Chapter 3
"I won't do it," Rey said, standing to her feet. She tried to leave, but Mr. Plutt grabbed her arm and pushed her back into her chair.
"You have no say in the matter," Mr. Plutt replied.
"You can't just decide this without consulting me first," Rey argued, her anger rising.
"Consulting you?" Mr. Plutt barked a laugh. "You're lucky to have the life I've given you. I should have taken you to an orphanage the moment your useless parents left without you. You've been nothing but a thorn in my side ever since."
Rey stood again, hands balled into fists. "A thorn in your side? I've been nothing but a servant for you from the time I was five. What will you do when I'm gone? You'll actually have to pay someone to take care of you."
"Mind your tongue, girl," Mr. Plutt ground out, narrowing his eyes at her.
Rey knew he wasn't above slapping her, but she couldn't find it within her to care. She was being traded away like an object.
"Why would the Duke of Ren want to marry me in the first place?" she asked. "I'm no one. I've no money."
"I never asked the man," Mr. Plutt returned. "Far be it from me to convince him to look elsewhere. I'll be happy to be rid of you."
Rey shook her head, backing away. "I won't. You can't force me."
"No?" Mr. Plutt asked, eyebrows raised. "Very well. Don't marry the man. And while you're at it, walk right out that door." He pointed towards the front door. "I will no longer care for you. See how well you would do out in the world, a woman alone."
Tears sprang in Rey's eyes, but she forced herself to take a deep breath, to not cry in front of Mr. Plutt. It would do her no good anyway. She knew what he was like when he had set his mind on a thing.
Seeing no further alternative, Rey nodded, jaw clenched. "If that is all," she ground out, "then I had best help Cook with preparing supper." Without waiting, she took her leave.
The following Sunday, Rey contemplated what to tell her friends. She had grown fond of Rose, but had only known her short while. Rey was certain it would be inappropriate to burden her friend with her circumstances. But she also knew it was impossible to keep the marriage a secret and Rose would see right through any attempt to pretend she was elated by the match.
"Is something the matter?" Rose asked, noticing Rey's melancholic air.
Swallowing, she glanced at her friends before saying, "I'm to be married. Two weeks from yesterday."
Rose and Finn looked at each other in shock. "How very wonderful," Rose said carefully when she had recovered. "Might I ask who the gentleman in question is?"
Rey sighed. "The Duke of Ren."
"The Duke –" Rose cut herself off, clearly wishing to avoid saying something to offend Rey. "What an…unusual surprise."
"Yes," Rey said, watching the ground as they walk.
"I had no idea you had correspondence with the man outside the ball at the Skywalker estate." Rose shared another uncertain glance with her husband. "How sly of you to keep it a secret."
Rey cleared her throat. "I haven't. He came to Mr. Plutt Sunday last and arranged it with him while I was having tea with you. I was informed of the engagement upon my return."
"You mean to say he did not ask you himself?" Rose asked, incredulous.
Rey shook her head, still watching her feet as she unknowingly wrung her hands.
The trio walked in silence towards the cottage as the Smiths digested this new information, and Rey attempted to pretend she was not greatly bothered. When they reached it, Rey went to her usual chair as Rose put the kettle on the fire and Finn sat in the chair opposite, a somber air filling the small house.
Leaning forward, Finn regarded Rey a long moment. "I know it is not my place, but if I may ask, are you alright?"
Rey, not wishing to burden her friends, raised her head, squaring her shoulders, and fixing a smile on her face. With forced brightness she replied, "Of course." Swallowing, she continued. "Who in my position would not wish for such a man? He has done me a great honor." Those last words came with difficulty, as Rey was still in turmoil over the matter.
"Has he paid you a call, then?" Rose asked, setting the tea on the table and handing Rey a cup.
After sipping her tea, Rey shook her head. "No. I haven't seen the man since the ball nearly a fortnight ago."
"That's rather strange," remarked Rose, eyebrows raised.
Rey nodded. "Yes, it is." Setting her cup aside she continued. "I'm not sure what to make of his lack of appearance."
"This is all rather strange," said Finn, concern etched on his face. "And unsettling."
Rey looked between her friends, at the concern evident on their faces, and attempted not to let fear root itself further in her mind at the prospect of marrying the Duke of Ren. Grabbing Rose's hand and smiling at the pair of them, she attempted to assuage their concern.
"If you're worried for me, please don't be. The manner in which this is taking place is most unusual, to be sure, but I don't feel in any danger. My only concern is the end of our Sunday teas in your charming cottage." She squeezed Rose's hand, a lump forming in her throat. "You must promise me you'll visit. I'm sure I'll be sorely in need of companionship at such a large estate and you very likely know more about how such an estate is to be run than I do."
Rose smiled at her, though her eyes remained worried. "Of course. I'd be honored to call a Duchess my friend."
Rey giggled once at that before clapping a hand over her mouth. After a moment, once she was sure she wouldn't erupt in a fit of giggles, she removed her hand. "Do you know, I had not realized I would be a Duchess." She giggled again as the utter ridiculousness of the whole situation hit her anew. "What on earth is he thinking? I have no idea how to be a Duchess." She put her hand over her mouth again as the giggles continued. She had spent so much time lamenting the fact that she was to be forced to wed a man she barely knew, that she had not taken the time to fully comprehend the situation.
Her friends looked at her in alarm, unsure what to do. It was very unlike her to giggle, especially at serious situations. At their alarmed expressions Rey did her best to calm herself. She removed her hand again, pressing her lips together in an attempt to halt further laughter.
"I beg your pardon," she said after several moments. She took a deep breath. "I don't know what came over me. I just…would never have expected to go from a commoner to a Duchess. And with so little warning."
"Yes," Rose said, haltingly, eyeing her friend. "It'll be an adjustment for everyone, I'm sure."
Rey pressed her lips together as she felt more laughter bubble up. Why she suddenly found her situation so full of hilarity, she didn't know, but she was finding it very difficult to tamp down.
Finn frowned, concern still on his face. "If we can be of help in any way, please let us know."
Uncertain she could speak without laughing, Rey simply nodded her head.
"Perhaps it's best we change the subject," Rose said.
Rey continued to press her lips together as she nodded gratefully.
The next day Rey was in the midst of her chores when there came a knock at the door.
"Girl!" Mr. Plutt yelled from his study.
Setting her broom aside, she wiped her hands on her apron as she walked to the door.
"Hello-" Her voice cut off as she found herself face to face with the Duke of Ren.
Recovering herself, she quickly curtsied, her mind and heart racing. "Your Grace." Shaking her head in confusion she asked, "What are you doing here?"
The Duke regarded her a moment before replying. "Might I come in?"
Rey moved out of the way quickly. "Of course. I beg your pardon. I wasn't expecting you." Nerves churned her stomach and she was finding it difficult to remember proper protocol. She gestured towards their small sitting room. "Please, have a seat."
He walked slowly past her, his eyes traveling down, lingering on her wringing hands. He turned away and continued towards one of the chairs. Rey sat opposite him, forgetting to first remove her apron.
He looked at her intently, an expression Rey could not discern on his face. She swallowed and looked down, trying to calm herself. It was one thing to be faced with the man when dancing. It was quite another to look on him as her betrothed. She was to be wed to him in less than two weeks and she knew only rumors about him, none of them flattering.
After several minutes of awkward silence the Duke spoke. "I understand that Mr. Plutt has informed you of our…upcoming nuptials?"
Rey looked up, pressing her lips together and nodding. "Yes, sir."
He cocked his head slightly. "And how do you feel about it?"
Rey swallowed. "You do me an honor, sir," she said haltingly. "One I certainly never expected to receive from you."
The Duke's eyes narrowed slightly and the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "No. I'm certain you didn't."
Rey took a deep breath, contemplating her words carefully. "If I may ask, why have you done me the honor? I'm well below your station, I have no money, and no proper family to speak of. Surely this will only bring only scandal to you."
The Duke surprised Rey by leaning back into his chair and steepling his fingers as he looked at her. "His majesty has informed me I'm to marry. I have no choice in the matter. I do not wish to saddle myself with any of the ridiculous women I have thus far encountered who are within my station. You, however, being of such low station, have no such airs. You are likely to be a woman that I can mold into someone worthy of my time."
Rey frowned at that, anger rising. "I am not a ball of clay and if you are expecting me to be flattered by such a statement, then you are sorely mistaken, sir."
He cocked his head again. "You said yourself that I was doing you a great honor."
"I said only what was expected of me," Rey said, forgetting herself again in her anger. "In truth I find the entire affair very alarming. You come to my home when I am not present and presume to plan my future without ever consulting me. Once the matter is decided you spend well over a week ignoring the fact that I am your betrothed. I have not seen you since the one dance we shared over a week ago, and have only, excepting today, had two encounters with you at all. Why on earth should I be excited by the prospect of becoming your wife when I hardly know what to make of you?"
Rey saw anger flash in his eyes, and swallowed, recalling Finn's tales of smashed glass. She held her head high, however, not wishing to show her fear.
"I see," he replied quietly.
Mr. Plutt came running in. "I heard shouting." He turned to the Duke. "Please tell me the insolence of my ward has not put you off the betrothal, Your Grace." He turned towards Rey. "You had best learn to mind your tongue, girl."
"I assure you," the Duke said, standing up, towering over the rotund Mr. Plutt, "I would not further disgrace myself with a cancelation of our nuptials."
He turned to Rey whose anger was still simmering. "I have taken the liberty of arranging for a seamstress to come by." He glanced down at Rey's clothing. "I can't have a bride wandering around the estate in shabby clothing."
Rey's face burned and her ire rose again at the insult. Mr. Plutt widened his eyes in warning, so she did not speak her mind, though neither did she thank him for providing her with clothing.
The Duke turned back to Mr. Plutt. "As well, Miss Chapman is to no longer take part in the caring of this house. Her hands are a disaster. Anyone seeing them would think her a common servant."
Rey inhaled slowly to calm herself, placing her hands in the folds of her dress to hide them.
Mr. Plutt did not look happy, but replied, "Of course, sir."
The Duke turned towards her and bowed. "I will take my leave now. I bid you good day."
Rey pressed her lips together and nodded her head back to him, still too angry to speak without saying something that would certainly get her in trouble with Mr. Plutt.
The Duke nodded towards Mr. Plutt and then walked out the door.
The remaining days prior to the wedding passed in a blur. Though Rey had no more daily chores, she found her time filled from sunup to sundown with preparations for the hasty wedding. The seamstress had her hands full, not only designing her entire new wardrobe, but also her wedding clothes. Rey had only ever sewn her own clothes and found the process of standing before the seamstress all day extremely tedious. She had nothing by which to occupy her mind as she was measured, fitted, and pinned many times over each day. By the end of the week she had twelve new gowns, varying from day dresses to evening wear to even a riding habit. Rey found that last one particularly useless as she had never been taught to ride a horse. She supposed that she would have to now.
When the seamstress bade her look in the mirror when her wedding dress was completed, Rey could hardly believe anything so fine graced her skin. The silk gown was fitted underneath her breasts, before flowing down to the ground, with a lace overlay providing a train of several feet behind her. Her cap sleeves puffed ever so slightly, the neckline curving down to just above the swell her small breasts. The accompanying silk gloves finished the ensemble. Rey's hands felt particularly course in them, the fine silk catching against the rough pads of her fingers as she pulled them on.
She swallowed down some emotion she could not identify and spoke to the anxious looking seamstress. "It's a very fine dress. I thank you," she said, her voice hoarse.
Letting out a sigh of relief, the seamstress turned back to her, adding some pins for the final adjustments. The shoemaker arrived just then, with a selection of shoes to be worn with her new dresses. After Rey nodded that they appeared acceptable, she was sat in a chair while the shoemaker made sure they fit her properly. Once again they were made of materials Rey had never had the opportunity to wear before. There were silk slippers, satin half boots, kid leather shoes with a small heel, and European boots for riding. Rey wondered how she would ever wander out of doors in such delicate footwear.
Before she knew it, the day of the wedding appeared. She had only seen the Duke a number of times as he came by to make sure the tailor was making her suitable attire. When he tried to examine the wedding gown, however, the tailor had shooed him away.
The wedding was to take place at the chapel not far from the Snoke Estate, with a small reception at the manor afterwards. Rey arrived early at the great house, staring in awe as she was led up the stairs towards the rooms which would be hers before the day was over. It was there that her hair was very intricately curled and pulled back, with baby's breath placed delicately within the curls. As she was finishing putting on her silk gloves a servant knocked at the door.
Walking in he held out a box, wrapped in a bow. "His Grace wishes you wear these today, miss." Rey took the box off the tray, removing the bow and opening it. Her breath caught as she pulled out a pair of pearl drop earrings and a delicate necklace of pearls. Feeling numb with shock at such a beautiful gift, she allowed the lady's maid to put them on her. Looking at herself in the mirror Rey hardly recognized herself. Though she certainly didn't feel like a Duchess, she had to admit that she did look the part.
When it was time, her attendants helped her descend the staircase into the waiting carriage. Mr. Plutt was already inside. Though he was not her father, he was the closest thing she had, and thus he was to walk her down the aisle.
They arrived at the church all too soon. Mr. Plutt stepped out first so that he could help her down. Rey wondered idly if the Duke had purchased Mr. Plutt's suit, as it was much finer than anything she had seen him in prior to today. The doors opened and Rey walked into the church on the arm of Mr. Plutt, grasping at her bouquet. Though Rey had few friends of her own, the church was filled to capacity. The faces were all a blur as she concentrated on walking with misstep.
She reached the Duke, soon to be her husband, and was handed off to him. As usual she could not read his expression but he gazed at her with intensity. Normally dark brown, his eyes appeared black as he watched her. He seemed very composed throughout the entire ceremony, answering when needed in a loud clear voice while Rey's was much meeker sounding than she would have liked. Her heart hammered and she saw him glance at her throat, likely seeing her racing pulse there.
Much like the days previous, the ceremony passed in a blur and before she knew it was over they were exiting the church, she now married to the man beside her.
They entered the carriage which would take them back to the estate for the reception. They sat next to each other in silence, Rey too dazed to do more than look out the window. When she chanced a glance over at her now husband, she found him already watching her. Her gaze snagged on his, neither of them speaking as Rey's heart hammered in her chest and her throat became rather dry. She felt a great deal of fear, but also another emotion she could not name.
"I hope you approve of my gift," he finally said in a low voice.
Rey blinked several moments before she realized he was speaking of the pearl earrings and necklace. Putting a hand up to her neck to touch the necklace, she nodded once. "Yes. They're very beautiful."
"You wear them well," he replied, his eyes shifting to the hand on her chest before returning to her eyes.
Before Rey could think of a reply, they pulled up to the manor and the door opened. A servant held his hand out to help her down. She again gazed at the lovely grounds around her, hardly comprehending that such a beautiful place was to be her home.
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. The Smiths came up to congratulate her, Rose daring to hug her. Rey was grateful to have her friends present, though she had very little time to enjoy their presence. She was paraded around and introduced to so many people she knew she would never be able to keep their names straight. The Duke did not touch her except to offer his arm to lead her from one couple to the next, dropping his arm immediately.
When the last of the guests had left, he escorted her back to her rooms. As they drew near, Rey's nerves returned. Rose had wisely discerned that Rey would have had no woman to inform her of the duties of a wife and had taken it upon herself to educate Rey on what was expected of her on her wedding night. The entire conversation had been more than a little alarming and as Rey recalled it now, she felt herself tensing at the thought.
She walked through the open door of her room and turned around, expecting to find the Duke right behind her. Instead he remained just outside the door. Bowing, he said, "I hope you sleep well."
As he turned around to leave, Rey, in shock, said, "But, I thought – " She cut herself off immediately as he stopped and turned around. She swallowed tensely, cursing herself for having spoken.
He looked slowly first down then up her person, as she waited tensely for his reply. When his eyes returned to hers, she did not understand the emotion she saw there.
"No, I think not," was his only reply before he turned once again and strode away to his own rooms, leaving Rey flushed with embarrassment.
A/N: As always thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you think. :)