“Peaches!” the maiden called out to the hazel eyed beauty. “Are you in your dress yet? If Miss Catherine comes up and sees that I didn’t get you ready for your lovely wedding to Duke Garratt”

  “Why do you insist on calling me Peaches, Sophie?” The raven haired young woman

  asked with her long thin eyebrow raised.

  A blonde skinny young woman came into the room and pced her hands on her hips, “You don’t like your real name, and since I know a little bit about you…” Sophie giggled and her green eyes sparkled, “...I am going to call you Peaches until you are Duchess Garratt.” She wiggled her fingers and sighed, “You aren’t even close to being dressed.”

  Stretching her arms and letting out a bored yawn, Peaches crawled out of her plush bed and to her vanity. “Fine. Peaches it is.” She looked back at her chamber maid with a hint of anger out of her hazel eyes, “Don’t call me Duchess anything.” Peaches pulled out the little box holding the trappings of what she needed to paint her face and look like a porcein doll for her wedding. “I want you to come with me.” Peaches powdered her face, “I seemingly have to do my womanly duty with that old fool, but I prefer my nights to be spent with you.”

  Going over to the wardrobe, Sophie pulled out the pearl den snow white dress with a veil and id it out on the bed, then grabbed a corset. “You can’t say such things, and you have to forget about us, Lady Peaches, there will be no room with Lord Garratt.” She walked over to Peaches and slipped the tight garment on, then started pulling the strings tight.

  “Nom de Dieu!”...Peaches yelled and grabbed her chest. “ Are you trying to kill me? I can’t breathe with it that tight.”

  A few more tugs and Sophie tied off the corset. “I should make it tighter for taking the Lord’s name in vain, Miss Peaches.” She wiggled her finger again, “That was a sin and you know it.”

  Frowning and making lines in her freshly powdered cheeks, Peaches was less concerned with her perpetual sinning and more bothered by the impending wedding. “Mother and Father couldn’t wait to marry me off.” She looked back at Sophie, “I am eighteen just three weeks ago. I haven’t been able to do anything.”

  Handing Peaches a pair of stockings, Sophie then grabbed the dress from the bed. “What exactly would you like to do, mademoiselle?” She waited for Peaches to stand up. “You have the best education of any woman I know, you have seen most of the country and even been to London.” Pointing to herself, Sophie added, “I have only been around here. I was born to my family in the night, in a small house on your family property.” She shrugged, “Now you are getting even more, the Duke will certainly take you all over the pce. Perhaps Rome, the Vatican.”

  Lifting her arms over her head briefly, Peaches let Sophie slip the wedding gown on her built frame. “That is going pces, not doing something. You know, something of value.” Peaches sighed and rubbed her temples. “I don’t wish to be in perfumed rooms and some house Lady.” She looked pleadingly at Sophie with her expressive shiny hazel eyes. “Come on, let’s just run away.”

  Shaking her head, Sophie grasped Peaches hand and pulled her to the bed and gave her a longing hug. “As, sweet beauty, we both knew it was a temporary thing..” She paused, “..us being together. It was never like you envisioned.” Sophie paused, “When you leave for the Duke’s homestead, I will remain here with your family like always.” Sophie ran her finger down Peaches cheek. “We both have duties to fulfill.” Sighing deeply, “You always loved me more than I did you, my dear.” She stood up and helped Peaches back to her vanity when she began crying. “I will leave you to your own, since you are dressed now.”

  Pain echoed through Peaches heart, something she’d never felt in her eighteen years. She waved off her chambermaid, “You are free to go, and never return..Sophie.” Peaches sniffled and looked into the mirror. “You will never feel this emptiness again.” She poked at her visage in the mirror, “This is the only time you cry over a love lost.” She closed her eyes and murmured the words until they were an imprinted memory.

  A knock on the bedroom door interrupted Peaches, “Yes?” She rudely huffed. “I am almost ready Miss Catherine, no need to beat my door down.”

  “Not Catherine. It’s your mother.” A pleasant French voice came through the door. “I have Duke Garratt’s gentleman here with a gift from the Duke, can we kindly come in, dear?”

  “Sure, the door is open. Sophie just left.” Peaches grumbled and turned around in the seat, crossing her legs. “I am mostly ready, mother.”

  Breezing through the door, Peaches mother stood about as tall as her daughter, with a mix of bck and gray hair, denoting her age. “You look divine, my dear.” She walked to stand with her daughter. “Mister Roux, please come in.”

  Politely crossing the threshold of Peaches bedroom door, Mister Roux bowed to the two dies and proceeded over to Peaches. “The Duke wishes you to have your wedding gift a bit early, Lady. He is a prudent man and likes to protect his treasures.” He winked and handed a mahogany box to Peaches. “I was told that this comes from the ancient battlefields of Greece.”

  Gring at her mother for a split second, Peaches got a light sp on her knee in response for her defiance. Standing up, she curtsied and took the box from the gentleman. “Tell the Duke that I thank him for his diligence, and protection. I look forward to seeing him outside shortly.”

  Mister Roux bowed in return and excused himself, closing the bedroom door behind him.

  Peaches mother stood up and pced her hands on her hips, “Listen you spoiled brat, you will behave and put away this defiant attitude you have.” She grabbed her daughter by the cheek and lifted her up. “Face it, you are marrying the Duke. Get used to the idea, because it's going to happen, no matter how you feel about..” She waved her hand to the door, “...Sophie.” Peaches' mother pointed at the box. “Go on and open it, so you know what he gave you.”

  Rubbing her cheek to get the feeling back in it, Peaches raised her eyebrow. “I don’t care about Sophie, you couldn’t be more wrong mother.” Peaches walked over to the bed and set the box down. “What I do not understand, Mother, Is why you took so much interest in my upbringing and educated me beyond what was necessary, just to marry me off.”

  “That is easy dear.” The older woman flipped her hair back, “Titles. You have always been the means to getting your father’s titles back.” She grabbed her daughter by the chin. “A pretty girl such as yourself, very lucrative. Your father knew that when you were born. So it was decided then, that we’d give you the best..so we could get the best.”

  Peaches jerked away from her mothers grip. “So, just a pawn in your schemes? You and father, both loveless? I must say you faked it well.” Peaches felt the sting of a heavy smack on her cheek. “A?e! Putain!” Peaches clenched her fists and gred once again at her mother with hate filling her bzing hazel eyes. “You were the one that said I was only worth a title.”

  “Open the damned box.” Her mother ordered, “All will be resolved very shortly, my defiant daughter.”

  Peaches reached down and flipped the tch to the box and with a little wooden creak, opened the lid to reveal a dagger the length of her forearm, with a small handguard and encrusted with smooth rubies perfectly fit to the grip. “It’s beautiful.” Peaches admitted to herself. “Where am I supposed to put this during the wedding?” Peaches looked up as her mother left the room. “Great, thanks for the advice.” Peaches jumped when the door smmed shut.

  Looking out of her bedroom window, Peaches estimated that she had about two hours before the wedding would commence. With a sparkle in her hazel eyes, Peaches watched the people mill about outside completing the setup for the wedding. “I have an idea, my fair Duke.”