The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

Chapter 265: Tearful reunion [4]

"She should stay if it is what you want," Damien said, partly to honour Eloise’s wishes, though the other half was meant to unsettle Zayne.

"Bastard," Zayne muttered under his breath. "Wouldn’t it be difficult for you to travel from here to reach my home?"

"I would only need to rise early, just as the rest of the maids do. I don’t think it will be difficult," Iris replied with determination. "I shall be there on time, then leave before nightfall."

"I would prefer that she end her work and stay here, but she is rather hell-bent on going to your home for work. I will make arrangements for a carriage to take her and bring her back," Eloise offered, trying to please both sides.

"How kind of you, but your dear cousin doesn’t want the servants to know of your relation, so that won’t do," Zayne said, spoiling the idea with a sly twist of his lips.

Eloise frowned, her brows knitting as she turned to Iris for an explanation. "You are hiding that we are family?"

"I didn’t see it as important for the maids to know. If they started to treat me differently, it would be because of knowing a lady. I am well without sharing our history," Iris said, hoping Eloise understood.

Eloise didn’t like it, though she understood why Iris would keep it secret. Once their relationship was exposed, it would inevitably open the conversation about what Clive had done, and Iris would be judged.

"Very well. If that is what you wish to do, then so be it," Eloise said, respecting Iris’s wish. "I can have the carriage put you away from the mansion so you walk there."

"That would be wonderful. I wouldn’t need to worry about finding a carriage in time. I have been trying not to ask, but is Lord Hawthorne in an indecent state?" Iris asked, her gaze darting away from Damien.

"He is dressed in his trousers. If the two of you wouldn’t mind, could you allow me a moment alone with my husband? I won’t be long," Eloise promised. "Zayne, since you have visited the estate quite often, would you be so kind as to give Iris a tour?"

"I would," Zayne answered, a smile tugging at his lips. He welcomed a moment alone to change Iris’s mind.

Iris wasn’t thrilled, but she left solely to give the married couple their privacy.

Eloise waited for the door to close before turning to Damien. "Have you noticed anything odd with those two?"

"Like the fact I spent a day searching for Iris only to find her with Zayne, and they didn’t bother to write to us? Or the fact that he is smitten with her? There is plenty to notice," Damien said, welcoming Eloise as she walked to the bed.

Eloise sat down beside him, resting the back of her hand on his forehead. "Yes, that is what I noticed. It doesn’t seem that Iris has feelings for him. I have no trouble with Zayne, but he is not doing this to bother you, is he? I care more about Iris’s feelings."

"I can’t tell you what his intentions truly are, but I assure you he’s not going to hurt her. He gets bored, but he is not a bad man. Since Iris wants to go back to work for him, what is between them must be pleasant. Don’t worry if Iris is not worried," Damien said, reaching to hold Eloise’s hand.

"If something were to blossom between them, would his family be accepting of her?" Eloise wondered, concerned.

"Zayne has been receiving proposals to marry princesses, and he just shared that it was suggested that he marry Rosalie, but he is against it. Despite the status of the ladies selected, he has not given them any of his time. At this point, his mother would be happy to see him marry a rock," Damien spoke honestly.

Eloise sighed.

"Don’t be satisfied just yet. While his mother is easy, as she is desperate for him to marry, his uncle is where the trouble lies. He thinks Zayne should marry to benefit the family. He is the warden of the prison, so he can be frightening," Damien warned.

"But still, as the uncle, he would have no right to interfere. Fortunately, we don’t have to concern ourselves with this since there is nothing between them now," Eloise said, dismissing what wasn’t yet important. "Thank you for allowing Iris to stay here."

"The estate is your home, so you are allowed to have your guests, and I won’t get in the way of it. How did she react to hearing about the home?" Damien asked.

"It seemed for a moment that she was blaming herself. Questioning if she was a good daughter, and I understand it. Like you told Reece, I advised her not to use the money she has saved for the debts. Iris is young and could use that money for herself," Eloise said, not wanting to see Iris pay for her parents’ mistake.

"You mustn’t get too involved since Iris still cares for her mother, while you do not. What you say to her might come from the kindness of your heart, but it might not be what she wants to hear as the daughter," Damien advised Eloise.

"I know. That is why I didn’t want to speak too much about what I thought of the fire. For now, I should try to keep our conversations on daily life and finding Reece. I am happy to have her back and don’t want to spoil it," Eloise said, unwilling to let talk of Agatha taint the reunion.

"If only you had visited Zayne sooner, then we would have known where Iris was. I must treat him to dinner. Perhaps one that I cooked," Eloise considered, though she knew Damien wouldn’t be pleased. It was amusing to see him be so protective of her cooking.

"No," Damien shot down the idea swiftly. "Those dinners are reserved for our family. Let the cook prepare him food and send him on his way. I should be scolding him for not informing us sooner that Iris was with him. That bastard wanted her close."

"Regardless, I have to thank him for looking after Iris. So far, the friends you have introduced me to are quite lovely," Eloise said, grateful that her new friends always seemed to help her.

Eloise leaned over to Damien to press a kiss to his cheek. "And so are you," she complimented him.

Damien smiled, pressing a kiss to her temple before she retreated.