Moth Among Butterflies

CHAPTER VII

'Are you sure about this, Seth? Would this anger him not?'

Esther flashed the pad for the duke to see. It has been several days since they were meeting. He chose not to reveal his true identity in fear of her intimidation. Losing this connectiom that they have is the last thing he wanted. After she told him her secret that day, they have grown quite closer. Her conversations were also invigorating! She spoke of her opinions regarding land ownership and innovation when asked. In fact, he had gotten a new business idea from her. It was from their conversation from the other day which went thus;

"What say you of land ownership near Liverpool?"

He asked at the time, for a post came from Mr. Francis Parker about prospects of land ownership in Liverpool. And, a man of business he is, it has been a dilemma to him. Land renting was just too common a business already! He just wanted to know if she had a say about the matter. And, by Jove, she had a good deal to say;

'It would produce high profit. An oak tree plantation and a vinery would be best. On oak: It is not hard to care for and is a very common tree in England. It has many uses as well, noted usages are for barrell and ship production. Liverpool being home to the docks, wood will not be hard to deliver nor to sell. And since many sailors live in Liverpool, a strong workforce for labor is expected.'

Cavendish was already startled enough upon this careful consideration of his question, but she wasn't quite done explaining yet;

'On vinery: Wine is a very famous beverage. It is drank by both the high and low ranks of society, so the market is huge. And since the vinery will be near the docks, even greater proapecta for a market arrives. Foreigners may come and one may give a higher price so long as the quality does not suffer. For a bonus, oak barrells make the wine taste better. I have experimemted on this once with James, the tender at The Ram's.'

This woman was well-read! Well that's what you get for having a librarian as a friend, I guess. The duke was just stunned at this splendid and well-thought of suggestion. If only she knew how he helped him that day! By night, a post was immediately sent to Liverpool on his visiting there after a month or two.

For the past days, he has been coaching Esther on horseback riding. She was still not able to ride it alone which was only amusing to him rather than vexing. Of course it had come to her as to where he gets the horses! His reason, 'I am groom to the Duke of Devonshire', and he emphasized that 'the duke was quite fond of him' so as to explain the liberties he is currently doing.

"It's alright, Esther! The master is not home." he said, bearing agog eyes. He was so excited to show her, although not his permanent one, his home.

The night before, he had gathered all his servants and left them a strict instruction;

"When you see me tomorrow with a woman, I am not a duke. Do not address me as 'Your Grace'. Simply act as if you talk to a groom, for tomorrow I am one. Not following this direction results to expeditious removal from employment. Understood?"

And they all agreed. He was the duke after all, and Althorp was his lodge.

Eather amd the duke accessed the lodge through the back doors where the servants enter. Every maid, kitchen help, and every other retainer they passed by tried their hardest not to greet their master. Cavendish eyed them in warning. Who would want to be fired anyway?

"This is the library. You will love it here!"

Esther produced an excited, wide and ear-reaching smile. This was enough for the duke. He knew she loved books, for she has told him 'it is only in books that I can venture out to the whole world'. He knew not if there was a deeper meaning to these scanty words, but he chose not to dwell in it.

The duke's library in Althorp lodge was not as huge as the one in Bellsover Castle, Derbyshire. But it had stirred Esther that she ran from shelf to shelf to check upon the books, giggling in delight when a familiar author surfaced. Although enthusiastic, she never touched a single one.

"Go ahead and read one!"

'But they are not yours nor mine.'

"Surely you will not ruin them."

A wide gap-tooth smile was once again on that freckled face. His heart skipped one beat.

"Wait here. I will go get some tea and maybe some crackers too."

The waitress nodded.

He walked the hallways and immediately called for the nearest butler.

"Come here, man! Make haste!" he commanded in a whisper. The butler immediatley ran to his master's post. "Get me some tea and crackers. Tell Gil to pick some berries out too. I shall wait here for you. Now hurry, and make haste! Make haste!"

The butler bowed before he half-walked half-ran through the hallways and down the stairs, and it was only several minutes later that Cavendish saw the butler with the things he requested. The duke ran to the butler in hurry and snatched all that he was carrying precipitously that a cracker and a cup almost fell! "Good work , man. Now off with you!" He domineeringly whispered, and brought every plate he carried on his arm into the library.

Just when he was near the room, Cavendish heard music playing. A violin. He remembered that he was indeed in possession of three violins in the lodge. They were all in the library. For his mother, the Lady Emilia Cavendish, had a strong fondness of playing it while his late father- Henry Cavendish, the previous Duke of Devonshire -loved listening to her play while he read a good book.

Bach's Preludio, Partita in E Major. He recognized. It was one that her mother rarely played, for she found its movement complex. But it was a very joyous piece, and he thought it was a pity that his mother played it only once or twice.

Esther was an ethereal sight. She played the violin with an endearing smile on her face while she closed her eyes, feeling every single sound that came out of the musical contraption. She played from the heart. And without knowing, his thoughts travelled far. What would it be like to have such a woman for the rest of his life? He imagined it to be simmilar to his parents; A marriage where both loved and cared for each other. Cavendish smiled to himself. He would read a book while she played the violin like this. She would be there to give aid when he needed consultation or reason for whatever the matter is. And they would have children, raised to be wonderful men and women who each have their own opinion and not the ton's, simmilar to their mother who was unafraid of society's mouth. And maybe one or two of them will inherit that honest gap-tooth smile. Maybe. Just maybe. This was all not his mind's creation alone. It may all happen in due time, and they would be the happiest beings alive.

Pregnant in thoughts, he almost forgot he was bringing something, but as the weight reminded him of it, he managed to lay the plates on the table. But it was all too noisy that Esther abprutly stopped and opened her eyes to see who the intruder was. Ah, I ruined it. Cavendish thought it a great pity that she stopped playing. But he was not unwelcome at all, for Esther smiled once again at the sight of him the jolly woman she is.

'That seems quite a lot!' she flashed, now standing next to the duke. 'You must be his favorite retainer to have these kinds of liberties! Are you sure this is all fine, Seth?'

"Well, one just have to suck up to his master!"

Esther laughed. 'You are a tease, dear Seth. A tease!'

Dear Seth. The words echoed in his mind. Maybe it isn't so bad to trust those words, to believe that he was dear to her. But what if she finds out his dukedom? Will everything remain as they are?

"Esther," he started, "what do you think of having a titled person, say a duke, as husband?"

The waitress seemed startled at the sudden change of demeanor in her companion. But after looking down in thought, she wrote;

'I have never thought about that. They seem so far away to me, you see.'

Disppointment rushed over the duke's visage. Yet, alas! Salvation comes with;

'But if every duke was just like you then I think I wouldn't mind.'