The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Kyle approached Damien wearing his most charming smile yet. "Can I speak to your husband in private, Eloise? But don’t go too far away. I might need you to save me."

"Then, excuse me," Eloise said, walking away to leave the two alone. She looked back at Damien to offer a thumbs-up.

Damien’s gaze moved from Eloise to Kyle. "What is it?"

Kyle cleared his throat. "In the morning, would you be so kind as to allow me to join you with your work? I think it is time that I hold some of the responsibility for managing the estate. It is fine if you want to say no. I won’t hold it against you."

"You can join me once breakfast has finished. Don’t be late, and don’t bring your usual antics around me," Damien answered.

Kyle’s mouth fell open as he couldn’t believe Damien was agreeing so easily. "You will let me join you? Just like that, without any complaints? Are you well? Perhaps you are long-lost Damien’s twin?"

Damien glared at Kyle.

If not for the love Damien bore for Eloise, he would not have endured Kyle’s lack of sense.

"I am allowing what you have asked. If you find it to be too much, you are welcome to go back to your usual carelessness. It wouldn’t surprise me if you become bored and want to go drink," Damien said, before walking away.

"I can do this. I can do the work that you do, and far better. I only choose to be carefree because you like to do the work yourself," Kyle argued.

"Oh," Damien stopped walking as Kyle intrigued him. He turned around, flashing a devious smile. "You can do it better? Then why not take the chance to do my job? From now until tomorrow night, I will let you hold all the responsibilities meant for me. Who knows, I just might learn from you."

"W-Wait," Kyle stuttered, not liking that Damien took his words seriously. "You mustn’t go so far, Damien. You are Lord Hawthorne. It would confuse the servants if you passed on all responsibilities to me."

"I will inform the butler and head maid that for one day, they will report to you. I will get to spend the day with my wife and take her around the town. You finally have some good use," Damien said, patting Kyle’s back. "Thank you."

Kyle groaned, unhappy to be left with more work than he signed up for, but he wasn’t going to lose to Eloise. He also wanted to prove Damien wrong, but Kyle wasn’t prepared to do all of Damien’s work.

Kyle placed his right hand to his mouth and started to bite his nails. "I need to send for Samuel in the morning," he muttered.

Meanwhile, Damien caught up to Eloise to walk with her.

"Tomorrow, I will take you for an outing around the town. You can get your dress for the ball then. I’m surprised that your plan has led to me having a day off," Damien shared, looking forward to a day of freedom.

Eloise frowned, puzzled by how it became this way. "A day off? You were to be at his side and let him help you. How did it become like this?"

"You are getting a day to be at my side and parade me around the town just as you wanted. You mustn’t fret and end up spoiling it. This is far better than your plans with him," Damien said, reaching for Eloise’s hand. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb to calm her.

"Forgive me, but I don’t think you should be so calm about leaving Kyle to do your work. What if we return to a portion of the estate on fire? Or, if he just lies around and no work is done? Why am I the only one who is concerned?" Eloise asked, bothered that Damien wasn’t concerned.

"You are not the only one concerned. Kyle didn’t expect me to take what he said seriously. There is a chance that seeing the work I do might straighten him out, or he will be bored and go back to his ways. I do not care," Damien said, solely interested in his time with Eloise.

"We will leave early in the morning so we can be done with your shopping before the town gets too crowded. Think only of the fun we will have," Damien said, yearning for her attention to be solely on him.

Eloise sighed.

She could only go along with the change of plans. "Very well," Eloise agreed. "But if Kyle creates a mess while we are away, remember that it wasn’t my part of the plan."

"Noted."

The next day, Eloise and Damien set off for the market, not giving Kyle time to back out of the plan.

Eloise sat on one side of the carriage, looking out the window. She tried not to meet Damien’s gaze as he found an interest in staring at her.

Eloise sighed. "Must you stare at me?"

"Would you prefer that I stare at another lady?" Damien asked, his gaze still fixed on Eloise. "You look lovely."

"You say this every day," Eloise replied, no longer flustered by the comment.

"Because you look lovely every day," said Damien.

Eloise finally acknowledged Damien, just as he wanted. He was even more handsome with the sunlight shining on him.

How could one man be so handsome?

"You can also tell me that I am handsome," Damien said, reading Eloise’s thoughts.

"I can’t tell if you’re cocky or just a good bit of confidence," Eloise said.

"I have mirrors around the estate, and see the faces of the men around the town. I am, in fact, handsome, and you are quite fortunate. You have my parents to thank for it," Damien said, also thanking Eloise’s parents for his view.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The men you think are not handsome are handsome to someone else. It is the same with the ladies," said Eloise.

"That is true. It also helps that half the town is blind. When they can finally afford to get spectacles, a lot of marriages end," Damien said jokingly. "Should we test it today? Should we help a few couples to see better?"

"Damien, I am not going to join you to ruin anyone’s marriage," Eloise said, worried for the people they might encounter.

"It wouldn’t be ruining a marriage. It would be saving it before it gets too far along. You are quite easy to tease, Eloise. I am going to enjoy this day," Damien said, looking forward to toying with Eloise.

"I am starting to regret making a bet with Kyle because I am now stuck with you. I think I shall stay close to Aiden," Eloise decided.

"You are setting him up to be a dead man walking."