Page 38 of Trapped By Clocks and Hearts

Flinching in annoyance, I fumed. “Next time?”

Allie couldn’t help bursting out with laughter, even as she had to stop short to clutch at her sore torso. “Oh, ow—I’m just kidding.” She shook her head again. “You’re such a downer.”

Chez chuckled to himself as he led the way down the lane. “Come along then. When we get to the Duchess’s, you’ll both be set right.”

Chapter 11 - Meet the Duchess

Ihadn’t been to the Duchess’s house for decades.

I supposed for someone seeing it for the first time, the large country estate, with its ornate wrought-iron balconies wrapped around the structure, held a certain architectural charm. Even if the sprawling lush gardens were noticeably overgrown, the trees moss-draped, the front lawn unkempt. The property was set amidst a wetland of willow trees with trailing tendrils and branches dangling to touch the water’s tranquil surface.

Chez sashayed down the grass-covered path that led to the porch.

The throbbing from my injuries had subsided somewhat. I glanced over at Allie walking partway behind me. “The Duchess will not like you.”

She didn’t seem perturbed by this. “Were you lovers?” she asked, adjusting the bandanna we had haphazardly bound around her arm for a particularly deep gash. It was as much as I could do after having even failed to retrieve the healing burlap from the rainbow.

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation.

As the case was with anyone else except Allie, the Duchess was not immune to my charms. She had no substantial Heartfire ember of her own for me to steal. Our dalliances had always been brief and casual. Not to mention quite a long, long time ago.

Back then, trips across the River of Tears had been relatively painless. The Duchess was held to a very high regard on this side, as well as with The Dodo’s men. And with her on my arm, nobody had ever dared to cross my path.

But again, that was a long, long time ago.

I’d had to stop seeing the Duchess since she discovered that I was the only immortal being on Wünder who could fulfill her one, burning desire.

“So what is it? You think she’ll be jealous of me?” Allie asked, even as she inspected her damp clothes with a look of distaste.

“Probably.” I shrugged. “But don’t go getting your head any bigger, thinking you’re special. She’s jealous of all women. She can barely leave this place nowadays.”

The potted string beans hanging above the porch swung in the warm breeze, squeaking a crooning song:

and the slithy toves

did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

all mimsy were the borogoves…

Chez leaped up the three steps and slipped through the cat door.

With my uninjured arm, I pulled the French doors open and gestured my hand for Allie to walk through and into the foyer. I grunted under my breath as the smallest strain pulled at my wounds anyway but it wasn’t like I was new to a little pain and suffering.

The door sighed at my gallantry but I merely rolled my eyes.

As soon as Allie stepped in, something above us caught her gaze and she jumped in alarm. “Oh my goodness!”

The Duchess, a petite, stocky woman in her puffy-sleeved, frilly dress with voluminous layers, was, at that moment, atop an awkward ladder attaching the end of a lead of rope around her neck, whilst the other end was firmly tied around the large extravagant crystal chandelier installed upon the ceiling.

Allie ran to her aid. “Madame!” she cried out. “Are you quite alright?” Pacing beneath the Duchess, she wrung her hands out in a fluster. “Rabb! Help her! Do something!”

I stuck my hands in my pockets and simply walked past the scene. “Leave her be.”

“What?” Allie’s eyes were wide with outrage. “How can you even say that?”

Navigating toward the small bar where liquor had been set out in crystal decanters on little trays, I let out a sigh as I poured myself a drink. “Allie,” I began, matter-of-factly. “She’s immortal.”

Chez hopped up to the bar beside me. “Is the Duchess on the chandelier again?” he prompted, sounding in no way concerned either as he pawed at a fuzzy ball of yarn.