"Damien, you’re scaring the server. You may go," Eloise said, giving the server his freedom.

"Thank you, Lady Hawthorne."

"Must you be so scary to everyone around you?" Eloise asked, shaking her head at Damien.

"I wasn’t scary, I was being myself. Does this mean you think I am scary? Do I scare you?" Damien asked, taking a piece of fruit from Eloise’s plate.

"No, you don’t scare me, but you wear a scowl when others approach you. Believe me, I welcome it for scaring off some of the guests, but the servants are harmless. Perhaps it happens because you aren’t aware of how you stare at them. It is like this," Eloise said, and mimicked the expression.

"You look like you have to pee, and you are angry that you cannot leave to do it. I don’t look like that," Damien said, and looked away from Eloise to hide his smile. "You must stop before you give me nightmares."

"That is your expression. It is all everyone sees," Eloise said, and did it again.

Damien chuckled. "You are making yourself look like a madwoman. Perhaps I should let you walk around with that expression so we aren’t approached by others."

"No, your scowl is good enough. Do you think Victoria is well? Rosalie hasn’t returned, and neither has her husband," Eloise said, trying to get a glimpse of the trio. "The guests don’t seem to care that the host is nowhere to be seen."

"Quite frankly, I don’t care what is happening," Damien replied and snuck away another piece of fruit.

"Well, I do. I understand her reasoning for wanting to be surrounded by a crowd, but I would be disappointed if it were like this. Many seem to be here for appearances," Eloise noticed.

"Most gatherings are for hosts to show off. They either want to flaunt their home or their jewels. Few host events for the fun of it, and so the debutantes this season can find love. Look at them eyeing what each other is wearing," said Damien.

"It is a sad life, but this is how they were raised. Status and appearance mean everything. I cannot say I escaped it in my humble life. Back in the countryside, there were many ladies like this, even though there was not a lot of wealth to their names," Eloise said, recalling a few insults she endured.

"It is interesting to think of how those of us not used to this life had some grand belief that it was wonderful. That’s all the nobles did was dress up and have fun, yet here they are, more focused on each other’s wealth and appearance." Eloise said, no longer curious.

"What did you think of us common folk?" Eloise asked, curious how Damien saw her world.

"I did not think of anyone outside of my family," Damien replied.

"I suppose it should be expected," Eloise said and leaned back on her chair. "But you have land to your name and people living on it. Are you not thinking of them?"

"I do, but I am not curious about what they do at social gatherings. I am a very busy man with three troublesome siblings. What interests you does not interest me. Rosalie is coming back with her husband," Damien said, watching the pair.

"Is Victoria well?" Eloise asked as Rosalie reclaimed her chair.

"Yes, she is. She only needs a moment alone, and then she will join us. She is quite eager to get to know you and will join us another day. Lady Hawthorne, you were fond of the flowers. You are welcome to walk around just like the other guests," Rosalie suggested.

"Take a flower if you want," Rosalie offered, trying to make up for her absence.

"Damien, will you join me for a walk?" Eloise asked, eager to see the garden.

"I will," Damien agreed.

Damien stood up and offered his hand to help Eloise stand. He held her close once she was at his side and looked at Cole. "You seem to have a wandering eye, Mr Presley."

"What? I don’t know what you speak of," said Cole.

"See how long you can play clueless for," Damien responded.

Rosalie looked back and forth between the two men. "What has happened? Are you two not getting along?"

"We are. I think Lord Hawthorne might be trying to tease me as he always does. Don’t worry," Cole said, rubbing Rosalie’s hand to calm her.

"You men have such odd ways of speaking to each other. I will greet the guests and come to find you both when I am done. Do enjoy the garden," Rosalie said, sending the pair off.

Eloise walked away with Damien, and after checking that they were away from Rosalie, she said, "There is that scowl again. Do you not like her husband?"

"I’ve never been fond of him, but he is not my problem to bear. He should keep his eyes on his wife alone before he loses them. Keep in mind that I know Rosalie well, not her husband. She is the sole reason I brought you to the gathering," Damien explained.

"I gathered that you grew up around Rosalie. Her father is a duke. So, who is Cole’s family? I cannot think of any Presleys," Eloise said, drawing a blank.

"His family has some wealth, but it pales in comparison to Rosalie’s family. This home was a gift from her father. She holds all of the power here, but she pushes him forward," said Damien.

"They appear to be a lovely couple. It is sad that she was sick for so long. It scares me how many people are falling sick, and some never heal from it. I must confess that at times, like my parents, I felt as though I too might fall sick," Eloise confessed.

"If you become ill, I will gather the best doctors in the kingdom to heal you. When the flu is upon the town, just as it is every year, I will take you out of town so you do not fall victim to it. We can go to the countryside," Damien offered, knowing Eloise yearned to see her friends.

"You would? Aren’t you a busy man?" Eloise teased Damien. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"Would you prefer that I let my wife worry about falling ill?" Damien replied, secretly enjoying the way Eloise was acting now. "Besides, we will need some time to ourselves."

"You would not take your siblings?"

"We have plenty of residences for them to place themselves. My only concern would be Jane, and she wouldn’t want to leave the town, so she would stay with our aunt. It would just be the two of us," said Damien.

"Very well. Then I have plans to look forward to. Now, come help me take a few flowers," Eloise said, her attention going back to the garden.