Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

“Eleanor? Dear? Did you hear what I said?”

Her mind had been wandering, returned to last night in the gardens and the fireworks display. Eleanor could still feel his hand on hers, the warmth of his skin, and the gentle roughness of his touch. But the sound of her mother’s voice brought her out of her thoughts. She found herself seated on a sofa in the sitting room, her mother across from her, and the Dowager Duchess of Dayton to her left.

A faint smile played on her lips as she raised her eyebrows, attempting to piece together what had been said, but it came to her in mismatched fragments.

The duke’s mother had called on them to discuss plans for the wedding, a topic that seemed to be becoming more pressing than Eleanor could have anticipated. She had not been expecting it to happen so soon, to be married that is. The very idea made her stomach churn and her heart flutter. Of course, she had agreed, but it all felt as if it were rushing at her now.

“We can secure a special license…” the Dowager Duchess of Dayton suggested.

Eleanor’s mother perked up. “Oh, I have heard of such! It would allow them to be wed within a week. Do you believe it to be enough time to find a gown and make arrangements, though?”

This surprised Eleanor, for she had not seen her mother so interested in anything in some time.

If only the circumstances were different. If only they were not tied to someone so… confusing.

Eleanor tuned them out once more, her mind drifting away. Still, she maintained her most polite smile as the two women spoke of the wedding and the plans. She wanted nothing more than to run to her room, shut the door and lock it.

She wondered if the Dowager Duchess of Dayton had pressed the duke about the wedding as well, or was this perhaps his own doing? She thought of how he had referred to her as his betrothed, and it left an almost sour taste in her mouth. And yet… she did not hate the sound of it.

Her thoughts returned to the gardens, to the flashes of light, and the suddenness of the duke’s departure. It had seemed so abrupt, as if he couldn’t wait to leave, and that left a strange feeling in her stomach. A mix of disappointment and curiosity.

“Excuse me for a moment,” her mother said as she stood up.

Eleanor looked up and watched as her mother left the room, leaving the duke’s mother and her alone.

Eleanor, not one to forget her manners, turned to the dowager duchess with a smile. But before she could strike up some idle conversation about the wedding or something else to that effect, the dowager duchess reached out to her.

The older woman took Eleanor by the hands, her skin cool and soft. “I had always hoped that Dorian would find happiness,” she said.

Eleanor gave a small smile. “His happiness is important, I agree.”

“And so is yours,” the dowager duchess added, her voice firm.

Eleanor was surprised to hear this, but she welcomed it all the same. She felt a sense of relief wash over her. It was such a simple phrase, and yet it filled her with a light, airy sensation.

“I must say, I am very pleased with the bride my son has chosen,” the dowager duchess admitted, her eyes warm and gentle as they locked on Eleanor’s.

She meant it, each word, and the sentiment was sweet. But Eleanor could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Could the duke truly be happy with her?

The dowager duchess released her hands and then looked about the room, admiring the portraits on the walls. “I am sure he has told you of what truly happened,” she said in a knowing tone. “He has been through so much, borne more burdens than most. I have seen him change, turn darker. But you, you’ve brought out the light in him.”

As the dowager duchess spoke, Eleanor felt a sense of reassurance. The words and the meaning behind them reverberated through her, brightening the sea of doubt that had threatened to drown her. A tentative smile formed on her lips as she considered the possibility that maybe, just maybe, this would work.

I don’t need him to love me.It is to be a marriage of convenience—nothing more, nothing less.

“Did you hear what’s on the theater tomorrow?” Her mother’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Eleanor turned to the doorway as her mother entered with a sweet smile. “I have not,” she replied softly, hoping that her musings had not been so obvious on her face.

She raised an eyebrow in question and then cast a quick glance at the dowager duchess, who was watching them with a soft smile on her lips.

Her mother sat, adjusting her dress around her. “Romeo and Juliet.”

Eleanor’s interest was piqued. She had always loved the works of Shakespeare, and she knew this piece to be a favorite of Diana, who would no doubt be more than pleased to join her.

“Perhaps you should invite the duke as well?”

The dowager duchess nodded in agreement. “Dorian would be pleased to attend.”

The duke did not strike Eleanor as a romantic, but she could not pretend that she did not wish to see him. She could see them sitting in a box, watching the romantic tragedy play before them. Her stomach fluttered excitedly, and her heart thundered in her chest.

For once, she found herself less excited about the theater and more excited about the company of a man. It was a strange thought, but one she relished.

“I shall write to him immediately,” Eleanor said with a sweet smile.

“And, Eleanor,” the dowager duchess piped up with a smile.

Eleanor turned to her. “Yes, Your Grace?”

“I should like to throw a very intimate dinner tonight to celebrate the betrothal.” The dowager duchess turned to Eleanor’s mother then and gave a warm smile. “Of course, you are most welcome as well.”

“We would be delighted,” her mother said before Eleanor could even think of a response. “We shall see you tonight to celebrate the joining of our families.”

Later that evening, Eleanor found herself in the heart of Dayton Hall. The ballroom did not appear to be used often, but it still held its charms. The soft glow of candlelight cast a wavering glow on the walls, painting them in an almost golden hue.

At her side, her mother shifted uncomfortably. “It is lovely here.”

Eleanor could sense her nerves, though her mother somehow was managing to maintain her composure. She could not recall the last time her mother had truly left Berkley Estate, but to see her now, peering at the fine details of the room, she could not help but give a wry smile.

The moment felt fleeting almost, as if she expected her mother to turn on her heel at any moment and bolt out of the room. And her mother was not the only one. Philip had joined them, though more so to keep a watchful eye on Dorian. He appeared to be regretting his decision entirely.

“Are you well, brother?” Eleanor teased.

He frowned but offered no response. Instead, he took a measured sip from the glass of champagne he had been nursing since their arrival. His gaze turned to the hostess and the duke, who had just entered the room.

Eleanor felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him, but she did all she could to contain her excitement. She smiled, curtsied as she should, but in the back of her mind, she felt that something in the atmosphere was not quite right. Her gaze flicked up to the duke, but he seemed to be looking everywhere but at her.

This in itself shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did.

“It is a pleasure to have you here,” the Dowager Duchess of Dayton said, poised as always, addressing them all at once. She then turned her attention to Eleanor, her smile widening slightly. “You look absolutely stunning, my dear.” Then she turned to the duke. “Don’t you agree, Dorian?”

The duke turned his attention to Eleanor for the briefest of moments, regarding her briefly. “Yes, quite so. Lovely.”

Eleanor felt her expression waver slightly, and she found herself giving an almost sour smile. She regarded him with a slight tilt of her head, trying her hardest to bite back the words on the tip of her tongue. “You look charming, as always, Your Grace.”

For the briefest of seconds, she could swear she saw the faintest hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth, but just as soon as she caught it, it was gone. His expression was icy, distant, almost as if he were bored.

What is this all about?

If anyone else noticed the shift in his demeanor, they did not point it out. Eleanor wondered if perhaps she was imagining it, or maybe she was being too sensitive. Still, she could not shake the feeling that there was something going on.

No, she was almost sure of it.

The duke is trying to avoid me, but why?

Whatever the reason, she had no intention of leaving Dayton Hall without confronting him about it. But how would she manage to do so with her mother and brother here? Eleanor was sure that her mother would not mind, though she may be wary of it, but Philip… he would not have it.

“Eleanor? Dear?”

She was jolted out of her thoughts by the voice of her mother, who was watching her with a slightly furrowed brow. Her mother smiled and then motioned to the door, where the dowager duchess and the duke were headed.

Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat, a flush rising to her cheeks. Her mother was staring at her as if she had heard her thoughts, a small delicate smile playing on her lips. But, she said no more of it and started after the others.

However, Philip lingered behind. “What are you plotting, sister?”

“Plotting? Have you had too much?” Eleanor eyed his now empty glass.

It was clear he was suspicious, but he only turned to follow the rest.