The Honor of Duty

by A. R. Rend

  Phillip was trying not to think about the conversation.

  If he was honest about it, he hadn’t exactly been the picture of sexual morality himself. He’d had sexual relations before he was wed.

  His only saving grace was Alice was clearly inexperienced and hadn’t really noted the fact that Phillip knew what to do.

  Otherwise he might be the talk of the city, rather than Mr. Defers.

  “Excuse me, I need to go attend to a few things,” Phillip said politely with a smile.

  “Oh, uh, I’m sorry, Phillip. I didn’t-” apologized the young girl.

  “It isn’t you, or the talk. I just have something I need to do,” soothed Phillip. He knew that it was generally frowned upon to talk about such things around men.

  “Phil-”

  Before Lenore could finish, he was off. Heading straight for the kitchens. He needed to find the cook and see about what was available to him.

  ***

  In the end, very little had been available and ready-made.

  Michael, who was apparently the head butler, had very little to offer him in assistance. Nor did the head cook, a man by the name of Samuel.

  The head maid, in charge of every servant in the household, had no time for Phillip at all.

  Thank the stars Father taught me how to do all of this though.

  Phillip let out a soft breath as he checked his tea-trolley for the third time.

  His finger sandwiches were ready, his scones still were a bit warm but he believed that by the time they moved to that, they’d be closer to the right temperature.

  Still not happy with only having maple balls as my last course but… whatever. I’ll have to order the appropriate items after this.

  Taking in a short breath, holding it, and then letting it out, Phillip felt ready.

  Alice had only started her meeting perhaps five minutes ago. They’d had more than enough time to begin their discussion, and this would be likely the perfect moment for him to show up.

  Before they got into the heart of the discussion and while they were still on pleasantries.

  Okay! Here we go.

  I can… I can show Alice I can help and do my part. That I’m a reliable husband and she can count on me.

  That I can be her partner.

  Nodding his head, he took hold of his tea-trolley and then pushed it up against the door to the parlor. It slid open and then to the side as he entered.

  “-course, of course. It’s just the way it is,” said a mature voice as Phillip cleared the doorway.

  Stepping fully into the room he found four women.

  Alice he recognized of course, but the other three were people he didn’t know. Two were in their early twenties Phillip guessed, and the last in her mid thirties.

  Friends? Business partners? I suppose we’ll find out.

  “Good afternoon,” Phillip said with a full smile, slowly making eye contact with each woman. “My name is Phillip Curis Rias, Alice’s husband. Tea service today includes two black teas, and two herbal teas. I personally recommend the former rather than the latter if only because I believe it pairs better with the savones.”

  Moving the trolley over to where the four women were congregated, Phillip was treated to three smiles and a frown.

  Unfortunately the frown was of course Alice.

  “Hello there, I’m Tiffany Biss,” said one of the twenty-year-olds. She had long red hair and was wearing city clothes that were of good cut and quality. She was likely a peer to Alice.

  “Good afternoon, Tiffany,” Phillip murmured giving the woman a direct smile. Turning to her, he indicated the trolley. “As you’re the first to speak, I’ll serve you first.”

  “I can see why you kept him locked away,” whispered the second twenty-year-old next to Alice. She was leaning into Alice and had practically become her arm. The woman had dark hair, sharp blue eyes, and was rather easy on the eyes in both her face, and figure. She was dressed similarly to the other two her own age. Once more, Phillip was quite glad to have as sharp as hearing as he did. “I’d keep him in my bedroom day and night and never let another woman see him. I bet your nights are pretty fun now.”

  Turning to the dark-haired woman as soon as he’d finished serving Tiffany, Phillip drifted closer to her and offered her a smile.

  “And you are?” he asked.

  “Whatever you want me to be,” said the woman as she leaned away from Alice and closer toward him. She gave him a wide smile and gazed at him rather intently.

  Oh.

  Found the flirty one in Alice’s friends. I’ll need to make sure to not be alone with that one.

  “Then I’ll name you Mim. And you’ll have black tea, two sugar, no milk, and two sandwiches. They’re ham, brie, and apple. They have a bit of Dijon mustard and some butter as well. I just prepared them,” Phillip said, putting together what he’d specified for her.

  Mim was staring at him with a warm and very welcoming expression as he quickly served her.

  “And here you are, Mim,” Phillip said, holding out the small plate with sandwiches to her. Her tea was already placed before her.

  Taking the plate from his hands, Mim ran her fingers over Phillip’s. Deliberately he assumed.

  Definitely never alone with her.

  “Sophia. Sophia Lane. Mim, to you, though,” Mim said.

  Phillip smiled at that and looked to the last woman.

  “No thank you,” she said politely, waving him off. She had a different air about her than Alice and her friends. Aloof, distant.

  As if she wasn’t quite sure about being in this company.

  Somethings not right there.

  Finally, Phillip looked to Alice.

  “Wife?” he asked, putting some warmth into his voice for her specifically.

  “I’m… fine. Thank you,” said Alice.

  “Of course,” Phillip said and then served himself and took a seat in one of the open chairs.

  Alice watched him as he did so. It was obvious to him that she’d apparently thought he was going to leave after serving everyone.

  “Well!” Mim said after taking a sip of her tea. “That’s actually very good, thank you, Phillip, for the suggestion. Can I call you Phil?”

  “Of course, that’s not a problem at all,” Phillip said, smiling at the woman.

  “Anyways,” Mim said, looking to the fourth woman. “I’d say we can proceed ahead. I believe we had just finished with the complimentary bullshit.

  “How about we move to the central point? I’d rather enjoy Phillip’s service than business so…”

  Mim left it open ended at that point and had clearly chosen her words on purpose. She apparently had no qualms flirting with Phillip right in front of Alice.

  “I… yes, that’s fair. We’ll just get right to it,” said the fourth woman. Phillip hadn’t gotten her name but he imagined that he likely wouldn’t. “As I said in my note. I have goods coming into the city. Boots, gloves, belts. All in the Queen’s colors and standard uniform. Finest leather, already oiled, and ready for use.”

  Phillip felt his brows draw down at the woman’s words.

  If she had those items she’d be better off going straight to a military purchaser rather than an intermediary. Her mark-up likely wouldn’t be high otherwise the resell would go too high.

  Which would mean you couldn’t resell the products.

  Meaning no one would want to be the intermediary.

  So why would you go through an intermediary, just to lose money, if you could sell it directly?

  “I know what you’re probably thinking,” said the woman with a calm and smooth voice. She had a charming quality about her and confidence. “Why don’t I just sell it directly. If I’m being honest, it’s because I don’t have the time. Right now, getting an appointment with someone takes days and days I don’t have. I have to be on the road back home relatively quickly.”

  I suppose that fits… with the war coming a lot of people are going to scramble
to offload things and get home.

  Something still doesn’t feel right here.

  “What kind of numbers are you talking about? Hundreds?” Alice asked.

  “And what amounts can we purchase in?” added Tiffany.

  “A warehouse-full all in wagons and carts heading this way,” said the woman with a soft sigh. “And you can buy as much as you want. I’m just trying to get rid of it all and get home. You buy it in bulk and I’ll give you a discount.”

  Mim looked curious, Tiffany seemed eager, and Alice looked like she was feeling similarly to Tiffany.

  “Who’s the maker?” Phillip asked in the silence as everyone thought.

  “What?” asked the woman, looking to Phillip. She looked confused at the question.

  “Who’s the maker? If it’s already all dyed and made to the Queen’s uniform than it was probably requisitioned that way. Which means it probably came from a larger guild or collective,” Phillip explained with a smile. “If we knew the maker, that’d help with the deliberations.”

  Out of habit he glanced to each woman’s tea cup and noticed that Mim’s was empty.

  Standing up he took a step to the side. Carefully, he picked up the teapot and began refreshing Mim’s cup.

  “I’m afraid I don’t know. I’d have to go check,” murmured the woman whose name Phillip still hadn’t gotten. “It’s a shame because the goods aren’t here yet and I have no way to answer.”

  Phillip made a soft humming noise as he finished with Mim’s cup and re-set it down in front of her.

  “How long will it take for the goods to arrive?” he asked, moving back to his seat.

  “Several days I’m afraid, and I’d honestly like to be gone the day they arrive. Hand over the goods, receive the coin, and be on my way back home,” said the woman with a smooth and easy smile.

  It made the alarm-bells in Phillip’s mind go off.

  There were too many things here that didn’t line up for him. Too many casual brush-offs and easy smiles.

  “I-”

  “I’m sure we can work something out,” Alice said, speaking over Phillip. Then she turned and met Phillip’s eyes directly. “Thank you for the tea-service, dear, but I think we’re quite satisfied at the moment. If you don’t mind, could you return the rest to the family room? I’m sure there’s a few hungry tummies in there.”

  I… she just dismissed me?

  Phillip held Alice’s gaze for several seconds before his mind finally understood it.

  She did dismiss me.

  Picking up his teacup, Phillip quickly removed himself from the room, taking the trolley with him. He hadn’t bothered to collect the plates and cups in use, as they were still being utilized.

  Seven

  Sitting out in the gardens behind the house, Phillip was staring out into the middle distance.

  Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, and left only with his thoughts.

  Not far away was the tea-trolley. For whatever reason he’d brought it with himself when he wandered out this way.

  His guards weren’t that far away of course, just out of eyesight and respecting his privacy at the moment.

  Truth be told he’d wished a number of times Mildred would come over and speak with him. Either she wasn’t on duty at the moment, or felt it wasn’t her place to come speak with him.

  Both were actually fairly logical conclusions.

  Truth be told, she’s probably too close to me. It’s not as if I haven’t heard her compatriots make fun. Especially when I call her Milly.

  Taking in a steadying breath, Phillip tried to calm his spinning mind. It was simply running away with him right now.

  In the twenty minutes since Alice had more or less sent him away from the meeting, he’d done little more than fret and worry.

  And be rather angry about it all. Angry at Alice and her treatment of him.

  He’d done nothing but attempt to be kind to her. To want to be part of her life. Integrate himself and help her.

  Be a good husband to her.

  Maybe that’s just it. She doesn’t want a husband. She really just wanted a political marriage and nothing else.

  Do I just accept that and let everything go? Slide away?

  It isn’t as if I haven’t tried.

  No one would blame me, would they?

  Thinking on that, he did have the vague impression his mother wouldn’t appreciate the cowardice of running away from a battle.

  Being defeated was one thing, that was something that simply happened despite your best efforts. Running away however was an entirely different circumstance.

  One that was entirely built on giving up and allowing others and the world to do what they would to you.

  Grunting, Phillip realized he couldn’t give up yet. If Alice wanted nothing from him, she’d have to tell him that. He wasn’t going to take anything less than that as an answer.

  I was defeated today, but that doesn’t mean I’m beaten. Doesn’t mean the war is over.

  Didn’t even lose a campaign. Just the day.

  She was rude, but didn’t speak poorly to me, or abuse me.

  And-

  “Ah! I found you! Lucky me!”

  Jumping in his seat, Phillip looked toward the nearby door that led into the library. He’d often found that he enjoyed that room because it also led out to this lovely little area.

  Mim was standing in the doorway, leaning up against the frame itself, with a bright smile on her lips.

  Her eyes went to the trolley nearby and her smile diminished partially.

  Only for it to come back in full a second later.

  Moving past the trolley, she grabbed the plate of sandwiches, the teapot, and a cup.

  “Hey, handsome, how much sugar did you put in me again?” Mim asked, flicking over the sugar bowl lid and peering inside.

  “Two,” Phillip said, feeling rather odd about her way of addressing him.

  “That’s it? Hm. I feel like you put a lot more in me than that. That works though. And you’re welcome to put as much sugar in me as you want,” Mim said, reaching into the bowl and pulling out two cubes. She tossed them into her cup and then poured the tea straight in.

  Only to smack the teapot back down on the trolley.

  She vaguely reminded him of his older sister with her mannerisms. Minus the flirting. He’d never seen Jamie flirt with anyone, let alone even speak about such a thing.

  Coming over to him, she sat down on the bench next to him, took a healthy slurp of her tea, and proceeded to cram a sandwich in her mouth afterward.

  “Damn,” she mumbled around the food. “Even lukewarm your tea is still better than most. And this sandwich is great.”

  Looking at Mim, Phillip raised his eyebrows, and then started to laugh softly.

  “Well thank you, Mim. I’m glad at least someone approves,” Phillip said, unable to snap the words back down before they were spoken.

  Mim nodded her head seriously, chewing on her food. Then she swallowed hard, the massive bite managing to make it down.

  “Seriously, Alice is being a bitch,” Mim said with a slight rasp to her voice. Then she cleared her throat. “Ahh, oooh, too much. Damn. But yeah, the hell. You not giving her enough of the ol’ one, two?”

  “I’m afraid that isn’t the issue, that would be easier to fix,” Phillip admitted, grinning at the woman. She definitely reminded him of Jamie, but she was also a clearly different person, with a sense of humor that he was enjoying.

  “Right, uh, too much of the ol’one, two?”

  “Not that either.”

  Mim frowned, pulling up another one of his sandwiches and started to eat it, staring off to the same area Phillip had been not long ago.

  “Well… shit,” she said finally after she finished her bite. “She’s just being a bitch then. I mean, she always was kind of aloof and just… frigid? Yeah, frigid.

  “I just didn’t realize it’d creep into her marriage. And after all that work Tilda put into securin
g you.”

  “Tilda?” Phillip asked, unsure who that was.

  “Oh, Matilda. Tilda. Auntie Til. Alice and I were friends as kids. I’m more like the unwanted but loved daughter around here,” Mim said, taking a deep sip of her tea. “Has its perks. No one cares what I do.”

  Taking another deep draught of her tea, Mim looked to the cup and Phillip had the thought she was about to toss it into the grass.

  Grabbing it before she could, he took it from her and lightly set it down near his feet.

  “Thanks, appreciate it,” Mim said with a chuckle. Then she threw her arm around Phillip’s shoulders, put one ankle over her knee, and pulled up another one of the sandwiches. “These are really good. Can you cook, too?”

  “Ah… no. I’m afraid not. I can do much in the way of smaller things. Pastries, tarts, scones, sandwiches, soups. I can do some smaller meals I suppose but nothing like an actual dinner or meal service,” Phillip said with an embarrassed chuckle. “Grandmother… said that even if my mother ate raw oats while riding a horse while it defecated, I still needed to have the etiquette and training of a gentleman.”

  “Got it, got it. Hence the tea service, how you’re immaculately put together, the clothes, your speech, understanding trade,” said Mim, nodding her head. Then she pulled slightly on Phillip’s shoulder, pulling him up into her side. “Does that mean I don’t have a chance of stealing you away for myself? I think you’d be worth the chase and effort.”

  Phillip felt his eyebrows shoot upward, staring at Mim and her scandalous words.

  “What? I’m not bad-looking. I do have some money. Not as much as a Rias girl but I’m not poor. I could give you a home, hearth, family,” Mim said, turning her head and staring at him from only a few feet away. “Between the two of us I’m sure we could easily make money.”

  “I’m married,” Phillip said. “A-”

  “And we could easily buy your marriage contract out from Alice. Or pay to have it dissolved or any number of other things. Marriages do fail,” said Mim, her words coming through Phillip’s ears almost like a warm buzz. She was far too close right now and he was starting to feel rather odd about it. “It’s not like they really needed the political clout. With this sudden war, everything is shifting so fast that your marriage’s political worth might already be spent. And if you approved a dissolution, your family wouldn’t care either.”