"What am I to do?" Eloise asked, still frozen in place.

"Stay still," Damien replied.

Eloise lowered her left hand and placed it on the bed instead of Damien’s chest. "Was it stressful to search for the man you spoke of?"

"No," Damien answered.

"Then, why are you tired? Did you not get any rest last night? Did my presence make it uncomfortable for you to sleep?" Eloise asked, surprised that Damien was tired.

Damien looked well rested when she woke up this morning.

"Yes, it was. Who could sleep perfectly when there is a beautiful woman in your bed? It pained me that after our small talk, you went to sleep without a care in the world about my presence. Do I not make you nervous?" Damien questioned, his eyes opening to get Eloise’s reaction.

"Of course you do. You are Damien Hawthorne, but I had a very tiring and emotional day yesterday. I was in need of rest, and your presence was comforting. Do you want me to be nervous before you?" Eloise asked, though she did not see the need to.

"No, I want you to be comfortable," said Damien. "Why are you covering my eyes?"

Eloise’s right hand hovered over Damien’s eyes to hide his stare.

’Because now you are making me nervous,’ Eloise thought.

Eloise moved her hand and looked ahead at a chair.

"I would like to write to the court and ask that no one should be allowed into my father’s home until the will has been read. When I took Millie home, Agatha was there. I do not want her there as much as I don’t want Clive there," said Eloise.

"I will write to Nathan. I have learned the name of a man who might be able to tell me if Clive changed the will. I will question him once he has been picked up by my men. No harm will come to him," Damien said after Eloise looked down at him. "I will hand him off to the court once I am done using him."

"Good. He should be arrested for his crimes. Can you imagine how many people were swindled out of what was left for them to inherit? It is awful," Eloise said, thinking of the others in her shoes. "I plan to go through my father’s belongings. My father would have known my uncle better."

Eloise was confident her father would have made sure she would be well and not trust Clive.

"There used to be tension between my father and uncle, but they settled it. I don’t know what the argument was about because they tried to keep Iris and me out of it, but they stopped talking once," Eloise shared.

"It bothers me that I had so much trust in my uncle before this. It is eye-opening how you could never truly know someone as well as you think you do. Damien," Eloise said, lowering her gaze to where he laid. "Promise me that you will never stab me in the back." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"I won’t," Damien promised.

"I will take your word for it, but still, I do not think I will be able to trust others easily. I know I must sound silly saying this since I agreed to marry you when we haven’t seen each other for years," Eloise said, laughing at herself. "You will be the one exception."

"Did your family not have a lawyer, Eloise?"

"Lawyer? It would have been a wasted expense. I do remember a gentleman visiting our old home in the countryside, but I do not remember his name. I have friends whom I can write to and ask for a name. Even if it takes days to get a response, it is better than nothing," Eloise said, excited to have a new lead.

"I will personally send someone. It will be faster than sending a letter. Now, for my good work, don’t you think I should be comforted?" Damien asked, closing his eyes once more.

"You may rest for a moment, but I truly need to go through my father’s belongings and mine. I did not place my dresses and other belongings in the wardrobe. I don’t want your bedchamber to be a mess," Eloise said, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Damien made himself comfortable on Eloise’s lap.

"You only have yourself to blame if your room isn’t tidied in time," said Eloise.

"The maids have put away your belongings. I forbid them from touching what belongs to your parents," Damien shared.

Eloise looked down at Damien.

When did he speak to the maids?

"Thank you," Eloise replied.

Since Damien was going out of his way to help her, Eloise thought it was only fair to let him rest, so she sat still, letting Damien have his way.

Eloise looked out of the window while Damien slept. She didn’t think he would be so comfortable that he would fall asleep, but he did.

After what felt like an hour, the bedchamber door opened, and Jane stormed in.

Jane frowned, puzzled by the sight of Damien lying on Eloise’s lap. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing. He fell asleep," Eloise answered, peering down at Damien.

"Just like that?" Jane asked as she walked to the bed. She checked that Damien was breathing and that Eloise had not poisoned him to take his wealth. "It is not like my brother not to have his guard up around strangers."

"I’m not a stranger. I’m his wife," Eloise corrected Jane. "I did not harm him if that is what you think. He came to rest on my lap. My legs are sore, but I think he should rest a little longer."

"You would be foolish to try harming him to get his wealth. You would be arrested and killed before you could touch his money," said Jane.

Eloise smiled. "Then, I have nothing to fear since I am not after his wealth. If you have come to speak with him, I think you must wait."

"Our aunt is coming here, and she is not pleased. I would like for Damien to stay asleep so she can speak to you alone. Perhaps she will make sense of this rushed marriage. She is a rather strict woman," Jane said, trying to scare Eloise.

"I have some memories of your aunt, and I am not afraid, but thank you for sharing that she is on her way. I will wake your brother shortly," said Elosie.

Jane regretted warning Eloise of her aunt’s arrival.

"Jane, I do hope one day you and I can have a proper conversation. I am not here to hurt your brother," Eloise assured Jane.

"You are a stranger who came out of nowhere. I cannot trust you," Jane said, taking one last glance at Damien before leaving the room.