Gage came to Eloise’s side and held Agatha’s hand. "You must come with me."

Agatha stared at Eloise, considering whether she could get away with one strike for the disrespect. She lowered her hand, deciding to walk away for now because she was outnumbered.

Agatha looked forward to seeing Eloise when she was without guards. Eloise was only acting all high and mighty now because she had protection.

"Very well. I will let the courts decide, and when it is declared that my husband will be the new owner, I hope you don’t set foot here. Once it is in my name, you’ll have to buy this home to get it back," said Agatha.

"Unhand me," Agatha said, looking up at Gage. "I don’t need you to escort me out."

Gage kept his hold of Agatha’s arm since Eloise didn’t give him any others to stop.

"You must move faster, Gage. She is ruining my father’s home with her presence," said Eloise.

Hearing this, Gage forcibly pulled on Agatha’s hand to get her away from the home.

Agatha spewed insults and orders for her hand to be released. She raised her voice for the neighbours to witness how she was treated. For them to witness how the new Lady Hawthorne acted.

Eloise watched as Agatha was removed from her father’s home. ’I should ask Damien to place a guard here,’ she thought.

Eloise looked away from Agatha to the open front door. She walked up to the home and closed the door.

"This is how Lady Hawthorne treats her family!" Agatha yelled, further adding to the gossip about Eloise.

For a small moment, Eloise considered whether it was worth it to wait when she likely had the resources to kill both Agatha and Clive. She could give them the same unfortunate fate as her father.

"Eloise, dear," Millie’s voice disturbed Eloise’s thoughts.

Eloise moved her gaze to Millie.

"Are you alright?" Millie asked, brushing Eloise’s hair out of her face. "It looked like you had her for a moment. You’re better than Agatha by not acting as she does."

"You’re right," Eloise agreed, getting rid of her thoughts to kill Agatha and Clive. "I am my father’s daughter. I am going to ask Damien to place a guard here so no one will enter the home. I will also write to the court and ask that no one be allowed to enter until the will is settled."

"That is a good idea. I urge you to return to the estate now before you are faced with Clive coming here. Go on," Millie urged Eloise.

Eloise nodded and linked arms with Millie to walk back to the gate.

Eloise first saw Millie go inside her home safely before letting the carriage set off for the estate.

Eloise leaned back, letting her head rest on the seat. She intended to keep her promise not to let Agatha have the life she craved. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming herself from all the events throughout the day.

It was good to be alone.

The carriage eventually returned to the estate without any disturbances. Eloise exited the carriage and walked right inside, deciding to look through her parents’ belongings.

Inside the estate, Damien was shuffling through letters when he witnessed Eloise enter and go right up the stairs. He set the letters down and followed Eloise, sensing that her day didn’t go as planned.

Damien didn’t make his presence known as he followed Eloise. She appeared to be in deep thought and at one moment seemed to be lost before finding her way.

Damien entered the bedchamber behind Eloise and cleared his throat to announce his arrival.

"Damien," Eloise gasped, surprised he was standing behind her. "Were you following me?"

"I was. You were so focused that you did not hear me following you. Did you have a bad day? Want to sit on my lap and tell me?" Damien asked as he walked to the bed to sit down.

"How about you sit on my lap and tell me about your day?" Eloise questioned, turning Damien’s trick against him. "Not the answer you were expecting. Was it?"

Damien chuckled. "I just might surprise you with that offer. Who troubled my dear wife?"

Eloise joined Damien to sit on the bed. "Agatha has let it be known that I stole the man Iris wanted to marry, and now I am evil in most ladies’ eyes."

"I can settle this matter for you, but it will make Iris cry. No matter what anyone felt, I never belonged to your cousin. Before your return, I never interacted with her. How long must this continue?" Damien asked, annoyed that he was tied to a young woman he didn’t care for.

"For as long as Agatha is angry that I married you. I ignored the stares, but there was an unpleasant moment when I entered a dress shop. I was too undressed as your wife," said Eloise.

"You look lovely in my eyes," Damien said.

"Thank you. I did not stay in the shop and took my business elsewhere. The owner there spoke of Jane frequenting the shop. I hope I haven’t created trouble for her," Eloise said, only now realising she could have further ruined her relationship with Jane.

"If the owner was rude because of how you dressed, Jane doesn’t need to go there anymore. Besides, Jane is on punishment at the moment and isn’t allowed to attend gatherings, so she won’t need a new dress. She’ll be fine," said Damien.

"I am not certain she will be fine. I was her age once. It is a difficult time in a girl’s life," Eloise said, trying to understand Jane.

"Do not create excuses for her behaviour. She is being rude, and I will not tolerate it."

"I agree that she has an attitude, but I think she might also be jealous because she is not the only lady here now. Do not look at me like that," Eloise said, turning away from Damien. "I am not going to allow her behaviour toward me. I am simply saying I know what it stems from."

"If Jane is spoiled and doesn’t know how to speak to others, wouldn’t it be partly your fault? You are the one raising her," Eloise pointed out.

"Jane has three brothers. I am not the one who spoils her. I am the only one who punishes her when she is wrong. They baby her because she is the youngest and is forced to live with three brothers. I am doing my best," Damien defended himself.

Damien lost interest in speaking of others and leaned to the right to rest his head on Eloise’s lap. "I have had an awful day. I should be comforted."

Eloise peered down at Damien, uncertain of what to do.