Love's Unexpected Awakening Elowen's Choice novel Chapter 268

Even though she was technically his aunt by marriage, the sight of Clarisse's tears stirred nothing in Alaric. To him, they carried no more weight than ordinary drops of rain.

Clarisse finally spoke, her voice soft and carefully measured. "Your Highness, please allow me to explain. My mother and I went to Serenity Church to offer prayers. When news reached us about Father, we went straight afterward to Sunspire Hill to seek an audience with the Duchess of Duskmoor."

She paused at just the right moment, her eyes glistening faintly.

"Since Father serves under the Duke of Duskmoor, we hoped she might be able to help speak on his behalf."

Her voice wavered slightly before she continued.

"We pleaded with her. It did no good. The Duchess of Duskmoor was gracious and promised she would try, yet even she could not move His Grace. With no other path left to us, we had no choice but to trouble Your Highness."

Only then did Alaric lift his gaze.

The look he gave her was sharp enough to cut.

"You saw her?" he asked.

Clarisse kept her tone gentle. "Yes. Did Your Highness not hear? The Duke of Duskmoor and his duchess are staying at the Sunspire Hill hot-springs estate."

A faint line appeared between Alaric's brows.

Clarisse continued smoothly. "People say the waters there are restorative. Since the Duke's legs were injured, I imagine he's staying there to recover."

Alaric gave a quiet, dismissive scoff.

Cassian's legs had been shattered by a devastating injury. In his previous life, the man had spent years confined to a wheeled chair. A few days soaking in hot springs would never make him stand again.

Impossible.

Clarisse went on as though it were nothing more than idle conversation. "I also heard Sylvia is there. Not long ago, Cassian invited Cecilia from the royal court to instruct her in proper conduct. Now he has taken her along to the estate as well. I wonder whether she has learned enough."

Alaric's expression darkened instantly.

He knew perfectly well what Cecilia taught.

And his investigations had already confirmed something else—Cecilia had not been instructing Sylvia alone.

Elowen had been receiving the same lessons.

Now Cassian had taken Elowen to Sunspire Hill.

Is he planning to give her a child?

Alaric's face hardened. The cup in his hand creaked faintly as his grip tightened, the knuckles draining of color.

Then another thought pushed through.

No.

That couldn't be true.

Elowen held him in her heart. How much affection could she possibly have for Cassian?

How could she willingly share his bed?

He had kept himself untouched for her. Elowen would never allow such intimacy with Cassian.

That certainty eased the tension in his expression slightly.

He narrowed his eyes, studying Clarisse for a long moment before speaking.

"The matter concerning your third uncle will be dealt with in due time," he said coolly. "You may return home."

Outside the study, the chill wind struck Anwen's face. Only then did she realize that her back was soaked with cold sweat.

Clutching her handkerchief, she dabbed at her eyes again and again, her voice trembling.

Geoffrey stood beside the carriage, posture straight and rigid. When he saw Clarisse approach, he inclined his head respectfully.

"Miss," he asked, "shall we return to Sunspire Hill?"

Clarisse turned sharply, her eyes narrowing.

Sunspire Hill.

She remembered the way he had stared at the Duchess of Duskmoor earlier—openly, shamelessly.

A bitter heat rose in her chest.

Clarisse let out a cold, humorless laugh.

"You're that eager to go back?" she said lightly. "What is it there—gold? Or something that steals a man's soul?"

She did not wait for his answer.

With a swift, impatient flick of her sleeve, she said, "Home."

The carriage door shut with a heavy thud.

Geoffrey stared at the closed door for a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

And despite himself, the memory surfaced again—the soft, delicate features of Elowen's face.

Something restless stirred in his chest.

He drew in a long breath, forced the wandering thoughts down, then climbed onto the driver's seat and steered the carriage away.

Back at Sunspire Hill, Elowen sneezed hard without warning. She rubbed at her nose and muttered under her breath, "Someone talking about me behind my back?"