Page 70 of The Duke's Forbidden Bride
Eleanor merely gazed back at him, let him wait for a moment, before she answered, “I am settling well. I have assumed my new role most smoothly. It is almost as if I am coming back to myself.”
“Yes,” Lord Belgrave mused. “You were a most exemplary lady of thetonback then. Tell me, do you still have a soft spot for stablehands?”
Eleanor fought back a flinch. It was all lies; she had to remind herself of that. So she kept her smile fixed in place. “Not as soft as the spot reserved for my husband.”
Belgrave’s expression flickered as if he did not know what to do with that.
“As you must have heard, we are very much in love,” she added.
“Indeed. And your new sister-in-law… She has been notably absent as of late. She must not enjoy being around newlyweds. Then again, her disappearance has saved her from hearing a great deal of things she should not.”
The warning was there, disguised as a lewd hint of anybody hearing newlyweds behind closed doors—his and Follet’s business must remain secret.
“After all,” he continued, “some things should remain secret for one’s… well-being. But if Lady Charlotte catches wind of anything unsavory…” He leaned in close, dropping all pretense. Eleanor tensed, hating his proximity. “Then I would be forced to wonder how far your doting husband would go to protect you. Or her.”
He released her right as she stepped back quickly, and she fought not to stumble. Her chin was still lifted, her resolve still strong, but she was shaken by his threat.
She should have expected it. She should have anticipatedsomething. And yet…
Those cruel eyes held the weight of every terrible thing she had discovered about him. How many lives had he ruined? How many false accusations had torn daughters from their families—noble or common—and made their lives hell on earth?
And how many more lives would face the same fate before she could stop him?
Lord Belgrave bowed deeply, his smile twisted. “It is good to see you again, Your Grace. I do hope you have no hard feelings about our past. Do give your best to your husband for me.”
And then he was gone, his threats lingering, and Eleanor was left staring into the space he had occupied.
She did not waste a moment. She left the ballroom, not even bothering to look for Spencer.
She needed a moment to breathe, and her feet carried her through the familiar layout of the house until she emerged into a conservatory.
The glass roof above showed the twinkling stars and the dark blanket of the night sky.
For a moment, Eleanor simply gazed upward, letting the sight calm her. She had been robbed of such things in the convent, and now she found more solace than ever in such simple beauty.
“I saw you dance with him.”
She froze as Spencer’s voice came from behind her. She heard the door click shut, but no footsteps followed. He waited for her to look around. Slowly, she did.
“I did,” she said carefully.
His anger flared, visible even beneath his mask. “You did not have to do that. In fact, I have not gone to such lengths toensureyour safety, only for you to take his hand and dance with him.”
“It was fine.” Still, her voice trembled, still shaken up. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she fought the urge to fidget. “He barely said anything.”
Spencer scoffed, clearly not believing her. “Did he threaten you? I have not seen you this restless since we first arrived at Everdawn. If memory serves me right, that was not long after his visit to the convent.”
Eleanor’s eyes narrowed at his smart remark. “Yes, he took me by surprise, but have we not been expectingsomethingfrom him? Better that it was a simple dance than anything worse. I am not defenseless, Spencer. Charlotte is my friend, and our marriage is all about her safety. I had to comply for her safety. It would have been worse, had I refused.”
Spencer stared at her from across the conservatory. In the moonlight, his face looked striking. And then he moved closer to her, closing that distance in a few long strides.
Slowly, he removed his mask and raised his hand to her face. Gently, he tugged at the ribbon that held her mask in place.
She held her breath as he removed her mask, never once looking away from her. Those honey-flecked eyes burned.
“You think I only care for Charlotte’s safety?” he asked, his voice ever so quiet.
Eleanor’s heart rate quickened, as he did not lower his hand. He kept it there, his fingers curled near her hair. Every ounce of courage left her, even her teasing. She couldn’t compose herself, not when he looked at her like that.
