Page 47 of His Forbidden Duchess
“It is all right, Mama,” she whispered. “The Duke will save us.”
“But the Wedgewood, Eloise!” her mother whimpered. “The Wedgewood!”
Eloise looked back at the scene. Carlisle had backed away into a corner as Felix dealt with the men who were supposed to protect him. They lay prone on the floor, neither of them appearing very willing to get up.
Breathing steadily, Felix looked down at the two men, who were now groaning and clutching their wounds. He straightened his jacket, his expression cold and controlled as he turned his gaze back to Carlisle.
“That was your first mistake,” Felix said, his voice low and dangerous. “Care to make another?”
Uncertainty flickered across Carlisle’s face. Felix took a step forward, but before he could advance further, Eloise called out, her voice soft but firm.
“Felix, that is enough.”
He had dealt with the immediate situation, and for that she would be eternally grateful, but there was no need for further violence. Not today, and certainly not in her mother’s parlor.
Felix paused, his eyes still locked on Carlisle, but the intensity of his stance had eased. The room was silent except for the groans of the defeated thugs and the whines of Lady Danridge.
Eloise stepped forward and gently took his hand in hers, just as she had earlier. Their combined warmth suffused and comforted Eloise, and she once again felt a surge of gratitude towards him.
Felix turned to look at Eloise. When he saw her standing beside him, the black fury in his eyes softened. He exhaled, allowing the tension to drain from his shoulders.
“I will acquire a special license, and Eloise and I shall be married within two days. Once the wedding is done, I will have my solicitor visit you with the money. Is that clear?”
Carlisle nodded, his eyes wide and his head bobbing rapidly. “That suits me just fine.”
Felix’s nod was slower, less frantic and more intimidating. “Good. Now leave, Carlisle, before you end up like them, and take your miserable trash with you.” he commanded.
Carlisle scoffed, but the fear in his eyes was quite evident. He cast one last glare at Felix before nodding to his groaning henchmen. “Pick yourselves up, you fools. We’re leaving.”
As Carlisle and his henchmen limped out of the room, the butler entered, his face white as he surveyed the damage. Felix’s gaze remained fixed on the door until it closed behind them. Onlythen did he turn back to Eloise, his demeanor shifting once more.
“Are you all right?”
Eloise nodded with a mixture of relief and admiration shining in her eyes. “More than all right,” she said, a small smile playing on her lips. “Thank you.”
“Oh, Your Grace! Thank you so much,” Lady Danridge muttered, her fan out again as she flustered. “You are so kind. You do not know how grateful I am and indeed how grateful the Marquess will be. Our Jeremy will be here soon and…”
Her mother continued to ramble, but neither Eloise nor Felix listened. Instead, they looked at one another, both trying to process what had just taken place.
All around them, the butler and several other servants had begun to silently clean up the mess, but Eloise and Felix continued to stare at each other.
“Felix, I?—”
But Felix didn’t let her speak. “Good day, Lady Eloise,” he said, and with a curt nod, he turned and left the house.
Chapter Nineteen
“You look beautiful, My Lady,” Margaret said from behind her. “A proper bride.”
Eloise smoothed down the fabric of her gown as she inspected her reflection in the looking glass.
The maid’s words sounded as empty as Eloise felt. Margaret was simply trying to make her feel better.
“It is not quite how I imagined I would look on my wedding day,” she said, tilting her head as she looked herself up and down.
Since there had not been enough time to be fitted for a proper wedding dress, Eloise had selected a demure but sophisticated gown from her wardrobe that most closely resembled one. Moreover, she had no money to buy one, and the wedding was a matter of urgent necessity rather than love or familial convenience.
She hadn’t seen Felix since that terrible day. She had merely received a brief note from him with the details of the wedding ceremony.Herwedding.
