To Love A Duke

Tea

Song Recommendation: The hills by the weekend

A nasty slap in the t**s Is what it is! To disrespect tea Mi Lord!

It had been a week since he had kissed her passionately against the wall and then told her he wouldn’t bed her until she asked nicely. A week of pure t*****e, he acted like nothing had happened between them, they supped together, and spoke cordially when their paths crossed, but he never brought up the matter and so she did not either, though it killed her not to, though it lingered on the tip of her tongue he couldn’t b****y well expect her to come to him. Or could he.

“A lovely morning to you my lady wife” he said smiling at her as he passed her and took his seat beside her on the dining table. Toast and eggs where laid out, with a fresh pot of tea and beef stew.

“A lovely morning to you too your grace” she answered him and faced her food, as she lifted the cup to sip he sat simply looking at her

“A bit too hot, the tea, you might want to blow that” he said just as the hot liquid met her tongue she almost yelped in pain , but fought to school her expression to one of bland indifference. He eyes watered

“Hmmm, ever the strong woman Artemis” he smiled knowingly. “Tell me then, duchess mine how do find the mansion ground these days, what have been your interest” she looked at him and cleared her throat, her tongue hurt but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain

“I’ve been occupied. Busy even” she said nodding

“Ah I see, so busy you retire at eight off the clock each night and slumber till one at noon” of course he knew her schedule the annoying man would know every damn thing she did.

“Sounds like the perfect busy lady” he finished sarcastically, blowing his tea slightly and sipping

“Surely you must not inquire of me how I spend my day as it will only bore you, seeing as you have my entire schedule memorized” she retorted. And then asked “I thought you did not like tea”

He shrugged “ I do not”

“Then why drink it” she asked genuinely puzzled,

“You drink it, don’t you?” He asked

“Well it’s different because I find it a refreshing Beverage” she said “and we are talking about you, not me, personally I do not see the need for a man to drink a beverage he so obviously loathes” she stared him straight

“ Neither do i and we are talking about tea”he looked at her seriously

“Anyone can see that you loathe tea duchess mine, yet here you seat with a cup in hand, sipping tea” she opened her mouth, then Closed it, how could he tell?

“ It’s unheard of for a lady to detest tea. A proper lady, loves tea” she shifted her gaze from the table to the room clock, not meeting his eyes

“You could be an exception, fairly speaking I think it doesn’t make you any less a lady” he said and for a moment she simply looked at him.

“Whatever makes you assume tea repels me” she asked

“Any attentive husband could when his woman loathes a serving before her” he said throwing a wink at her. She swallowed, feeling the butterflies in her stomac