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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Dec 1, 2021 19:50:49 GMT
 this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden After having spent the weekend with the Bridgertons at Aubrey Hall, William wandered around the halls for a moment, taking some time to himself. It had been a long day, and as much he'd adored his best friend, he needed some time away to think about his duties that were waiting for him on Monday morning. Being a Duke was a never-ending job that, surprisingly, was taking him some time to get used to.
Believing it to be a study, or from what he remembered at least, William tugged at the knob and opened it, only to find Francesca Bridgerton getting drunk. Eyes pinned on the bottle in her hand, he was swift on his feet and approached her, taking it from her hands. "Fran, that is highly unbefitting. You are too young!" And naive -- or at least that was what the Duke thought.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Dec 1, 2021 19:25:04 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden Being part of the Ton was hectic and so it led William to question what it was like not to be part of it, yet still have enough money to manage a decent household. When one was part of the society he'd grown up in, all eyes were on them. It led the Duke to constantly peer behind his shoulder out of fear that he would be on the tongues of every individual in their tight-knit community.
He relaxed back as she left, wondering what was mixed into the concoction that led him to feel so drowsy and out of place. The physician's daughter then returned with a bowl of soup and bread. "Please, Miss Bishop," William forwent any formalities, gesturing toward the seat near him. "Do not trouble yourself further. Take heed and rest, for I'll feel fitter in a few moments."
@polinshipper82 |
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Duke
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Duke of Wellington
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Tina
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Post by William Slade on Dec 1, 2021 19:12:06 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden Upon hearing her words, William offered her a smile, thinking about his fiancé, Marianne Talbot. "I am sure Lady Talbot is as grateful to me as I am to her." It was a respectful indication toward the woman that he was intended to marry, and he wished nothing but to show her respect in public, especially before those he barely knew.
The carriage door opened and William climbed out first, offering her a hand as a polite gesture. If the pregnant woman was married, it was not inappropriate. Followed by his footmen that had already been standing by the door, he led her inside the home and proceeded directly to the drawing room where his mother and sisters perched down for their afternoon tea. "Mama, sisters, I introduce to you Mrs. Bishop, the daughter-in-law of Dr. Bishop." They, of course, already knew who the family physician was.
"Ah, Mrs. Bishop -- how kind of you to join us. To what do we owe this visit?" Inquired his mama.
"A safe haven for a few moments," He answered on Bridget's behalf. "Lend her some comfort?"
His mama nodded once in somewhat of a hesitant manner, gesturing toward one of the chaises.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Dec 1, 2021 7:16:03 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden The Duke of Wellington was visiting the Featheringtons that afternoon, having been called to a short meeting with the patriarch, Archibald. He was sure how he felt toward the man. There was always something incredibly shady about him, and though he showed Lord Featherington respect in both person and public, William normally rejected any business deals with him.
Exiting his study, he shut the door behind him, clarifying earlier that he would show himself out without the aid of the patriarch or any of their footmen. As he wandered down the hall, William instantly regretted not requesting help from any of the home's servants. He was certainly lost, and taking a brave guess, he turned the knob of one of the doors, opening it to find Philipa Featherington lying nude with a fan in her hands.
William's heart dropped and all the colour disappeared from his cheeks.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 30, 2021 20:09:08 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden Rolling his eyes at her comment, before releasing a small chuckle, her returned, "You do know that is not what I expect from ladies," They were not there to please the male gender, despite what most women he came across thought, particularly his younger sisters. "I hardly speak to my sisters, really, and therefore find myself relying on you for such verifications."
Her reaction regarding the nickname he'd given her sparked a grin on his face, glancing down at the park ground as she spoke. "It was the byname that instantly came to mind upon hearing your given name," William wasn't entirely sure why, either. It simply left him that afternoon they'd shared tea together in her family's home. "We do not gossip," But they did, and he did not care to admit it. "We speak of our bets for the next boxing game and tease the man who'd lost the previous one." And also spoke of courtesans, though he better than to bring that up in her company.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 30, 2021 19:50:27 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden He peered down at her upon her turning around, gently wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to his figure. "You are mine." The Duke declared. "And nothing will change that."
Leaning down, he placed his hand beneath her chin and offered her a soft kiss on her lips, "As long as you are my Duchess, you shall know of no strife or discomfort -- I assure you."
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 30, 2021 19:15:42 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden Offering her a gentle smile back, the Duke approached Marianne after she allowed him the right to write on her dance card, taking hold of the pencil that was dangling from her wrist and writing his name at the top of the card. "An honour, Lady Marianne." He nodded once, letting go of the pencil, and instead, taking her hand.
Leading her toward the dance floor, the waltz began to play, and he initiated the dance, meeting eyes with her, "I imagine it is because none of them match your beauty," William reflected. "Tell me - has your day been well? I hope it was not too stressful." Judging from his sisters, they'd been up early, rushing to the modiste to fix their dresses.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 30, 2021 4:30:27 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden "To say the least." The Duke responded to Anthony's comment about ladies and their sensitivities. William did not fully understand the opposite gender, no matter how much he tried. He had two sisters and when he was in their company, they often bickered because he could not bring himself to relate to them in any sort of way. It was not like he couldn't communicate with ladies, he could, but he simply could not comprehend their behaviour, particularly Elizabeth Davenport.
William was a Duke, and since he was merely a toddler, he'd been taught that Dukes were of high standing and were required to show nothing but utter grace in public if they wished to be respected. Nodding in agreement with his close friend's words, he continued to listen as he spoke of William's honour, before questioning if he believed his Elizabeth's words. "No, no absolutely not," He frowned slightly, shaking his head. "She was acting delicate, as women usually are, like you mentioned." Maybe it had been her time of the month.
"Ah, it does not matter. Elizabeth and I shall never speak again, anyway," William concluding, slowly twirling the liquor in the cup. "Perhaps I should seek a courtesan tonight. It will take my mind off of it." Though he doubted it would.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 29, 2021 21:23:19 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden He was pushed down by the physician's daughter, peering up at her but merely seeing a blurry figure instead of Helena. Moments later, however, he managed to regain his sight, listening to her speak. "It was the least I could do, Miss Bishop." The Duke managed a small smile as he reclined back.
"She need not take heed of what those women were saying at the modiste's shop," Will commented. "If need be, I will deal with the rumours." As he had the power to do so.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 29, 2021 21:00:58 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden Peering down at the round belly that she continuously rubbed, he could not help but consider how he'd feel if his own future wife were pregnant. It was a frightening thought. He understood very well how pregnancy worked, having been educated on the subject in the past.
"But you need your rest, Mrs. Bishop." William remarked, his eyes moving over toward the window, ensuring that their carriage had been travelling in the right direction.
Turning back to when she made her inquiry, he responded, "If I see a lady in distress, it is only natural that I come to her aid. That is what Dukes must do." He smiled softly.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 29, 2021 0:56:12 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden The gentlemen's club was an escape for him. It was a place where he could meet his fellow noblemen for a glass of whiskey or brandy, and discuss certain topics that could not be brought up in proper society, specifically around women. "What do ladies do when they are not attending balls, or enjoying the presence of their families?" Did they have clubs themselves? He wasn't entirely sure.
Leading her down the pathway, he felt the crisp air strike his face. William had not expected to be so chilly, but he would live. Since he was so close to Elizabeth, she'd manage to keep hm warm. Entwining his arm with his, the Duke pulled her closer to his body, glancing down at her. "I shall speak freely, Lilibet," Back with the nickname. He hoped she didn't mind it. "Do you truly wish to know what my friends and I talk about when we aren't in your company?" He inquired.
"Also, I am far from pretentious." Quite the lie, really.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 28, 2021 4:10:39 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden As his home had not been too far away, William had managed to call a carriage for them both so that he could escort the young lady to her supposed father-in-law's home. He waited as she stepped into the carriage, proceeding to do the same, perching before her. "A pleasure, then, Mrs. Bishop."
William was caught by surprise at her gasp, believing that something was wrong with her. "Are you all right?" He was quick to ask her, only to relax when she mentioned that it was the baby inside her womb. The man certainly was not used to witnessing pregnancies, particularly due to the fact that both his sisters still remained unmarried.
"He fights for King and country," He remarked with a slight smile, having merely been involved in the politics revolving the war. "You must maintain your strength and show that you are proud of him."
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 28, 2021 4:01:03 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden As she slipped her gloved hand in his, he could not help but feel his heart tremor slightly. It was rare that they'd touched in such a manner, and it certainly had seemed like a long time since they'd had the pleasure of dancing together. Oh, how he regretted his utter ignorance that fateful evening when they'd first met.
Helping her outside the carriage, William was quick to let go and reach out to take hold of one of the lanterns. "My companions consist of men, so no," He simply responded, nodding toward the men and signalling that they could take their leave for the remainder of the evening. "We normally spend time at the club." The gentleman added, curious whether Elizabeth knew what he was referring to.
"But I should not speak in such a fashion," Will lead her down the pathway of the vast park situated in the middle of their city. "It might hike up your hubris, and we certainly do not want that, do we?" He chuckled.
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Post by William Slade on Nov 28, 2021 3:48:34 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden All William could see was his niece being taken into the shadows. He tried to reach out to no avail, discovering that she was nowhere to be found. He sensed his limbs being lifted, and his ceruleans burst open, only to find himself in the presence of his physician and daughter.
Feeling his forehead, he touched the wet rag that seemed to have been recently placed there. "I'm terribly sorry," The Duke apologised, attempting to sit up straight. "That concoction left me even more bleary-eyed."
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Duke of Doom
"This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England."
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Tina
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Post by William Slade on Nov 28, 2021 3:42:11 GMT
this sceptred isle this earth of majesty, this seat of mars, this other eden "We both know that I was a fool that evening," He added, entirely serious this time. The fact that he had denied her a second dance still ate at his mind, wondering why he'd been stupid enough to do so. It did not make sense to dwell on the past, however, considering they were both in each other's company now. "Perhaps I am looking at the very woma-" His words were cut off short by the carriage arriving at an abrupt stop.
He opened the carriage window and stuck his head out, asking one of his footmen, "Have we reached our destination, gentlemen?" To which one of them responded with a yes. The door swung open and William dismounted first, out of respect, and offered his hand to Elizabeth to step out.
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