A Date With The Duke

A Date with the Duke

Lady Allison sat on a stool next to her dressing table as her maid, Lucy, combed out the wild knots in her blonde hair. Beside her mirror, stood a tiny painted portrait of a tall handsome nobleman. Her bright blue eyes scanned the image as she watched Lucy comb her hair. She bit her lips and fidgeted in her seat. Then she sighed.

"Is something wrong milady?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, I don't know." Lady Allison finally said. "Do you think he will love me?"

"Who milady?"

"Why, the Duke of course!" She winced as Lucy tugged hard on her hair. "Are you always this stupid? Watch your combing."

"Oh, I'm sorry  milady, I....really am" Lucy stammered as her face reddened. "It won't happen again."

"It better not." Lady Allison snapped. "I won't have your stupidity ruin everything." She turned back to the mirror and smiled at her reflection, her eyes gleaming as she admired herself.

"He's such a man." She said. "A rich and handsome man. And I mean to have him." Something ugly flashed in her eyes for a second, and she fell silent. She stared at the table and closed her eyes, seeming to be lost in thought.

Suddenly, she felt a violent tug of her hair. Her eyes flung open.

"Idiot!" She screamed. "Must I do everything myself?" She snatched the hairbrush from Lucy and began to brush furiously through her hair, her face contorted into an ugly sneer. "Good for nothing peasant! I don't know why my father loves such useless help."

She continued to comb her hair. "There." She said at last. "Now my hair is perfect. I'm perfect." She stood up and walked to the door. She flung it open and stalked out, giving Lucy a dirty look before slamming the door.

Lucy stood there for a moment, her eyes wide and her body trembling as the footsteps receded down the hall. Then she crept to Lady Allison's dressing table. Her eyes gazed at the Duke's portrait. She looked long at it before slowly picking it up. One tear streamed down her face as she held the picture close to her face. Her body trembled again as she pressed her lips down on the portrait in a tender kiss.

"Oh, my love, my love..." She whispered.

a lily

blooms in the  meadow

cuckoo's song