Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 67

“Who’s that girl?”

“That’s the daughter of the Deputy of the King’s Works. Quite a clever poet, they say. Unlucky to have her work ruined.”

“And the one who ruined it?”

“No idea. She came with the Duchess of Duskmoor, didn’t she?”

“I saw the whole thing. Looked intentional to me. Maybe the Duchess put her up to it…”

“I heard the Duchess used to be close with the Crown Prince…”

The whispers faded into pregnant silence, heavy with unspoken implications.

Elowen’s brow furrowed.

Below, Sylvia was pleading, voice thick with forced meekness. “I said I was sorry. I even offered you my poem. You refused it, called it terrible…”

“Stop your sniveling!” the girl snapped, shoving Sylvia hard.

Caught off balance, Sylvia stumbled backward several steps, teetering on the edge of a fall. A firm hand caught her arm, steadying her.

Sylvia looked back into the calm face of Edith, a senior maid from Duskmoor Manor.

Elowen’s voice rang out, clear and authoritative. “This is a verse salon personally hosted by Her Majesty, with His Highness the Crown Prince in attendance. No one wants trouble, so let’s not call it deliberate. Sylvia made an honest mistake and has apologized. Grilling her won’t help anyone and only puts Her Majesty on the spot. How about we leave it at that?”

All eyes shifted to Elowen.

Everyone present knew who she was–the Duchess of Duskmoor, whose status had soared in Vanelle, especially now that the Duke was awake and his future looked brighter than ever.

The angry girl’s face remained stormy. She gritted her teeth but managed a stiff, “Your Grace.”

Elowen offered a conciliatory smile. “I understand your frustration. You care deeply about today’s event, which is why the accident upset you. But the poem was freshly written. The words should still be fresh in your mind as well. Take a moment to recall them. Sometimes, what we remember and rewrite turns out even better than the original.”

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10:09 Thu, May 7

Chapter o A Mother’s Ambition

With the Duchess having spoken so reasonably, the girl had no grounds to press further.

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She shot Sylvia one last venomous glare before muttering to Elowen, “Thank you for your kind words, Your Grace.”

Elowen nodded, then gestured for Sylvia to follow her. She first addressed Isla. “Your Majesty, with your permission, I shall retire briefly to refresh myself”

Isla granted it with a wave.

“Come with me,” Elowen said to Sylvia, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Sylvia gave a muffled “Yes, Your Grace.”

As Elowen left the hall, the whispers started up again behind her.

Isla leaned toward Alaric, a knowing smile on her lips. “Duchess Elowen did that on purpose. Stirring things up to catch your eye–she wants to marry the girl into the Crown Prince’s Wing.”

Alaric had reached the same conclusion. His eyes

darkened.

So Elowen knows she can’t have me for herself anymore, and now she’s trying to plant one of her own people beside me.

All her previous indifference had been an act. She couldn’t let him go. She was resorting to underhanded tricks to stay in his orbit.

A cold, superior amusement curled inside him. How pathetic.

Ironically, he found himself losing interest in Elowen’s theatrics.

The mysterious Azure–Daphne–seemed far more intriguing now.

Outside the hall, Elowen led Sylvia to a secluded, shaded spot near an ornamental rock garden. She sat on a low stone ledge and cut straight to the point. “Was this your mother’s idea?”

Sylvia flinched. “I… I don’t know what you mean, Your Grace.”

Elowen spoke calmly, her gaze steady. “Once a scheme like this begins, it rarely ends with just one incident. If you followed your mother’s instructions today, she will demand more from you tomorrow. I helped you today. But if you won’t be honest with me, I’ll not intervene again.”

Sylvia’s face paled.

After a long silence, she hung her head. “My… my mother said I have no talent for verse. That

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Chapter c A Mother’s Ambition

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whatever I wrote would only invite ridicule from His Highness. But… she said I must find a way to catch his eye…”

Elowen’s frown deepened. “So you deliberately ruined another girl’s work?”

Sylvia gave a miserable, barely audible nod.

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