The Duke's Second Lady Chapter 1

I was merely a consort in the Duke's household, but His Grace doted on his Duchess, disregarding all others. The Duchess, however, was consumed by her affection for the Duke, utterly neglecting the management of the inner court. Thus, the authority of the household slipped from her grasp, and I became the de facto mistress of the estate. Later, when the Duke first ascended to the throne as King, his loyal courtiers presented me as their choice for Queen. I, once a mere consort, became his Queen, taking my place at the heart of the royal court. And the proud Lady of the House, who had once looked down upon me, was relegated to the very position she despised: a lesser consort.

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I entered the Duke’s household at the tender age of fourteen, just as His Grace, Duke Alaric, and Duchess Isolde celebrated their wedding. Their devotion was legendary, whispered about throughout the realm as a perfect romance. And I, I became the inconvenient shadow in that tale.

Duchess Isolde had no interest in worldly affairs, preferring to spend her days playing the lute and brewing teas with the Duke, lost in their affectionate world. Consequently, the household management fell to disarray. The Duke, left with no choice, entrusted the stewardship of the estate to me.

For three years, I meticulously managed the Duke’s sprawling estate. I made no mistakes; the servants below me held me in unwavering respect. This, ironically, displeased the Duchess. Whenever she found an idle moment, she would summon me to her chambers for a "dressing down." Her words were always veiled reminders: to know my place, to curb any ambitious thoughts. Thankfully, I had long grown accustomed to the Duchess's ways, and these years had passed with a surprising lack of major incident.

The Duchess was beautiful, but fiercely jealous. She had no tolerance for us, the Duke's consorts. Though the Duke was devoted, his position demanded he appease the Court and the noble houses. Each year, he would welcome new ladies into his household. Thus, we, the consorts, became the unwitting sacrifices to their legendary love.

Over four years, a steady stream of beauties entered the inner court. Each one vied fiercely for a share of the Duke's favor. And the Duke, in an effort to balance various political factions, despite his deep affection for the Duchess, still had to spend nights in other ladies' chambers. The Duchess, for her part, threw many a tantrum over this, but was ultimately powerless. With nowhere to direct her anger, she would, the following day, ruthlessly torment the consort who had shared the Duke's bed.

This typically didn't concern me, but one day, the Duchess's former nursemaid, now her personal attendant, tormented a consort so cruelly that the poor woman attempted to drown herself in the manor’s lake. Thankfully, she was rescued by the servants below, preventing a true tragedy. But that wasn't the end of it. The old nursemaid, relentless, employed tactics to prevent the consort's lady-in-waiting from calling a physician. The distraught lady-in-waiting, with no other recourse, came to me in the dead of night, weeping.

As I was entrusted by the Duke to manage the inner court, I could not allow a death to occur under my stewardship, providing ammunition for our rivals. So, I dispatched servants to summon a physician from outside the estate. This act completely alienated the old nursemaid. Over the years, I had caught her in several missteps, earning her deep resentment. The incident with the physician cemented her animosity towards me.

The Duchess was exceedingly proud and fiercely protective of her own. The very next day, she summoned me to her courtyard. Her lady-in-waiting said nothing, simply motioning for me to kneel in the courtyard. The courtyard gates stood open, and passing servants covertly whispered about my humiliated state. This was precisely the effect the Duchess desired; she aimed to publicly disgrace me, to make it known to all in the household who truly held authority. She was the Duchess, I was merely a consort; if she chose to punish me, I had no choice but to endure.

I knelt until midday, my head already swimming. Sweat soaked my gown, and my knees, at first aching, grew numb. Just as I felt I might faint, the old nursemaid approached with a basin of water and poured it all over me. My shivering form in the cold wind seemed to amuse her. A flicker of triumph crossed her eyes, though her face feigned remorse:

"Oh dear, this old woman's eyesight is failing! I didn't even see you here, Lady Seraphina! My deepest apologies."

Before I could answer, a lady-in-waiting from the Duchess’s chambers approached. She sighed dramatically. "Her Grace was suddenly afflicted with a terrible headache today and has just now fallen asleep. Lady Seraphina, you came all this way for nothing. You may return to your chambers."

I nodded, a polite smile on my face. The lady-in-waiting who had accompanied me, waiting outside the courtyard, immediately rushed in to help me up. Only when the Duchess’s servants had departed did she grit her teeth. "Lady Seraphina, the Duchess is too cruel!"

Looking at the tearful lady-in-waiting, I sighed. "Eleanor, mind your words." The inner court was the Duchess's domain. If she wished to torment me, she had countless ways to do so.

The consort's suicide attempt had caused too much commotion, and the Duke, of course, learned of it. He dispatched his retainers to question me, and the next day, he bestowed many valuable gifts upon the consort as compensation. The Duke's fondness for the Duchess, coupled with a lingering sense of guilt, meant he would never confront the Duchess over a mere consort. The matter was thus closed.

For the following days, the Duchess continued to invent various excuses to summon me to her courtyard to serve her. Whether it was to stand for hours as a lesson in decorum or to serve her meals, these were merely "polite" ways of tormenting me. I was not intimidated.

One day, the Duchess had just disciplined several unruly servants from the Duke’s personal retinue, and then commanded me to shell walnuts by hand for her. Just then, the Duke returned from his duties, and seeing me, he seemed surprised. I hastily hid my swollen, red hands under the table and bowed to him.

"Lady Seraphina was but a fourteen-year-old girl when she entered this household. Now she has grown so much." Though I was the Duke's consort, we rarely met over the years. If not for my competent management of the household, the Duke might not even remember my existence.

The Duchess, hearing the commotion, hurried from her chambers. Seeing me, she scoffed coldly. "Your Grace truly is affectionate. You said you would take me out to admire the flowers after your duties, but then you turn around and flirt with others. I suppose I'm just old and faded now, not worth a second glance."

"It was just a few words. Why are you making a fuss again?" The Duke sounded annoyed. With others present, he exercised considerable restraint. But his words only enraged the Duchess further. "What do you mean, fuss? Did I say something wrong?"

Thankfully, I knew my place. I quickly rose to excuse myself, to avoid being caught in their quarrel. The moment I stepped out of the room, I heard their argument erupt.

"What am I making a fuss about? What did you tell me that day? You said you would love only me your entire life. But now, what are all these women in your court? Is this how you love me?"

"Lady Isolde, can't you be more mature? Haven't I been good enough to you? You know my difficulties."

With that, the Duke seemed to smash a teacup. The old nursemaid rushed in from outside. As she passed me, she glared fiercely. I heard her trying to placate the Duchess from inside: "My Lady, how can you speak to His Grace like that? His Grace truly cares for you. Why are you so stubborn?" After that, there was only the sound of continuous weeping. I stopped listening, turned, and left the courtyard.