Page 56 of His Forbidden Duchess
Felix narrowed his eyes at her. “Why did you never tell him the truth?”
Eloise sighed. “By the time word would have reached him, it would have been too late. What would have been the point? There was no way he could help, not from Europe.”
Felix’s lips twitched though it wasn’t quite a smile. “And so you decided seduction was your only answer.”
Eloise gave a light laugh though her heart wasn’t in it. “Yes, well, I did not have a lot of options. It was the only way I could think to solve it.”
Felix turned his head, watching her carefully. She could feel the heat of his eyes on her cheeks. “That is why I am now here, Eloise,” he said quietly. “So that you are no longer not alone.”
I am now saddled with two brothers instead of just one.
She had no right to ask for more, but she could hope.
The remainder of the ride passed in strained silence.
She was Felix’s wife but only in name. For reasons she couldn’t fathom, that hurt more than she expected. She had not set out looking for love, so why should it surprise her that love did not show itself?
Eventually, the carriage pulled up to Kingswell Hall. Eloise leaned forward, peering out of the window at the sprawling estate. The manor house rose before them, its stone walls covered in ivy.
It was grand—far grander than anything she had imagined and so much more than Felix’s townhouse had been. Her stomach fluttered with nerves as it dawned on her: she was the Duchess of Kingswell, and this was now her home.
Eloise didn’t notice Felix getting out of the carriage until she heard his boots crunching on the gravel as he marched to the door, trotting up the three stone steps that led to the entrance.
He barely looked over his shoulder as she clambered out, feeling more alone than she ever had been. She still clutched her wedding bouquet.
“Are you coming?” he called.
Eloise merely nodded. As her feet touched the ground, she smoothed down her gown with trembling fingers. The house towered before her, the windows glittering in the sun like liquid silver.
You can do this.
The large double oak doors opened, and several members of the household staff stepped out to greet them.
“Welcome to Kingswell Hall, Your Grace,” said a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile, and Eloise realized with a start that she was addressing her.
The woman gave a graceful curtsy before gesturing toward the other servants, all standing in neat rows. “We are honored to welcome you. We have been busy preparing for your arrival.”
Eloise blinked, momentarily taken aback by the warmth in the woman’s voice. It was a far cry from the cool, distant greeting she’d expected. She glanced at Felix, who had stood back to allow the greeting, and her heart warmed again.
Perhaps he did care after all. He must to have prearranged all this for her. She threw him a gentle smile by way of thanks then turned back to the woman she presumed to be the housekeeper.
“Thank you. I am… grateful. I was not expecting such a warm welcome.”
The woman gave her a small, officious nod and turned to Felix. “Welcome home, Your Grace.”
Felix inclined his head. “Thank you, Mrs. Thorpe. Everything is in order, I trust?”
Mrs. Thorpe’s smile widened. Eloise noted how happy the staff seemed, how comfortable they were around Felix. They liked having him as their employer, she realized, and that made her admire him even more.
“Indeed, Your Grace,” Mrs. Thorpe continued. “The household is ready for you and Her Grace. Everything was prepared exactly as you had instructed. If there is anything else that you require, do not hesitate to ask.”
Eloise caught the warm but curious glances of the other servants as they greeted her with polite bows and curtsies.
Despite the unease still gnawing at her, she felt a small degree of relief. The staff seemed genuinely kind, if a little confused by this sudden change in circumstance, and Eloise allowed herself to hope that Kingswell Hall could become a true home.
With a broad smile, she turned to her husband, but her expression faltered. Felix nodded at her in acknowledgement, but he had once again become guarded.
What in Heaven’s name is he protecting himself from?
