The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Eloise did not get dressed and come to town only to leave empty-handed. It was true that she married the man Iris once loved. It was unfair to Iris, yes, but Eloise wasn’t going to leave town because of a few gossiping women.

No one knew yet why Eloise got married, nor the troubles she faced. The gossiping ladies certainly didn’t care for Iris. They only enjoyed speaking about Damien’s wife.

"The nerve of you," Lucinda said, offended by the way Eloise tried to dismiss her. "I question the decision Lord Hawthorne has made. You- Wait!" She yelled as Eloise walked away. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Why didn’t you finish putting that lady in her place? You have the last name to back you," Millie whispered.

"I reacted more than I needed to. Every action doesn’t need a reaction, and other ladies were watching our interaction. I would be feeding them gossip if I continued to entertain a lady I do not know. It is better to walk away," Eloise explained her actions.

"I see. I did not think about the onlookers. It has to be your aunt or cousin who spread those rumours," Millie concluded.

"I assure you that it is Agatha. She must have learned of the wedding from Clive and acted fast to sully my name. It seems to be working," Eloise said, facing more stares when she walked out of the shop. "Little does she know, this doesn’t bother me."

"It doesn’t?" Millie asked, surprised. "You have been thrown to the wolves."

"I expected Clive and Agatha to be like this. I expected them to try tarnishing my name, so when the accusations of killing my father are heard, the town would be on their side. They would paint me as the woman who stole her cousin’s lover, and turned her back on the family," said Eloise.

"They are evil people. You should let what they did be known to the town," Millie suggested.

"I am not trying to win the support of the town. I want to succeed in the court, and saying too much before it goes to court might only damage my chances. As soon as Damien finds the clue I need, I shall visit the court again and then news will spread," Eloise said, deciding to be patient.

Millie wished it would happen sooner. "I do not enjoy the way the ladies stare at you. You didn’t do anything wrong. Would Iris be so kind as to speak up on your behalf?"

"I fear Iris might not have the confidence to stand up against her mother. She is more able to sway her father when they are alone. Iris might not know what is being said now. This screams to be the work of Agatha and Clive," said Eloise.

"I have a few words to say about that woman. I should get started on spreading a few," Millie plotted.

"Thank you, but we do not need to fall to her level. I will expose them in court, and then no one will be able to question me. When I return home, I must gather the courage to go through my parents’ belongings that I took," Eloise said, thinking of the items she took from the home.

"Are you searching for his will?"

"I must. I did not find one the night I knocked on your door, so Clive must have found it, but I believe there was more than one. My father was always so confident that I would be well," Eloise said, certain there were papers to help her.

"Well, when I spoke to him, he said everything he worked hard to gain was all for you. When you are ill, and you have a child who might be left behind, you think of how they will be without you. You prepare for that dreadful day."

Eloise remained hopeful she would find the evidence needed.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Damien rode in his carriage in search of a man who owed him money. A few days for Stanley to find the man Clive might have employed was far too generous.

Damien needed a name by the end of the day.

The carriage came to a stop before an inn.

"He was said to be last spotted here," Silas informed Damien.

"Bring him to me," Damien said.

Silas exited the carriage and made his way to the inn.

Damien sat in silence for a few minutes until the door opened and Stanley was pushed inside.

"You look surprised to see me, Stanley. Is there someone else searching for you?" Damien inquired.

"No, Lord Hawthorne. I did not expect to see you for a few more days. You said you were giving me a few days to find the man you asked about. Why is the carriage moving?" Stanley asked, panicking as the carriage departed from before the inn. "My time is not up."

"I have changed my mind. I need a name fast, and if I were to wait a few days only for you to disappoint me, I would have to hurt you, Stanley. I don’t want to hurt you," said Damien.

"You are most gracious," Stanley said, but he didn’t like the feeling in the carriage.

"You smell of rum. Do you like apples, Stanley?" Damien asked, taking a knife and an apple from a basket. "I grow a few of them on my land."

Stanley slowly shook his head. "I am not fond of them."

Damien skillfully peeled the apple with his knife. "Perhaps it is because you have never tried one from my land. Have a bite," he said, offering Stanley a slice.

Stanley stared at the apple slice being offered. He suspected that the apple was laced with poison.

"I truly don’t care for the taste, but you should eat it so your efforts aren’t wasted," Stanley said, declining the offer.

"It is not every day I slice apples for a man who isn’t my brother. Do you think I poisoned it?" Damien asked and brought the apple slice to his lips. He bit into it and licked his lips. "See, it is safe. Have another," Damien said, cutting another piece.

Stanley accepted the slice and ate it. "It is good, Milord."

"Have another," Damien said, offering a piece he already sliced.

Stanley reached for the apple slice, and before he could see the danger coming, Damien stabbed the knife he had been cutting the apple with into Stanley’s hand, pinning it against the seat.

Stanley’s cries filled the carriage. He froze for a moment before attempting to pull the knife from the middle of his hand.

"I have spared you not once, but twice. I had some faith in you to carry out a task for my wife, yet you spent that time drinking. Why shouldn’t I kill you now?" Damien questioned, revealing his gun.