The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

After making all the headpieces they needed, the group returned to the manor to get dressed for the festival. Eloise offered Hannah a dress and got ready without help since the servants had the evening to themselves.

Eloise, Damien, and Jane climbed into the carriage again as night settled over the countryside and the festival began.

Since they had only one more day before they needed to return home, Eloise hoped the festival would be the perfect close to their time in the countryside.

Jane’s eyes were fixed on the window, wide at the sight of all the lanterns strung along the path. It amazed her that the countryside could look so magical after dark. She scanned the crowd for Odette, wanting to find her again.

"Odette’s family has a stall selling apple pies. We should stop there," Eloise said, aware that Jane was looking for her new friend.

"If you wish," Jane replied, moving her gaze from the window. "I was looking at the lanterns."

"They are beautiful," Eloise said, the glow from the lanterns dancing in her eyes. "They would look lovely in the estate’s garden."

Jane glanced at Damien, fairly certain he was already plotting to buy every last one. She wondered briefly if this was Eloise’s subtle way of prompting him to do exactly that.

Damien caught Jane’s gaze and held it. "What?"

"Nothing," Jane said, looking away with an innocent sigh.

Eloise’s attention dropped to the two headpieces resting in Jane’s lap. She found herself curious whether both were intended for Damien or whether someone else had caught Jane’s eye.

Eloise smiled to herself, imagining how Damien would respond to the latter. If a boy had Jane’s attention, the rumours would be the least of his concerns.

Eloise glanced down to where Damien’s hand had quietly found hers. She didn’t say anything and turned back to the scenery slipping past the window.

The carriage slowed to a stop where the crowd had grown too thick to continue. They all stepped out into the warm, lantern-lit evening and looked about for where to go first.

"Must I stay with the two of you all night? The girls I met today asked me to walk with them. I won’t go far," Jane said, unable to hide her excitement.

"You must take Silas and Gage with you," Damien replied.

Jane frowned. "Why must I take two guards? Shouldn’t two guards stay with you? You are the ones gathering all the attention."

"Do you want to spend the night at my side, or go and meet your friends? I won’t allow you to go unless you are properly protected. There is a large crowd, and we are still unfamiliar with this place. What will it be?" Damien asked, waiting.

Jane muttered something under her breath that no one could quite make out.

"What was that? Speak up," Damien said.

"I said I will take the two guards. I need to go and find the girls. May I leave now?" Jane asked, holding onto the headpieces handed to her by Aiden.

"You may. Silas, Gage," Damien called back to where the two stood. "Protect my sister and never lose sight of her. Don’t leave her side, regardless of what she tells you."

"Understood," Gage and Silas answered together.

Eloise watched the three of them disappear into the crowd. "I’m impressed. I thought with this crowd, you wouldn’t let her go at all. What has come over you?"

"She seems to have made a proper friend and won’t be sitting around talking about things that aren’t suitable for her age. She’s acting her age here, and she needs that. She doesn’t need to be walking around trying to be the perfect lady every moment of the day," Damien said, his eyes still following where Jane had gone.

"She does need it. I am a little concerned about when she has to say goodbye. It is never easy, but her new friends can write to the estate. Now, what mischief should we get ourselves into first?" Eloise asked, her gaze moving from Jane’s direction to the stalls around them.

"Where can we buy the lanterns?" Damien asked.

"I’m sure someone is selling them nearby. If you wait until the end of the night when the decorations come down, you might be able to get some for free," Eloise said, the ending her favourite part.

"Eloise, I can afford to buy them now, and you were the one who said we should give others some business. I will need to put in an order for them to be delivered to the manor before we leave. I may need to buy another carriage or a cart," Damien considered.

"Yes, you- Wait," Eloise said, realising what Damien had said. "Why would you need another carriage? How many do you intend to buy?"

"We would need plenty if we are to make the garden beautiful. Don’t you agree?"

"I thought you were only thinking of two or three. I won’t stop you, since it would be lovely to have many," Eloise said, tightening her hold on Damien’s arm as they walked. "We don’t have too many trunks, and Viola will have a carriage of her own. I could ask to use a little of her space."

"Why bother when I can buy a cart? It would allow us to buy more. Since we will have the space, buy whatever catches your eye," Damien said, giving Eloise full control. "I will spoil you for the night."

"Just for the night? Come morning, will I have to be careful what I ask for?" Eloise teased.

"I should be that way, shouldn’t I?" Damien replied, pretending to consider it.

Eloise laughed and leaned her head against his arm as she looked about for what she wanted.

The smile didn’t last long.

Someone Eloise didn’t want to see was standing not far ahead.

Damien noticed the change and looked about for the cause, but couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary.

Aiden stepped forward. "It is the man in the white shirt. The one holding the basket with all the apples. That is Peter."

Damien’s gaze settled at last on the man he had been waiting to see. At the same moment, Peter looked up and found him.

"We should go the other way," Eloise said, keeping her voice low.

No good would come from walking past Peter. If they could avoid him, they might be able to avoid a scene.

"I would love some jam pastries. Shall we try them?" Eloise asked, trying to direct Damien elsewhere.

"Eloise!"

Eloise looked towards Peter’s direction at the sound of her name. It wasn’t Peter who had called out, but his wife.