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“But what if he forces you, My Lady? He could. Couldn’t he?”
Eloise shook her head, even as she feared the possibility could well become true. Her father was a forceful man, and whilst an uneasy truce existed between them, there was still the uncertainty of what might be.
“If he does, I’ll run away, just like my sister,” Eloise mumbled.
If her father did not care enough about Alice to pursue her, then he would surely care nothing for Eloise’s disappearance, either.
“Oh, My Lady. You must be careful,” Delphine advised, but Eloise’s mind was made up.
As she laid down to sleep that night, she knew the day to follow would not be easy, and that much still lay between her and happiness.
CHAPTER14
When Eloise awoke the next morning after a broken night’s sleep, her first thought was of what her father would say when she went down to breakfast. She laid in bed for a while, not wishing to rise, before Delphine’s tap sounded gently at the door.
“I’ve brought you some tea, My Lady,” her maid called out. The door opened, and Delphine appeared, bearing a tray.
Eloise sat up in bed and yawned. She did not want to get up. The jubilancy with which she had returned from the ball was shattered by the thought of what might happen when her father spoke to her that morning. She had been filled with excitement at the prospect of her sister being found, but none of that would matter if she was forced to marry Lord Crawford instead of Jackson.
“Oh, thank you, Delphine. I’m struggling this morning,” Eloise admitted, as the maid set down the tray on the table by the window and brought the cup to Eloise’s side.
“Your father’s already in the dining room, My Lady. He wants you to go down immediately,” Delphine said.
“Yes, I will. But… oh, do you think he’ll force me to marry him? He can’t, can he?” Eloise exclaimed as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Who do you love, My Lady? It’s not a ruse anymore, is it? You’re in love with the Duke, aren’t you?” she asked, and Eloise nodded, pausing for a moment before answering, even as she knew Delphine was right.
“It’s not a ruse. I’m not sure it ever was. In name, perhaps, but how we really felt for one another, that was never in doubt. Last night, he told me he loved me, and I said the same thing. That means something. It means everything. It can’t be denied,” she sniffled. Delphine patted Eloise on the arm and pulled out a handkerchief for her.
“It’s all right, My Lady. Don’t cry. Let’s get you dressed. It’ll be better once you’ve talked to your father,” she said.
Eloise knew she could not delay the inevitable any further, and having finished her tea, she got dressed and splashed cold water on her face, stealing herself for what was to come. The bright, sunny day outside contrasted with her feelings of gloom, and as she descended the stairs, it was as though a storm was raging in her mind. The dining room door was open, and Eloise walked in to find her father sitting at the head of the table.
“Sit down,” he ordered, pointing to the seat next to him.
Eloise sat down, and a footman stepped forward with a coffee pot.
“No, thank you,” Eloise muttered, raising her hand.
Her stomach was churning. She could not face the thought of eating or drinking whilst her father was watching her with narrowed eyes and a furious expression on his face.
“I had a visitor last night, Eloise. His words were most enlightening,” he said angrily, and Eloise returned his gaze defiantly.
“Lord Crawford?”
“The same. He came to tell me about the spectacle you made of yourself at the pleasure gardens,” her father snapped.
Eloise pursed her lips. Her father knew of her intention to attend the Midsummer Ball. He had seen her depart. He knew what being seen there would mean and had made no objection to her and Jackson presenting themselves in such a way.
“Spectacle? We joined the procession of couples. It’s a tradition of the Season, Father. Why do you listen to Lord Crawford? He’s only stirring up trouble. He hates the fact I’ve chosen Jackson over him, and that’s…” she began, but her father interrupted her.
“But you didn’t, did you? You’re not in love with the Duke of Kenwood, are you? It’s all a ruse. You wanted everyone to think it. He needs to marry to receive his inheritance from that foolish uncle of his, and you thought you could escape your duty by marrying him, didn’t you?” her father roared.
Eloise gasped. Her father knew everything, or so it seemed. And whilst she would not admit it, what he said was entirely correct, even as the truth was very different now.
“I… no, Father. It’s not like that,” she began, but her father rose to his feet and struck her angrily across the cheek with the back of his hand.
“Do you take me for a fool, Eloise? You humiliated me! That’s what you did. But Lord Crawford told me everything. You played me a merry game, didn’t you? Pretending to fall in love with the Duke… oh, yes, Lord Crawford told me all about it. I’ve never been so embarrassed in all my life. I was willing to allow you to marry the man you’ve fallen in love with. I gave you until the end of the Season to find a suitor, and I thought you had. But you hadn’t. You’d played me for a fool!” he bellowed.
