Chapter 1

Chapter One

“ W hoever could it be at this hour?” Eloise asked.

The sharp rap of a knocker at the door sent a shiver down Eloise’s spine. She glanced at her mother, who returned a brief, worried look.

Eloise bit down on her bottom lip. She had no idea who was at the door, yet something inside of her warned her it wouldn’t be good.

Rose Manning, Dowager Duchess of Danridge and Eloise’s mother, rose to her feet to greet their guests, throwing Eloise another apprehensive glance. She was a meek woman of five-and-fifty and one prone to dramatic outbursts.

This time, however, Eloise had a feeling that her mother was right to be concerned.

A knock such as that one was neither the knock of a friendly visitor nor of someone coming with well wishes. It was an ominous knock, if ever there could be such a thing.

A gust of chilly air rushed into the parlor as the butler opened the door, followed quickly by the smell of damp wool and cheap cologne. Eloise scrunched her nose up against the scent, trying to recall where she had smelled it before.

Her question was quickly answered.

The butler, normally so sure of himself, entered the parlor wearing a rather sheepish and uncomfortable expression. He too knew that nothing good would come from this visitor.

“Mr. Carlisle to see you, My Lady,” he said in a weak voice.

At the mention of his name, the Dowager Duchess let out a cry of despair. Eloise’s eyes widened as she choked back her fear, and Mr. Carlisle entered, flanked by two intimidating, rough-looking men..

She keenly recalled why she had recognized that scent. She had long ago come to associate it with a visit from the creditor though she pushed it out of her mind whenever it arose.

That was one of the last things her dear, late father had left them with—a mountain of debt and a relationship with this creditor and his thugs.

Lady Danridge let out another cry of despair, dabbing her damp forehead with a handkerchief that she had fished out of her pocket.

“Is it really that time? Surely it cannot be, can it, Eloise?”

“Lady Danridge,” Mr. Carlisle greeted with a thin, reptilian smile. He gave a mock bow, his gaze lingering on Eloise longer than propriety allowed. His eyes swept over her, making her feel exposed though she kept her chin high and her expression steady. “And Lady Eloise. Lovely as always.”

Eloise fought the urge to recoil under his oily gaze. She knew he derived a perverted degree of pleasure from making her uncomfortable, and she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.

“Oh, goodness, Mr. Carlisle,” her mother said, her voice quivering. “You are early.”

She glanced again at Eloise, as if her daughter was the mother and she was the child.

Eloise looked away. She could not protect her mother in this situation, and neither should she have to. She knew her mother was lost in her grief, but so was Eloise.

“I am prompt, My Lady,” Mr. Carlisle replied smoothly, stepping further into the room, his henchmen remaining near the door like wolves guarding their prey. “And I bring urgent news.”

“More demands, no doubt,” Eloise said coolly, folding her hands in her lap.

“Tell them, Eloise,” Lady Danridge said, turning the handkerchief over and over in her hands. “Tell them they are too early.”

Carlisle’s grin widened at Eloise’s defiance, entirely ignoring her mother’s plea. “Astute as ever, Lady Eloise. Indeed, I am here to remind you of your family’s… predicament.” He drew out the word, savoring it. “As you are aware, your father’s debts are quite substantial, and time is running out. You have one month left.”

“One month?” Eloise’s mother gasped, her hand clutching her chest. “I thought we had more time. Tell him, Eloise, will you not?”

Carlisle shook his head with mock sympathy. “Afraid not. If the debts are not paid in full by that time, I will strip both your townhouse and the country estate of everything you own. It is only a shame that I cannot take the buildings themselves.” His tone turned harder, more threatening. “It is all in the contract as agreed.”

Eloise’s heart raced though she kept her expression impassive. “My brother has been working abroad tirelessly to settle these debts,” she said. “He has already paid off a large portion.”

“Ah, yes, Lord Danridge,” Carlisle said, his voice dripping with disdain. “He has been quite diligent. However, it is still insufficient. Let me remind you, my dear,” he leaned in slightly toward Eloise and lowered his voice to a menacing whisper, “the debt must be paid by someone in your family. No loans from outside sources. That is also part of our arrangement. If you try to deceive me, I will find out, and the consequences will be most unpleasant.”

“Your agreement was with my father, not with us,” she snarled in response.

Mr. Carlisle barked with laughter, and his two henchmen laughed with him. “You know as well as I that should a man die without settling his debts, they are passed on to his family. Your late father has placed you in this situation, Lady Eloise. I am merely claiming what is rightfully mine.”

Carlisle’s gaze shifted, his eyes darkening as they roamed over her body in a way that made her skin crawl.

Eloise felt a cold shiver run down her spine at the thinly veiled implication behind his words. He was a man who took pleasure in wielding his power over them, and she had no doubt he would use any pretext to ruin them.

Or worse.

“Of course,” he continued, his voice adopting a sickly-sweet tone, “there are other ways a family might settle such debts. Surely, a young lady like yourself, so beautiful and… charming, could find other means to help her family. Men of my acquaintance, as well as myself, are always eager to assist… for the right favor.”

Eloise’s stomach twisted in disgust, but she held her ground, her eyes narrowing. “I am sure we will find a way to resolve this without resorting to anything so indecent, Mr. Carlisle.”

Her mother cried out, her hand once more to her forehead as she swayed unsteadily on her feet. Eloise jumped up and guided her to a seat as she had done so often in these situations.

“Make him go away, Eloise,” Lady Danridge cried. “Please. My heart cannot take it.”

Carlisle laughed softly, straightening himself and casting one last, lingering look at Eloise. “One month. That is all you have. After that, your lovely possessions will be mine. And who knows? Perhaps you will be, too.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel, motioning for his henchmen to follow as he strode from the room.

The door closed behind them leaving Eloise and her mother in a suffocating silence. Lady Danridge sank further into the chair, the damask fabric seeming to swallow her small frame. She trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. Eloise rushed to her, wrapping her arms around her mother’s frail shoulders, her own heart aching as she tried to steady the older woman.

“Oh, Eloise! What will we do?” her mother cried, her voice breaking between heavy sobs. “We are ruined… utterly ruined!”

“Mama, please,” Eloise whispered soothingly, holding her mother tighter. “We will find a way. Jeremy will help us; I am sure of it.”

Her mother frantically shook her head, her cheeks pale. “You must write to him at once! He must come home, Eloise. He is the only one who can save us!”

Eloise bit her lip, trying to contain the turmoil churning inside her. Her mother was partially correct. Jeremy had always been their protector, their savior when times were dire. But he was far away—too far to return in time to prevent their ruin. Even if she sent him a letter immediately, it would take weeks to reach him, and by then, they would have lost too much time.

“We have no one else to whom we can turn,” Lady Danridge continued, her voice desperate, her eyes searching. “No one in the family will help us. Your uncle… your father’s cousins… they have all washed their hands of us. Jeremy must come back. He is the only one who can save us.”

Eloise felt a stab of irritation. Her mother had so much faith in Jeremy, which was rightly deserved, but that did not exclude someone else from lending a helping hand. Lady Danridge always considered Eloise weak, simply because she was a woman.

Jeremy had already done so much for them. He had paid off some of their father’s debts and had fought off the creditors wherever and whenever he could. He had already given up so much of his life to repair the damage caused by their father’s foolishness. Even if there was enough time, Eloise refused to rely on him any longer. No, she would take this burden upon herself. She would find a solution.

“I will write to him,” Eloise fibbed softly as she gently stroked her mother’s hair. “I will send a letter today, and he shall return in no time at all.”

Lady Danridge nodded, her sobs softening as she leaned into Eloise. Her small assurance had provided her mother with some temporary solace. “Yes… yes, do write to him. He will come. He will make it right,” the Dowager Duchess whispered.

As her mother’s tears subsided, Eloise kept her resolve hidden behind a calm facade. A plan had begun to form, its first tendrils creeping through her mind.

She pressed a soft kiss to her mother’s forehead and whispered, “It will be all right, Mother. I shall take care of it.”

I must find a way on my own, and I must do it before it is too late.