AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She wanted to wash away the embarrassing memories and concentrate on her new task.
Eloise opened her journal and flipped through the first pages. She rambled on in this journal about her life and was complaining about all the misfortunes when she really had none. She was determined to start her life with a clean slate.
From now on, she would not complain quietly to herself, she would act; she would not wait for things to happen to her, she would make them happen.
There would be plenty of difficulties in her way, certainly. But she was going to weather them. Because looking at people in Hades’ mansion, listening to Keyon’s story, she saw the true difficulties in life, and how she was privileged in comparison. Privileged to have a brother who cared about her. Privileged to have a roof over her head and food on her table every night. Privileged but not completely happy. Because there was one thing lacking in her life that all the people in Hades’ mansion had. And that was freedom.
For all the privileges in her life, she also realized now that her life could be that much better. All she had to do was follow the light that opened up to her.
It wouldn’t be easy. Freedom would not come to her at a low cost. She snorted and shook her head. It was laughable to think that she’d be able to convince Ford to let her stay with Keyon. But she was stubborn, and she’d find a way.
More terrifying than that, far more terrifying, was the idea that Keyon wouldn’t want her to stay. She shoved the thought from her mind.
He obviously cared about her. Cared enough to bare his soul to her. Cared enough to make love to her. And he was the man who did not give up on what was his.
Eloise flipped through all the written pages of her journal until she reached a clean page.
A clean slate.
If you could do anything in this life, what would you do?
Eloise dipped her quill in the inkwell and frowned a little in thought. Then she grinned widely as she wrote.
Mr. Scoundrel
The Novel
By Eloise Gunning.
After a few minutes of scribbling, the door to her room opened, and Verity entered with a tray of food.
“Good morning,” she sang as she walked farther into the room.
Eloise raised her head from her writing. “Oh, Verity, you do not have to keep bringing me breakfast, you know that. I can come downstairs myself. I was just waiting for the bath.”
“M-hmm.” Verity placed the tray on the bedside table near Eloise’s journal and narrowed her eyes. “Is that all you are going to say to me?” She tapped her foot as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Eloise squirmed inwardly. She was not about to discuss her night with Keyon, but by the looks of it, this was exactly what her friend was waiting for.
“Verity—”
“The entire house knows that the master spent the night in your room.”
Eloise grimaced. “The entire house?”
“Oh, yes. And not just that. Everybody heard—”
“Oh, Lord!” Eloise squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears with her palms. She did not want to hear the rest of the sentence.
Verity removed Eloise’s hands and cackled. “Don’t be a prude. You know where you are, right?”
Eloise bit her lower lip. “I can’t… It’s—” She shook her head, unable to finish her sentence.
“How did you manage to do that? Master hadn’t had a woman as long as we remember him. Oh, Grace is going to be vexed!” She cackled again.
“Grace? Why?”
“Well, she always thought she had some kind of hold over him because she knew him longer. I suppose she thought she’d be the one to pin him down one day.”
