“Your Grace, have you heard of the art of tasseography?” Sophia asked, looking at the cup of tea in the Duke’s hands.
“Do you mean when they read the tea leaves to tell you about your future?” The Duke’s tone was amused. “I must say that I do not have much faith in the occult.”
“Neither do I, but I believe it is a fun practice to pass the time,” Sophia replied.
Duncan gulped down the remainder of his tea and put the emptied cup in front of Sophia.
“Well, then, Miss fortune teller,” he smirked, “go ahead. Tell me what the future holds for me.”
Sophia begrudgingly took hold of the cup and began examining the trail of leaves at the bottom of it.
“I would not call myself an expert, but I can make some guesses,” she said, turning the cup to move it into better lighting. “The leaves have formed the shape of a… well, it looks like a heart.”
“A heart, you say?”
“Indeed. Perhaps that means that some changes in your romantic life are to follow,” she suggested.
“Well, I did get married recently. I am sure you must have noticed,” he teased.
“Oh, did you?”
“Go on then. Tell me what else it says.”
“Well, for one thing, it says that you must treat your wife with the utmost love and care.” Sophia was simply making things up now, but she was having so much fun that she did not care how ridiculous her fortunes sounded.
“I plan on doing that already.” The Duke’s tone was firm.
“And it says that you must not spend so much time away from your wife, for she might miss you when you are gone.”
Sophia surprised herself with how forward she was being, but the Duke was reacting favorably, so she decided to keep up her act.
“And what does it say about how I feel?” the Duke questioned. “It is quite possible that I miss my wife just as much when I am away from her as she misses me.”
“Well, it tells me nothing of the sort.” Sophia set down the cup back on the table. “I will have to hear it from you.”
“Today at the meeting, I thought about you and wanted it to end as soon as possible,” the Duke admitted, “so that I could return home and spend some time with you.”
“Tall claims, Your Grace.”
“They are as tall as they are true,” he replied earnestly.
“I am curious about one thing, and I must ask you it.” Sophia leaned over towards him. “Do you believe in fate?”
“Fate?” Duncan asked. “You mean to say the idea that everything is predetermined?”
“Written well before you are born,” Sophia agreed.
“Hmm…” The Duke took a moment to ponder. “I cannot say that the idea has held much weight for me thus far. I have always been a firm believer that we make our own destiny.”
“I am not surprised that you hold this opinion, for you have always been one who takes the reins of life in your own hands,” Sophia replied.
“So, you have managed to figure out that part of my personality well. You are correct in your assumption. I believe that the ideaof fate is often used an excuse by those who do not wish to take responsibility for their lives,” he said.
“Well, I agree with you…” Sophia trailed.
“But?”
“But only partially,” Sophia confessed. “What has transpired in my life in these last few weeks, I can only chalk it down to fate.”
