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Chapter 34
Lyndon estate. It was as gray as ever. Though the sun shone lustrously over the foreboding house, it felt more distant and aloof than the Richmond Castle ever had. Eloise hadn’t missed it one beat. At the castle, she felt welcomed and home at every turn she took, but here it all felt remote and lonely as if she was a stranger to an old-world she had accidentally stumbled upon again.
As she met with the grand entry room and the shadowy, white walls glared at her in an uncomfortable embrace, she took a deep breath. This was her home. She belonged here. Castle Richmond was but a distant memory now, a page ripped out of her book she was never to finish. But as she chewed on her lip, she found herself thinking back to Simon once more. And what might have been.
Until a heavy figure swooped upon her from the staircase.
“Why is there a bandage on your head? Were you hurt?” Aunt Alexandra asked, her body heaving from the short dash.
Eloise shook her head. “No, no, I’m all right.”
“You do realize how lucky you are, right?” Aunt Alexandra said.
“Mama, I said it’s fine, I just fell—”
“Lucky that word hasn’t gone out about your stay at the Castle,” she interrupted.
Oh, Eloise thought. She was referring to her luck with her reputation.
“It would be the biggest scandal in England! A clumsy wallflower staying at the Duke’s Castle. Alone. I’m certain word will get out soon enough, servants are notorious for spreading gossip, but you’ll be married by then,” Aunt Alexandra said. She placed her hands on Eloise’s shoulder. “You’re such a lucky woman for having someone like James. He’s willing to marry you even after this.”
“You know I don’t want to marry him,” Eloise mumbled.
“I don’t think you understand the magnitude of the situation you put yourself in, Eloise,” Aunt Alexandra paused, “James is convinced the Duke has bedded and seduced you—I’m starting to be convinced of it myself! But he wants to marry you. You, a fallen woman. He is willing to push the past behind you and give you a chance.”
They were convinced she had shared a bed with Simon? Although their words rang true now, she was certain the assumption would have gone past them. As for being lucky, she would agree with them if it involved anyone but James, someone who only wanted her for her meager inheritance and would treat her horribly once this was all over. But there was one thing Eloise still needed to be sure of.
“Is it true you knew of Lord James Hackberry’s history with—”
Aunt Alexandra lifted her hand up aggressively, hushing Eloise before reverting to her calm temperament. Then, lowering her voice, she continued. “Now, now, dear. Let’s not talk of the past when it is a time to be celebrating the future. He has overlooked your…misgivings, I’m sure you can extend the same leniency to him.”
Suddenly, Uncle Marcus appeared from a corridor to their left with his arms raised toward Eloise and a bright smile plastered across his cheeks. “Eloise, my child. I’m glad to see you return,” he said, embracing her warmly. “—Oh dear, are you well?” he asked, pulling back slightly, noticing her bandage.
Eloise nodded reassuringly.
He turned to Aunt Alexandra. “What is this about James’ history you two were whittling in the silence?”
“Oh nothing, dear. Just how charming a gentleman he was when we first met him, right Eloise?”
Eloise bit her tongue. James’ words clawed at the back of her mind and had been doing so ever since the carriage ride back. It was no longer about her decision or indecision to marry James; now, her family’s reputation would be dragged through the mud if she would object. All everyone would assume was she changed her mind after staying in a castle alone with a Duke—a Duke notorious for his rakish ways. It was obviously not the case, but they wouldn’t care.
Eloise nodded again, this time hesitantly, as she kept her face ducked to the ground.
“See? Everything is perfectly fine,” Aunt Alexandra chirped. “The marriage is arranged for next week, and all we need is your measurements for the wedding gown, Eloise. Madam Maria said she can have it done by Thursday, isn’t that wonderful?”
It wasn’t, but Eloise couldn’t proclaim that. Knowing that the marriage was to happen in a week from now scared her; she thought she’d have more time to prepare, mentally, that is. But everything was moving far too fast for her to handle.
“Isn’t a week too soon?”
“After everything that’s happened, I’m afraid one week might even be too late. It’s perfectly reasonable for us to prepare and to put our worries aside about any possible scandals,” she continued.
“I’ve also received news that the Hackberry family are visiting for dinner tonight,” Uncle Marcus added.
“Oh, how delightful!” Aunt Alexandra glimpsed behind Eloise, where the grandfather clock was standing, and then she spoke again, “Oh, look at the time! You really should start getting ready, they’ll be arriving in a few hours.”
Eloise didn’t have any time to protest or exclaim her wishes to remain in bed today. Her mood was horrible, especially with her arrival at the Lyndon estate, and all she could think of was running away and perhaps ending up in some monastery in order to escape the insanity.
But, with little resistance, she allowed Aunt Alexandra to pull her up the staircase toward the parlor. It was out of her hands now. She would marry James and get everything over with.
