Chapter 19

The daylight streaming through the windows was what woke Eleanor up from her deep and extremely satisfactory slumber. She slowly opened her eyes to find her husband sprawled next to her, naked like her, on his extremely spacious bed, his dishevelled hair sticking up in all odd directions. She supposed she was partly to blame for that. Her fingers still remembered the feel of the soft texture of his hair as they wound it around them and tugged and pulled at it last night. Wanting to feel it again, she reached her hand out and softly brushed the hair out of his eyes and relished in the euphoric shiver that went down her spine at the contact.

Nathan, seeming to have woken up, stirred next to her and opened a sleepy eye to peer at her. Normally, she would have retreated her hand the moment he woke up, ashamed to be caught in the act but, with her newfound confidence from last night, she did not cease stroking the fine strands of his hair but continued, smiling at him.

'Good morning, husband,' Eleanor muttered, her throat still sore – like other parts of her body – from last night's screaming.

Nathan smiled sleepily and pulled her naked form towards him, nestling his head in the crook of her neck. 'Good morning, wife,' he said into her shoulder, his hot breath fanning her bare shoulder. She gasped when he pressed a slow lingering kiss to the spot and resisted the urge to moan in the pleasure the simple kiss elicited, her mind pushing memories of the night before the forefront.

Nathan chuckled and caressed her back, continuing to press butterfly kisses to every inch of skin he could get his lips on. 'You do not have any idea how long I've been dreaming of this.'

Despite the shock waves rolling through her body, she managed to choke out a response. 'A month or so, I would guess.'

'No,' he muttered in between kisses. 'It has been much longer.'

'I am greatly flattered,' she said before a moan finally tore through her lips.

He laughed and rose, only to straddle her hips as he towered over her and Eleanor fought the urge to look away at his bare self. However used to Nathan she was, the same couldn't be said for the situation she was now in. Although they had both seen each other, it was different when it was morning. In the dark, a lot was left to the imagination but with the sun penetrating the room and bathing it in its soft glow, everything was laid out to see and the urge to cover herself with her hands – anything, for that matter! – was strong. But, she fought it. He was her husband and she, his wife, and they had already consummated the marriage. There was no need now for her to be shy about such a thing.

'Do you know how beautiful you are, Eleanor?' Nathan asked her as he leaned down to brush his lips softly against hers.

'I should think, to the extent you are handsome,' she replied, pressing her lips closer and wrapping her arms around him.

He groaned against her lips as he pressed closer. 'I would argue with that. You are far, far more beautiful than I, my love.'

'That is what all loving husbands say, darling. What I said was merely fact.'

Nathan was about to answer but was interrupted by the knock on the door. Clearly annoyed, Nathan stopped in his attempts to bring about a repeat of the night before and sat up, still straddling her. 'Yes, what is it?' he asked, irritated.

'Mr Mahajan is here to see you, Your Grace,' the voice on the other side of the door said. 'He seems quite impatient.'

Nathan let out a sound of irritation before he got off the bed and started to put on his hastily discarded clothes. 'Yes, tell him I will be down in a few minutes.'

Eleanor watched from the bed as he hurriedly pulled on his wrinkled trousers and shirt, not bothering with his cravat. 'You should really think twice before you go down to meet him dressed the way you are,' she mused.

Nathan chuckled but continued to make himself look half presentable. 'Well, Ram has always been an impatient fellow. Best be down as soon as possible. He never comes to the manor unless something of dire consequence has happened.'

Eleanor's ears perked up at the familiar name and she sat up, not bothering to cover herself with the sheets. 'Ram? Is he not the man I met a few weeks back? When that other man...died?'

'Yes,' Nathan replied as he tied up the laces of his boots. 'Exactly him. He is my right-hand man.'

'Well, then,' she said, climbing off the bed and gathering her clothes from the floor. 'I shall be off then. Could you ask someone to send up my lady's maid? The bell in my room is faulty.'

'Of course,' Nathan said and made his way over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up against him before leaving a searing kiss on her lips. Eleanor smiled and looked up at him, noting the dark look in his eyes and later, chuckled when she realised its meaning.

'Go, Nathan, before you jump me again,' she said cheekily, slightly surprised at herself for her candour.

Nathan groaned but let her go. 'That is probably for the best,' he admitted and went to the door. 'I will see you at breakfast, my love.'

Eleanor smiled in reply before she went through the door joining her room to Nathan's to her chambers, leaving Nathan to go down.

Once she was safe in her room, she threw herself onto her bed, giggling like a schoolgirl. She could not believe that last night had happened. Never, in a million years, did she actually think that he felt for her as she did for him which was why last night was the best moment of her life.

She and Nathan were finally husband and wife, in every sense of the word.

It was then that the meaning of those words fully crashed into her and her smile dimmed. When they had gotten married, it was under the condition that Nathan would help her obtain her freedom once she had fulfilled her purpose to him. And, despite all the happenings of last night, she still did not want to let go of her freedom. The past eighteen years of her life were dismal under the tyrant rule of her mother and despite her father's love, it was still a prison, something she thought she could escape when she married Nathan, completed her part and obtained her freedom. Nathan was a good man, no doubt, but he was still a man, her husband, and in the eyes of the Crown, he had full and complete right over her and her every move and action. Unless she was free of him, she would never fully have freedom, not really.

But, at the same time, her heart did not want to leave Nathan either. For she had grown to love her husband and she could not leave him without leaving a part of her heart behind, with him.

She was torn between the two things she wanted with equal passion – freedom and Nathan. And neither could she obtain without leaving the other behind. A day would come when she would have to choose. And it would be a horrible day, indeed, because neither outcome was favourable.

But, that day was not today, and for now, she would relish in the comfort it brought for she knew deep down what her heart would finally choose and she was sure it would only bring pain to her and quite possibly everyone around her.

**********

Eleanor descended down the stairs a half hour later to join Nathan for breakfast to find him missing from the dining room. He was either attending to other business or he had not yet finished his conversation with Ram, Mr Maha...well, she would never be able to pronounce it.

Finding a maid who seemed to pass by her – without greeting, to Eleanor's annoyance – she stopped her and asked, 'Have you seen His Grace?'

The maid whirled around and Eleanor found herself looking at Lucy, Ms Abbott. Her annoyance increased and she realised now why the maid had simply brushed past her but she held her tongue to prevent herself from saying something which she would regret later. Honestly, she would have been happy to see her gone after the way she treated her but that would mean she would be unemployed and homeless, something Eleanor, however much she did not like her, would never wish upon someone.

'Where is His Grace?' Eleanor repeated herself.

'Are you not his wife?' Ms Abbott said haughtily. 'Should you not know where he is instead of asking passing servants?'

Eleanor felt herself boil with rage. The nerve of the woman to question her as she did!

'I asked you a question,' she said coldly. 'You ought to simply answer me instead of talking back.'

Ms Abbott threw her chin up in the air in defiance. 'I answer only to my superiors. You are merely an Indian – you are below me. Therefore, I will answer you only if I wish to do so.'

Eleanor practically sputtered in rage. Here she was, her servant, in her home, treating her as if she were vermin. There was a time when she let such accusations and harsh words not bother her and let their speakers off without any retort but with every passing day, she found herself unable to tolerate such insults as she once did. Indeed, Ms Abbott had crossed the limit and Eleanor had had it.

'That is the last straw!' Eleanor practically shouted, all the while keeping her body erect and managing to look down on her nose at the servant. 'You have treated me without the respect a duchess ought to receive ever since I came here and I have let it pass. But I will not tolerate your impudence anymore. You are dismissed from service to His Grace.'

Ms Abbott looked aghast and shocked for a second before she regained her bearings and practically spat in her face, 'You cannot do that! Nathan is the one who employed me and only he can dismiss me!'

'Firstly,' Eleanor seethed trying to keep her calm and not lash out at her like she wanted to, 'it is not Nathan but His Grace to you. And second, the minute he married me, I, as his wife, gained full reins over the household. I can assure you, whether His Grace employed you or not, I have the right to dismiss you whenever I wish.'

'I refuse to leave the manor!' Ms Abbott screamed in outrage, her hair spilling out of the bun on top of her head. She visibly shook and Eleanor noticed tears gather at the corners of her eyes and she would have felt sorry for the girl had it not been for the fact that she still resisted.

'What on earth is going on here?' a new voice shouted and Nathan, still in his rumpled clothes appeared from the parlour and stepped out into the hallway.

Eleanor directed her gaze back to Ms Abbott. 'Well? Would you like to tell him or shall I?'

Ms Abbott ignored her and rushed to Nathan who stared about them in obvious confusion and displeasure, no doubt at having his conversation duly interrupted.

'Nathan!' Ms Abbott gushed. 'She wants to dismiss me!'

Nathan glanced at Eleanor. 'What does she mean, Eleanor?' He then turned back to Ms Abbott and glared at her. 'And how many times do I have to tell you? It is Your Grace. You do not have the right to call me by my Christian name.'

Ms Abbott looked shocked at his admonition. Obviously, she didn't expect to get called out by the man she seemed to adore and who she thought adored her.

'She called me her inferior,' Eleanor said coolly, having lost some of her anger. 'She said she didn't take orders from the likes of me – an Indian – and so, I dismissed her from service. She didn't take it well.'

'Well, then what are you still doing here?' Nathan asked, eyeing Ms Abbott with disdain and blazing eyes, a peek at the anger under his stern façade. 'If Her Grace has dismissed you, you should pack your bags and leave.'

Ms Abbott gaped like a lost girl up at Nathan. 'But-but-but, Nath – Your Grace, you cannot dismiss me!' She was starting to sob now and Eleanor felt the slightest bit sorry for her. Not much, however, because of the way she had spoken earlier.

'You're right,' Nathan replied, not seeming to be moved by her tear at all. 'Since Her Grace has already done so, I cannot dismiss you. Now, please leave, before you are forcibly thrown out of our house.'

Ms Abbott continued protesting and crying but neither she nor Nathan paid her any heed as he began to go back into the parlour. 'Eleanor, come in once you're done,' he said before going in. 'You might want to take part in the conversation.'

Eleanor nodded and gave him a small smile. 'Alright. I'll be with you shortly.' Nathan smiled back before closing the door and she went to Mr Potts, the old footman, who had been standing nearby and watching everything.

'Mr Potts,' Eleanor greeted with an incline of her head when he bowed low in greeting of her. 'Make sure Ms Abbott makes it to an inn safely and try and find her employment. If she wishes to go back to England, help her board a ship.' She handed him a bag of money. 'I trust this should take care of all expenses and help her tide over for some time.' She did not care for the girl at all but it would be cruel to dismiss her with nothing. She was younger than Eleanor herself and she knew that her heart and mind would not rest until she was able to do something for the girl.

Mr Potts took the money and bowed, a huge smile on his face. 'Yes, Your Grace,' he said and went off to take care of the preparations.

Eleanor, meanwhile, went to the parlour where Nathan sat conversing with Ram, as she had thought. Ram jumped to his feet at her entrance and bowed low. 'Your Grace,' he greeted with a small smile.

Eleanor inclined her head and sat on the settee next to Nathan and motioned for Ram to sit down as well. 'Well, to what do I owe this pleasure, Ram? Shall I ring for the tea which my husband has so conveniently forgotten to offer you?'

Ram, having sat down once again, chuckled and shook his head. 'Thank you, Your Grace, but I do not drink tea.'

'Some scones, perhaps, then?'

Ram shook his head once again. 'No, Your Grace. I need nothing.'

'What about cake?'

'Dear me, Eleanor,' Nathan remarked, amused. 'If the poor fellow does not want it, do not force it upon him.'

Eleanor smiled back, having taken no offense to his words. 'I am being polite. Something which you have so clearly forgotten.'

'With all due respect, Your Grace,' Ram cut in. 'Politeness is the least of our concerns now. We have more pressing matters to deal with. The most important being the presence of Daniel Hadleigh.'

Eleanor's head whipped to look at him. Ram looked nervous, as tense as a stretched string and she knew something was deeply amiss. 'What of Daniel? We know he is here but what has he to do with our matters?'

'Well,' Nathan answered for him. 'Did you know he was a supplier to the East India Company until it ceased its operations?'

Eleanor frowned at him. 'A supplier? Daniel is not of noble blood, he is, after all, only a rich merchant who happened to be knighted - for the life of me, I cannot fathom why either. How could he be a supplier?'

'It turns out, Your Grace, that he never was a merchant at all,' Ram said. 'My sources have revealed that he made his fortune by recruiting skilled mercenaries and assassins and supplying them to the Company. Now that the Company has ceased its operations, it is the Viceroy he supplies with.'

Eleanor was aghast. Daniel had always been a pig, no doubt, but the fact that he was a liar and cheat and, above all, a dangerous man, sent her mind reeling. She could not believe she had ever let him have his slimy hands on her!

'And how does that affect us?' she asked, her brows furrowed. 'Is he planning something?'

'Remember what the men from yesterday told us?' Nathan said. 'That the Viceroy is planning a revolt?'

'Yes,' Eleanor answered. 'Do you mean to say Daniel has something to do with this?'

'It is the possible conclusion we have reached,' he said, glancing at Ram.

Eleanor gulped and glanced down at her hands which lay clasped on her lap. She really did not know what she was getting into when she agreed to Nathan's terms and honestly, she would never have guessed that she would be venturing into dangerous territories. But she did not regret it one bit. The things she had been through with Nathan were no doubt exciting experiences she wouldn't trade for the world. The loneliness and restrictions which had been placed upon her since childhood were dark in her mind and the past few months had been the light that dispelled the dark in her. Never would she ever regret them.

'So,' Eleanor started again, glancing up from her intertwined hands. 'What are we going to do?'

Nathan smiled and Eleanor felt her heart warm at the look he offered her. No matter how dangerous the next few weeks were going to be, she knew she would enjoy them from his simple smile.

'I believe,' he said, 'we are going to go on an adventure.'

**********

The Art of Defiance got featured in Book of the Week by projectasiangirls. Go ahead and check out the lovely review they left me. And go follow them too! They're a campaign to promote more Asian female protagonists in books like Eleanor.