The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Victoria didn’t understand why Damien knocked on the door at first, but panic soon filled her body when Rosalie stepped out of the chamber.

"We are almost done. Victoria? Cole? How did you two find us?" Rosalie asked as she stepped further out of the chamber.

"They found us," Damien corrected Rosalie.

Damien slipped into the chamber to care for Eloise in Rosalie’s place.

Rosalie watched Damien, then turned her attention back to the pair. "How did you know we were here? I had been searching for Cole, and I didn’t know you had arrived."

Rosalie then noticed the direction they were coming from. "Where did you two go?"

"I was searching for you and came across Victoria. A man was troubling her, so I sent him away. She needed a moment away from the ball, so I escorted her out. I thought it was what you would have wanted," Cole explained.

Cole moved to stand beside Rosalie. "Where did you go?"

"I didn’t go anywhere. You were the one to leave my side when I spoke to my father. Victoria, I am sorry about what happened. We should report that man to the knights," Rosalie suggested.

"No. It only brings attention to it, and I don’t want to be known as the lady who was harassed at the ball. You must let it go and not speak of it to anyone. Promise me," Victoria pleaded.

"I did not think of how it could affect you. I will not speak a word of it to anyone, but you should let me tell my father. He could deal with the man in secret," Rosalie suggested.

"Cole helped send him off with a good warning. I believe the man was drunk, so he wasn’t in full control of his actions. He was already warned, and I am ready to move on. I thank Cole for being there at the right time, or who knows what could have happened," Victoria said, avoiding Rosalie’s gaze.

Rosalie left Cole’s side to approach Victoria for an embrace. "You will get through this. One way or another, that man will pay for what he made you feel. I am happy to see that you are well."

Victoria hugged Rosalie and glared at Cole, since he was the one who had put her in this position.

Victoria wanted to enjoy the ball, but Cole had approached her and whisked her away so they could speak in private.

Rosalie stepped away from Victoria and examined her appearance. "I will need to help tidy you once Lady Hawthorne is done. A lady spilt wine onto her beautiful dress. If there were wine nearby, I would have thrown it at the clumsy fool."

"Calm yourself, Rosalie. It is a ball, not a sparring match," said Cole.

Rosalie turned to face Cole, ready to share her plans to fight, but then she noticed his lips.

It was faint, but Cole’s lips were stained.

"Why is it that colour?" Rosalie wondered, instinctively touching her lips. She had kissed Cole many times throughout the night, but the colour on his lips didn’t match her own.

Rosalie shook her head, deciding it was the lack of light where they stood.

"Is Lady Hawthorne well? That explains why Lord Hawthorne was in a foul mood," said Victoria.

"Yes. I helped to wet the dress a little and squeeze out a bit of the wine. Fortunately, the dark colour will make it hard for anyone to see the wine. Victoria," Rosalie said, an awful feeling coming over her. "Did that man try to kiss you?"

"What? Oh," Victoria remembered the tale. "He did try, but Cole came just in time. I would have died if his lips had touched my own. If you do not mind, I don’t want to speak too much on the matter."

"I’m sorry. It was careless of me to bring it up again," Rosalie apologised.

Rosalie touched her forehead, believing there was something wrong with her for having bad thoughts about the two people she trusted most.

"Are you well?" Cole asked, drawing closer to Rosalie. "Do you feel ill?"

"I am well. It is just so much happening in one night," Rosalie softly spoke.

"The palace knights and town guards are coming," Victoria said, being the first one to notice. "Your father is with them."

Rosalie looked up.

Already, she was struggling with the thoughts she had about the people beside her, but seeing her father and all the knights scared her.

Why couldn’t she have one simple night?

"Mr Presley, we need to have a word with you," a town guard requested.

"Of course," Cole replied, moving to follow the guards.

"Father," Rosalie said, seeking an explanation.

"Not now, Rosalie. Allow me to find out more."

Rosalie watched as Cole walked with the town’s guards and palace knights. Instead of following the group, Rosalie knocked on the chamber door to get Damien’s attention.

"Her dress is fixed. Thank you, but we no longer need your help," Damien said, making way for Eloise to exit.

"Enough about the dress. The town guards have taken Cole to speak to him, as well as my father. Can you join them?" Rosalie pleaded.

"No. I am not family, so they will not share the news with me. You must be patient and wait for someone to inform you," Damien answered.

Damien already had his troubles with the guards, so to intervene now would only create trouble instead of helping.

Victoria stared at Damien, curious if he had got over seeing her and Cole together. It bothered her that Damien had knocked on the door to bring Rosalie out of the chamber.

What Damien did wasn’t innocent at all, but would Damien share his assumptions with Rosalie?

Damien wasn’t the kind of man to get involved in others’ affairs.

Victoria could only hope that everyone would move on from what had occurred that night. It was best for everyone.

Rosalie waited, but she was impatient. "Why would the town guards need to speak to us? Why would the town guards come to us in the middle of the ball? Do you think someone was injured, or is there trouble at our home?"

Damien didn’t offer any guesses as Cole promptly returned.

Cole hesitated to speak because of Eloise and Damien’s presence, but then decided to get it out. "We must leave to answer the town guards’ questions. A young woman was found dead, and upon asking around, she was revealed to be one of our old maids. Faye is her name."

Victoria’s eyes widened. "Faye?" she whispered, a knot forming in her stomach as she stared at Cole.