Love's Unexpected Awakening Elowen's Choice novel Chapter 266

By morning, the soreness from the night before still lingered stubbornly. A dull ache settled through her body in a way that made both walking and sitting feel faintly uncomfortable.

Cassian then reached inside his coat and drawing out a small celadon jar shaped with elegant restraint. His tone remained casual, as though he were mentioning something entirely ordinary. "Hugh left this for you."

Elowen blinked and looked down at it. "What is it?"

"For swelling and irritation," Cassian replied evenly.

She stared at the jar for a moment before the meaning reached her. When it did, heat rushed across her face so suddenly that even the tips of her ears felt hot.

"H-how would he know..." she stammered, mortified.

Cassian's brows lifted slightly, amusement glinting faintly in his eyes. "He's a physician. It's not hard for him to guess."

After a short pause he added, still in that same composed tone, "And besides, Ella, if you happen to be carrying our child later on, everyone in Vanelle will know well enough that we shared a bed."

The remark was blunt, though impossible to argue against.

Elowen could not think of anything to say in response. Her gaze dropped until she found herself staring at the tips of her shoes.

After a brief silence she steered the conversation somewhere safer. "Cassian... Anwen came earlier today. She said she wanted to plead Laurent's case."

Cassian made a quiet sound of acknowledgment while his fingertips tapped lightly against the edge of the table. "I know."

Elowen studied him for a moment before asking, "Then... what should we do?"

"You're already handling it the right way," Cassian replied calmly. "Leave her waiting."

Without changing expression he continued explaining that he had already sent word to his aunt, who would soon pay Anwen a visit and see her off. In front of Yvonne, Anwen would not dare push the matter further.

Elowen tilted her head slightly. "Why not?"

"Because Anwen has always tried to stay on Yvonne's good side," Cassian said. He explained that Anwen knew perfectly well Yvonne favored Clarisse, and she had long been hoping Yvonne would be the one to propose the marriage alliance herself. His tone remained steady, but the meaning carried a sharp edge. Falconcrest Manor, after all, was the kind of house that stirred ambition in people.

Elowen nodded slowly, then frowned in thought. "But you said a lot of families want to marry Clarisse. Would they really need Falconcrest Manor that badly?"

"There are plenty of offers," Cassian acknowledged. "But Falconcrest Manor is the most desirable of them."

A faint, knowing curve touched his mouth as he looked at her. "And besides, Ella, you already know what Clarisse has been doing behind closed doors."

Elowen's lashes fluttered. "Does Anwen know about it too?"

Cassian answered without hesitation. "When a man and a woman have been involved long enough, anyone paying attention can see the signs. Clarisse has been bedding servants for years. Anwen isn't naive, and she's hardly inexperienced. There's no chance she hasn't noticed something."

His voice remained practical and unembellished as he explained that Anwen had likely suspected the truth but lacked the courage to confirm it. It was easier to pretend ignorance and hurry Clarisse into a prestigious marriage, as though once the girl was properly wed, every inconvenient secret would vanish with it.

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