Page 20 of The Duke's Forbidden Bride
Eleanor’s breath caught, hesitation settling like a boulder in her chest. Her eyes dropped to the worn floorboards, the question stirring a turmoil she hadn’t dared face before.
Could Charlotte, so full of light and hope, truly withstand the harshness of her broken reality?
The thought of shattering her friend’s innocence made her throat tighten.
The Duke waited patiently, his steady presence a quiet demand for honesty.
Finally, he spoke again, his voice softer this time. “My sister is a good soul, a pure one. Perhaps too pure for this wretched world.Whatever it is you’ve come to warn her against, I need to know first. Because I am the one who can protect her.”
Eleanor bit her lip, a bitter pang piercing her chest.
Despite her hesitation and distrust, she could only give in to the voice that had been screaming inside her for three years, desperate for just one person to listen.
Even if that person was a stranger.
For the first time in three years, Eleanor let the truth spill out of her.
Chapter Six
“It was the night of my engagement ball, three years ago,” she began, taking him back to a night he had not been present at. “I was betrothed to Lord Belgrave for barely a month. My parents were overjoyed, and I was as well, to be honest. He was good enough, handsome enough, and I had resigned myself to waiting for a good man.”
The Duke’s eyes remained steady on her.
“I stepped away from the ball after several people had asked where my groom-to-be was,” she continued. Her heart raced, her voice trembling even as she composed her words well. “I needed some air. So I went down the hallway, seeking out the library—it has always been a place of comfort. But as I approached the drawing room, I overheard Belgrave speaking quietly with another man.”
Her eyes met the Duke’s.
“That man was Lord Follet.”
“Go on,” he encouraged, his eyes running over her face, his features hardening at the mention of his sister’s betrothed.
“At first, I thought I was imagining things, but their words seared themselves in my mind. They were talking about putting women on a ship.Said the more they can cram into it, the better. They spoke of names being crossed off, and how the women were fetching good prices.
“I did not realize what they meant at first. Why would my fiancé put women on a ship? I was suspicious, also alarmed, and I snuck into his study while they were still speaking. I thought… I thought I could discover more there. So, I searched.Frantically. But somehow, I found a hidden compartment in his desk. There, I found documents…” Her voice faltered.
The Duke’s mouth tightened, a shadow settling over his expression.
Inhaling sharply, Eleanor composed herself and resumed speaking as he gave a slow nod.
“It was correspondence between Lord Belgrave and a ship captain. They were indeed arranging transportation for women. There were letters that women had written to relatives, declaring they were moving abroad to seek a new life, a good marriage. I quickly realized that those were stories being sold to them to get them to the ports. Names, payment amounts, and destinations—the documents contained it all.”
Across the room, the Duke had sunk into the chair at the vanity, his eyes fixed on a spot on the floor, still listening to her.
Eleanor pulled in a shuddering breath. “He found me—of course, he did. He told me that he did not care if I knew about his other business, that nobody would believe me. He threatened me with ruin, but I told him I was not afraid of him. At the time, I thought if I went to my father and told him, he would help.”
“He did not,” the Duke concluded flatly.
“Not quite. Lord Belgrave acted quickly. He accused me of…” She gulped, the indignation drying her mouth. “Of compromising myself with one of his stablehands, whom I assume he paid handsomely to confirm the story in front of the guests. He humiliated me before everyone I knew. Then, he broke off our engagement.”
The Duke remained quiet.
“I-I was never ruined, but nobody believed me,” Eleanor croaked. “My innocence remains intact. But my parents were humiliated and decided to side with Belgrave. So, they sent me off to St. Euphemia’s, calling me a whore and a disgrace to the family.”
She noticed that his knuckles had turned white as he gripped the arms of the chair.
“I do not know how they explained my absence, or if Charlotte believed that I ruined myself. I never got the chance to tell her of my findings. At the convent, I was treated the way they treat all women who have been accused of losing their innocence. The holy water cleanses, the punishments, the endless prayers…”
Eleanor shuddered.
