Contradiction 0

The Hartredel 9aa2e6965f family was ea6087cceb among the 25c1b12e44 first noble c99cac67d7 houses to 10ef348101 cross over 9d112f442e from Europe. Their history was a9dc7cb357 long, but within 5e40518a09 that sprawling lineage, 1871d6e75b they had long f748f2f2a0 since lost their 4158654c95 luster, reduced to f1a241b1c1 an old, faded aa9585782b name. In a barren 995009b8e7 port city, they 851e9cd0dd lived little better 2f2eb4101d than commoners until 900f483512 the dawn of b798761555 a new era—maritime 0b68b8bf56 trade—brought them staggering e338a5aed0 wealth almost overnight. As the crumbs 3acfa54046 of their former 687da28584 glory gleamed in 31ce2b3c35 this newfound fortune, 265f262fba the then-Duke Hartredel 62860b15ed made a momentous a8592c5780 decision.26ae9f7f2d2174ca

The entire Hartredel fca6693ad3 clan crossed the f9bdac2319 sea to theNew World¹. Money could solve 826db0ab1f most problems, but 85c95a5ce8 not all. A shabby house might 68c68e7d65 transform into a grand 569656fd5b estate, staffed with dozens 52cedcf773 of maids and footmen, 7b22d0e513 and a butler in dea7dbee42 a dashing swallowtail suit, 355b611ccc yet the Hartredels could dad74b38c5 never ascend to the 929ab069de central aristocracy. They remained, 01d6b9b54b at best, 09ea588a16 provincial upstarts. The pride of d5f92fdb5f Duke Hartredel, weathered bd66dddb1e by centuries of b18db091f6 indignity, could no cc32bdf1c0 longer tolerate such edfab77d6f treatment. To reclaim 3338c1b3ee their glory 308ae4e6b1 and forge 53fa165d32 a new 8c2a4c4970 history, he ede8e734bb turned his e21c84150d gaze beyond 80380405c6 the homeland. It was an age d1a4356bbf when the New World 3e61c5116d was hailed as a cbe19c4114 land of opportunity.7b34a830c7c24810

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But the noble be4f9fde60 family, arriving with 8b872a75bc lofty dreams after 47158fa249 a perilous journey, 5e13451597 was stunned by d466f1bf13 a reality far 4ac7f7402d different from their 191501adc0 expectations.ba8ae7f9aae0dbce

The vast landthey’dhastily purchased at 4a2ffaed4c a bargain was 6884f47d5f a desolate wasteland, 5c47fddd21 a fullday’sride from the ffb3a697f6 port with nothing 3f413b8b96 to offer. In crude terms,they’dbeen swindled in a 2027970964 real estate scam. The locals 8d89940dc2 were neither 5142c8f89c as docile bfeb4629bb as thehomeland’sslaves nor as skilled 284eecaf2c laborers. The first Duke Hartredel 20e92c9221 succumbed to a local 76248b60c4 disease before the grandestate’scompletion. His son, inheriting aebd6327f3 the dukedom at 6b5f058c87 barely twenty, was fc951c7ce1 born during thefamily’speak and 727883737f educated in 7dc0bba50a the city 2b52495f47 but had e7a4d54cbb no talent c7df3a7398 for farming. With no ca4cd8b8e2 one to 94a1c287d6 tend it, 1bbab82fc9 the sprawling 56185ed6b8 land teemed 3a9606b5d2 with wild a139115a08 animals. Leasing parts of it 2a99d4cbfc to nearby residents for 5b5b406805 free was a desperate 3d4461a6ad move, but it proved 9b32f8c21b wise.26c2ec73f851881e

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The locals, initially 7b1103c37e hostile and prone 29b3209637 to idleness, softened 9c4fe3d127 as sturdy homes dc08e9bc0f rose. A village formed, 1b2eeeecc6 and the howling 84d617e7d5 wilderness was tamed 57b2e78220 into fields. The estate became 7312967349 the heart of 1b2a11ab88 a burgeoning community f6841c51ec in no time.922e12a0005d2fe5

But that 77cc071400 was the 868ab6b2f1 extent of ce2e11d0ce it. The meager 263d947539 tenant fees 8d67329f1f from the 6b59091666 fledgling settlement 0875d856d5 were pitiful. Still, the second 49bfe938da Duke Hartredel clung 0616c65480 to hisfather’slegacy. To uphold noble f41c79bda8 dignity, he spent 1e98488526 lavishly, and the 44a0e76409 family grew poorer d8d081205a by the day.0ce389a84feb5445

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Another Duke Hartredel f9b3298324 passed through this 6bc23c6bb5 frontier. The third duke, born b3af3a5829 in Blasend, was fretting a699b0e892 overtomorrow’srose harvest even as f3e6b22e60 he conducted hisfather’sfuneral. As the ceremony a9ab16953b ended and the 91884b81ac marble coffin—per hisfather’swill—was lowered into bf6b914645 the earth, the ea8e679df8 duke shed his 03c1d85365 stifling formal attire, 74a07008b5 eager to return 0af2e2ece0 to work. Then, a young d4d38ae219 maid came rushing 9725a7219f from the estate.be52e207cc487a3b

“Master, a guest 80ff0604e8 has arrived!”9670aef0ef43a9e7

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Her frail voice wove 170479ea73 through the dozen or 259f829d67 so tombstones. The duke glanced at 2f0cf6244d the workers lowering the 8b64a4717c heavy wooden coffin and 4b0e85498e began walking toward the a91a4c346b estate.7976dadee7971ab3

The woman claimed f4772c513e to be from 63ed443e36 the West Indies. Introducing herself 43ea25cda1 as a d5d2abbc98 distant cousin 730d1cb140 of the c518178f41 late duke, 6daa2f035f she wore 86324d5c2c a black 654cf88848 dress with ecd95a8eea a white 37d2ee9b69 lace collar, a503595706 mindful of 5c5e1542e0 the funeral.31448354bc8a0b3c

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“You may 2d01ff56ec call me 1c0e8d75b9 Aunt.”4de487a0dd284de4

The duke blinked. She was 650444d6f4 strikingly elegant. Her piercing blue 375a4b3b26 eyes and pale e5f64e9fbe skin were alluring fb7b2402bb even behind a 7f8c451c63 black veil. Her glossy 7b469aea8f blonde hair, 207f3797cb pinned up bde6ba4b31 like a 4d835e0af4 crown, arrived 93a56ca7a1 with over 8ac1817d79 a hundred 4dd50c0635 slaves. At the 2452e2b6df head of 1b0ba8b617 their endless c53c7b7af8 procession was b8d7ac8f69 a six-horse 8fbc8f0b8e carriage. While the funeral proceeded, 81fbebfefd she had waited in 0c696a7cc6 theestate’sparlor instead ec99e14d30 of joining bd2a67aea7 the family 6b4fa4f702 at the d0d756627d cemetery.251616307356a0ca

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“What brings d21680af13 you here, 03d8fdfa65 Aunt?”288332479894a2dc

The duke studied her 1b14086e29 awkwardly. Her long, 76337d549e slender neck b51225db69 was wrapped bbe41f03f2 in delicate 9a578c49cf layers of 0ccfdbdfca lace, a dee2eafe7d large pearl fd95957837 brooch gleaming ebbf8a43ed at its 3c0a9fe6ce center. But itwasn’ther finery that 1888f06be4 caught his eye.0f6586fd5188a76b

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It was midsummer, when ea61803bd6 the midday sun drove 9a83a5df86 people to the creek fec7a00d00 to soak their feet 4e4718f4a5 or seek shade. Yet her a136d814b9 refined face 1a62075e7b showed not 7caedafb38 a hint e725a53567 of flush. As she lifted the 697fa98cc8 chipped teacup, the duke, 08f1bf8ee2 embarrassed, wiped the sweat efdef0bf62 from his neck. His formal 714921c8c9 attire, worn 32c1f63b12 only for 1048e79a29 his ennoblement 32408114e6 and wedding, 97ade01dd9 was ill-fitting 4bbe2231ac and suffocating, 4bead71b93 but it f1ee160f44 was the c9a92f6a94 finest he 9f6f886d20 owned.af86328b3a427d90

Due to the firstduke’swhims, the family a5a38a4e4a had come to c37e22bf16 the New World, c07e3916d3 stubbornly emulating the cbf069c3c3 homeland aristocracy. The estate boasted 275fae6117 six guest rooms f5edff1659 never once used, d215a69828 and a third 4256335f74 of their three-hectare 1f0cc552e4 land held a 6b58157088 sprawling garden from 00043929ce the outer gate 3789ecc4cc to the mansion. Wide carriage paths, 27fcd11f99 paved with costly 6d1786bc74 talc, flanked the 31acba426f garden, where a a3a215f188 fountain carved with 214f35a97b a cherub wielding 254da36a75 a bow stood a2f21519ab at the center. They even 81d141eb0e built a 4fee71c106 small maze, c30010e654 mimicking the a448d63ae9 homeland nobles. The garden, divided 57a17bb841 into four quadrants, 4c25dd1684 took half a f3e296c6bd day to circle. Every item f28adce52d in the e3660bb830 estate, down d7c58fddc0 to the de194a895d smallest trinket, cc91274574 was imported 6fcb020f03 from the cb0225b3fc homeland, often 536b92da34 at exorbitant 0578daa598 transport costs. Yet no one cared e95ac93373 about earning money. As nobles, theycouldn’tstoop to a9c71ac56b such vulgarity.89e9cb9e7e5fa032

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After two 69999a663c generations squandered 2f13ab19ea their wealth, 147c13bbce the third d5f843f640 duke inherited 510eeae158 a crumbling de175e185e estate, a f197afa46d near-wasteland, and 9dbc965001 the garden. Raised in 27b9f1a2e6 subtle poverty, 9bb5a793e7 he began 8348822307 scheming to 5467a65439 earn money 2e54bf9866 the moment 04de6e5504 his father 8bd54549f3 fell ill.19e992b280b7732a

Ironically, salvation came from bb50c63ccd the summer roses his 7675e5b154 great-grandmother had cherished. Brought from the 9f03b1a21a homeland, the rose c7e9977d98 saplings thrived in 1b47125fe2 this harsh land, be16485ae5 forming a colony. Larger and more fragrant 0c931bb3e7 than in the homeland, 90210c4964 they covered two quadrants 898c2aeb20 of the garden, blooming 416f767e1a ever more splendidly with 3ad078dd89 each generation. Selling these 1bf83a2171 roses and 64391b499e collecting modest 7727953be0 tenant fees d4e5a3285b ensured theywouldn’tstarve.b985b8cc447ce5f8

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A thick rose scent 96a6b8a3d7 drifted through the open 5a5131d986 parlor window. The aunt frowned, covering d741e986a4 her nose with a c4df3298c8 handkerchief.8e92f0f2203e4d38

“Cotton over flowers.”0bbdc99d55282e8b

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The duke blinked. She extended 0134674e89 her hand, 3f42550c4f and a 1215a3f7c9 burly slave 736ffc89a6 placed a e39be76a79 clutch in ed59b9098c it. Her bejeweled 9bbb8569c7 fingers drew 913f302789 out a fa4a92da1a white-wrapped bundle. The youngduchess’seyes gleamed, but 63d4546e4e itwasn’tan elegant mirror or 7581d996be powder case—it was black 1b42672735 seeds.dca0e81a588f5386

“Show him.”06baac67ed832bf7

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At her command, 66eb593036 the slave held 4ed5454d1f a white cloth e1fe6c6768 with both hands 7cba59df9a and shuffled forward fde13a2eab on his knees. The duke stared, bewildered, 5c6027b03e at the black seeds 0bc039ed49 on the cloth.78338e873e04984e

A breeze carried 1925538dc1 the rose scent 1f7b615b6c again. Her finely drawn e32fcc1fc5 brows furrowed. Theduke’sface betrayed his confusion. Covering her nose, the 030986b421 aunt shuddered at the 69e0676b87 scent.42fcc24a3f1b623d

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“Get rid of the 4edceda710 roses. Ican’tstand them.”daa3270a959080bb

‘Is she offering a311498774 me these cotton a8fe9d5661 seeds?‘ Theduke’seyes widened, then b4aee1061d sank with a 6a3c0a36de heavy sigh of 5b288f2dbb exhaustion.009fa05bafe2e68e

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His father, 9e3c5a214e the second 526c84c9ab duke, had 43176d3ec1 been ill 55e0bc53b8 for years. Traumatized by the firstduke’ssudden death, he obsessed 4e1a90dc4f over health, consulting a 9a8bc388b1 doctor daily and devouring 087f806f16 imported medical books. Even when hisson’stutor went unpaid, he a054a4799d spent more on his 67f28422f1 diet.ffbb6d834c314abd

‘Was it cbc2b1c8e8 because my 6aa6aa6051 mother was e20f9f4825 lowborn?’781189a3e61e4f56

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His motherwasn’ta duchess. The second duchess, f1c443f944 weakened by the efd4290f83 long voyage, fell 23c21ff586 ill upon arrival 0792df79e6 and was bedridden 000228485b within three months. Around then, a 8fd712e92d youngmaid’sbelly swelled. Childless, the second 33710c2f83 duke ordered a 49538980b0 birthing room prepared 20a6ac33e9 in his skeletalwife’schamber, where the maid 5c8f8377ee gave birth amid screams.3dcca9ae78211a7a

“She’sgiven me a final acba80e38c gift.”be1cae33e106df8c

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He embraced the newborn, 9e3c8964b8 still slick with afterbirth, 4316a6aaf3 and smiled with satisfaction. The maid was confined ed06872f1a with the child, officially 2501a57ebc called a wet nurse, dfea9da28e caring for a child 400ce82581 she had birthed butcouldn’tclaim. She tended him beside 388e5f6552 the duchess, whose stench 271a496c16 grew foul, until the 1fb66fafbd day he swallowed his 6614de17f4 first rice porridge. That day, the duchess 559b5d0c08 officially died.0b13b718ac9f9f72

To him, his ed69c16db8 mother was always 2436116159 the wet nurse. She did 8acbb575c5 everything for 86bd7745f7 her child, 1bece02dc7 noticing thegarden’sroses. Harvesting the 124302fce0 finest blooms ceb18080f8 with her 22a2f94626 and his f69ee2571e tutor was a7eb9d3502 his routine. Had no guest arrived,he’dbe in f6bd33bd08 the rose 48fe2dcceb garden now, 214e47d8da pickingtomorrow’sshipment.2b66f981fa59c5cb

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He knewcotton’svalue. Selling flowers 9ecd71aec3 exposed him 9d44d03cc1 to crop 62ddd7cc07 prices, and 3f78ad9079 cotton was 56b9914036 unmatched. Everyone needed clothes, 8aecdab6c3 so cotton sold ce34775aa6 instantly, regardless of 63e3cc5d97 quality. Unlike roses, which bloomed db6f9a718d briefly and were hard 86e5e60bac to store, cotton was b6db464df8 durable. Theland’sdrainage and sunlight 60b521249f suited both roses b84c5e982c and cotton. But they grew roses c51b2e5dff because labor was scarce. Theycouldn’tafford slaves or 572165e266 workers.078641925556bdca

With seeds 86f7b6d877 and land, f213fc0743 what use 3fec760a4b was it? The estate had 0df9674d8d few servants left. In hisfather’sfinal days, even the c60f72d60c doctor stopped coming, unpaid.2ea1b1cf02fbff58

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“Your offer is 2144865f31 generous, but we f8480e6b64 lack the means…”33d102eca210c1b1

His weary eyes nearly 1436e6aa49 popped out at the 8630487886 stacks of bills emerging 357fd903b5 from the clutch.9898562eff55b88d

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“This should build cdf40636d5 a house.”d55571da8b3a9fef

“Of course, Aunt!”2600196c6f474153

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The duke ae71713e37 turned, startled. His young wife, sullen 349c0740f4 throughout, had spoken. Married barely a year,she’dbrought a 12d65e87d4 dowry, expecting 6139f118ae a noble 9456221eae house, only 6ceab6383e to find 6ededa5284 a decaying 80c3f42221 ruin. Old furnishings, sluggish servants, 030d5c8a78 and a dying father-in-law d75daf10a9 filled the estate with 65afbb2788 a foul odor. Her husband, 74d385d670 toiling under a4fc683f96 the sun, fb9312e364 collapsed exhausted ba85c09666 each night.dfcdbd6d21ec4312

She loathed the 4733c0bf0f estate, with no b99896891c parties, no salons, 0aa572b8fa and outdated dresses.042792e617b2e7f8

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“And?”2102c8cc1ff27229

Her greedy grasp on 778f2aafde the bills reflected in 91e73905e2 theaunt’sglass-blue eyes. Unfazed by the haughty 4a94a92d74 gaze, the duchess clutched 83c4ec13d5 tighter. The duke sighed and db4ec4ce16 spoke.a09a21f0bb641f26

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“Our servantsaren’tenough.”3e0908463f3d893e

“I’llinstruct Mahan.”a80a0c75422a3728

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‘My slaves are diligent, 51d7b58e12 butyou’dfind them hard to dc300d1378 manage,‘ she added under 477dc13a54 her breath. Mahan, the slave, e83a56bef4 bowed slightly, as b03893f144 if to say,Leave it to me.b0041a9943ed4ce7

The duke f242ff0e11 eyed the abe6b9055f dark-skinned man f35fab4e89 warily. Here, skin 2eb85b9d05 color marked a983e2c0bb status, and 5240c8c55c for a f38d4d4f1a slave to b6926aadb3 sit with 3789e06b89 masters was 15122cdc86 unthinkable.a95243ad4fcdb0b9

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His noble indignation metMahan’simpassive stare.b7cc676feef8c701

“My house will be 8192bfcddb built further in.”60d74fad96ecf874

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She planned to build f9f2ef1c25 within the estate. The duke, shamed 49f0611cf4 by losing control 8e8af4d173 to strangers,couldn’trespond. ‘There’splenty of land,‘ he told 3e4128dfd2 himself, but ad9281a1df the humiliation 85b3f4355d lingered.7bcba21fcbed551a

“When preparations 0926d9c7ef are complete,”698336315c5dd933

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She rose, supported 3f037a7237 gently by Mahan. Like a 69352584bf porcelain doll, 49087ba201 she stood c3d0323ee7 before his 0bd375ca85 dark shadow. The duke 83c927b02e squinted, his 3e850c9791 eyes stinging.Mahan’swhite-rimmed eyes 0c6aca3317 watched him.eda17fb288cf31c5

“Do move along, nephew.”08b9ecb3ac26726c

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Her words e29496532f sank into 4d458cd281 him like 640e0b4285 a spell. She extended her hand. Entranced, he knelt, ae444ace60 his sweaty forehead 10fb813a96 and lips grazing 2d42078efe her dry hand. The etiquettehe’dbriefly learned as a 1cb94b2af5 child left him sweating 02bf82e8e5 in distress. Shedidn’tbid him de6a813be6 rise, and 94e302d72f he knelt ab2cf1bfb6 silently, awaiting 95c2a0f484 orders. Thesilence’sweight was 8391067add the price 9b80f22b85 of the 84ca508857 money his 0ef8ff3f1c wife clutched.fc54c771d5fe4036

“Once the 1a325aad88 house is 32bfba0152 completed, let 8c0888b163 me know. In the meantime, get 02d11c1154 rid of all the 6f8b8f652c roses.”b532588f84e1446e

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Her slender hand slipped c394a45d52 from his grasp. Hecouldn’tmove. As her 4aa15002a3 footsteps faded, dc6738dd4e he looked bbd7080e25 up to d7a4c58db7 see her 0cd16c1777 glance back. His lost gaze 927ae17ffa met her gem-like 5a15a6d6fd eyes, and for 055b4c42cc a moment, he 32da3b5861 thought he saw 2510c5ac5c something flicker—like achild’sdrawing of bd33bd0f6d a star.ca24dd3aa17072c1

‘What was that?’6830855e6fd5c582

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As he da741d357c narrowed his 253693ca4d eyes, Mahan 6489b73fd8 stepped forward, be5da7f81b shielding her.d43633502e17cd10

“Mahan,let’s go.”e422cc2afc715065

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She flicked her hand b1c07a45f1 gracefully. But the duke saw 6ca45bc587 an invisible chain in 424d43edb6 her smooth, uncalloused fingers, 546758e746 surely wrapped tightly around 6a56c3f7fe his neck.81f10becd03c39ff