The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

"We should play a game of hide and go seek," Iris suggested.

Eloise closed her book. "It sounds as though boredom is getting the best of you. We haven’t played this game since we were little girls."

"It wouldn’t be so bad to reminisce on our past, and yes, I am bored out of my mind. I will be fair and let you go hide first," Iris said as she stood up from the blanket spread on the grass.

Eloise peered back at the home.

"You mustn’t worry about my mother. She has gone to speak to the neighbour about mending a dress for her. We have some time to play. Think of when we will be able to act carefree again. I am to marry this season," Iris said, wearing a pout to convince Eloise.

Eloise sighed. She couldn’t say no to Iris.

"Very well. I will go hide, but on the outside. If we play inside and your mother finds out, she will scold us for acting like children," said Eloise.

Iris nodded her head and covered her face with her hands. "One, two, three..."

Eloise stood up and ran off towards the gardens in hopes of finding a good spot to hide.

While it was childish, Eloise enjoyed the moment, as it took her back to her childhood, when the days were simpler.

Eloise laughed as she ran with the wind blowing in her hair. It was the first time in days she felt so relaxed.

Elose found her place behind a big tree to make it easy for Iris to find her. She peeped from behind the tree where Iris sat.

Eloise stood behind a tree before Iris opened her eyes. She looked out yonder at where she had wandered off yesterday and stumbled upon Damien.

’Did he get his carriage moved?’ Eloise wondered.

Curiosity got the best of Eloise, so taking one last peep at Iris, Eloise ran in the direction she had seen Damien.

’I shouldn’t stay long,’ Eloise thought.

Eloise couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Damien’s visit nearby. It was an odd place for a man of Damien’s status to have been riding around.

Eloise was on her guard, not wanting to have surprises anymore.

"He got it moved," Eloise whispered.

There wasn’t any evidence of Damien’s carriage ever being broken down.

’I should get back,’ Eloise thought and turned on her heel, ready to leave, until something caught her attention.

Eloise looked at the grassy land and then at one spot where dirt ruined the scenery.

It was as though someone dug up the dirt to start a garden, but the neighbours wouldn’t come here.

"I mustn’t," Eloise shook her head.

Eloise turned back in the direction of her uncle’s home, but didn’t make it far.

Her father always said that her curiosity would either get her in trouble or bring on a wonderful experience.

"Surely, it is nothing," Eloise said as she walked over to the patch of dirt and knelt.

Eloise began to dig with her hands, hoping that she was right that there was nothing to find.

"Perhaps they ruined the grass trying to- A hand!" Eloise screamed, her voice cutting through the air as she fell back.

Eloise’s body shook with fright.

It couldn’t be a coincidence that Damien had been near, and now the freshly placed dirt hid a body.

"The town guards," Eloise whispered. "I must tell someone."

Eloise got up, her eyes still fixed on the hand.

Only when she turned to run back to her uncle’s home did Eloise tear her gaze away from the horrible sight.

"Iris!"

Eloise searched for Iris, wanting Iris to join her inside, where it would be safe.

"Where is she?" Eloise muttered, her panic through the roof.

Not seeing Iris nearby, Eloise ran into the home in hopes Agatha had returned from speaking to the neighbour, but Agatha was not present.

Fortunately, the door opened and in walked Clive.

"Uncle!" Eloise yelled, relieved to see a familiar face. "Uncle, there is a-"

Eloise stopped speaking as she noticed the fear in Clive’s eyes, as though he already knew the news she had to share with him.

Clive stepped back as the memory of Thomas haunted him through Eloise’s innocent face. The evil deed he had long carried out and covered up to hide his tracks came back to him by way of Eloise’s resemblance to her father.

The wide-eyed expression Thomas wore in his last moments flashed in Clive’s eyes.

Eloise pointed at the back door and said. "We must send for-"

"Enough!" Clive yelled, closing his eyes momentarily to be free from his brother’s ghost. "I have too much on my plate to face your antics. If you add one more to my shoulders, then I shall fall, and this house will crumble. Can you not give me a moment of peace?"

Eloise flinched, startled by harshness in Clive’s voice.

It was an important matter.

Eloise thought of the trouble the family would face if they went against the Hawthornes. Clive was already stressed with keeping the family fed.

"Forgive me, uncle. I only wanted to say Iris and I are playing a game. It is a bit childish, so I didn’t want Aunt Agatha to know it," Eloise said, her heart beating fast.

Eloise was afraid of what she discovered, but she was even more afraid of Clive’s growing anger.

Why was he avoiding her gaze now?

Clive opened his eyes as he rubbed his temple.

This wasn’t going to be easy. Clive could not face Eloise anymore without feeling like a murderer. His conscience could only be cleared by Eloise being out of his sight.

"I will not speak of it. Allow me to rest without disturbance," Clive said and walked off without looking at Eloise again.

Eloise thought of what would happen if she reported seeing Damien hiding a body.

"I didn’t see him do it," Eloise said, knowing the town guards would ask.

To accuse a man like Damien of burying a body would only bring problems this family could not bear.

With her father ill, the family didn’t have time to spare fighting against the Hawthornes, and Clive might feel forced to send Eloise away.

Eloise looked down at her trembling hands. "I saw nothing," she whispered.

Even if she reported it, Damien would remember she saw him nearby.

The boy Eloise once knew wouldn’t hurt her, but Eloise couldn’t be sure about the man she saw recently.

Eloise made up her mind to leave it be and hope someone found the body as she did. Before Iris could find her, Eloise walked in search of water to clean off her hands to hide what had occurred.