Chapter 88: All Grown Up

When he returned home to Hannover, Victor was made aware of a troubling situation by the officer in charge of the French Imperial Guard stationed to protect his family. Each member had a few specifically assigned guards attached to them. The remainder patrolled the palace in shifts.

Two months before Victor's arrival. one of the patrolling guards who was on the night shift noticed a hooded man who was wearing fine clothes sneak into the palace after hopping the fence. The fence was at least 2 and a half feet tall while the man was barely 2 feet tall.

Alarmed by the sudden appearance of an intruder multiple guards who had come across the man swiftly arrested him and would in due time prepare to interrogate him. But before they could escort the man to the dungeons, Veronica came rushing out of the palace begging for the man to be let go. 

The guards were not budging as Veronica had not provided any logical reason as to why he should be released. The officer of the guards looked at them in contemplation, it was odd for the sister of the Grand Duke to go out of her way and beg for an intruder to be set free.

Being inquisitive the guard officer asked, "What is your relationship with this man, Lady Veronica?" Her cheeks went bright red and her body language was typical of someone who would be nervous. The intruder who was on his knees beside Veronica held her hand to comfort her.

Gaining the confidence to reply Veronica replied, "He is my lover!" The guards' expressions all went to despair. Openly admitting to having improper relations with a man that no one knew was ludicrous. What was worse was that they had no idea how long this had been going on for. Many of the guards dreaded the thought of telling their lord of his sister's disgraceful actions. 

At the behest of Veronica, they let the man go. No one dared to defy her but they could not at the same time let their love continue. Although she was 22 years old and could be considered an adult, she was still a member of high nobility. What she was doing was jeopardising the prestige of the Luxenberg family.

So a few days after Victor's return, they alerted him to his sister's affair. Victor was furious to say the least, his fist trembling and eye twitching. Veronica may be considered a woman but to Victor, she was still the baby sister he loved dearly. He planned to marry her to some noble who could properly provide her with the life befitting her station.

Storming across the palace, Victor confronted his sister. "Are you insane! What the hell have you been doing while I have been away at war?! To think you were capable of such filthy actions. Your reputation, our family's prestige, and our standing in high society were all put at risk due to your actions?"

"What if you had been caught by people who were not fiercely loyal to me? The men who apprehended him say you publicly announced that he was your lover, do you want to tarnish the Luxenberg name?! Who is this man that you would throw all that I have worked for into the dirt for?"

Veronica was shocked, she had never experienced her brother this furious. Tears welled in her eyes as she began to formulate a response in her head. Her breathing was erratic, she was trying to get the words out of her mouth but struggled due to her nervousness.

When she could finally speak she said, "His name is Jacque. He is a corporal in the Hannover garrison. I love him and I shall his child!" Victor almost had a heart attack on the spot. At the news of a child, he felt all the blood drain from his body. Veronica may have succeeded where many had failed in killing Victor.

"Child?! You are pregnant?! You have got to be kidding me. What young noble would want to marry you now? Single-handedly you have ruined your chances at a secure future. What do you even plan on doing about the baby? My head is spinning I think I need to sit down," Victor shouted.

Victor's mind raced trying to play out every possible scenario that could happen because of this incident. In many of them, Veronica would run away, be ridiculed by nobles, and most of the time she would grow to despise Victor.

Veronica rushed to her brother's side, "I am sorry, dear brother. I want to have Jacque's child I love him the same way you love Clarisse. If needed, I would strip my own status as a noble and live quietly in the countryside with him. It does not matter my status or my way of living, all I need is him."

Hearing her gush about Jacque infuriated Victor, but he also felt confused. He did not know what to do. As much as he wanted to kill him, it was a given that Veronica would hate him for life. Victor knew that Veronica would be serious enough to run away with Jacque if she was left with no choice.

Before Victor could make any decision he had to meet the man. "I will not make any decision just yet, dear sister. Please summon Jacque to the palace, I would like to meet the man who had the nerve to impregnate my sister. No harm will befall him, I only wish to talk."

Worried but willing, Veronica was escorted out of the palace with a detachment of Victor's elite guard to bring back Jacque. She left the palace in a carriage and travelled to the port. Jacque lived in a small house nearby that was left to him by his deceased mother, she was a former singer and musician until she got cancer.

Once Veronica and her guards arrived at his home, Jacque was startled by the appearance of a dozen Luxenberg elite soldiers. He thought they were there to escort him to the dungeons or execute him.

Veronica calmly explained the situation to Jacque and he readily accepted what he needed to do. He was promptly escorted to the palace and brought before Victor.