The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

"For my own knowledge, do you want to tell me what it is your husband is up to that you needed to be sent there?"

"It is due to the trouble with Camille’s husband. It is getting out of hand, and Damien thinks Hayden might have had some involvement in his parents’ deaths," Eloise shared.

"That would have been quite bold. The former Lady and Lord Hawthorne were loved by many. They had friends in high places who would not take this news well if it were true. Even a wealthy man like Hayden wouldn’t last here," Viola said, her eyes narrowing as though she were already weighing the scandal’s consequences.

Viola continued, "If I suspected someone had a hand in my parents’ deaths, I would want to kill him. For your position, what I would do is have gossip spread. That’s when people who might have noticed something out of the ordinary from that day start to speak."

"When I spoke of my uncle killing my father, the court said I could not do so, or my uncle could have come after us for a reward. Wouldn’t that happen here?" Eloise wondered, uncertain.

"Dear," Viola said, fidgeting with Eloise’s hair. "You only need to make sure all ties don’t come back to you. The servants are best for stirring gossip. If you do it well, your name will never come up."

Viola realised what she had missed only now. "I’ve been so focused on getting revenge on your behalf that I forgot to help you learn how to navigate high society. Please forgive me."

Eloise smiled to ease Viola’s worries. "You don’t need to ask for forgiveness. I am grateful for all that you do. I don’t expect to learn all that I must in so little time. I already learn so much from being near you."

"While you are here, I will help you," Viola promised. "You said you don’t want to attend many gatherings, but I still have ladies to introduce you to. You can’t spend all your days in the estate, or you’ll find yourself bored."

"I do want to make more friends. Had I stayed home, I wouldn’t have become friends with Rosalie. I’m certain there are good ladies around the town. I only have to put myself out there more and have good judgement," Eloise said.

"Good judgement is needed most. Some of the ladies around the town are good at hiding their true personalities. Some might even think your kindness is an act. I am suddenly grateful to be this age and no longer face these battles," Viola said with a sigh;

"You once said that some of the ladies of your age like to poke at each other," Eloise stated.

"They like to repeat what they did in their youth to assert their dominance, but it doesn’t work with me. I prefer not to trouble others unless I am troubled. There comes a point in your life when it is good to stand back and let the younger ladies have their moment," Viola said, no longer interested in petty fights.

"Hmm. I would not be against settling in the countryside later in life when there are children old enough to look after the estate. I do not know if Damien would leave to live there considering all his duties," Eloise said, but she knew she only needed to ask.

"A man with his personality shall seek to get away eventually. We’ve sat here long enough. Let us gather the others and start a tour," Viola said, rising from her chair to offer Eloise a hand.

Eloise accepted Viola’s hand and stood up. "A tour would be lovely."

Back at the estate, Zayne rested on a chair, watching as Damien kept himself busy with papers he had taken from the court.

"See, wasn’t I useful in getting the case papers within an hour?" Zayne asked, still fishing for a compliment. "I read it before I handed it to you, and I didn’t find any detail out of the ordinary. If only someone had survived to tell us."

Damien looked up from his papers, his expression darkening with annoyance.

"That was insensitive of me," Zayne acknowledged quickly, shifting in his seat. "Still, nothing points to Hayden. There were other carriage tracks, but that road was often used, and they noticed ice that was quite slippery. It seemed to have been an accident."

Zayne sat up. "What I do think happened is that after your parents’ deaths, he might have realised he had an opportunity, just like many of your relatives thought. The estate was without a strong figure to keep them away from the wealth, but they underestimated you."

Damien set down his papers. "This I already know. I kept them out when they came around. They wanted to get into my parents’ bedchamber."

"Because your mother had a collection of jewels that anyone would envy. It must have upset them to learn you locked the bedchamber and held onto all the keys. Then you gathered all the jewels and locked them away to later divide with the siblings," Zayne said, certain this had fuelled resentment among the relatives.

"I haven’t opened those boxes yet since none of my siblings has gotten married," Damien replied.

"And it got out that you had set aside most of your mother’s jewels for Jane. That is why so many of your relatives wanted to take her to their homes and raise her. You almost gave your relatives an opening to raid the estate after how you acted after the deaths," Zayne shared his thoughts.

He remembered how drunk Damien had gotten. How he had almost gravely injured himself before he sobered and settled into his new role.

"Had you killed yourself then, the estate would not be in your siblings’ hands. I think that greed has come back, and Hayden is after the riches here. It’s not like his businesses are doing well," Zayne said as he leaned back.

"What?" Damien inquired, his brows furrowed. "His family isn’t going poor."

"Well, his father is still a wealthy man, but all the investments Hayden made aren’t doing too well. They’ve been going around trying to get some men to add to the investment, but I think they are going to take their money and run off," Zayne shared. "Didn’t you know this?"

"I don’t listen to anyone trying to pull me into investments. Why are you only speaking of this now?" Damien asked, his irritation rising.

"The better question is why hasn’t it reached your ears? Am I wise to know that is what is occurring? Hayden certainly isn’t poor, but I know he lost a bit of money. He could get it back from his father, but you’re sitting on more money," Zayne said.

Damien thought about it. "He wasn’t away for business. He was hiding from his wife and family."

"Clearly, he isn’t very wise," Zayne replied dryly. "I wonder if he used any of your aunt’s money. That would have been good to ask her earlier."

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