Contradiction 0

The Hartredel family a59c05b206 was among the 32f5285cca first noble houses 59ed34359a to cross over 313c507393 from Europe. Their history 7aba49d17e was long, f576f1cbca but within 4e6729c958 that sprawling 0deb50712b lineage, they d9ae631b2a had long b6ea871b67 since lost 608c37f2a9 their luster, 45b0e7e58b reduced to e96bebc753 an old, 002a7bb0ae faded name. In a c165e71f67 barren port 590951fb84 city, they 74a6372af2 lived little a07fb1ee5a better than ffc310d8ba commoners until c6db3e607c the dawn eb57308b69 of a 2f8f6a12eb new era—maritime 798b894ebf trade—brought them 89f188b341 staggering wealth 821f635fcf almost overnight. As the crumbs ae53f20b6a of their former ca82854cc5 glory gleamed in 1865738ae2 this newfound fortune, cdae9326e6 the then-Duke Hartredel cd83c5ac5e made a momentous 6f5808f811 decision.a2b73c5135de726d

The entire Hartredel clan 66478a8ed9 crossed the sea to 64b013bc41 theNew World¹. Money could solve dada99ba3a most problems, but 746c8744f8 not all. A shabby 194728fff7 house might 017374e126 transform into c795279e43 a grand 9f5d73f883 estate, staffed 0262622314 with dozens 16aba9e739 of maids 89f9bf9fec and footmen, f15c6f0ad6 and a c1bce139e9 butler in 380d40d52a a dashing 85696925f1 swallowtail suit, fbbaf10a28 yet the c8d4dd5f11 Hartredels could 42734f9099 never ascend 94351215a1 to the d90d064eda central aristocracy. They remained, at best, 2a68b5b95c provincial upstarts. The pride of Duke 082650661f Hartredel, weathered by centuries 4e0b74295e of indignity, could no e9828e276f longer tolerate such treatment. To reclaim their 5a9dabb432 glory and forge fb65cd13c5 a new history, 593fb5c470 he turned his 51a1913bbc gaze beyond the 396c3c2fa4 homeland. It was an age ac324a90bb when the New World 3f1d8f9aee was hailed as a 4311bd3ce6 land of opportunity.c84e93dfaa74b642

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But the noble efa6fedf3a family, arriving with adee537137 lofty dreams after 551dcd8348 a perilous journey, 17fde8586b was stunned by d6c72ad170 a reality far 9ab7b371e0 different from their 929d9b734c expectations.dbfaa910f0e55109

The vast landthey’dhastily purchased at fee79ea5c9 a bargain was fc938afa0b a desolate wasteland, 78a7ef1fb0 a fullday’sride from the 6d106a00e7 port with nothing 5edf8478d3 to offer. In crude terms,they’dbeen swindled in 725eae4c62 a real estate da388a74e9 scam. The locals 5832a044d1 were neither d5f7a7644e as docile 12e97c9783 as thehomeland’sslaves nor ef42583276 as skilled 03bded6713 laborers. The first Duke 9dd9c857fc Hartredel succumbed to cb34f2763f a local disease 7a84461f6a before the grandestate’scompletion. His son, 5a24d3f5f0 inheriting the c444ca8386 dukedom at 22540bdd6f barely twenty, 39c3e4b4ea was born 841df0e9f4 during thefamily’speak and educated 87d2c0e758 in the city 96befcdd97 but had no 66b69fd2ec talent for farming. With no one e8ad2932e7 to tend it, 899efb83df the sprawling land 1a3aaf414d teemed with wild c72d5a43fe animals. Leasing parts of it 7dcfe63e06 to nearby residents for d54d899a0e free was a desperate 745b2182f4 move, but it proved 0ad7850e51 wise.c00df237e31d04ae

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The locals, 98536476bd initially hostile 28c57bbeb1 and prone e0e0d92261 to idleness, a975561ee6 softened as 47c888d2b3 sturdy homes ddf8245883 rose. A village formed, and 4209e15253 the howling wilderness was 1c13b10557 tamed into fields. The estate became b4264439d4 the heart of 517749ee36 a burgeoning community 3d3e52fa97 in no time.87c7d6897e9d3cdc

But that was 99c1f70b7c the extent of 92bf273aa4 it. The meager a025cbd600 tenant fees 2f7b2453db from the 249486e339 fledgling settlement 7aea0e3975 were pitiful. Still, the second 17886133ca Duke Hartredel clung ba3f658f2a to hisfather’slegacy. To uphold noble 204aa3bf6f dignity, he spent cdf332e8a0 lavishly, and the 791a7eadb2 family grew poorer c68ca62616 by the day.9dec0c71fb7eefcd

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Another Duke 7082806c98 Hartredel passed ab6f480983 through this 39582f2638 frontier. The third duke, 2536c0f14f born in Blasend, af0cd06a73 was fretting overtomorrow’srose harvest even d60213e2b4 as he conducted f3a77a2418 hisfather’sfuneral. As the ceremony ended 9421f9ddf2 and the marble coffin—per dd032fd60d hisfather’swill—was lowered into the 965da146f8 earth, the duke shed d7535eacce his stifling formal attire, 41b2da7f53 eager to return to 9d73f8dfd4 work. Then, a young maid c6dd31cccb came rushing from the f0d92d1c89 estate.df3e82ce5dce28ec

“Master, a guest has fd674b0fea arrived!”ec847027ba358eb4

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Her frail voice wove 2621ed10ce through the dozen or 48bc32c7be so tombstones. The duke glanced 915bffc90e at the workers 436d8481c1 lowering the heavy 47d57765f4 wooden coffin and d3fcaa4a88 began walking toward d577ff3a91 the estate.4c3b8bb909bd2ff3

The woman claimed ebfebf9423 to be from 994be32bb0 the West Indies. Introducing herself d703343414 as a 20e7b32083 distant cousin dd4320e397 of the 6fea5983a8 late duke, 3219c7ff27 she wore dec029c8fb a black 6d0a624ba2 dress with b9e3daa734 a white 3e293f8f27 lace collar, f03999c9da mindful of 052ab991e6 the funeral.1cf083a5eec0cbbb

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“You may 3d23d3c28c call me 7ec9c2bc23 Aunt.”9db79e0989f7b591

The duke blinked. She was strikingly 52ed681244 elegant. Her piercing blue eyes 2183ce283b and pale skin were f97bd0fc2b alluring even behind a 2ef2c149dd black veil. Her glossy blonde 55e2c56a7a hair, pinned up 566852925c like a crown, 0585c737ed arrived with over 41fbdb44f5 a hundred slaves. At the head of a561faf6a4 their endless procession was bc2bb262ac a six-horse carriage. While the 1faaee979c funeral proceeded, 6417632d6d she had 546ed38574 waited in 1008b8b74c theestate’sparlor instead of joining b92bd2ec85 the family at the 9705f528d4 cemetery.c865bfcd1a507a57

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“What brings you 7fd78bee2c here, Aunt?”d207dc20a37017de

The duke studied her 89828ef2a8 awkwardly. Her long, b497e66189 slender neck 82079b9720 was wrapped eea3d77192 in delicate 999f5888f0 layers of 3e328263b7 lace, a bcf8482974 large pearl d3c1068f48 brooch gleaming 584024ad7b at its 6f82809abb center. But itwasn’ther finery af0c73d6d1 that caught 9949cb31ae his eye.af3b6abc6257ecd4

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It was a586c76071 midsummer, when fff4d76f8f the midday 3494f46944 sun drove 3e0d335fc1 people to 650f288c89 the creek 45652a8a2e to soak 6a759ecce9 their feet 42986853ba or seek 18842f8afa shade. Yet her refined 43909c8976 face showed not ef67a8b2e1 a hint of 552264f337 flush. As she e3c81f3215 lifted the 9a8443ea3b chipped teacup, 16b6363e4d the duke, c105811d28 embarrassed, wiped df7f110cfa the sweat 2f95e21c58 from his af1c1231a1 neck. His formal attire, worn f948dedd2a only for his ennoblement 507577b65b and wedding, was ill-fitting 37ec3a271f and suffocating, but it 09f0fde325 was the finest he 395cd35101 owned.502395495ce5bcfc

Due to 16e4a138a6 the firstduke’swhims, the family 1ec0e2a800 had come to 43d7417a5e the New World, 84b9a7b490 stubbornly emulating the 0db25c3fcc homeland aristocracy. The estate boasted six 80c1f9a364 guest rooms never once 9c23b0ba6a used, and a third 6ad01016f5 of their three-hectare land 5e5836813d held a sprawling garden 9d1f4d6cc8 from the outer gate 5c172736e4 to the mansion. Wide carriage paths, d1d60b9257 paved with costly 5b2279f127 talc, flanked the c4e17b8aef garden, where a e5f93f576d fountain carved with bd0847d827 a cherub wielding 242d840a78 a bow stood a007693ee5 at the center. They even 03c06d3c15 built a 725e93cb50 small maze, 89a6ca574f mimicking the 1128d94a40 homeland nobles. The garden, divided bc1e2c92c3 into four quadrants, aeb2d9ef84 took half a 6541629e87 day to circle. Every item in the fd31ada069 estate, down to the 3d7ae2a25b smallest trinket, was imported 4a316bdbde from the homeland, often 6409a47dba at exorbitant transport costs. Yet no 7172b09378 one cared 42139f0af8 about earning 17e8ac415f money. As nobles, theycouldn’tstoop to such vulgarity.8abc6f3855a886f4

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After two generations d06f44c56d squandered their wealth, 6d3d6ff8d6 the third duke 0275267761 inherited a crumbling 80cb794e6d estate, a near-wasteland, 3e43e6cf05 and the garden. Raised in subtle 4c0ea083a8 poverty, he began 7a5f335773 scheming to earn 1390197683 money the moment 9e0f326269 his father fell cf32977375 ill.1f75fd5b16a16aeb

Ironically, salvation came from f94627a11f the summer roses his ea1fa43bdc great-grandmother had cherished. Brought from the homeland, 66465b343f the rose saplings thrived b6e368e19b in this harsh land, 7bd2fad1a5 forming a colony. Larger and b0e67a2a79 more fragrant 6b8be6d2c5 than in 564b6f9da5 the homeland, 308f4296bb they covered f9274b7aa6 two quadrants 3ef5056c96 of the 41cc51d656 garden, blooming 4b8c96d0cf ever more e823b7d008 splendidly with 4c27b19176 each generation. Selling these roses 65d2e358a0 and collecting modest 2d26ae4add tenant fees ensured 91b672d2f2 theywouldn’tstarve.4d383d440492448e

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A thick rose 5813e3b461 scent drifted through b3dd5af2c4 the open parlor 9d32829353 window. The aunt frowned, 690fd39061 covering her nose a3599d3f04 with a handkerchief.4158a9c43519eb2e

“Cotton over flowers.”6425adefe9d7394e

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The duke blinked. She extended 4ccb4cf47b her hand, dc6fa86795 and a e1d46c0196 burly slave 18d0351d31 placed a a4f9ff35f1 clutch in 458e306432 it. Her bejeweled 02c1f6b832 fingers drew c3f047c1b6 out a d29af736dd white-wrapped bundle. The youngduchess’seyes gleamed, but itwasn’tan elegant mirror c8fbaa3a09 or powder case—it 0692548c5e was black seeds.fb9aabeca1799bff

“Show him.”48b69f2c6351259f

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At her command, ebf9ab2009 the slave held 3c908f25ce a white cloth a657abd84f with both hands f2e4e6c825 and shuffled forward 55c65df648 on his knees. The duke 03d2576651 stared, bewildered, 8a9ab88f04 at the b3ae3b5222 black seeds 009d3fe5fd on the de00fd2185 cloth.567f6698befefe07

A breeze carried the fcc63379db rose scent again. Her finely drawn 5b33e45e89 brows furrowed. Theduke’sface betrayed 9ba77ce91c his confusion. Covering her f1d3d09d4f nose, the bbf081ef8f aunt shuddered 64d542edf2 at the b2979e50b4 scent.7ebeb0c34ab496bc

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“Get rid af791a92ef of the b24282b8f8 roses. Ican’tstand them.”8c1d9c9fb6dd0cee

‘Is she offering me c30993468c these cotton seeds?‘ Theduke’seyes widened, a2852d8c78 then sank fcf4c9c680 with a 89d4afca42 heavy sigh 98f174f11e of exhaustion.6fe5b6487f97ff9e

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His father, 0f6064bc30 the second 6838501d20 duke, had 96f669ea6c been ill 0661fd8ccd for years. Traumatized by d86d41e6a8 the firstduke’ssudden death, b19f9fbfa7 he obsessed bf7d0ba96f over health, e52ced6a16 consulting a 7803ecec2f doctor daily 1f0cd0715a and devouring b231dc760b imported medical cc825e51fd books. Even when hisson’stutor went unpaid, he d70951adf6 spent more on his 7472622330 diet.e653e90e61b2914b

‘Was it because my aeb909161d mother was lowborn?’a05757b393acc3e5

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His motherwasn’ta duchess. The second duchess, weakened 8b209aded3 by the long voyage, 3708519e04 fell ill upon arrival 961e817980 and was bedridden within b36c081701 three months. Around then, a 90653aca7c youngmaid’sbelly swelled. Childless, the second 7f5bb982c7 duke ordered a 16d0977dfd birthing room prepared 46da0767be in his skeletalwife’schamber, where the maid 6197fa4653 gave birth amid screams.2cdec4c57b09884e

“She’sgiven me f662758b8f a final 272987a7bc gift.”4f85d67fcd0b6596

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He embraced b4a7693ca1 the newborn, 774415e95a still slick 70567f1def with afterbirth, 7f850e5ecc and smiled 826325e3ed with satisfaction. The maid was confined 2baba8b548 with the child, officially 98b7fea4e8 called a wet nurse, 24a446cfcd caring for a child bafd79fb26 she had birthed butcouldn’tclaim. She tended him beside 8b4633a73a the duchess, whose stench de3179dabb grew foul, until the 867583cfb8 day he swallowed his 24447730d6 first rice porridge. That day, the duchess 20a36a931c officially died.0296b9365043d4c9

To him, his mother f9294fd154 was always the wet 7cae41d644 nurse. She did b60e0b845a everything for 5313f7d199 her child, 18ef2d4fd4 noticing thegarden’sroses. Harvesting the aff69d9b5b finest blooms 68cc7a9288 with her b66ba4acf0 and his b63d662881 tutor was f282d74f67 his routine. Had no guest arrived,he’dbe in the 65a2c4e117 rose garden now, f9d978927b pickingtomorrow’sshipment.fc49a345ad84b0cb

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He knewcotton’svalue. Selling flowers exposed 6b053da318 him to crop 399eed2e73 prices, and cotton a7d39c4f7c was unmatched. Everyone needed clothes, 5f21bb377f so cotton sold 465fd6e13e instantly, regardless of c1dd7368ef quality. Unlike roses, 828e7d10fd which bloomed bba3f6d9c9 briefly and 763e893331 were hard 7738ba984f to store, d74c5f011c cotton was 8308334fd3 durable. Theland’sdrainage and sunlight suited 3bc3aea50a both roses and cotton. But they grew 7485a65c21 roses because labor dc187c9ede was scarce. Theycouldn’tafford slaves or 8116bb2f15 workers.0afcf620c7715405

With seeds and 64176804b3 land, what use c6db6eefe8 was it? The estate 53135ef309 had few 9ab2f34c07 servants left. In hisfather’sfinal days, even 234deac30d the doctor stopped 61f1727d09 coming, unpaid.f2cb20cdb862d33c

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“Your offer is 9539b3fef1 generous, but we a940048af4 lack the means…”b598d4f874fad89b

His weary eyes 99744a592d nearly popped out a1c8dde06a at the stacks 8ccb788846 of bills emerging 9aa80c8c50 from the clutch.e86a7fc701f7e592

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“This should 75b01f20a0 build a 1dc4f061fa house.”cc3879f143ff5ab5

“Of course, Aunt!”25d23ef7417c49a2

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The duke turned, startled. His young wife, sullen d92c3a0567 throughout, had spoken. Married barely a year,she’dbrought a dowry, 52c44286f0 expecting a noble 0c4ce5e62f house, only to cf067b608d find a decaying f45fb677cb ruin. Old furnishings, b111b2126b sluggish servants, 9c27acc901 and a 7748011918 dying father-in-law 82f4ad7be9 filled the 8c96a6ce59 estate with a1e01abaae a foul dacd7cd1b5 odor. Her husband, toiling 16f8741153 under the sun, 49b5b98c38 collapsed exhausted each 71a16b0fea night.92aa16dabd7475a1

She loathed 8821ffab6e the estate, efd4201685 with no 4682d5eeda parties, no 04b79d295d salons, and 36fc9ba9c9 outdated dresses.d41c78cb928f57b0

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“And?”a7531928509123de

Her greedy grasp on 1647f3ad98 the bills reflected in 27af0a8560 theaunt’sglass-blue eyes. Unfazed by the 2db8cbe246 haughty gaze, the 4239327efb duchess clutched tighter. The duke sighed and e7bede2023 spoke.9b8d0d8ba47b1434

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“Our servantsaren’tenough.”de2975e629361aaa

“I’llinstruct Mahan.”62c0cee426aa8e53

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‘My slaves b145447fdd are diligent, 1fe461bc85 butyou’dfind them hard d42515363c to manage,‘ she added bd046bd111 under her 634a5814f2 breath. Mahan, the slave, bowed 4e59fa6d71 slightly, as if to 5810c18818 say,Leave it to 17316948fa me.f106d7066bc02f5c

The duke eyed 970d6d2905 the dark-skinned man 6224222040 warily. Here, skin color marked 5fa93de25e status, and for a 166d1dee70 slave to sit with 91011329c7 masters was unthinkable.a5d3a2c94b0e3a1a

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His noble indignation 1cc90997fa metMahan’simpassive stare.38342d3402c67af7

“My house 0ad8e8ca56 will be fdc377f37c built further 35a1c12425 in.”d68949f90e57cff8

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She planned to c2f10b4846 build within the c3b24a2ee8 estate. The duke, shamed 0810d956cf by losing control 42b2ad586f to strangers,couldn’trespond. ‘There’splenty of land,‘ he told himself, but 2953476cf0 the humiliation lingered.b290624d3d10eeb2

“When preparations are 408135b582 complete,”97b08840a4a8bf50

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She rose, supported 4a31c1ffea gently by Mahan. Like a 8f9804171f porcelain doll, 44d060c92f she stood 0f3b0f45e0 before his 0b0f7551f9 dark shadow. The duke 2a2ed26814 squinted, his f7152b8a85 eyes stinging.Mahan’swhite-rimmed eyes watched him.e5af43a22e3935ae

“Do move da90855eba along, nephew.”39f43f4b96961a04

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Her words sank aa283c4950 into him like 68b92a723b a spell. She extended her hand. Entranced, he 0e7cc247f2 knelt, his ae619d2f2e sweaty forehead 996e21622f and lips 52d49741e4 grazing her dba8a310d2 dry hand. The etiquettehe’dbriefly learned as ed4a90b6dc a child left 93a0b537eb him sweating in a05ade8389 distress. Shedidn’tbid him rise, and 8e745c4e79 he knelt silently, awaiting fecb6b5ba9 orders. Thesilence’sweight was the price cb06e1e131 of the money his 986735bcd1 wife clutched.6b734f55f4932497

“Once the house 312453a4df is completed, let f1454ff562 me know. In the meantime, f1bf52a151 get rid of ca71336a31 all the roses.”25d0d59c3b986703

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Her slender hand slipped f0bb6ea183 from his grasp. Hecouldn’tmove. As her footsteps faded, 475262b3f3 he looked up to 64ff1cfddf see her glance back. His lost e8b25e1239 gaze met 281950348a her gem-like 09478e556b eyes, and dbd733de4e for a 6ad0140319 moment, he 6b09653e6b thought he 10c09dc5f7 saw something a819f83961 flicker—like achild’sdrawing of a star.719c56fea2afe821

‘What was that?’d9cde35a35f979a2

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As he narrowed 6c1d8f044d his eyes, Mahan 5010e6ca28 stepped forward, shielding 0f0be35cb4 her.518760e5ab622c7a

“Mahan,let’s go.”16034e1bc9aaedc2

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She flicked 85ee1cb1b5 her hand 70d85292db gracefully. But the duke saw adda278878 an invisible chain in 46d6ffc99a her smooth, uncalloused fingers, 3597527944 surely wrapped tightly around af1c07b203 his neck.430b8cdba7f72c4f