The Devil Is The Duke

Emeera woke up that morning with an excitement she had not felt in weeks because for the first time, the service agency that recruited her finally had a job for her. Emeera's flat mate, Nancy, was at the dining table, already awake and writing the article she had started the night before.

“Good morning, Emeera,” Nancy said with the softest voice. Emeera always thought Nancy’s voice sounded like soft rain.

“Good morning Nancy,” Emeera answered as she walked into the kitchen. She poured their favourite Arabian tea into two cups and took one to Nancy who was still in her nightdress. Nancy removed her glasses and slowly wiped her eyes as though to get rid of her fatigue.

“Thanks my darling,” she cooed. It reminded Emeera strongly of an older aunt. Nancy growing up around a lot of grown-ups made her exhibit their mannerisms.

“I asked what you are doing today,” Emeera asked again as she sat at the table.

“Babe!” Nancy drew out the word as she wore her glasses again. “I was invited for the book launch in honour of His Grace, Alfred, our Duke of Savoy duchy. My family is going but I’m not interested in all these old people's gatherings and boring biographies…”

“But Nancy you must come. I was just called by my agency last night to wait tables there as one of the girls they had arranged has the flu.”

“That’s great news. Congratulations Emee. I told you they’ll call one day. I wish I could come with you but unfortunately or fortunately, I have better things to do than watch these so called nobles coo over a book some ghostwriter wrote for the duke.”

“Are these things really boring?” Emeera asked.

“Last time I attended a Duke’s function, it took all day and went into the night. Boring speeches and old titled men trying to lobby favours. But my cousin said the last time was different. You know this Duke is young and modern. He schooled in the US.” Nancy knew all about that world.

“Oh wow. Nancy please you have to come with me,” Emeera begged till Nancy agreed.

At the party, Nancy went to greet some family friends while Emeera arranged sets of champagne flutes in her tray to serve arriving guests at the door. Just as a woman in a green dress picked one, Nancy went over to Emeera and took a glass. “Babe how’s it going?” She asked after taking a sip. Before Emeera could answer, another couple entered. A tall woman in a silver beaded dress and her date in blue velvet tuxedo. They were talking passionately about something. Emeera recognized the woman as Kate — a movie star, hence, decided to be extra polite. As the couple came close to the girls, Emeera excitedly greeted the woman but as Kate turned to answer, she missed her footing and smashed facedown, tumbling Emeera’s tray with the glasses. The wrecking of the glasses brought the hall to a silent halt. Many people rushed to the scene, from the head usher to the cleaner with a mop. Kate struggled to her feet with the assistance of her date. As she straightened, her dress which was pressed by one of her stilettos, tore loudly and Kate gasped. She turned to Emeera who was already ruining her mascara with tears.

“You fool! You little fool. You deserve to be fired! You did that on purpose,” Kate fumed. Nancy wanted to ask what exactly Emeera did as all she did wrong was greet Kate but she knew that outburst would only make Emeera's position worse.

“No, I did not,” Emeera answered, but the head waitress apologized to Kate who went away rapping words in Italian. The head waitress dragged Emeera to the waitresses' room, berating her all the way.

“How could you be so careless Emeera? You should have told the agency you were butterfingered in your application letter.”

“I am sorry.” Emeera’s eyes were down. A tear started pushing against her eyelashes. “I am very sorry.” The worst part was knowing she did nothing wrong yet her job was jeopardized.

“This is the Duke’s party. And that lady you embarrassed is not just anyone but the Hollywood star: Kate De Luca. I’m sorry but apologies cannot fix this one. You have done enough damage for one night. You have to remove your uniform and leave quietly,” the older woman said, her grey eyes ice-cold.

Emeera slowly unzipped her dress, praying every second that the head waitress would see her trembling lips and forgive her. But the woman’s eyes were set. The dress fell to the floor, leaving her in just her brassiere and panties. The head waitress looked away. Emeera tried her last attempt. “It was not my fault I swear.”

“Everyone wants to see that our agency did something. If nobody is punished for a Tarantino custom dress getting ruined, we will suffer for it. So you may not be at fault but you can no longer work for us.”

“But you can work for me,” a man said. Emeera turned sharply to see nobody else but the Duke of Savoy. Her skin burned where he looked at her. She dived for her uniform and pulled it over her body. The older woman scampered in front to shield Emeera’s body from the Duke’s gaze.

“Your Grace, we… we… were not expecting you,” she stuttered, her former self-assuredness was gone.

“I know. But it is my party. I made some enquiries from people who actually witnessed the infamous fall. Turns out that Ms. De Luca's accident was not caused in anyway by this waitress. I can understand you sacking her as people can be very feebleminded. Fortunately, I am not one of those, and since I desperately need a capable house manager…,” he let his voice trail off with his eyes twinkling. He took out a card from his breast pocket and dropped on the table. “Call me,” he said and left.

All the way back to her flat, Emeera was in a daze. Nothing that happened that night made sense to her. But she could not wait to tell Nancy.

Nancy came back the next morning and the moment she had her tea, Emeera gave her the gist. Her eyes popped as Emeera talked about the Duke offering her a job.

“Can you even believe it?”

“I’m amazed. I mean, I gave him an eyewitness account of what happened. But still, he offered a job? I’m surprised.”

“And he saw me naked,” Emeera said. Nancy’s teacup fell on the rug.

“Oh now I understand. He is a libertine. Through and through. Trust me, you don’t want to be involved with the Duke. He has slept with all your high society women from duchesses to actresses to the rest of them. Trust me, if he gave you a job because he saw you naked, it only means one thing: he will sleep with you and when he tires of you, he will relieve you of the job. No explanations.”

After that conversation, Emeera weighed her options. She needed a job fast. Nancy was a great friend who kindly accommodated her but since Emeera got her certifications in hospitality, she was yet to earn money from them. After her trainings, she had applied to many places but never received a positive response. Managing a Duke’s estate was an experience any of her old classmates would kill to have. Especially Dorothy. Dorothy with the bad attitude that was covered by fake niceness. She could see the envy in Dorothy's face if she heard Emeera was managing the estate. The next day, after Nancy had gone to work, Emeera dialed the number. It was one of the few times she enjoyed the luxury of living with a girl who had a telephone at home.

“Hello, you have reached the Duke of Savoy’s residence…” a voice said. Emeera knew then a new chapter in her life had begun.