Hello my lovelies! I am finally back with an update and I know that it has been way too long, but I am back now. After all, finals are over thank god! Now, I know that I haven't updated this particular fanfic in some time, but I hope to start updating it more often as well as my other ones.
Enjoy!
That night when the whole household was asleep, the Duke and Caroline were sneaking out through the kitchens. They moved on stealthy feet and tried not to alert cook, who slept in the next room.
Finally, they were outside in the fresh air and Klaus took ahold of her hand.
"I've spoken to the head groom and he has saddled a team of horses for us. The carriage is ready as well, I suppose."
"Your grace, do you truly think it wise to elope? I know that I agreed several hours ago, but it was the adrenaline rush ruling my thoughts and mouth. Perhaps, we should reconsider. And I do not want you believing that you must marry me. I do not wish for you to regret it at a later date."
"My lady, I didn't offer for you out of some sense of charity. I offered for you because I could not stand knowing what was happening to you under your father's roof. Your home was supposed to be a safe haven and please forgive me for I may be speaking out of term, but your father is a coward."
"My father is simply a man that does not know how to live anymore. When he lost my mother, he lost a piece of himself- a piece that he has never been able to get back."
"Have you ever spoken to him?" Klaus asked, the curiosity evident in his voice. "I don't want to pry, but I'd like to know what manner of man my future father-in-law is."
"Here and there." She confessed. "However, I only ever get one word answers from him. Your grace, I do not wish to be rude, but do you think we can speak of something else?"
"Of course," he nodded just as they got to the stable. The head groom was standing by the carriage and the driver was already seated. A footman stood besides the head groom.
"Your grace, the carriage is ready." Vince, the head groom announced as the footman opened the carriage door.
"Very good, Vince. Thank you." Klaus responded as he took ahold of Caroline's hand.
The two of them moved into the carriage and when they were seated, the footman shut the door.
Caroline watched her future husband with something akin to awe and he couldn't help but feel just a little bit nervous.
He was certain that Caroline would make him a fine wife. However, he feared how she would react when she was introduced to society as his duchess.
After all, he doubted that anybody apart of the ton knew of the marquess's daughter. Perhaps, the man's old friends?
Klaus tapped on the roof of the carriage and the driver took off, holding the team's reins.
"Your grace, perhaps we should get to know one another some more?"
"Certainly," he agreed as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Shall we start by you agreeing to call me by my Christian name?"
"Yes," Caroline nodded. "Of course your gr- that is, Klaus." She corrected herself as she clamped her hands together nervously.
"Marvelous. Now, why don't you tell me about your favorite pastimes?"
"My favorite pastimes?" She said aloud, thinking about that. In her home there was never really any time to do anything that she fancied. Not with the chores that were required of her. However, there was something that she adored above all else.
"Painting," she confessed as she thought of the empty sheets of parchment that were hidden away under her bed as well as her completed sketchbook.
"You are an artist then?" He asked, the surprise evident in his voice.
"Yes," she smiled. "Although I wouldn't go so far as to call myself an artist. I'm not terrible, but neither am I the best."
"I'm certain that you are a marvel when it comes to art." He reassured. "I'd love to see your work sometime."
"Of course. Be warned, that many of my paintings feature landscapes."
"Being a lover of all things beautiful, I cannot wait to see your works of art."
Nodding, Caroline looked down at her fingers and felt a blush staining her cheeks. It's not that she didn't want to talk to him, it was just that she had no experience whatsoever when it came to conversing and flirting with a man. After all, she had lived a life away from the public eye and though she wished to come out of her self-imposes shell, it was easier said than done.
"Perhaps when we are married and residing in the country, you will paint the land surrounding my country home?"
"I would love to." She responded, her eyes lighting up.
"Wonderful. I cannot wait to see the finished product."
Caroline smiled shyly and looked out of the window at the townhouses they passed. The homes were magnificent and on the outside they felt almost homey. However, that wasn't always the case, she knew. Her home- or rather the place that had been her prison for so long- looked cozy on the outside, but on the inside there was chaos. Her father was a shell of a man and her stepfamily treated her as though she was their slave and they her masters. It was ridiculous… Now, she realized that.
"So, tell me something else. Have you ever had a pet?"
"A pet?" Caroline asked. "Not really," she answered.
"Not really?"
"I mean, I had several pets. Not the normal kind though. I never had a dog or a cat for example."
"Then what did you have?" He asked, the interest evident in his voice.
"Pet mice. There was a rat once, but mostly mice."
His jaw dropped slightly and he looked at her with shock in his eyes.
"Mice? A rat?"
"Yes," she swallowed nervously, cursing herself for not telling him she never had a pet. After all, what Duke would want his wife to be friendly with mice? According to the public, they were disgusting rodents that didn't deserve to roam the earth...
"Fantastic," he said in awe. "I never thought I would see the day when a lady actually considered mice as pets and not little monsters that would attack at any given chance."
"Oh," she murmured, sighing in relief. "I- I thought you were going to say something else." She confessed.
"Like what? Did you think I would have been disgusted?" He asked, a small smile appearing on his lips.
"Well yes." She blushed. "I mean, you are a Duke…"
"That I am, but I hope you will realize soon that I am not one of those pompous aristocrats. Trust me, I am nothing like those arrogant, mightier-than-thou lords that feel as though they deserve to have everything given to them on a silver platter."
"I am relieved to hear that." The blonde confessed as she looked down at her hands.
"You know… There have been moments where I just wished to get away. It's all well and good to be respected by members of the ton, but sometimes I wonder how it would be if I was a regular man." He admitted as a sigh escaped his lips.
"Really? That is really interesting." She said as a small smile appeared on her lips.
"Why is that?" He asked, the curiosity evident in his voice.
"It's just, that isn't something that is heard of in this sort of community. There are always men hoping to become the wealthiest of all and they get there by hurting other people. Then there are the ladies, looking for the biggest fish in the sea. Like my step sisters for example… All they care about is snagging a bachelor that has a lofty title and even loftier bank account."
"I agree," he nodded. "It's unfortunate, really. Many times, a lord and a lady marry as some sort of business arrangement between their families. Those types of marriages bring no happiness, just infidelity and hate amongst spouses."
"Most definitely," she agreed.
They spent the remainder of their trip to Gretna Green switching between conversation and comfortable silence.
However, by the end, they both realized that getting married was not a mistake. Caroline actually believed that eventually she would be able to fall in love with him. She only hoped that the Duke felt the same way…
The next night, they arrived at Gretna Green,l and Klaus helped the blonde down the steps and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she stretched.
"Let's go and get something to eat, shall we?" Klaus offered as he extended his hand for her to take.
Caroline took his hand and together they walked into something that resembled an inn. Both Duke and lady were greeted at the door by a kind looking man in his late thirties.
He had a kind smile on his lips and he ushered them into the inn and towards the bar.
"Welcome to our in." He said as he smiled at them through curious eyes.
"Thank you so very much." Caroline responded, feeling comfortable in the man's presence.
"My name is Alaric and I am the innkeeper. My wife Jenna helps me, of course. Are you two hungry?" He asked, the curiosity evident in his voice.
"Ravenous," Klaus admitted as a grin appeared on his lips.
Caroline nodded in agreement and looked up at the Duke with a grin of her own. He was definitely a handsome man and the fact that he didn't talk down to the innkeeper had her insides a flutter.
"Well then please sit. I shall bring some gin along and I'll have my wife prepare you some food. How does meatloaf and baked potatoes sound?"
"Wonderful," Caroline answered.
"I'll be back in a moment then. For now, please do get comfortable."
"Thank you," they said in unison.
Alaric nodded before he excused himself and made his way into the kitchen.
Shortly after, he came out with a basket of bread and a jug of gin and his wife followed with a tray of food.
Their mouths began to water and they couldn't wait to bite into the food that looked absolutely delicious.
Alaric set the basket of bread and the jug of gin down before he went back into the kitchen for a couple of mugs.
Jenna placed the plates before Klaus and Caroline and greeted them with a kind smile on her lips.
"Thank you," they told her.
"You are most welcome." She answered.
When Alaric returned, he placed the mugs before the two and poured them each a cup. Then he put his arm around Jenna's shoulder and brought her closer to his side.
"You make a beautiful couple." Caroline complimented as she smiled at them.
"Thank you, miss. You and your gentleman are a fancy looking couple as well."
With a blush, Caroline smiled at Klaus and he smiled back at her.
"What brings you to our side of the world?" Alaric asked? "You're British, aren't you?"
"We are," Klaus nodded. "And we are here because my lady and I wish to be married."
"Ah, such wonderful news!" Jenna cried out as she clapped her hands together and genuinely smiled at the two of them.
"We have a man who'll marry you, if you wish. And we'll even be your witnesses if you'd like."
"That sounds wonderful. Is the man still working?"
"For today he's done, but tomorrow he'll be up bright and early. We can take you to him then."
"Sounds like a plan." Klaus said as he extended his hand for Alaric to take.
The two men shook hands and soon thereafter Alaric and Jenna left them to their food.
Klaus and Caroline devoured the contents on their plates and Jenna came out and served then a second time around. By the time midnight rolled around, the Duke and the lady were being escorted into their bedchambers for the evening.
Though Alaric wanted to give them the biggest bedchamber, Jenna refused.
"They can share a room on the morrow when they're married, Ric."
"Oh come on, darling… Surely they would like to anticipate their wedding night."
Caroline blushed at those words and Alaric chuckled. However, Jenna won out in the end and a grumbling Alaric made his way downstairs after he bid them good night.
Soon thereafter, Klaus and Caroline parted ways and fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows...
There you have it, my darlings. So in the next chapter we will see their wedding and I have some other ideas in mind that I hope to use.
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~Hana :p