Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
T he following morning, Eloise woke to the soft warmth of sunlight streaming through the damask drapes, casting a golden glow over the room?—
Felix’s room.
She shifted, stretching in the tangled sheets, savoring the delicious ache that reminded her of their previous night together. Felix’s arms had been around her as she had fallen asleep, and the memory filled her with a glow of warmth and belonging.
A light knock at the door made her sit up, clutching the sheet around herself.
To her surprise, Felix entered, his hair tousled, holding a tray laden with silver-domed dishes, tea, and fresh fruit. A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he set the tray down beside her, the scent of freshly baked rolls and warm tea filling the air.
“Good morning, Duchess,” he said with a smirk, echoing her title with playful formality.
Eloise raised an eyebrow, sitting up straighter. “Good morning,” she replied, eyeing the tray.
“I thought it best if I brought breakfast to you,” he said as if reading her mind. “Lest the servants start gossiping.”
Eloise giggled, letting the sheet around her drop. She already felt entirely relaxed, beautiful, and desired in his presence.
“I must say,” she said, “I did not expect to see you before noon.”
Felix chuckled, settling himself beside her on the bed, his arm brushing against her shoulder as he removed the lids from the dishes.
“Consider it an unexpected gesture of goodwill,” he teased, lifting a fresh roll and tearing it in half before handing her a piece. “After all, it is not every day I join a beautiful woman for breakfast in bed.”
Eloise accepted the roll, her fingers grazing his. She couldn’t stop the small, contented smile that spread across her face.
“Are you telling me that you’ve never indulged in breakfast in bed, Felix?” she asked, her voice light with amusement.
He shrugged, pouring them each a cup of tea. “I suppose I have simply never had the right company to make it worthwhile,” he replied. He looked up at her with genuine warmth. “Or perhaps you broke me last night.”
“ I broke you ?” She raised her eyebrows and laughed. “I am amazed I am still in one piece after the way you ravaged me. Consequences indeed.”
He looked at her with that same lasciviousness as the night before, though now it was blended with something more than just pure lust.
“It is entirely your own fault for being so delectably irresistible,” he replied.
They settled into a comfortable rhythm, the clink of cups and plates the only sound in the room. Felix reached for a plate of sliced peaches, lifting one to her lips. She opened her mouth, taking the fruit from his fingers, and his eyes sparkled as he watched her chew.
“Mmm, that’s my good girl. You are quite the student, darling,” he murmured.
The implication behind his words set her heart racing once more.
“Delicious,” she murmured, licking a stray bit of juice from her lip.
Felix’s gaze followed the movement, his eyes glowing slightly although he kept his tone light.
“I am glad you think so.” He reached out, brushing a crumb from her cheek, his hand lingering a moment longer than necessary. “Though I’m not sure anything here before us this morning could compare to last night.”
Eloise’s cheeks flushed, but she didn’t look away, holding his gaze as she tilted her head.
“It was certainly not what I was expecting,” she replied with a soft giggle.
He glanced at her, momentarily worried. “But you enjoyed it, yes?”
Eloise laughed, slapping him playfully on the arm. “As if you could not tell.”
He smirked then nodded his agreement. An intimate silence settled over them, filled with a comfortable familiarity that felt new yet natural. Felix cleared his throat, his voice becoming deeper and more thoughtful.
“Do you know,” he began, his gaze dropping to the teacup in his hands, “long before you arrived here, I often pictured you at Kingswell Hall?”
“You did?” she asked, her heart fluttering at his admission.
Felix nodded, his expression contemplative. “I spent years watching you at family gatherings, wondering what it would be like if you were here. And then when you approached me with your silly little bet, well…”
“Perhaps,” she said, leaning in for a kiss, “it was not that silly after all.”
Later that afternoon Eloise walked along the grand hallway, her bare feet sinking into the thick pile of the carpet. The rain pattered against the windows, but the house was warm, and Eloise felt truly at home.
As she neared the staircase she heard the hushed voices of two maids whispering near the entrance to the servant’s corridor. She slowed her steps, pausing in the shadows to catch snippets of their conversation.
“…and can you believe it?” one of them said, her voice tinged with astonishment. “The Duchess spent the night in His Grace’s chambers. They say they are… well, you know.”
The other maid giggled, her excitement poorly contained. “It is about time! He has never been one to invite anyone to his room, not even a duchess.”
“Well, she is his wife,” the first one said. “Maybe Mrs. Thorpe’s grand plan has been working after all.”
Eloise fought back a smile, her cheeks flushing slightly. She smoothed down her gown and continued on her way.
She normally detested gossip, but this snippet of conversation warmed her heart. It pleased her that even the household staff could see the connection developing between her and Felix.
She was just outside the drawing room when Felix appeared in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame, his arms crossed.
“Ah, there you are,” he said. “I was about to go looking for you.”
The mischievous grin on his face was lit up by the flames flickering in the fireplace.
What did I do to deserve to be such a lucky woman?
“You were?” she asked, tilting her head as she approached him. “And what, pray tell, do you need me for? Do not tell me that you are still not satisfied…”
“My satisfaction only last minutes when I am constantly being tempted by such a wicked duchess.”
Eloise gasped, swatting his arm as she laughed. “I am not evil. I am an exceptionally good girl, I will have you know.”
He looked at her lewdly. “Yes, I am aware.”
She giggled again. “Is that really what you wanted me for?”
Felix grinned, shaking his head, and nodded toward the fireplace where a chessboard awaited, pieces meticulously arranged. “No. The rain has trapped us indoors, and I thought perhaps you would indulge me in a game of chess. Unless you would prefer to lose at cards.”
She laughed, stepping past him and settling herself by the fire, casting a playful look over her shoulder. “Confident as always. I will have you know I have never lost a game of chess.”
“Is that because you have never played?” he teased, one eyebrow raised in mock challenge.
Eloise scoffed. “No. It is because I am intelligent and strategic.”
“In that case,” he replied, taking his place across the board from Eloise, “prepare yourself to lose for the first time. I shall be kind and let you play white to give you a chance of winning.”
Eloise giggled and picked up her first piece, knowing her moves immediately. She had played many times with her father before he had died.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
“A good start,” Felix said, feigning concentration on the board. “But not quite good enough.”
As they continued to play, they traded moves with quips and glances, the atmosphere comfortably electric.
After a while, Felix leaned back in his chair with a small grin on his lips as he watched her place her bishop on the board with precision.
“Ah, I see the Duchess believes that she has mastered the game.”
Eloise arched an eyebrow, tapping her fingers thoughtfully on the edge of the board.
“Perhaps it is the Duke who underestimates his opponent,” she muttered. “After all, victory favors the bold.”
She moved her knight swiftly into position.
Felix glanced at the board before meeting her gaze.
“Or the reckless,” he murmured, capturing her bishop with a swift flick of his rook. “You are leaving your defenses wide open, darling.”
“Am I?” She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling as she positioned her queen in response. “Or am I simply luring you into a trap?”
He chuckled. “So, a schemer . I should have known that from the outset when you cooked up our little bet. I see now that I will have to tread carefully.” He placed his own knight down with a flourish. “You know, most opponents would not dare to challenge me so boldly.”
She gave a theatrical sigh, casting a glance at the dwindling number of his pieces on the board. “Most opponents are probably not as intent on winning,” she replied.
She took his knight as amusement danced in her eyes.
“I never would have thought you would be so ruthless, Eloise. Such cruelty hidden beneath that lovely exterior. You ought to be careful—you know by now what the consequences are.”
“Oh, no!” she said in mock horror, cupping her hands around her cheeks. “And I would so hate to experience those consequences again. Last night… it was truly terrifying.”
“If you liked it so much,” he said, his eyes steady on hers, “then perhaps you ought to provoke me again.”
Eloise grinned and returned her attention to the game, even more determined to win. She was acutely aware when Felix’s gaze fixed on her and the playful glint in his eyes began to turn into something warmer.
She made her next move with a small smile of triumph, already anticipating his response.
“Well?” she prompted, raising her eyebrows in mock impatience. “Am I still an unworthy opponent?”
Felix chuckled softly, his fingers brushing hers as he moved a piece on the board, his voice laced with amusement. “Unworthy? No, Eloise. Quite the opposite.”
Just then, a loud knock shattered the quiet intimacy of the moment. Felix looked up in irritation as his butler entered the room.
“Pardon the intrusion, Your Graces. Viscount Stentford has arrived,” Beaumont said after a bow.
“Thank you, Beaumont. Show him in,” Felix said and the butler, after another bow, walked out of the room.
A moment later, Percy strode in, his usual grin lighting up his features.
“Ah! So this is where you have hidden yourselves,” Percy said, clearly amused by the scene. “The butler told me you were playing chess, but I did not believe you had gone that soft, Kingswell. Did I even hear some laughter as I approached?”
“I have not turned soft,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at Percy. “What are you doing here anyhow, ruining our perfectly pleasant afternoon?”
Percy sighed and let himself fall onto the sofa beyond them. “I am bored. I was quite alone at the club, wondering what had happened, and I came to check if you were all right. I can see now that you are.”
Felix glanced at Eloise and smiled. “Quite all right.”
Percy feigned a groan. “I am glad to see you two have finally decided to become friends. When is Jeremy due back by the way?” His tone softened slightly though his grin remained in place.
Eloise’s heart leaped at the sound of her brother’s name. She loved Jeremy and desperately wanted him to return, but… his reaction to her present circumstances… God knew what it would be.
“He will return when he is ready,” Felix said curtly.
Percy nodded, accepting the unspoken boundary. “Of course. Well, I feel terribly awkward having intruded upon you, and now that I know you are quite safe, I shall leave you both to… whatever you are calling this.”
He winked, backing out of the room with a knowing smile, his gaze lingering on Eloise with a nod of approval before he disappeared.
Once the door clicked shut, a comfortable blanket of silence once again settled upon Eloise and Felix.
She smiled at him affectionately. “It seems we are not quite as inconspicuous as we had thought.”
Felix chuckled, his fingers brushing along her hand as he reached across the chessboard. “There is nothing untoward about a husband and wife enjoying a game of chess.”
Eloise also leaned in, “Incidentally, we never discussed what the prize would be.”
Felix arched an eyebrow, “Oh? Must there be a prize?”
“Don’t you always seek one, Your Grace?”
He smirked, “Go ahead, then. Make our game a little more interesting.”
Eloise bit her lip, excitement buzzing all over her skin, “How about we make a little bet?”
Felix’s smile grew wider. “I am all ears.”