The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

"Rosalie doesn’t want to face reality yet, but in time she will. It’s going to take some time for her to accept that there is trouble in her marriage. Fortunately, we are going out of town, so you will stay out of it," Damien said, not wanting Eloise in the midst.

"I would not ask about it until she comes to me for help. The affair is awful, but I am more concerned about Rosalie living with a murderer. Would Cole be so crazy as to harm her?" Eloise asked, nervous for Rosalie’s well-being.

"If he truly has lost his mind, yes. If he is wise, he will not harm her unless he wants the duke to kill him. The duke will kill him if he touches a single strand on Rosalie’s head, and he will kill him for having the affairs," Damien said with great certainty.

"I don’t understand why anyone does it. Why have an affair? Why not leave to save the other person from heartbreak? I know no one wants to go through a divorce, but still. Is it not better than having to step away from your marriage?" Eloise wondered.

Eloise stared at Damien.

"I hope you are not thinking about whether I would have an affair. I am not Cole," Damien said, reading Eloise’s thoughts.

"That is not what I was thinking. I wouldn’t have those thoughts and let them ruin my mind. I was only wondering if we could have a long marriage without any trouble. Without any fights," Eloise explained.

"Have you forgotten that you threatened to have me sleep in another bedchamber?"

"That is different. You know I cannot sleep in our bedchamber alone. It is too large, and I would feel lonely, so I would have to search for you. I mean big fights where we turn against each other. I don’t want that," Eloise said, hopeful they would stay as they were now.

"No marriage will ever go on without conflict, but I assure you that you never have to worry about me having an affair. I would never worry about you doing the same. We are not Rosalie and Cole," Damien reminded Eloise.

"I know. This trip out of town is needed more than ever. While I care for Rosalie, it is good for me to get out of town and be alone with you. Well, you and Jane," Eloise corrected herself.

"I am almost tempted to leave Jane with my aunt again," Damien considered.

"You cannot torture Jane, and we have already told her about joining us. She wasn’t excited at first, but now she has accepted coming along. It would be cruel to change plans after she has already packed," said Eloise.

"Jane might be with us, but I am certain she will not get in our way. We can spend time alone and a well-needed time with Jane. I apologise for having doubts about our marriage," Eloise said, knowing it was wrong. "We are not Cole and Rosalie," she agreed.

"Our marriage will work because we are honest, and neither one has a wandering eye."

"I know. I also noticed that you never liked Cole. Did you suspect before that he was having an affair?" Eloise wondered.

"Not with Victoria or that he was following through with it, but I noticed his gaze on other ladies. Cole is a man who likes to think he is far more important than Rosalie. He married the daughter of a duke, and sometimes wants her to feel small," Damien explained.

"So, he should know his place?" Eloise asked, realising this was how others viewed these marriages.

"It is more than that. He has a wife who accepts his low status and views them as an equal. He tries to stand too far above her. I see you as my equal and would never try to assert a dominant position over you," Damien clarified the difference. "Cole doesn’t want to be equal."

"I understand now. I also see why it would be more difficult for a man. In our marriage, I am Cole. I am expected to know that you hold more power, and I do not question it. For a man in that position, his ego would not allow him to stay silent," Eloise said, understanding Cole’s actions.

"Still, it isn’t right to try to pull her beneath him, or to disrespect the marriage with an affair. Cole is deserving of whatever comes to him once it is exposed. Seeing what others face, I am even more content with our marriage," Eloise said, relieved.

"You are somewhat of a simple man."

Damien raised his brow. "Somewhat?"

"You have the town guards on edge whenever they see you. That is not the work of a simple man. Don’t take it to heart. I still like you either way."

"Hmm, I’m offended, but I shall let you get away with it. Now rest," Damien said, nudging Eloise towards his shoulder.

Eloise chuckled. "We were not at the palace long enough for me to be tired. I only hope it was enough time for some of the ladies to be curious about my dress and for Beatrice to get customers."

"Considering the amount of money I paid for you and Jane’s dresses, if she doesn’t get other customers, she will be fine. Be careful, even with the dressmaker. Some people use you until they find themselves on good footing," Damien warned Eloise.

"I know. That is why I try to be careful about what is said in Beatrice’s presence. I want to keep our relationship strictly business until I know her better. You don’t have to worry about me gossiping with her," Eloise promised.

Though she wasn’t tired, Eloise closed her eyes. As she did, she felt Damien’s hand on her waist. She wanted to stay awake so Damien would not feel alone.

"When we return to town, we must stay in my childhood home and have dinner with Millie. She writes to me about how I am faring and about you. She hardly knows you, yet she adores you," Eloise shared, using her finger to draw a pattern on Damien’s hand as she spoke.

"Of course she does. It would be hard to hate a gentleman like me," Damien proudly spoke.

"She didn’t like you at first. In fact, she was concerned about us being married. The way you won her over was not by being a gentleman, but by helping me against my uncle. She feels that I am safest in your care," Eloise said, shattering Damien’s thought.

"Well, when I get him killed, she’s going to truly love me," Damien replied.

Eloise tapped Damien’s arm. "No speaking about death with me."