Eloise walked ahead of Damien, observing the dresses on display in shop windows.

"Why must you be angry when I don’t bear any feelings for her? I confessed my feelings for you," Damien reminded Eloise. "You shouldn’t create drama where it doesn’t need to exist."

"I am not angry. I shared my thoughts on the matter, so I don’t need to dwell on it. I am trying to be quick with selecting a dress and shoes so we don’t need to stumble upon any more ladies who are eyeing you," Eloise said, yet to look at Damien.

Damien didn’t believe Eloise.

While Eloise said she wasn’t angry, her appearance told another story.

Damien caught up to Eloise and held her hand. "Truly, there hasn’t been an ounce of romance between Charlotte and me. There was once a proposal for us to get married. Fortunately, before anything could come out of it, Charlotte selected her husband."

This news puzzled Eloise.

It was evident that Charlotte bore some feelings for Damien, so why didn’t she push for the marriage?

’Did she think he would never marry?’ Eloise wondered.

"I am not upset about it. Truly," Eloise assured Damien. "I like seeing how she acted in your presence, so I wouldn’t be blindsided in the future. Can you promise me that if there is a lady whom you were once suggested to marry, you had private affairs with or you know likes you, you would warn me."

Eloise didn’t want to unknowingly be friendly to a woman who had a past with Damien and thought there was a chance in the future.

"I would give you the same respect to warn you of a gentleman I adored," Eloise promised.

"It is a difficult task," Damien said, uncertain of where to start.

"I know many ladies in town wanted to be your wife, but I speak of ladies who hold power to get near us. I don’t want to become friendly to anyone only to later learn that you were comfortable with them," Eloise explained, careful with her choice of words.

Eloise started to worry about the ladies Damien dealt with before. Though many ladies fancied Damien, Eloise did not think he would entertain most, but surely, some had his attention.

"I will confess that after my parents died, I was foolish in sleeping around and drinking, but once I settled my emotions, my siblings became my focus. There is only one lady I called upon frequently, and she is no longer in town," said Damien.

"Is there a chance she might return to town with a child at her side?" Eloise wondered, thinking it was possible. "To have your child would ensure a comfortable life."

"That is, if it were a lady in need of money. I never shared a bed with anyone, well below my status, who sought a way into high society. We were using each other for enjoyment and to distract ourselves. That is all," Damien assured Eloise.

"I see. Well, if this special lady ever returns to town, you must give me notice in advance. I am not jealous of your dealings with anyone before our marriage. I only ask that your past does not affect my present," Eloise said.

"I assure you that it won’t."

Eloise guessed that Damien would remove anyone who threatened to spoil their marriage.

"It is quite unfair that most ladies, if not nearly all, do not have a past before their husbands. How am I to know that we are truly perfect for each other if you are the only one? Many of the men around the town had the chance to be careless before their marriage," Eloise said, finding the matter to be unfair.

"Are you thinking of stepping out of our marriage to be with another man?" Damien asked, the words leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

"No. I would not make such a rash decision and cause unrest within our marriage. Had I been a maiden not yet married and were in a position to, I would test the waters. Not too many times," Eloise said, thinking of how she would appear. "I would not be a whore like you."

Damien almost tripped from the sudden insult. "A what?"

Eloise tapped her mouth with her right hand. "That was a bit too scandalous. I must correct myself. I wouldn’t want to be as promiscuous as you were."

"If your goal is to insult me, you are starting to succeed," Damien said, not liking the sudden turn of events.

"It is not said to insult you. It is merely the truth, but to spare your feelings, I will move on," Eloise decided.

"You can be quite daring when you are ready," Damien said, partially liking Eloise’s secret side.

Eloise nodded. "I know. Most think I am timid and don’t know how to speak my mind. Always on my best behaviour has fooled them. I wish there were a way for me to go back to the past and change how well-behaved I was with Agatha and Clive. I’m sure there were many instances when I should have spoken up."

Eloise slowed down after spotting a familiar face.

It was Ingrid, the very dressmaker who had not been polite.

Damien also noticed the woman standing still like a statue.

Ingrid thought of running back inside her shop, but to make amends with the couple and to save her business, she approached the Hawthornes.

"Lord and Lady Hawthorne," Ingrid greeted the pair with a curtsy. "It is lovely to see you both around the town. Lady Hawthorne, you might not remember me-"

"I remember you," Eloise said, intentionally striking fear into Ingrid’s heart. "You’ve had a noticeable change in attitude since we last spoke. I won’t go where I am not welcome and disturb your shop again."

Beads of sweat trickled down the side of Ingrid’s face as Damien’s heated gaze told her fate. "Lady Hawthorne, there was a misunderstanding between us. A Hawthorne is always welcome in my dress shop. I have new dresses fitting for a lady of your status."

"I recall sending notice that the Hawthornes no longer do business with you. You should have received the last payment settling what was between us. Didn’t you?" Damien asked, amused by Ingrid still approaching.

Ingrid rubbed her hands together, trying to get rid of the sweat which formed. "I received your generous payment. Lord Hawthorne," Ingrid lowered her head. "Forgive me. I didn’t treat your wife with the respect she deserved upon first speaking. I admit it."

Ingrid raised her head. "Please allow me to correct my mistakes. I can close the shop, so Lady Hawthorne has a private viewing of my dresses."

Damien spared a glance at the shop in question. It was empty just like Ingrid’s mind.

Of course, Ingrid could close the shop for a private viewing when there weren’t any other customers inside.

"It wouldn’t be a private viewing. It would be you having a customer again. Get out of her way," Damien said, his patience running thin.

They had only just arrived, yet two people were already spoiling the day Damien so eagerly looked forward to.