Kyle approached Damien wearing his most charming smile yet. "Can I speak to your husband in private, Eloise? But don’t go too far away. I might need you to save ."
"Then, excuse ," Eloise said, walking away to leave the two alone. She looked back at Damien to offer a thumbs-up.
Damien’s gaze moved from Eloise to Kyle. "What is it?"
Kyle cleared his throat. "In the morning, would you be so kind as to allow to join you with your work? I think it is ti that I hold so of the responsibility for managing the estate. It is fine if you want to say no. I won’t hold it against you."
"You can join once breakfast has finished. Don’t be late, and don’t bring your usual antics around ," Damien answered.
Kyle’s mouth fell open as he couldn’t believe Damien was agreeing so easily. "You will let join you? Just like that, without any complaints? Are you well? Perhaps you are long-lost Damien’s twin?"
Damien glared at Kyle.
If not for the love Damien bore for Eloise, he would not have endured Kyle’s lack of sense.
"I am allowing what you have asked. If you find it to be too much, you are welco to go back to your usual carelessness. It wouldn’t surprise if you beco bored and want to go drink," Damien said, before walking away.
"I can do this. I can do the work that you do, and far better. I only choose to be carefree because you like to do the work yourself," Kyle argued.
"Oh," Damien stopped walking as Kyle intrigued him. He turned around, flashing a devious smile. "You can do it better? Then why not take the chance to do my job? From now until tomorrow night, I will let you hold all the responsibilities ant for . Who knows, I just might learn from you."
"W-Wait," Kyle stuttered, not liking that Damien took his words seriously. "You mustn’t go so far, Damien. You are Lord Hawthorne. It would confuse the servants if you passed on all responsibilities to ."
"I will inform the butler and head maid that for one day, they will report to you. I will get to spend the day with my wife and take her around the town. You finally have so good use," Damien said, patting Kyle’s back. "Thank you."
Kyle groaned, unhappy to be left with more work than he signed up for, but he wasn’t going to lose to Eloise. He also wanted to prove Damien wrong, but Kyle wasn’t prepared to do all of Damien’s work.
Kyle placed his right hand to his mouth and started to bite his nails. "I need to send for Samuel in the morning," he muttered.
anwhile, Damien caught up to Eloise to walk with her.
"Tomorrow, I will take you for an outing around the town. You can get your dress for the ball then. I’m surprised that your plan has led to having a day off," Damien shared, looking forward to a day of freedom.
Eloise frowned, puzzled by how it beca this way. "A day off? You were to be at his side and let him help you. How did it beco like this?"
"You are getting a day to be at my side and parade around the town just as you wanted. You mustn’t fret and end up spoiling it. This is far better than your plans with him," Damien said, reaching for Eloise’s hand. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb to calm her.
"Forgive , but I don’t think you should be so calm about leaving Kyle to do your work. What if we return to a portion of the estate on fire? Or, if he just lies around and no work is done? Why am I the only one who is concerned?" Eloise asked, bothered that Damien wasn’t concerned.
"You are not the only one concerned. Kyle didn’t expect to take what he said seriously. There is a chance that seeing the work I do might straighten him out, or he will be bored and go back to his ways. I do not care," Damien said, solely interested in his ti with Eloise.
"We will leave early in the morning so we can be done with your shopping before the town gets too crowded. Think only of the fun we will have," Damien said, yearning for her attention to be solely on him.
Eloise sighed.
She could only go along with the change of plans. "Very well," Eloise agreed. "But if Kyle creates a ss while we are away, rember that it wasn’t my part of the plan."
"Noted."
The next day, Eloise and Damien set off for the market, not giving Kyle ti to back out of the plan.
Eloise sat on one side of the carriage, looking out the window. She tried not to et Damien’s gaze as he found an interest in staring at her.
Eloise sighed. "Must you stare at ?"
"Would you prefer that I stare at another lady?" Damien asked, his gaze still fixed on Eloise. "You look lovely."
"You say this every day," Eloise replied, no longer flustered by the comnt.
"Because you look lovely every day," said Damien.
Eloise finally acknowledged Damien, just as he wanted. He was even more handso with the sunlight shining on him.
How could one man be so handso?
"You can also tell that I am handso," Damien said, reading Eloise’s thoughts.
"I can’t tell if you’re cocky or just a good bit of confidence," Eloise said.
"I have mirrors around the estate, and see the faces of the n around the town. I am, in fact, handso, and you are quite fortunate. You have my parents to thank for it," Damien said, also thanking Eloise’s parents for his view.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The n you think are not handso are handso to soone else. It is the sa with the ladies," said Eloise.
"That is true. It also helps that half the town is blind. When they can finally afford to get spectacles, a lot of marriages end," Damien said jokingly. "Should we test it today? Should we help a few couples to see better?"
"Damien, I am not going to join you to ruin anyone’s marriage," Eloise said, worried for the people they might encounter.
"It wouldn’t be ruining a marriage. It would be saving it before it gets too far along. You are quite easy to tease, Eloise. I am going to enjoy this day," Damien said, looking forward to toying with Eloise.
"I am starting to regret making a bet with Kyle because I am now stuck with you. I think I shall stay close to Aiden," Eloise decided.
"You are setting him up to be a dead man walking."
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