The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Peter’s gaze fell to his lap, where his trousers had become damp with urine. In the spur of the moment, he hadn’t realised that he had relieved himself. He didn’t mean to do it. It was fright that caused the reaction.

Damien shook his head before turning his back on Peter to get away from the mess he had created. He joined Eloise and led her away before she was pulled back into it.

Laura stood beside Peter, upset that he had not listened to her. Now the crowd would speak of this for days to come. Peter could have saved them from this embarrassment if only he had listened.

Peter looked up at Laura and offered his hand for her to help him up. "I need a change of trousers, and we must go to the town guards."

Laura didn’t move to help Peter. "Go to the town guards for what? He didn’t show his gun until you brought the stick, and as for everything else, you brought it on yourself for lying. Look around at what you have done."

Laura couldn’t be so bold as to look at the crowd, and Peter was the one who needed to see what he had started. "You should love me more than you hate her. Because of what you have done, I will be stuck apologising and facing others laughing at me."

"I didn’t lie-"

"Yes, you did," Laura stopped Peter in his tracks. "None of what you told me made any sense. You also seem to forget that you just admitted to lying on her name. Why am I even bothering with this when I am not going to leave you?"

Laura wished she had other options, but she didn’t.

Laura peered down at Peter, her anger evident. "I hope that once she leaves, you go back to your old self and apologise for all that you did these last days. I want my husband back, and until the man I love shows himself, I will be with my father."

Laura walked away from Peter, leaving him to get himself out of the mess he had created. He could not make a fool of her and expect she would easily help him.

"Laura!" Peter called after his wife. He gritted his teeth upon seeing that she wouldn’t turn back.

Peter was forced to stand, his hands covering the damp patch on his trousers. He moved through the crowd, ignoring the hushed voices trailing after him. Peter decided to leave and find the town guards himself.

Peter couldn’t fight with guns, but he could use the town guards to get even with Damien. They weren’t too fond of outsiders troubling anyone who lived here.

Meanwhile, Eloise walked with Damien, ready to move on from what had occurred.

"Damien," Eloise softly called his name. "You haven’t been able to find evidence of what Clive did to my father. He burned the body, so we have to be honest that there is no evidence to find. The court isn’t going to punish him outside of what he did to the will, is it?"

"Not without proof," Damien answered.

"I think I have been going around what must be done for far too long. Clive’s punishment must come from us, and the only answer is death," Eloise said, accepting the bitter truth.

"What brought this on?"

"Watching how you dealt with Peter. I am one to go the right path, but it takes far longer, and justice isn’t always served. The troubles persist, and in the end, you will have to take care of them. I would rather Clive face death and receive punishment in the afterlife," Eloise decided.

Eloise held Damien’s arms, walking closely beside him. "I thought at first that my father could punish him in the afterlife, but they are not going to the same place. If souls can meet, I want my father to reunite with my mother and focus on their love. We can punish Clive in this life."

"Whatever plans you had for Clive, you have my permission to go ahead with them. I want justice for my father and to be able to move on," Eloise requested, ready to live in peace without holding onto anger. "I only ask that you don’t tell me how you do it. I’m not ready for that."

"Very well," Damien agreed, pressing a kiss to Eloise’s forehead. "I will take care of it quickly."

Eloise rested her head on Damien’s shoulder as she thought of Iris. She was taking away Iris’s father, but she couldn’t think too deeply about Iris’s feelings.

"Let us pray there will be no more distractions. I am quite serious about the apple pie," Eloise said, lowering her hand to lace her fingers through Damien’s. "You need a drink. I’ve heard there are good bottles of wine being sold here. We’ll buy a few and take some back to your brothers."

"You mustn’t think about them," Damien said, wanting all of Eloise’s attention on himself.

Eloise chuckled. "They are my family now, Damien. It would be wrong to return empty-handed. Just one wine for each brother will do. I can’t indulge Kyle in too much, since his behaviour already concerns me."

"That is a roundabout way of saying he is a fool," said Damien.

"I didn’t say he is a fool. I am merely concerned about his drinking. I do hope the estate is well," Eloise said, worried Quinn and Kyle weren’t taking it seriously. "Enough about them," she shook her head. "I must entertain you tonight."

"Wines, lanterns, pies, and other little trinkets. Let’s start there," Eloise said, pulling Damien towards a stall strung with bracelets that caught the light.

Damien willingly followed Eloise, preparing to empty his pockets for every stall she walked by.

Aiden followed behind the couple, holding the headpieces Eloise had made. He kept watch in case Peter was foolish enough to return, as he wanted to be the one to deal with the puny man.

Aiden soon spotted Jane walking with young ladies, her guards not far behind. Before he could turn his attention back to Damien and Eloise, a woman caught his eye. She mouthed a few words, and though Aiden could not hear what was said, he had a good idea of what she wanted.

Aiden turned his attention back to the couple. While it wasn’t serious and the courtship hadn’t been properly addressed, it didn’t seem wise to entertain another woman when Beatrice was an option.

’Please let some other fool bother them,’ Aiden silently prayed, desperate to have some fun.

"Would you like one, Aiden?" Eloise’s voice snapped him from his thoughts. "For your mother or anyone you hold dear?"

Aiden stared at the bracelet Eloise was offering him. It was pretty.

The man glaring at him beside Eloise was not so pretty.

"That is kind of you, Lady Hawthorne. However, I must decline," Aiden replied, choosing peace over the bracelet.

"Very well. Then I shall get one for Rosalie, Jane, and Iris," Eloise decided.

Aiden exhaled, relieved that Damien no longer glared at him. ’Peter, come back,’ he thought, wanting Damien’s glare directed elsewhere.