The Duchess's Desire
A clock ticked methodically from the marble mantelpiece, filling the room with its faint, incessant rhythm.
Lady Victoria Windsor, Duchess of Sussex, sat poised on a velvet settee, her emerald silk day dress flowing elegantly around her. In one hand, she held a porcelain teacup, though the tea had long gone cold. Across from her, Lady Catherine Markham reclined casually, her sapphire dress a perfect contrast to the gilded upholstery.
"So," Catherine said, setting down her own cup with a faint clink. "Are we going to address the rather intriguing figure of James Parker*loitering in shadowed corners, or are we going to pretend your little midnight rendezvous on the balcony never happened?"
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