CHAPTER 5 — ARE YOU MY WIFE?

After her meeting with the accountant, Emeera decided to see the gardens, to take it all in. The greenhouse was filled with exotic flowers that only an expert gardener could manage. She made a mental note to ask for fresh flowers to be sent regularly to the home office and Master bedroom. Those two places looked like they could do with some vibrant flowers. Shortly after she left the greenhouse, Nancy arrived with the suitcases. Two footmen took the suitcases to Emeera’s rooms while Nancy waited in the car. After everything was kept in place, Emeera and Nancy went shopping. All through the drive, Nancy kept asking questions. “Are you saying the duke gave you all that money just to look good?”

“He did not give me money directly,” Emeera responded.

“Approved the funds. Give you money. They are the same thing. He gave you money. Emeera are you sure this is good?” they had driven up to the Manor’s large gate and Nancy honked. The gatekeeper opened it and they drove out. “I thought you would be spending nights at home but now that is off the table. You will be with this man at all times. Even if you are not in his room, you will be under his roof. My only comfort, which is not enough, is that he won’t go all the way down to a worker’s room. He is a proud man and that can cause a scandal. Your rooms are on different floors, right?”

“Nancy, can we stop? The man is not attracted to me in anyway and has said so himself. Please let’s stop bringing him up so I can focus on my job.”

“What? He said he’s not attracted to you? That’s a lie! Someone who has dated all of Savoy is not interested in you? Has he seen you?”

“All of Savoy are beautiful white women while I’m —”

“An intoxicating Arabian magic. You are a ravishing beauty. I mean, I wish I had your olive skin and large eyes. I tan to be your shade but tan doesn’t even make me look like you.”

“Awww Nancy. You are beautiful. But I just feel no matter how long I live in Europe, I will always be the outsider. Just looking at the shade of my skin and my eyes and everyone just move away.”

“I did not move away. Nobody did. Your ex is still begging for your love. The Duke did not move away. About being an outsider, aren’t we all? Being with you is the first time I feel like I have family yet I have family right here in Savoy. Emeera you are gorgeous! I think that’s why that Kate De Luca was so upset. She felt intimidated by your beauty because even after wearing Alexander Vitali and professional makeup, you, in a waitress' uniform still looked better.”

“Oh please stop. I’m flattered though,” Emeera admitted. Nancy smiled and parked her car. The girls went into the store the accountant had instructed her to go and shopped for an hour. Nancy loved shopping but Emeera did not see the point, she just sat watching Nancy select the clothes for her.

“You want to keep it elegant and chic but not sexy seeing you are living with hmmm,” Nancy said to Emeera’s amusement.

“Nancy you need to pick something more casual. These are daily home wears, you know.”

“You are the most important domestic worker of our duke! You cannot receive guests looking like a peasant,” Nancy said.

After their shopping, Emeera went back to the Manor. It was just 3p.m. but the kitchen staff had already started dinner. Mrs. Fletcher took her into the large kitchen to introduce her to the staff. The staff comprised of very tired looking women and a few men. If there were any young girls, the stress made them look years older. Emeera had to taste all they cooked. As she was yet to create a menu, they had cooked according to Mrs. Fletcher’s instructions. Dinner was roast lamb and vegetables. After tasting and approving the meal, Emeera went upstairs to prepare the monthly menu. She sat at the coffee table in her bedroom for an hour working on the menu. For the first time in her life, she had to think of what a large household would eat for a full month and realized how that could be such a chore. When she was done with it, she handed it to Mrs. Fletcher, who took it to the kitchen without even looking at it.

Her dinner was served in the bedroom as usual and Emeera ate slowly, thinking of the task that lay ahead. She still had to meet with the gardeners who told her they needed money to buy a new kind of fertilizer for the garden. The job was not as easy as Nancy had predicted. After her meal, Emeera went down to meet with the gardeners and they drew a three month budget they would work with. After the meeting, she had a long bath and retired to the comfort of her soft bed.

It was the day of the Duke's return so the manor was buzzing with activities. Nobody dared put a foot out of line. Emeera was called in several directions to oversee the work done. The Duke got in that evening with a little girl in tow. He looked quite unhappy as though he had been saddled with an unpleasant task. After his bath, he sent his butler for Emeera.

“Is he in his office?” she asked the butler as they hurried away from the kitchen.

“No. He said you should meet him in his room,” the butler, Luis, answered and turned away to run other errands for the duke. Emeera was left alone to meet Alfred who was already in a foul mood. First, she stepped into her room and quickly brushed her hair, then she knocked on the glass door that divided the rooms and the duke opened it gently.

“What do you want?” he demanded.

“Luis told me you wanted to see me, sir,” Emeera said.

“And you thought it wise to try to enter my bedroom through this door? What kind of guts do you possess? Are you my wife?”