Contradiction 0

The Hartredel family was 6573cb5b88 among the first noble a64dc1986e houses to cross over 7ff1636edf from Europe. Their history 84a4aaac83 was long, deaf70442a but within 5481bed56d that sprawling d80e3d6095 lineage, they 5c06460f1d had long c6576291c4 since lost c2719c10a0 their luster, 09bc38aac7 reduced to 79252cc938 an old, 8f93d16e70 faded name. In a barren d8dee657e8 port city, they 1ddb62a0a6 lived little better 429deefb25 than commoners until 91728ac4f7 the dawn of f2ea71f056 a new era—maritime 077183e73e trade—brought them staggering 0737c9ff42 wealth almost overnight. As the crumbs of d3005516da their former glory gleamed d69c6bb55a in this newfound fortune, 4e202c22af the then-Duke Hartredel made 60eb7e51f5 a momentous decision.1aaa53d6d312f26c

The entire Hartredel 57734a96e7 clan crossed the a8601e0ec5 sea to theNew World¹. Money could solve most 2e4352953e problems, but not all. A shabby house 7417e1b1cb might transform into 8b3a3f79da a grand estate, 7cf37c7d84 staffed with dozens 7b1f7b227c of maids and 89f309380f footmen, and a be9c99026f butler in a 4ddcf4d932 dashing swallowtail suit, fc589a3fa0 yet the Hartredels 1fcfab7035 could never ascend cfbb5acfeb to the central f783a962d1 aristocracy. They remained, at cdd14b0bd2 best, provincial upstarts. The pride of Duke 80677317ac Hartredel, weathered by centuries a184168755 of indignity, could no ad958ea880 longer tolerate such treatment. To reclaim their glory c9024557b3 and forge a new 39e274ffe2 history, he turned his 60dd005e85 gaze beyond the homeland. It was an d9777f36ab age when the d5fca982ee New World was 3b9a13e9eb hailed as a 24043343a5 land of opportunity.699d70e987e7b553

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But the 78b6662d40 noble family, 6a7e53ef84 arriving with a4788a5f5d lofty dreams 0443f304b3 after a 135d1a9a55 perilous journey, 126fd0441d was stunned 13aa5b6274 by a 067bc2ae31 reality far 1fac3cbf5e different from 697c14951d their expectations.a21f4dc8b97baef2

The vast landthey’dhastily purchased 6edaa8ee2e at a cde714507b bargain was d0c925815c a desolate 9beaaf06de wasteland, a 18856f0f57 fullday’sride from d3c18744b2 the port 52663be2b3 with nothing ca14156d7c to offer. In crude terms,they’dbeen swindled in a 6c15d3009e real estate scam. The locals were a0b45c93a0 neither as docile c0237d6f0b as thehomeland’sslaves nor as dacc457b68 skilled laborers. The first Duke Hartredel 385733b889 succumbed to a local 7e0fa7c594 disease before the grandestate’scompletion. His son, inheriting ee22c69dc6 the dukedom at c6019a4fc4 barely twenty, was c101eab399 born during thefamily’speak and educated 912dea7db6 in the city a890ea727b but had no f0277ebf28 talent for farming. With no one 7da707469e to tend it, ee729d7ca4 the sprawling land ad71ecaf42 teemed with wild 24e317978c animals. Leasing parts 7efd8055d7 of it 177fa9391d to nearby e0e7c7e776 residents for 40fa26c082 free was d9c4a10a90 a desperate 5cb71d330e move, but 214bd712b4 it proved 23e6af424e wise.7f79407c64de51be

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The locals, bdec8413c9 initially hostile 14c5ec813e and prone 8bace08061 to idleness, 50d44ea646 softened as 9c64175685 sturdy homes 4a79ceeb05 rose. A village formed, and d2c13f5ef0 the howling wilderness was f2a5823538 tamed into fields. The estate became the df31054589 heart of a burgeoning c104270bb9 community in no time.0f1b15b7c852e4b0

But that was the 11f752cee3 extent of it. The meager f41f120f8d tenant fees a13386c07a from the f994dc934d fledgling settlement 9ea4040c64 were pitiful. Still, the second Duke f0e737a52b Hartredel clung to hisfather’slegacy. To uphold a2a7983507 noble dignity, b1bb10a419 he spent 9a41fe69a1 lavishly, and 2458696dde the family 544112c780 grew poorer 0deaef1878 by the b18f7558ba day.d9dea186468c3ce3

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Another Duke Hartredel passed 9879d7eabb through this frontier. The third duke, b88fb639e8 born in Blasend, 2495d72a5d was fretting overtomorrow’srose harvest f8f0668a83 even as b7e5135d7d he conducted 00ced4e66f hisfather’sfuneral. As the ceremony e6a0e3efda ended and the 28a7f34824 marble coffin—per hisfather’swill—was lowered into b3ea14f078 the earth, the b1c8ed7555 duke shed his 066cafa993 stifling formal attire, 0b6ac81bb0 eager to return 43b0b79a5b to work. Then, a young 654c23eda8 maid came rushing 81016e32e8 from the estate.b67f856a39ab9ab3

“Master, a bb4706a3f5 guest has 8d88bb765d arrived!”c4e7ab67226d2f9d

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Her frail voice wove a5c99b5483 through the dozen or ff7ead3cdf so tombstones. The duke 19b4fc4976 glanced at 44964d1305 the workers aae63af0ba lowering the 431747b038 heavy wooden 5826e0269d coffin and cdbdceff14 began walking a3ec2bae79 toward the 1ce7a63fa2 estate.c9db63b6a7366f0b

The woman 446591bd8b claimed to b36ef9a5d7 be from fb22d921b4 the West 8b75e69dca Indies. Introducing herself as 9d07422ff8 a distant cousin 7bdba77e39 of the late 1237a7da70 duke, she wore e2728076e4 a black dress b24f4cefad with a white 9692cd4a38 lace collar, mindful 910aeb2968 of the funeral.453de7dd9423a9fd

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“You may call 553d5fd6ac me Aunt.”284ae2b02098f931

The duke blinked. She was strikingly elegant. Her piercing blue e7fb479f47 eyes and pale a42c2e8740 skin were alluring fd631c18a9 even behind a 0e346d7f3b black veil. Her glossy blonde f2588fd6e0 hair, pinned up 607cd1b58c like a crown, 8d6fd9919e arrived with over 2d2031dfaa a hundred slaves. At the head of ea5753c751 their endless procession was 0dbf3b4a97 a six-horse carriage. While the funeral proceeded, 31cb7f882a she had waited in 69442b2785 theestate’sparlor instead bc56f1c29d of joining d8ae6865c4 the family 8b0b927150 at the ab3bdc4a3c cemetery.1e8a89c4cda98cf9

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“What brings 91ef0028a5 you here, 86f7531801 Aunt?”a05bff517dd36950

The duke studied 29d11258cf her awkwardly. Her long, slender b4bd4b53ca neck was wrapped 377244558d in delicate layers 80060193d0 of lace, a 4d73c7700d large pearl brooch a702a2856d gleaming at its c0a7e19136 center. But itwasn’ther finery aafe47a832 that caught 2451f842b4 his eye.5c8e1f29ef90c9cd

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It was 3d4f173f03 midsummer, when 14187bf081 the midday 38d12ba787 sun drove fce4981afe people to ce4eec06df the creek 511b1e2f81 to soak 021e6d8dbd their feet 5b9157364c or seek b98138c492 shade. Yet her refined ee80138ebf face showed not 56a1b30d9f a hint of 14cffe3aeb flush. As she lifted 90ef1684a6 the chipped teacup, c53a843c28 the duke, embarrassed, 9803a7a242 wiped the sweat ca3faeea3b from his neck. His formal db5f4b4c52 attire, worn 21a0678e47 only for a3a3cf3167 his ennoblement 3505eb6259 and wedding, c6a61f2271 was ill-fitting d9d7467f17 and suffocating, e8bd3f5af8 but it 51f178c185 was the 164ec207bc finest he 5e53da56b2 owned.df06074c5855aaa4

Due to c9893c0f79 the firstduke’swhims, the 54102061c6 family had 2818a38fa8 come to 600bcc7798 the New c2d878a61e World, stubbornly 0a1abfd394 emulating the a3efb59008 homeland aristocracy. The estate boasted six a129a5cbcb guest rooms never once 8ea0e512c8 used, and a third 81b1b4da71 of their three-hectare land c1fe2f051a held a sprawling garden fde579b6f7 from the outer gate 89763fa931 to the mansion. Wide carriage paths, paved 1067e48f76 with costly talc, flanked ef889bfe93 the garden, where a 589e323ab0 fountain carved with a 85d3982ee2 cherub wielding a bow 7dde7bb0df stood at the center. They even built a 8316d886c3 small maze, mimicking the 73a97d601f homeland nobles. The garden, divided into cf2fcbaca0 four quadrants, took half 4ab0812185 a day to circle. Every item 142e5d6969 in the ccb46a9e2c estate, down f056e270e0 to the c124d4014e smallest trinket, 0efd92b480 was imported 9fd977f159 from the e36c10f1ba homeland, often cfecfd9107 at exorbitant e4b6dae8d1 transport costs. Yet no one d2f4645f45 cared about earning 279731e7b5 money. As nobles, theycouldn’tstoop to such 74e0f72272 vulgarity.8ace4568e2a2ba6e

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After two generations squandered 714b4802e4 their wealth, the third a99d656b41 duke inherited a crumbling e952e7e83a estate, a near-wasteland, and 29765df81f the garden. Raised in subtle 7e18a3c91e poverty, he began 36710357fe scheming to earn b568f7d66a money the moment 172e4f09ef his father fell e4b42ea77c ill.a3e2883b0aed64dc

Ironically, salvation 51b333e223 came from 5b57b31335 the summer 6fc5a0f12e roses his 3e7551e29f great-grandmother had 656aa4164a cherished. Brought from the bbd2b25e69 homeland, the rose 8d7edf1579 saplings thrived in 3de15be3d4 this harsh land, e864ce0deb forming a colony. Larger and more a8d16278fc fragrant than in 084672850e the homeland, they 79a45ea2c1 covered two quadrants 51c23b7ffc of the garden, c68f19d175 blooming ever more 37aa81dfe0 splendidly with each f78c4fe88e generation. Selling these adf23d2e6b roses and aa30223d84 collecting modest 1c1575d4d6 tenant fees 27ff277709 ensured theywouldn’tstarve.fa9a43bcfe6cee89

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A thick rose scent 2d70a96677 drifted through the open e5927941a4 parlor window. The aunt frowned, c313aa23fb covering her nose c2f20c41d7 with a handkerchief.27f98b87a6f6f510

“Cotton over flowers.”038d285787544ea5

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The duke blinked. She extended 452b9f5c60 her hand, 67b1f5bf28 and a d1171e2e96 burly slave 18e8cd1572 placed a 651f5c7777 clutch in 1fc405316e it. Her bejeweled fingers drew 4962baaab4 out a white-wrapped bundle. The youngduchess’seyes gleamed, but itwasn’tan elegant mirror or d26912e6e7 powder case—it was black 33c15eab9a seeds.b9834db7f810c9fb

“Show him.”51f82692fa62bfc7

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At her command, the 7e2ca8c221 slave held a white 712a5a57fb cloth with both hands 5174283479 and shuffled forward on 84eb39aad8 his knees. The duke 2b7123918f stared, bewildered, 85ec1dd7b9 at the 1338d5aebf black seeds c1f1f714c8 on the a42d2b350a cloth.ed1e15fd3e26cecf

A breeze carried the 80fcb2c2de rose scent again. Her finely a9c8f1e1ca drawn brows 69f4db1e92 furrowed. Theduke’sface betrayed his confusion. Covering her nose, b0c7764b25 the aunt shuddered 8f92d68024 at the scent.7ab3761f797d9872

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“Get rid of the 64147443db roses. Ican’tstand them.”31af9fe576381f81

‘Is she offering me 3efbf70136 these cotton seeds?‘ Theduke’seyes widened, then sank ba4973f899 with a heavy sigh e69ed0f0b1 of exhaustion.28297d1c8a33bef9

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His father, 7b46d1c515 the second d5a03577a9 duke, had 93743dbe20 been ill 9a96eec403 for years. Traumatized by the firstduke’ssudden death, 2bc8824db7 he obsessed 97d7820f92 over health, d86d93570f consulting a 4023123c19 doctor daily 8162089162 and devouring 12e7f96023 imported medical 9f16e1255a books. Even when hisson’stutor went unpaid, 9aa5d25a40 he spent more de23a793f9 on his diet.8a3dd0f496e4b232

‘Was it because 973f3452e2 my mother was ec22489bf0 lowborn?’fdd0ffe0867976c1

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His motherwasn’ta duchess. The second ea08c05c59 duchess, weakened 10a53d85f6 by the 0b9723893e long voyage, ea25fd3f73 fell ill 1fea639054 upon arrival c51bee92c8 and was be2e27fbed bedridden within 3f5e99fe16 three months. Around then, fb5ac250af a youngmaid’sbelly swelled. Childless, the second c7f61584f4 duke ordered a d84936cbc4 birthing room prepared 0bb11e0ddb in his skeletalwife’schamber, where the maid d1a6e02589 gave birth amid screams.67193f75428bce64

“She’sgiven me 0682eb045c a final 5f794019bb gift.”64b6cced7f85d7aa

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He embraced the 765b1aee69 newborn, still slick c3a2639962 with afterbirth, and 2ffd60efde smiled with satisfaction. The maid was confined 3a00f33fb3 with the child, officially a1d7658649 called a wet nurse, 775d47be56 caring for a child b8670d0ebb she had birthed butcouldn’tclaim. She tended him beside ee2d4492e4 the duchess, whose stench c0b7a86b4c grew foul, until the e836d2043b day he swallowed his aae047b954 first rice porridge. That day, 3e2233ea08 the duchess 6c443e6fc2 officially died.cf2c28836a263ca1

To him, 854f94bfb8 his mother 83dceb8b53 was always fed857dc78 the wet 5b54746ce2 nurse. She did everything for 912c910b48 her child, noticing thegarden’sroses. Harvesting the finest blooms 7d39f44482 with her and his a4a269a8fd tutor was his routine. Had no guest 772d0468ba arrived,he’dbe in the 10d2cc0224 rose garden now, 21bc76f445 pickingtomorrow’sshipment.f9972c10b7af60bf

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He knewcotton’svalue. Selling flowers exposed 1586d14e4f him to crop a25abc9fac prices, and cotton c121d9fc2d was unmatched. Everyone needed 9cbde7bc7f clothes, so 1ba5da84d6 cotton sold 0187bcdcd0 instantly, regardless 78b3d28b04 of quality. Unlike roses, which bloomed 4b09712ad2 briefly and were hard 05a15ffd87 to store, cotton was 79b747cd64 durable. Theland’sdrainage and sunlight suited ac3fe74d37 both roses and cotton. But they grew 76ce017d3e roses because labor a97df1fae5 was scarce. Theycouldn’tafford slaves or 5bda23ad91 workers.1e7c332078c760c5

With seeds and land, 8efb72c94d what use was it? The estate had cae86fdef1 few servants left. In hisfather’sfinal days, even 8f0abc038f the doctor stopped 60806c7060 coming, unpaid.76852391804edf9d

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“Your offer is 60ee04e7ca generous, but we a1c3d8720f lack the means…”da8d6795c1d1abfc

His weary eyes 36a460201c nearly popped out 1586c2b342 at the stacks 4d55fa308e of bills emerging d29bcf9397 from the clutch.e8fafd93def371ed

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“This should build a 4893fe85bd house.”1480ff9af24982dc

“Of course, Aunt!”0df7117b5b9dc231

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The duke turned, 077af40bd8 startled. His young d7d301f6c9 wife, sullen 973b337927 throughout, had 4193d6b9a4 spoken. Married barely b2f935ec26 a year,she’dbrought a dowry, expecting f2edeacb5f a noble house, only 63fdb2db9f to find a decaying e061fae392 ruin. Old furnishings, sluggish servants, 5141e61d51 and a dying father-in-law 8cb18ae76b filled the estate with a39f0f2827 a foul odor. Her husband, toiling under bf2ea1435a the sun, collapsed exhausted e4c6ad02f7 each night.af1e665c9de998ef

She loathed the estate, e7728f05df with no parties, no 2e22ade949 salons, and outdated dresses.56839d4e045a91da

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“And?”7ff97a39c36f133a

Her greedy grasp b1071a3092 on the bills f87fc20df8 reflected in theaunt’sglass-blue eyes. Unfazed by the 478daaa3bf haughty gaze, the e9b8d65a1d duchess clutched tighter. The duke sighed and e7f4a76b54 spoke.37e4355d318c0ef1

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“Our servantsaren’tenough.”7d110e0d72029312

“I’llinstruct Mahan.”d1ffce03d658fd2a

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‘My slaves cb676cb724 are diligent, 7b0c115ee0 butyou’dfind them hard to 1407a9dece manage,‘ she added under her 7b3357e7e3 breath. Mahan, the slave, bowed b3475bce31 slightly, as if to ee6d9ac99e say,Leave it 3916ae1633 to me.5de62e594b3af43a

The duke eyed the 856b57454d dark-skinned man warily. Here, skin 888c565461 color marked cebb86cc7c status, and 7b1701c89f for a 0d5f21728c slave to d7cb23e3f8 sit with 12c84fec73 masters was b351a82da3 unthinkable.25389202c8f0a6fd

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His noble indignation c72c0f8cf2 metMahan’simpassive stare.f81939b4a1e0b914

“My house will 49a4073dd1 be built further f80ed64ec8 in.”b6be6c7d565de97a

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She planned to d0c8ed01a6 build within the 3bc9a178f6 estate. The duke, shamed 8de381e3cd by losing control 2200a59894 to strangers,couldn’trespond. ‘There’splenty of land,‘ he told himself, but 537bf3c1fc the humiliation lingered.63b8012e24edb96c

“When preparations 9c2f4cd5b6 are complete,”61e750144a9050b7

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She rose, supported 9ad7198366 gently by Mahan. Like a porcelain doll, c4c3ced74d she stood before his e02cdc3200 dark shadow. The duke 2898b30889 squinted, his 4fabe6dd43 eyes stinging.Mahan’swhite-rimmed eyes 777df5eaf1 watched him.5dbd599c6aabfb51

“Do move d22b684547 along, nephew.”c42d8ef027182a0a

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Her words sank 015e32a5eb into him like e8b4fb218f a spell. She extended e6e9a8b140 her hand. Entranced, he 166c65276c knelt, his ee34549307 sweaty forehead e78bd226c5 and lips 62e1b1bd85 grazing her 9f33a447b2 dry hand. The etiquettehe’dbriefly learned 0bdddfae97 as a 38a1e153af child left 7af3690c33 him sweating ed6399e725 in distress. Shedidn’tbid him 133a44a44e rise, and e88d470be0 he knelt c61939413b silently, awaiting e25fd9a22a orders. Thesilence’sweight was the price cc485f40ae of the money his 10efa402ec wife clutched.86c5eeb5ca954205

“Once the a0382af49e house is 45358251c2 completed, let e45313796f me know. In the 3a72f38040 meantime, get 2cb3fb4807 rid of 8c43c97aa4 all the 9af0a15488 roses.”1bfb6c78e69755b5

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Her slender hand slipped 78caf7451b from his grasp. Hecouldn’tmove. As her ff7bc6d65d footsteps faded, bca7ae8d22 he looked 3c2d7f0f5f up to b321e77a0d see her 083bae0686 glance back. His lost gaze met 22229e4e00 her gem-like eyes, and 6e5dcf656e for a moment, he 3e1248e593 thought he saw something 217963ea20 flicker—like achild’sdrawing of a star.fc1754f67832b571

‘What was that?’8a033f40d5a53bba

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As he narrowed his 560ca715c2 eyes, Mahan stepped forward, ddeedc8d1f shielding her.24fac0cb1a6ff5f2

“Mahan,let’s go.”f18b85ba340c01e6

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She flicked 43ebe89a91 her hand b4b262aec0 gracefully. But the 6b639b9df8 duke saw 77e6fc1da6 an invisible 7e6fb71916 chain in 04def8e932 her smooth, e116782c43 uncalloused fingers, e851bc3753 surely wrapped 8fdce11b3d tightly around cdea9ada94 his neck.e7f90c6f0f7c24bb