The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

In the Bennett mansion, Jane sat before Camille with a pout on her face. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Camille was busy reading a book, but without looking up, she knew the state Jane was in. "Why don’t you go play with your cousins, Jane? It is better than sitting around sighing as you are doing now. Do you not like my home or my company?"

"I adore your home, but I do not like the way in which I was sent here. Damien is cruel. All he cares about is his wife," Jane said, dwelling on being ousted from the estate.

"It is good. A man should be concerned about his wife, especially in the first days of marriage. Would you prefer that he is cold to her, or ignores her presence?" Camille asked, closing her book to give Jane attention.

"I want him to be a good husband, but I do not like that he is choosing her over me," said Jane.

"Well, have you been behaving, Jane? You promised me that you would start anew and get to know her. You have not answered what made Damien send you here," Camille said, curious about what occurred.

For all the time Camille had been asking for Jane to live in her mansion, but was given no as a response, what did Jane do for Damien to change his mind?

"I do not think I was in the wrong. I had the maids prepare a lovely arrangement of food and tea. I even had the garden decorated and was trying to help prepare her for social events, but she was quite bold with me. You should have seen it," Jane said, angered by the memory.

"Jane, Eloise is far older than you are. You cannot speak to her as if you are speaking to a child. She is also Lady Hawthorne, which means you are to respect her. If the servants see you being rude to her, they. You will not respect her. You must try harder," Camille urged Jane.

"Surely, you can look back and see where you were wrong. It cannot be that Eloise was the only one who ruined your sit-down. Think," Camille encouraged Jane. "Think about your actions."

Jane thought over what had happened. "Perhaps I should have eased my way into helping her prepare for gatherings, and not made it about myself. You must understand how concerned I am about my season. I want to be as good as you were. You had the perfect season."

"Says who? My season was anything but perfect. You must stop listening to the retelling of what occurred during my season. I had plenty of mistakes and moments I wish I could forget. Your season will be perfect, but you must stop putting so much thought into it," said Camille.

"How could I not? My season will be when I find a husband and enter new circles. My season will determine my place in the town," Jane said, concerned she was the only one who saw the importance.

"Jane, I urge you to enjoy the days you have now. Enjoy your carefree days, and be with your friends. You will not have a moment’s rest from responsibilities when your season comes. You must apologise to Eloise and do better," said Camille.

"I’m told she attended Rosalie Presley’s gathering, and there was no drama. You have tried to oust her before she had a chance to prove herself. You are wrong," Camille scolded Jane.

"I do not like to be wrong, but I might have been too hasty. I will apologise and do better this time. Can you tell more about her time at Rosalie’s home? Was Damien with her?" Jane inquired.

"He was. Eloise is now the talk of the town, with everyone wanting to lay eyes on her. Damien is said to have a beautiful, timid wife who captivates his attention. Eloise needs this positive attention after what was said days before," Camille said, not realising her mistake.

"What was said days before? Was there bad gossip surrounding her name?" Jane asked, once again worried.

Camille patted her mouth. "Silly me, I must see my children. Will you excuse me, Jane?"

"No, I will not excuse you. If I don’t hear it from you, I will hear it from a friend, and they will make it far more dramatic. Wouldn’t it be best that I hear it from you?" Jane asked, itching for the news.

"Very well. It reached my ears that her cousin had been in love with Damien, and Eloise went behind her back to meet with him in secret. It is not new, and your brother wasn’t promised to anyone," Camille said, seeing no reason to be upset. "It is not the first time it has happened."

"Still, it was her cousin. I would be upset if one of my cousins married the man I loved, even if I didn’t have a chance with him. Were all the ladies in their family obsessed with Damien? Did they love him or his wealth?" Jane wondered.

"Eloise doesn’t appear to be a lady who cares about wealth. Have you witnessed her spending a lot of money at once?"

"Damien sent her to shop," Jane revealed.

"It is expected that he would want her to have dresses to suit her new life. It is not wrong for a man to spoil his wife. We both know how your brother is. He will share his thoughts if he believes she only wants his wealth. Do not mention her cousin," Camille advised Jane.

"I won’t," Jane swore. "Is this the same cousin from the uncle who stole her father’s home?"

"It is," Camille answered. "Eloise has dealt with a lot of problems in so little time. You must remember that she is still mourning the loss of her father. I was once in debt to her father, so it would please me if you would be kind to her."

"What could you have owed a groundsman? Why are there so many secrets when it comes to Eloise and this family? I hate that I was not old enough to remember her," Jane muttered.

"If you would be kind to her, I am certain the others and even Eloise would share the stories with you. Be kind, Jane. Your season will be perfect if you have a kind heart. Now, I truly must take a look at my children," Camille said, concerned since she wasn’t hearing their voices.

"They are playing in the fountain," Jane shared.

"What?" Camille’s screeching voice filled the room, creeping under the door to startle the maids on the other side. "I am to have guests soon. What are their maids doing? Can’t anyone properly watch those children?"

Camille stood up, her mind in a rage. The help proved to be useless as of late.