The Duke's Reluctant Bride

Chapter 56: The Lady of the House

In the quiet of night at the duke's estate, moonlight glinted faintly along the bell tower. Beneath the large bell, Evangeline emerged from the shadows, her small, translucent wings fluttering unsteadily against the cold wind as she circled the stonework in slow loops.

Worry had crept plainly across her face.

Her gaze soon fixed on a large window below, the duchess's window. Through the glass, she could see her. Adeline stood near the small bookshelf, her posture tense, her expression weighed down by something unspoken. She was nothing like the duchess Evangeline remembered, the one who once smiled softly while reading books before going to sleep.

The sight made Evangeline's chest tighten.

"What should I do?" she whispered, her voice trembling as it carried into the night. "I'm worried for the Duchess."

She hugged her arms close, wings drooping slightly. "If only the young lady were here," she murmured. "Then I'd have someone to talk to... someone I could tell what I saw when that woman arrived at the estate."

Her nose twitched as she let out an exaggerated sniffle, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her maid's dress.

"She's like a wolf in sheep's clothing..." Evangeline muttered, her voice breaking. "How could she do something like that?"

She hovered there for a moment longer, uncertain, until the soft sound of wings reached her ears.

A sparrow landed gently on the stone railing nearby, tilting its head as it regarded her with quiet curiosity. It chirped once, softly.

Evangeline blinked, then wiped away the last of her tears and straightened her dress, forcing herself to smile. "Oh. A sparrow?" she said gently. "Hello there."

The bird chirped again, but this time, the sound carried intention as it lingered.

Evangeline's eyes widened slightly. "I see... you want to talk to me?" Her smile warmed despite her worry. "Of course I can help."

She lifted her hand, light gathering in her palm as a small wand formed from magic alone. With careful motions, she traced a circle in the air and pointed the wand toward the sparrow. Soft, shimmering dust enveloped the bird, glowing briefly before fading away.

When the light cleared, the sparrow tilted its head once more.

A calm, masculine voice followed.

"What is it that troubles you, lady house wisp?"

Evangeline's gaze dropped. Her fingers clenched around her skirt. "It's the duchess," she said quietly. "She has a secret... and now that evil lady is pressuring her to reveal it when the duke arrives."

The sparrow listened without interruption.

"And what is this secret?" he asked after a pause, its tone curious rather than cruel.

Hesitating only briefly, Evangeline told him everything. About what she had witnessed. About Lady Diana's words. About Adeline's soul, the borrowed life, and her connection to an entity like the Lightweaver. Through it all, the sparrow remained silent, attentive.

When she finished, the sparrow spoke again.

"If that is true," he said carefully, "then isn't this for her own good? If her life was borrowed from one who had already died, then perhaps the evil lady is not entirely wrong. By all logic, the Duchess would be considered a fake. And if the duke finds out, divorce would probably be inevitable."

"No!" Evangeline snapped, cutting him off. Her cheeks puffed up. "Don't talk about her like that!"

The sparrow froze, clearly startled.