Chapter 386: Moving on [2]

"You’re doing a fine job at this. I might need to replace Hannah with you," Eloise said as she watched Damien attempt to dress her.

"Don’t get rid of her just yet," Damien replied.

"She is too lovely for me to ever get rid of. She is right on time," Eloise said as a knock on the door was heard. "Could you be a dear and open the door for her?"

"You’re enjoying this quite a bit. Getting to order me around like I’m your servant. Is that what you’re into?" Damien asked, his hand sliding down to her waist. "You should have said so earlier."

"No, it is not what I am into. Don’t go making up stories. You must get the door," Eloise said, placing her hand on Damien’s chest to keep some distance between them before her traitorous heart could react to his teasing.

"You mustn’t hide your desires," Damien said before walking away. "I can be quite the devoted servant when I want to be."

"Don’t go putting ideas inside my head," Eloise muttered, trying not to let her thoughts wander where he clearly intended them to go.

Damien opened the door for Hannah and made way for her to enter.

"Lord Hawthorne. Lady Hawthorne," Hannah greeted with a curtsy. "Your guests have gathered in the garden."

Eloise turned to look at Hannah, puzzled. "Guests? Since when did we have guests?"

"My apologies. We were not to disturb you, so I forgot you were not informed. Mr Zayne Bailey and his mother are present at the estate. They are speaking with Miss Iris at the moment," Hannah shared.

"His mother? I didn’t know she was visiting today, and Iris didn’t speak of it, so it must have been a surprise. Please go see that our guests have all that they need. I shall be down in a moment to greet them," Eloise said, already thinking of ways to entertain the guests.

Hannah curtsied and turned to leave the chamber.

"That fool. Ambushing the woman he loves with his mother," Damien said, though he wasn’t surprised. "He doesn’t think."

"I know Iris must have been concerned about not having a gift prepared for the introduction. Since no one came to us, I assume that it is all going well. Should we give them a bit more time to speak or join them now?" Eloise asked, worried that Iris might need help.

"They are going to be family soon. If they cannot survive this small moment alone, how will they last years? You must give Iris the chance to do this alone. His family can be quite intimidating, but if she gets by his mother, she will be fine," Damien promised.

"I can’t help feeling so protective of her. I will give them one more moment alone before I go down with you. Do you think Zayne has told his mother about Hayden?" Eloise asked, worried it would make the siblings sad again.

Damien folded his arms. "No. She wouldn’t have chosen today to meet Iris if she knew. I will wait until tomorrow to write to her. Let today be for their introduction. The others can enjoy her visit as well."

"You will need to tell them not to let it slip. I am going back to my idea for dinner. Not for me to prepare it, but to have a good dinner made since we are all together. Kyle and Quinn won’t be present for long. Then Iris will get married," Eloise said, dreading the days they would be alone.

"Those two won’t get married in a day, and doesn’t Kyle have to visit to speak to you about your business?" Damien asked.

"I have not been doing any work when it comes to the business. I think it is only right that Kyle does it by himself. I will tell him this. If he decides to do it alone, then I will accept it. I will try to help him if he needs it now," Eloise decided.

"I am ready to go," Eloise said, reaching for Damien’s hand.

"What happened to giving them a moment?" Damien asked, holding Eloise’s hand.

"I did. I didn’t say it would be a long one. I look forward to meeting Zayne’s mother and seeing how they are all faring. We might be able to plan for a wedding quite soon," Eloise said, excited.

"Does it trouble you that our wedding was done rather quickly?"

"Not at all. Our circumstances were different, and I still quite enjoyed our wedding. It would have been better had Iris and Reece been present, but I loved it. I did not need to stress myself as other brides did," Eloise said, thankful as she remembered the day with genuine fondness.

"You are being honest with me? It wouldn’t be difficult to prepare another wedding," Damien offered.

Eloise chuckled. "We are already married, and it is now Iris’s time with Zayne."

"For how long must we care about not taking the attention from them?" Damien asked, annoyed.

"While they are present and speaking about their wedding. At the events they shall host for the wedding, the attention should be on them. Any other day, we mustn’t concern ourselves. Perhaps I should be clearer," Eloise realised.

Eloise continued, "I wouldn’t announce we are having a child at any of their events for their wedding, but any other day, I would. Many wait for those days to be about them, so I would not like to be the one to spoil it."

"I don’t trouble myself with such things," said Damien.

"What if you planned a celebration for me and someone else tried to use the moment to make their own celebration? Would that not upset you?" Eloise asked, knowing it would.

"It would," Damien admitted. "Very well. I understand you, but I hope not to make our days all about those two."

"They won’t be. You don’t need to be present while the wedding is being planned, and once the wedding has happened, Iris will no longer reside here. It will be back to being about Jane and us. And your brothers when they visit," said Eloise.

"Hmm."

"You will survive, Damien. Now is the time for you to be happy for Zayne, just as I am happy for Iris. It is still unbelievable that those two met without us introducing them, and now they are engaged," Eloise said, thinking of how the pair met.

"Fate does exist," Eloise said, smiling at the thought.

"Wouldn’t you have to thank her mother for chasing her away with a marriage she couldn’t accept? Had Iris not left then, she wouldn’t have met Zayne," Damien pointed out.

Eloise frowned. "I would rather not give Agatha credit for them meeting each other. I worry that, since it won’t be long before Iris’s engagement gets out, Agatha will show herself. Iris doesn’t need such drama, as she is already nervous about the update on her father’s health."

"It is taking quite a bit longer than I hoped for him to pass. Even if her mother comes to see her, she will not be allowed inside the gates. Or maybe I should allow her," Damien said, eager at the thought of imprisoning Agatha.

"I will not have you welcome her inside so you can attack her. End that plan before it starts," Eloise said in a stern tone.