Page 2 of His Forbidden Duchess
Mr. Carlisle barked with laughter, and his two henchmen laughed with him. “You know as well as I that should a man die without settling his debts, they are passed on to his family. Your late father has placed you in this situation, Lady Eloise. I am merely claiming what is rightfully mine.”
Carlisle’s gaze shifted, his eyes darkening as they roamed over her body in a way that made her skin crawl.
Eloise felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the thinly veiled implication behind his words. He was a man who took pleasure in wielding his power over them, and she had no doubt he would use any pretext to ruin them.
Or worse.
“Of course,” he continued, his voice adopting a sickly-sweet tone, “there are other ways a family might settle such debts. Surely, a young lady like yourself, so beautiful and… charming, could find other means to help her family. Men of myacquaintance, as well as myself, are always eager to assist… for the right favor.”
Eloise’s stomach twisted in disgust, but she held her ground, her eyes narrowing. “I am sure we will find a way to resolve this without resorting to anything so indecent, Mr. Carlisle.”
Her mother cried out, her hand once more to her forehead as she swayed unsteadily on her feet. Eloise jumped up and guided her to a seat as she had done so often in these situations.
“Make him go away, Eloise,” Lady Danridge cried. “Please. My heart cannot take it.”
Carlisle laughed softly, straightening himself and casting one last, lingering look at Eloise. “One month. That is all you have. After that, your lovely possessions will be mine. And who knows? Perhaps you will be, too.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel, motioning for his henchmen to follow as he strode from the room.
The door closed behind them leaving Eloise and her mother in a suffocating silence. Lady Danridge sank further into the chair, the damask fabric seeming to swallow her small frame. She trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. Eloise rushed to her, wrapping her arms around her mother’s frail shoulders, her own heart aching as she tried to steady the older woman.
“Oh, Eloise! What will we do?” her mother cried, her voice breaking between heavy sobs. “We are ruined… utterly ruined!”
“Mama, please,” Eloise whispered soothingly, holding her mother tighter. “We will find a way. Jeremy will help us; I am sure of it.”
Her mother frantically shook her head, her cheeks pale. “You must write to him at once! Hemustcome home, Eloise. He is the only one who can save us!”
Eloise bit her lip, trying to contain the turmoil churning inside her. Her mother was partially correct. Jeremy had always been their protector, their savior when times were dire. But he was far away—too far to return in time to prevent their ruin. Even if she sent him a letter immediately, it would take weeks to reach him, and by then, they would have lost too much time.
“We have no one else to whom we can turn,” Lady Danridge continued, her voice desperate, her eyes searching. “No one in the family will help us. Your uncle… your father’s cousins… they have all washed their hands of us. Jeremy must come back. He is the only one who can save us.”
Eloise felt a stab of irritation. Her mother had so much faith in Jeremy, which was rightly deserved, but that did not exclude someone else from lending a helping hand. Lady Danridge always considered Eloise weak, simply because she was a woman.
Jeremy had already done so much for them. He had paid off some of their father’s debts and had fought off the creditors wherever and whenever he could. He had already given up so much of his life to repair the damage caused by their father’s foolishness. Even if there was enough time, Eloise refused to rely on him any longer. No, she would take this burden upon herself. She would find a solution.
“I will write to him,” Eloise fibbed softly as she gently stroked her mother’s hair. “I will send a letter today, and he shall return in no time at all.”
Lady Danridge nodded, her sobs softening as she leaned into Eloise. Her small assurance had provided her mother with some temporary solace. “Yes… yes, do write to him. He will come. He will make it right,” the Dowager Duchess whispered.
As her mother’s tears subsided, Eloise kept her resolve hidden behind a calm façade. A plan had begun to form, its first tendrils creeping through her mind.
She pressed a soft kiss to her mother’s forehead and whispered, “It will be all right, Mother. I shall take care of it.”
I must find a way on my own, and I must do it before it is too late.
Chapter Two
“Must we attend, Mama?” Eloise pleaded as she found herself whisked off to yet another ball the following evening.
She was unsure whether her mother had simply forgotten that the family’s reputation was hanging in the balance or that she simply did not care. Either way, it was too late now. They were already ascending the grand staircase of the sprawling manor that was hosting the event.
“We must show our faces, Eloise, otherwise the Ton will begin to gossip,” Lady Danridge insisted, her chin held high with the stubborn pride of a woman who refused to let misfortune define her.
I imagine they are already doing that.
As they entered the ballroom, glittering chandeliers cast their light upon the wealthiest and most privileged members of the Ton.
Eloise found it difficult to concentrate on the festivities. Her mind kept drifting to the weight of their debts, the looming threat of Mr. Carlisle, and the lie she had told her mother. But tonight, appearances were everything. Tonight, she would find a way to solve their woes.
