The (almost) Last Duchess

Opening my eyes, I saw a beautiful night sky with stars glimpsing down at me. It was a warm and tender summer night I thought as I turned my head and looked up the hill, spotting my husband’s mansion. Soft, warm lights were floating out of the windows lightening up the lawn. Had I been sleepwalking since I was laying this peculiar place in the middle of the night? There was no need to worry over such trifles and I set a slow pace towards the mansion. As I reached the door, someone opened it from inside. My husband, the duke, was looking at me with eyes shining. I smiled at him excusing myself while explaining the situation, he stepped aside and I went in. After he had closed the door, he turned around and made his way towards the library, passing me like I was air. Why on earth did he ignore me like that? And why was he even dressed while I apparently had been asleep? Offended, I made my way to the stairs and into my bedroom. We had been sleeping separately for months now, as he had denied me to share his bed. Audrey, one of my maids, was in the room tidying it up. I found it peculiar for her to be here at this late hour, therefore I asked her what her intentions for being here was. No answer. I repeated my question in a less friendly tone, still no answer. Annoyed I leaped at her grabbing her arm, or at least that was my intention - my hand slipped right through her arm. What was this! A dream? I tried again with the same result. Startled, I raised my hand and discovered that it was pale and almost not visible. Horrified, I went to the mirror and I could hardly believe what I saw. Starring back at me was... Nothing! The shock hit me hard, and it took me what seemed like several minutes to break out of this trance-like state. While pacing the floor, I decided that this matter needed investigation.

Downstairs, my husband was now sitting in front of the fireplace in his big comfortable chair, reading a book and acting like nothing had happened. I made sure he could not hear me or detect me in any other way before I sat down in front of him to observe his actions. Hours went by and he had been sleeping most of the time, yet I did not dare letting him out of sight – I was determined to see his reaction to my disappearance. When the breakfast was arranged in the room behind him, he woke up. As if nothing had happened, he sat down devouring the food, as usual. A slight knock on the door, and Audrey entered. The duchess have gone missing, she has not been here since yesterday afternoon. I watched his reaction closely... Not a hint of surprise.

For days I followed his every movement, waiting for some kind of information. Suddenly, visitors started coming by. They were acting strangely interested in the duke and his mansion. It did not take me long to figure out why. Apparently, he was looking for a new duchess to replace me! As the final deal was being sealed between my husband and the father of a young girl, a promise was to be made. ‘You see the passion in this painting?’ he asked the man, this was what led to the sudden death oh my former duchess. The passion for young lovers is dangerous, and it is the reason my new wife must be accompanied by two maids at all times. We cannot have her ending up missing as my former duchess. Enraged by his false accusations, I ran outside, finding myself standing in front of a pile of dirt in the garden. Horrified, I discovered that this was the exact same place I woke up weeks ago. It was my unholy and nameless grave.