Filed to story: Elowen Hale and Duke Cassian Valebourne Book PDF Free
Bran nodded, visibly encouraged. “You’re right, Your Grace!”
He noticed the sweat on Cassian’s face and rolled up his sleeves. “You’ve worked hard enough today. Go rest. I’ll clean him up and take care of the rest.”
Elowen nodded. She glanced at Cassian one last time, then left for the next room.
While washing up, Elowen recalled that in her previous life, it had taken Cassian years to regain consciousness.
This time, he’d already woken twice-and it hadn’t even been half a month since she arrived.
Why? Had he also woken briefly in the past life, but the news never left Duskmoor Manor?
No. That wasn’t it.
She remembered visiting the manor in the past. Cassian had been in a wheelchair, his face far more gaunt and deathly pale than it was now.
If he had regained consciousness earlier, he wouldn’t have looked like that, which meant that this time… something had changed.
The variable was her.
A small frown tugged at Elowen’s brow.
Cassian must’ve wanted the title of Duchess to go to the woman he truly loved. But fate had led Elowen into the manor, shocking him so deeply that it brought him back from the brink.
And because her father and brothers had once fought beside him… because he pitied her as an orphan… Cassian had softened, unwilling to ask for a divorce.
Elowen felt a pang of guilt. She let out a soft sigh. If that was how it was, then the next time Cassian woke, she would have a proper talk with him.
She could step aside anytime. The title of Duchess didn’t have to belong to her.
The next morning, Elowen rose early.
Last night, Cassian had told her he was handing over the management of the entire Duskmoor estate to her.
Elowen believed that Marwen was not someone with a steady or honest heart. If the estate remained in her hands, it would only be a matter of time before everything fell apart.
After all, she was eager to take charge and see if she could manage the estate herself. Step one was to head to Rose Hall and collect all the manor’s keys, ledgers, and records.
Elowen brought Mira and Cora along, had Bran accompany them, and summoned both Gerda and Edith for good measure. Still feeling that wasn’t enough, she added two brawny guards from the house staff. With such a large entourage behind her, she felt much more confident.
Marching boldly with full force, Elowen led the group straight to Rose Hall.
Mira stepped forward first to state their purpose. “By order of His Grace himself, Her Grace the Duchess will now take over the entire estate. We ask that Lady Marwen come forth and hand over all the keys and ledgers.”
They were received by a maid-Agnes-the same one who had come after Elowen on her wedding night to urge her to pay respects to Marwen.
Agnes tilted her eyes and wouldn’t even look Mira directly in the face. “Lady Marwen has managed the manor for many years. Suddenly appointing a duchess, barely of age, to take charge? I fear the estate will fall into disarray.”
Mira straightened. “This is His Grace’s direct order.”
Agnes gave a lazy shrug, smug and stubborn. “Of course, we know it’s His Grace’s command. However, we all care about him and want what’s best for him. If the estate crumbles under new hands, who bears that blame? Better to wait until His Grace awakens and discuss it properly.”
Mira froze. Young and inexperienced, she hadn’t dealt with this kind of scene before and didn’t know how to respond.
Elowen turned to look at the two older women standing beside her.
Gerda said nothing. But Edith stepped forward without a word, raised her hand, and delivered two loud slaps across Agnes’s face.
Elowen was stunned. Mira was stunned. Agnes certainly hadn’t seen that coming. Dizzy from the blows, she staggered back.
Edith’s voice was like a whip. “Matters of His Grace and Her Grace are not for a mere servant to speak on.”
Her brow arched coldly. “Well? What are you waiting for? Invite the Duchess in!” Her authority was overwhelming.
Agnes, who clearly preferred bullying the meek, was immediately cowed. She clutched her face and couldn’t say a word.
Elowen’s eyes lit with quiet admiration. A woman from the royal palace indeed-decisive and efficient.
Mira looked positively inspired. Her eyes sparkled as she clenched her fists in her sleeves. So that’s how it’s done. She got it now. She understood.
“Who’s here? Is it Elowen?”
A soft female voice called from inside. A young woman stepped gracefully through the doorway, eyes curving with a smile. “I’ve heard my cousin married a beauty. Seeing you today, I must say the rumors were true.”
It was Vivian Ashcroft.
Before Elowen could respond, Vivian continued. “You’re here for my mother, aren’t you?”
Elowen nodded. Vivian sighed. “Something must have shaken her last night. She’s been sleeping ever since she returned.”
“She hasn’t woken up at all?”
“Not once.”
Elowen asked, “Did you send for a physician?”
“We did. But he said he couldn’t find anything wrong and just prescribed rest.”
Anyone with sense could see right through this. Mimicking Cassian’s coma? Really? She couldn’t even be original.
Elowen played along. “Then, about the keys and ledgers-who should I ask?”
Vivian sighed helplessly. “No one else knows the details. We’ll have to wait until Mother wakes up.”
Elowen nodded sympathetically. “What a shame.” Vivian followed with a sigh of her own.
“But since it’s Aunt Marwen, and she hasn’t stirred, I ought to see her for myself,” Elowen said, her tone suddenly shifting.
“…What?” Vivian blinked.
Elowen was already walking inside. Vivian tried to stop her, but Mira, finally awakened, pounced. She grabbed Vivian in a firm hug before she could move.
“Hey, you-what are you-” Vivian yelped.
By the time she shouted, Elowen had already reached the bedside. Marwen lay still under the covers. Her face was pale and utterly devoid of color.
Elowen stared down at her for a moment, then turned to the side table, picked up the still-warm cup, and returned to the bed.
And poured it over Marwen’s head. The hot drink splashed all over her face, up her nose, into her eyes-Marwen shrieked and sat bolt upright in shock.
Elowen stood there holding the cup, face serene, tone polite. “No need to be so formal, Aunt Marwen.”
Marwen was speechless. She flushed with fury. “You drenched me with drink and expect me to thank you?!”
The drink had washed off much of her makeup, revealing perfectly healthy skin underneath. She looked nothing like a sick woman.
Elowen gazed at her and answered sweetly, “Vivian said you’d fallen into a mysterious sleep, and not even the doctors knew what to do. But all it took was a little water, and now you’re cured. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?”
Marwen choked on her words. She had no comeback.
Elowen handed the cup to Gerda. “Now that you’re awake, please hand over the estate keys and ledgers.”
Marwen had expected this, of course.
She gave a cold chuckle and rolled out the excuse she’d prepared long ago. “There are far too many ledgers. You’ll never be able to carry them all. Why don’t I just keep holding onto them for now…”
“No trouble at all,” Elowen cut in, smiling. “I brought Bran-and two guards. Both served under His Grace on the battlefield. They’ve carried broadswords heavier than this. A few ledgers will be no problem.”
Marwen’s face went pale. It wasn’t subtle. Elowen was threatening her.
The trouble was, Rose Hall had only a few maids and matrons-none of them a match for soldiers trained in war.
Swallowing her anger, Marwen forced herself to nod.
Elowen watched as Marwen rose, pulled a small key from beneath her pillow, opened a small wooden chest under the bed, and retrieved a larger key.
Then she walked to the bookcase against the west wall of the adjoining study, unlocked the hidden cabinet inside, and revealed the ledgers and master keys of Duskmoor Manor.
Elowen took the keys herself and had Bran and the guards carry out the ledgers.
They were moved to the estate’s main study, where Elowen promptly began inspecting them.
She hadn’t read more than a few pages before letting out a soft, disbelieving laugh. “That woman. She’s so petty. The wages she gave the manor’s maids were disgracefully low. Mira’s monthly pay equals six months’ wages for the personal maids at Rose Hall.”
She flipped through another. Then another. Her brows drew together in a frown.
“There aren’t even that many people living in the manor,” she murmured, rubbing her temples. “Yet somehow Marwen managed to spend a fortune every day on wine and food.”
Which meant only one thing-Marwen had been pocketing the money. And pocketing a lot of it.
But how?
