the cold duke : derrick eckhart

six

The three men left the room, it was only you Reynold, step mother and Jasper. None of you said anything. The atmosphere felt off, "dear your necklace is wonderful!" step-mother tries to make small talk with you. It was the necklace Derrick had given you.

Soon the three men had finally come back, it was hard to read their expressions. Father looked at you, "love, jasper let's go," he politely says. Step-mother looked at him baffled by what she was saying. "she's staying!!" she asks in an angry tone.

It made you happy to hear that, "I can't let my daughter marry a man she doesn't love!" she says grabbing your wrist by force as Reynold pulls you away from her. Father grabs her, dragging her towards the door with Jasper trailing behind them.

"Lady Elianna...come" the Duke quietly says. You do as he says and step towards the duke. "The deal is off, but I have a request" he softly says taking your hand. The way he sounded was more of a pleading voice. "Marry Derrick, not for his sake. But for Penelope's" that was something you weren't expecting. From Reynold's reaction he wasn't expecting that either. "My daughter seems more tame when she's with you, so please I am begging!" he says with a passionate voice.

"of course Duke, plus I don't want the ladies of the ton stealing Derrick from me do I?" The duke smiles giving you a friendly hug. It was now official you and Derrick were going to get married regardless of the business deal.

That's when it occurred to you that Derrick didn't have a say to it. You had selfishly agreed to marry someone. You didn't even know if he wanted the same thing. "You know Elianna, you can marry me I mean there's no business tied to it," Reynold begins. You laughed at him taking his hand bowing to him. Both of you begin to play around acting as husband and wife.

"ahem," you both came to a stop, Derrick had been watching the entire time. Reynold let go of your hand, hurriedly walking away, Derrick's gaze was on you as you exited the room leaving him alone.

You walked up to Penelope's door, from the outside it was quiet she was probably lost reading a book or maybe she was sleeping. Quietly you opened the door to reveal Emily looking out the window with Penelope no where in sight.

In shock you slammed the door shut startling Emily who gave you a shocked look. "Where's Penelope?" you ask starting to freak out. If Derrick, Reynold or The duke find out they will be very angry with her.

Shutting the curtains "Emily where's Penelope!" you frantically say locking every entrance. These brothers had a habit of appearing out of nowhere. Emily was clearly shaken up, she was not expecting you to appear. "I-i lady Penelope" The hall was now buzzing with noise it was Derrick.

You head towards the door, "Emily lay down on the bed and cover yourself, i'll drive Derrick away" you say leaving the room. Derrick was at the end of the hall his head buried in some files.

Of course you had to play an old trick in the book, you held your dress and walked towards him. Penelope was going to owe you for this later. As you inched towards him, you made yourself fall with the bottom of your dress.

Directly into his arms, his files fell all over the floor. He was wearing his armor and he was going to go out to the town. Your face was beet red, "Elianna are you alright?" he worriedly asks you. "I-i i'm okay! I guess this dress is much longer than I thought" he gives you a puzzled look. He proceeds to clear his throat, "please check on Penelope i'm already running late," he says letting go of your waist as he continues walking.

You could only hope that Penelope was nowhere near in sight of where he was headed.

Later that night

Penelope still hadn't come back and neither had Derrick, you were pacing back and forth praying that he didn't catch her.

The door bursts open, Penelope stepped inside and you walked towards her. "did you meet the aristocrat?" she shakes her head in defeat. "The young master wants to see you," she gives you a look saying sorry. So Derrick did catch her after all, you gulped exiting her room.

He was leaning against the wall on the other side, as you slowly walked over to him hanging your head low refusing to make eye contact with him. He was holding the mask Reynold had bought her the other night.

You were in just as much trouble as Penelope. "I gave her the necklace," he says. "did you actually give it to her or just tossed it," his face said one thing but his eyes said another.

He tossed you her mask, "why were you covering for her, didn't my father make it clear that you are only here for her now?" your heart sunk. You foolishly believed there was enough room in his heart for you. He only agreed to the marriage because he wanted you to keep his sister out of trouble.

"if you didn't like this idea why did you go along with it," you choked back tears. "it's not like you didn't have a choice" you continue. You knew very well that he had a choice so why is he acting like he didn't. "Maybe Reynold was right, I should go to your father and beg him to let me marry him," he pulled you into his arms.

There was nothing you could do, you had pissed him off. "You won't marry anyone, Mrs. Eckart do you hear me?" you frowned as tears began to roll down your face. He was cold, he was never going to change.

He does one good thing followed by three bad things.

He's never going to chance.

Thank you for reading