Chapter 145 Mistresses
They did not look so menacing but something about them left her with an uneasy itchy feeling. She gulped down nervously, trying her best to calm her racing heart and compose herself. She was the Empress in waiting, now was the time to act like it. She hastened her steps and the mores he inched closer the more the whispers quieted down into nothing more than cold, harsh silence.
"Your Majesty" they all greet, rising to their feet to curtsy. Audrey smiles in response, greetings them warmly before she asks them to take their seats again.
Cautiously she sits down, noticing how all eyes were now on her. Who would speak up first? She wondered as they all seem to do nothing but observe her.
"We are so grateful to your majesty for accepting us into your castle. We are greatly pleased" one of the ladies speaks up, her hair was braided and styled to perfection like she was going for a ball, her dress going with it perfectly, the materials were the latest in the market. She looked poised and elegant, everything Audrey herself aspired to be and she couldn't help but admire her.
"I am pleased as well. I would love to get to know each one of you" Audrey exchanges glances between the four women, waiting for one of them to speak up.
"Please grant me the honors to introduce everyone" the woman who first spoke takes charge "I am Marchioness Cordelia Vladimir, my husband is the Marquese of Austaria" she gestures to the woman on her right who had peculiar red curls that seemed foreign to Audrey's eyes, her pale blue icy gaze also added to her distinct look. She didn't look like she was from here. The woman directed a smile towards Audrey, her smile lines becoming very prominent "This is Demeter-"
The rest of the women's words blurred into the background, sounding like the distant incoherent lamentation of a drunken men. Thoughts of that book clouded Audrey's mind, surely that book must have held some truth to it, if not it would not have been stored in the castle's library. And surely if the book was as useless as Alistair made it seem then why did he give it to Darius? There must be more to this, to everything. As Audrey's mind began to twist and turn in all possible directions memories of her earlier days swarmed her mind. The memory of the day her and Mark Anthony had gone to the palace library came to her mind. The tapestry they had seen was unnerving and odd she could never forget the sight. Could that perhaps be the tapestry? Could all this be leading to something or was she just making things up in her head?
The women had turned into real gossip mongers, bringing up issues Audrey's had never heard of.
Talia adjusts closer, leaning in and shuffling her chair, damaging the quiet with the violent noise "I heard the Duke finally realised his mistress had been stealing from him and threw her out"
"I heard he still kept her and demanded Duchess Stephane start paying her a monthly allowance" Cordelia counters, scrunching up her nose in disgust.
Dorothy's eyes widened to the size of salsas "This cannot be. The poor Duchess, she loved the Duke with all her heart" sympathy hangs off her words.
Who could this Duchess Stephane be? Why hadn't Audrey heard of her?
"Sadly love is never enough. We all know that after the honeymoon phase they run along to go carry another woman, one who is younger, more attractive and we the wives are just used to appease rumors and the-" Demeter is cut off by an elbow shoved into her forearm. She frowns and tries to locate who did it but as her eyes meet with Cordelia's it is as if they send each other a wordless message and they all turn to Audrey.
Heat rises beneath her skin, tainting her cheeks. She looks between the women who seemed to be giving her guarded sympathetic looks.
"My apologies your majesty. We speak out of term, we forget you are still in your honeymoon phase" Cordelia's cheeks are round with an apologetic smile.
What was she to say to that?
"It is fine" she tries to brush it off but can't help but admit their words had sunk deep into her skin. The thought of Darius taking in another woman brought a deep ache in her chest and a nauseated feeling to her stomach. She couldn't even stomach the thought then how would she handle it if Darius actually took in a mistress. Was it like this in all marriages? Even between mates?
"I have a question to ask if you ladies do not mind it?"
"Of course not your Highness, speak your mind" Talia props open her fan and begins flattering against her hot cheeks
Audrey clears her throat, trying to relieve herself of the sudden lump that had formed
"Are all marriages like this? Do the husbands always pick mistresses? Even marriages between mates?"
All the women exchange glances as if conveying secret messages on what to or what not to say. Audrey disliked this feeling, the feeling of having people walk around on egg shells whenever they spoke to her, afraid to say something out of ten and risk the wrath of the king, it had been happening a lot. Times like these really caused her to miss her ladies backs to the palace, Greer was always honest with her even Anaise.
"Not every man is like that" Dorothy speaks up, stirring the cedar in her cup.
"There are a few exceptions, the ones who actually marry their mates" Demeter grumbles the last part under her breath as if they were not to hear but at the same time she did not care if they did.
"What do you mean?" Audrey questions
"Well you see your majesty, most-"
"I hope I am not interrupting ladies" a husky masculine voice came, a voice Audrey knew too well. All the women's gazes flickered behind Audrey to where Lord Anthony stood and instantly it was like they had seen a god of some kind. Their eyes we're filled with admiration as they gazed at him shamelessly.
Audrey shifted uneasily as Lord Anthony took a seat beside her. Long gone was their conversation and instead all attention was on the Lord who sat at the table of women, women with husbands.
Audrey clears her throat, bringing them all back to their senses. "Lord Anthony, what brings you here?" She asks, feigning ignorance.
He tisks, reaching over and grabbing a plate of cake and pulling it closer to him. He takes his time, cutting through a piece and slowly bringing it to his lips. With even less speed he wraps his lips around the utensil, dragging it out of his mouth with the same sloth movements.