"My lady, you shouldn't delay your studies any further ,"
" Oh quit your nagging Crawford, I'll study when I feel like it "
Adele muttered as she looked out of her bedroom window.
It was the year 1961 when it was finally legal for a lady to become the heiress of the family. Using this new law to their advantage, the Grafton family with no sons, deemed their oldest daughter as the next duchess of Grafton. However there seemed to be ... a little flaw in this plan.
" I despise this. For I'm the oldest I have to be the next heir? This new law is absolutely ridiculous. All I wanted to do is live my life in peace at the duchy and now your telling me I'm to be made the next duchess? How preposterous! " Adele grumbled as she slammed her book shut and shooed off her butler, Crawford.
Adele, the oldest daughter of the Grafton family was raised with love and care, yet that seemed to have turned her into a lazy and ignorant childe sheltered from the real world .
" I need to think of a way to get out of this situation...there has to be a way...there will be." She muttered to herself as she paced back and forth,her thoughts flowing like the wind through her mind.
" I should talk to Father about this and make him rethink his decision," she thought as she set off search for him.
"Father!" Adele yelled as she barged into his office.
"Yes my dear?" Duke Grafton said with a soft smile on his face.
" Can't you find a pupil to become your heir and let him take over the duchy? Why did you have to choose me?! You know I'm not suited for this responsibility,"
"Sweetheart, you know I've been over this before. It is because of that said responsibility that I chose you for this role. You need to learn how to be a leader and take care of something important. I believe that through this journey of becoming a heiress will you learn how to be a leader and take responsibility for your actions."
Adele marched out of the room infuriated.
"He never listens to me. Responsibility this responsibility that why do I have to do this?! Why me?!" she cried out.
"My lady your next lesson is starting soon," Crawford said as he bowed.
Just then , an idea came to Adele's mind.
"...fine, I'll attend the lesson" she said with a smirk on her face
"I'll perform so badly that even father wouldnt want to make me heir!"
"What the...why are we here?!" Adele exclaimed in shock.
Standing Infront of the carriage outside the manor, Adele looked towards Crawford , dumbfounded.
"My lady, the duke has created a special lesson plan for you today. We will be heading into the village territory that is part of the duchy" he replied in a calm manner.
" O-ok..." She stuttered
" Will my plan still go as planned...?" She wondered as she headed into the carriage.
Upon arriving at the village, Adele noticed that there were many unattended children running around on the street in nothing but rags.
"Hey..Crawford. Why are there so many kids wearing nothing but small pieces of cloth with no adults attending to them?... Are they perhaps...-"
"You are correct my lady, these children are orphans" he replied
A frown quickly crept onto Adele's face.
"Orphans huh...? Poor things...I wish there was something I could do for them..." She muttered.
"My lady please feels free to walk around the village" Crawford said.
"Huh? Aren't I here for a lesson what do you mean by that?"
" Your lesson has already begun. Your task is to inspect the village and see what it lacks"
Crawford states.
"Lacks..? What kind of -" Adele hesitates as she remembers seeing the state the orphans were in.
"I think.. I understand" she says with determination
Without hesitation she walked up to the kids sitting at the corner of a dark alleyway.
"Here , why don't I help you find an orphanage to live in little ones?"
Crawford smiled from afar
"Duke Grafton...you were right"