To be perfectly fair, it wasn't just the duchess who was left dumbstruck by this news.
The people outside, who had honestly looked like fish after allegedly not listening to such an emotionally charged confrontation, were now staring at the abyss or each other in confusion.
Cece, for one, was concerned for her friends and these kids who might have bitten off more than they could chew as she thought about it from the perspective of someone who had just escaped a bad marriage.
Gisella, meanwhile, was no longer glaring at her brother.
She was now glowering at him with the weight of all their ancestors.
How on Solaris did he not mention such an important thing to them?!
Because surely. Surely someone knew about this, right?!
Nope.
But how could he tell them when he had no idea at all?
And it wasn't just him. All of them in the duchy, including Duke Leander, just thought they were in a relationship like any other youngster.
