The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Eloise returned inside with Damien and crossed paths with Jane.

"There you are. Aunt Camille was searching for the two of you to say her goodbyes. I saw her off in your stead," Jane shared.

"Thank you," said Eloise.

"As part of us starting anew, I would like for you to join me tomorrow outside in the garden without my brother," Jane requested, avoiding Damien’s gaze. "I do want to know more about you. Will you join me?"

"I might need to visit the court tomorrow, but I will be free after. I can sit with you then," Eloise accepted the invitation.

"Wonderful. I shall take care of the arrangements, and as soon as you can, please tell me what time you will be home from the court. While you are here, brother," Jane said, acknowledging Damien’s presence. "Have you decided on what gathering you will let Eloise attend to introduce herself to the town?"

"No, there’s no rush for it. We are still enjoying the early days of our marriage," Damien replied.

"By running around the garden? Is this truly what awaits spouses after marriage? My friends were curious all for nothing," Jane muttered, disappointed. "You cannot escape presenting her to the town."

"Eloise," Jane shifted her attention to the easier target. "Surely you understand that you will need to present yourself to our peers as his wife. If you do not present yourself, there will be a lot of assumptions about you. Some of it will be bad. Wouldn’t you like to get ahead of it?"

"I would, but do ladies step away from enjoying their first week of marriage so quickly to face the town?" Eloise asked, looking to Damien for an answer.

"They don’t," Damien answered. "Jane just wants a reason to attend a gathering because I have placed her on punishment."

"It is not about me. This is in Eloise’s best interest. Normally, the other ladies would have socialised with our peers or already be part of our groups, but Eloise hasn’t done either. The longer you wait, the more you will hurt her," Jane argued.

’She is rather passionate,’ Eloise thought. ’But it is odd.’

Eloise found it odd that Jane went from questioning her upbringing to wanting to thrust her into a social gathering.

This wasn’t a completely innocent gesture to help her, but since Eloise was starting anew with Jane, she decided not to call it out now.

Eloise held Damien’s hand and said, "While I understand your concern, it hasn’t been long since I got married. For us to show up to gatherings so soon, others might think our marriage is off to a bad start."

"But," Jane tried to refute.

"I should be granted a few more days alone with my husband before I meet his peers. It would also give me time to prepare to present myself as Lady Hawthorne properly. I don’t want to make a mistake when I meet your peers, and surely you would want me to do my best, right?" Eloise asked, watching as Jane struggled to come up with a rebuttal.

Jane sighed, defeated in her efforts. "I suppose you are allowed to enjoy each other’s presence."

"Is it that you want me to join you so you could get out of the estate?" Eloise asked, feeling a bit sorry for Jane. "All young ladies look forward to the events during the season. You must be no different."

"I do look forward to all of them. Damien was cruel to forbid me from meeting with my friends. They will have much to speak about, and I will be excluded since I was not present. Eloise, would you be so kind to-"

"No. For me to go against what your brother told you would only create friction in my marriage. A day at home cannot hurt you, and if your friends exclude you, then they are not good friends, are they?" Eloise asked, standing with Damien.

Jane’s lips parted slightly as she could not believe Eloise didn’t back her.

Shouldn’t Eloise do everything in her power to keep the only sister on her side?

"You are both insufferable," Jane said, giving up with her plans. "I will retire to my bed, and I don’t want to be disturbed."

Eloise bit her lip to hold back her laughter.

"Well done. You didn’t fold to her request," said Damien.

"It is a bit unusual that she wants me to attend a gathering with her when she not long ago questioned my upbringing. I don’t want to blindly throw myself into your world without proper preparation. There is some etiquette I want to learn so I don’t make a fool of myself," Eloise said.

"There aren’t many gatherings I need to attend. I have been allowing Jane to attend gatherings hosted by family friends or her peers, but Quinn or Kyle would escort her. If it is ladies only, Camille will escort Jane. You don’t need to rush," Damien assured Eloise.

"It is fortunate that I don’t need to. Still, I know that Jane is right. I cannot hide from your peers for long, and I know you would reject invitations to protect me, but I will be well once I have prepared. I will tell you when I am ready," Eloise said.

"You don’t need to push yourself to meet with anyone. I don’t care about most of them. They are only seeking gossip."

"I didn’t think you would introduce me to the people whom you don’t care for. I want to do well for the people you like. I am grateful you wouldn’t throw me to the ones who gossip, and quite frankly, I am not interested in wasting my time with anyone who is not special to you," Eloise confessed.

"Good. Then we mustn’t bother ourselves with too many gatherings. If there are gatherings you want to attend which are hosted by your friends, I will join you. It is only fair."

"I haven’t made many friends in town yet. Everyone I met with was Iris’s friend, but I did have many friends in the countryside. I used to attend many gatherings in the countryside. They weren’t as grand as they are here, but they were fun," Eloise said, missing her friends.

"I understand Jane wanting to enjoy the season. I did not care about finding a partner, but the gatherings were fun," said Eloise.

"You must have been approached in the countryside as well. Did anyone ask for your hand there?" Damien asked, curious.

"There were two gentlemen, but there was no point in entertaining their interest since I was moving back here with my father. Everyone thought I would end up with my friend- Oh," Eloise covered her mouth with her hand.

"Continue," Damien encouraged Eloise.