excellency the Duke suddenly said, and I stopped in my tracks.I lowered my head and waited for a while, but I didn't see His Excellency Duke speaking, and I was not impatient, waiting for His Excellency to speak.

A deputy housekeeper should also have good qualities!

After waiting for a long time, until a gust of wind blew the leaves outside the window and made a rustling sound, the Duke said slowly: "I heard...you and your wife have a good relationship?"

Eeeeeeeeeeeee!What's the problem?Is it the way I got up today?I cautiously raised my head and glanced at the Duke.

His Excellency the Duke didn't know what to think, there was a gentle smile on the corner of his mouth, and there was a bit of distress in his expression.This, this, this... is like two different people!

I understand in seconds.This indescribable expression is simply what is commonly known as sweet trouble.To put it bluntly, the Duke is in love!Well, maybe a single arrow.

As a successful person who has successfully embraced a beautiful woman, and his wife and children are hot on the bed, I naturally come to the conclusion: Our Lord Duke seems to be in love at last!Hmm, I don't know which noble lady it is...

The Duke began to speak: "Flory, heck, how did you catch up with your wife?"

I carefully considered and answered: "Whatever she wants, she will give."

There was a silence.I was a little worried, for fear of saying the wrong thing.

But nothing seems to happen.His Excellency the Duke waved his hand, pinched the tip of his eyebrows with his hand, thought of something, and said a little tiredly: "You go. Buy a few books of love poetry by the way."

I think... I probably get it.Dare love this noble lady is still very difficult to deal with!

I withdrew sympathetically.Your Excellency the Duke...it is really not easy!

***

Unable to see through the complicated inner activities of his deputy butler, Slante calmly let him back down.Slant, who was thinking about something, was expressionless for a moment, and then he sighed expressionlessly.Then he sighed again.

Then he laughed.Simply inexplicable.He made his own comments.Because he himself doesn't know what action he will make in the next moment.

He stood up, picked up the scissors, and began to trim the flower branches in the vase. "Crack." With a slight sound, a tulip fell into his hand.Hmm...he thought casually: Today's flowers are tulips.

However, regarding the matter of the Duke of Payne, he was really distressed, and he couldn't find a solution.However, his eyes darkened, and he thought, if he wants to know more about him, he must have more conversations with him first.I like it, I like it, thinking of this, for some reason, Slante seems to have a lot of colorful flowers blooming in his heart.Joy... I can't hide it.This is a very, very real joy.

Slante thought, since he likes it, he should be more cautious.As long as you like it - even if you don't know how shallow or deep your liking is.Let's start with the violin if you want to understand, I don't know if it will be useful.Maybe you can start with hobbies.Thinking of something, Slant snapped his fingers and smiled again.

Payne began to look through and sort out the materials, about the deliberation meeting the day after tomorrow.He originally planned to solve all these things at once, but it didn't matter.He wanted to abolish serfdom, but he was not as benevolent as other people thought he was... He didn't sympathize with the oppressed people, he just felt that he had a responsibility.Since you have this right, since you are in this high position, you have to do something worthy of this position.

There are tall books neatly stacked on the side of the desk, ancient books with various colored covers, presumably they should be related to the laws of the kingdom.Next to him, Payne took down a book from above and rummaged through it carefully, thinking about it or taking notes from time to time.Time passed silently like this, and the tall books gradually became lower.

There is an announcement: "Your Excellency, the cloth merchant Lila is asking to see you."

Payne put down the quill, casually took out an ancient book from the side and continued to spread it on the table. After thinking about it for a while, he had a vague impression in his mind, and he replied lightly, "No."

"Yes." The waiter replied respectfully.It stands to reason that an ordinary businessman would never have the opportunity to meet a duke, but someone will always try.Come ask him for sponsorship, ask him to do some business together or something.Payne clearly knew that he had no business acumen, but financial resources were very important to a duke, so he sometimes dealt with some businessmen.With his keen intuition, he also made some money.

The nobles of this era actually looked down on merchants somewhat.But just some, they also deal with merchants.Although Payne would not look down on them, but, sometimes, there would always be annoying and unclear businessmen who would ask him to contribute.I couldn't come up with enough sincerity and a feasible plan, so I wanted to ask him to pay.Payne's face was pale, and he quickly turned another page of the book.

It took half a day to reject the invitations of a cloth merchant, a grain merchant, and two earls. This is the normal life of the Duke.Sure enough, it won't change anywhere.Even though the king city is undercurrents, these people are still only busy with themselves.Payne put down his pen, moved his wrist a little, stood up and poured himself a cup of tea.

The entrance is slightly astringent, familiar taste.Payne was leaning lightly on the soft chair with the cup of tea in his hand, tapping the handle lightly with one hand.Hmm... strength.financial resources.He has one of the two... But it can't be said that way.Now he was just making more preparations, because he suddenly discovered that... he and the bishop were not necessarily enemies.In other words, whether it is an enemy or not depends on what they want.

Payne raised his eyes slightly and looked out of the window. This is the study room on the second floor, and there is actually nothing to see from here.It's nothing more than some sparse trees, streets with occasional pedestrians, looking up, and drifting clouds.Just looking at it like this, I don't think about anything, it's a rare leisure.

His fingers suddenly touched something hard - in his pocket.Payne put down the steaming tea, feeling a little rippling in his heart.He lowered his eyes slightly, his crow-feather eyelashes cast a light shadow under his eyes.Payne knew what it was, he got up slowly, slowly moved back to the desk, thought and thought, finally took the paper out of his pocket, smoothed it carefully, the same as what he did before The notes are in one place.

In the end, I couldn't help but sighed in my heart.The biggest trouble is probably this.His fingertips trembled slightly, and suddenly he felt that his entanglement was meaningless.Because he doesn't know...what Slant thinks...can he believe it...he doesn't know.Payne closed his eyes slightly, and the tiredness that was hidden deeply was finally revealed from his brows and eyes.He half-lyed on the soft sofa and finally slowly fell asleep.

After sorting out the materials all morning, he was a little tired.

＊＊＊＊＊＊

My name is Christine.

I am one of the Duke's maids, and my usual duty is to clean the study.Of course, you will also be asked to wipe down the bookshelves.The reason why I deliberately mention this is that I suddenly encountered a strange thing today.

After cleaning the room, I followed the kitchen maids to buy ingredients according to my usual schedule.Then, suddenly, a man in a valet uniform stopped us.

He said: "Good day, ladies." As he spoke, he made a formal meeting ceremony.Then he asked which house we were maids from.We were both alert and silent.Although we all murmured in our hearts, we didn't know what he was going to do.

He scratched his head in embarrassment, explained why he had come, and then they all turned their eyes to me.I... I really don't know what to say.

The servant said that the adults of his family sent him to inquire about the hobbies of Duke Payne, and the more detailed the better.As he spoke, there was a helpless smile on his face, and he spread his hands. Obviously, he didn't know why there was such a strange order.Moreover, according to what he said, he didn't know the servants of the Duke of Payne's family, and he just tried his luck at the entrance of this buying market purely by feeling.Some of us are already covering our mouths and sniggering.

Sister Lisa, who was accompanying her, turned to me with a smile and said, "Kristen, this is not a big deal, and we probably don't know as much as you do!" The sisters said in a hurry: "Tell him! It's not an important thing anyway!" The girls all had joking expressions on their faces, giggling out of nowhere.

I hesitated and said: "...that's fine. But I don't know much." I began to think that the Duke should like to read books—after all, every time I wipe the bookshelf, I will find that there will be so many more books.

Like musical instruments... huh?I'm a little hesitant, but after all, there are many musical instruments in the duke's room, the violin, organ, and harp are all placed in the study. ...Should like it?I thought about it, so I picked up a few that I didn't think were very important.

After all, it's better to be careful.

The man thanked him politely and left, he should have returned to his command.As soon as he left, these girls came to me, giggled and said, "Christine, don't be so cautious." Someone interjected: "Yes, yes, I think you have never met such thing?"

I nodded, and they laughed even more happily, and then someone explained to me with a smile: "In our opinion, this is another lady who has taken a fancy to our lord..." They explained softly with.But then they showed sympathy again, and chirped: "But, it's probably not going to happen." "That's right, I haven't seen anyone around the Duke in so many years." "Which famous lady wants to be heartbroken..."

So...is that so?

***

Listening to the servant's report, Slant was thoughtful.

After thinking and thinking, he first ordered to go down and buy books.As for which one, since you haven't found out about it, let's buy some humanities knowledge first.Buy more love poems... um, maybe some picture books for reference?Slanter's emerald eyes lit up for a moment, making him seem to become clearer.

He started flipping through the collection of love poems he ordered someone to buy before, thinking about how to find an excuse to find Duke Payne...

There is no sunshine, but there is a cool breeze. Slante gently read a line of poetry:

Siqing loves you so much, and there is unlimited wealth in your heart.

The author has something to say:

Good day!

good night!

^W^