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As Eveline left the modiste’s shop, she saw Lady Sarah and her posse sitting there, gossiping in low tones as they humbly awaited their turn.

Lady Sarah quickly looked away when their eyes met across the shop, and the gossip stopped promptly, but Eveline was not quite done with her yet.

There was very little that Eveline hated more than a bully, and Lady Sarah had now incurred her wrath.

Eveline approached them to further cement their humiliation.

“Lady Sarah, you could not possibly be speaking ill of me just now, could you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because that would certainly be a foolhardy mission.”

Lady Sarah quickly shook her head as she rose to her feet with her posse. “Certainly not, Your Grace. In fact, we were only talking about how much of a fine duchess you make. Did we not?”

She stared pointedly at her companions, who were quick to nod rather too enthusiastically.

“I am pleased to hear that. Goodbye, for now, Lady Sarah. I hope to see you soon.”

With that, Eveline left with a rather dramatic flourish.

She did not need anyone to tell her that they were gaping at her in disbelief as she departed.

As the carriage took her home, she could not help but be proud of herself. She was not one to wield her influence as a duchess, but she was not afraid to do so if it meant protecting an innocent person like Miss Fran.

It definitely felt good to finally be able to put Lady Sarah in her place. And all of that was made possible because she married the Duke.

The only thing she would change about the encounter would be having her sisters and Lily witness the total annihilation of Lady Sarah and her followers. However, she made a mental note to fill them in. She could imagine Ava cautioning her for taking it too far, and Lily insisting that she had been fabulous. Stella, on the other hand, would add more infuriating things she could have said to humiliate the bullies further.

She could not help but shudder as she remembered her younger self, who would constantly get looked down on by Lady Sarah and her cronies. They used to call her names, and they had hurt her deeply.

However, Lady Sarah’s words had completely lost power over her the moment she discovered just how beautiful her body was, all thanks to her husband.

CHAPTER 16

William felt the tension leaving his body as he saw his wife bounding down the staircase the moment he entered the house.

“Oh, where have you been, husband?” she asked, approaching him with a spring in her steps.

He smiled. He could sense that his wife was even happier and more carefree than she usually was.

He enjoyed seeing her in this way, but he wondered why she was in such a good mood.

“I told you earlier, wife,” he replied. “Or have you forgotten? I went to Parliament today, and from there, I was with Theo and the others.”

“Then you must tell me about your day over dinner.”

“Certainly.”

William would rather die than admit it, but he enjoyed having a wife. Eveline made him happy in more ways than one.

He loved nothing more than coming home to his welcoming wife, who would be waiting for him so they could have dinner together.

He loved how livelier and warmer his home was with her in it. Before her, it was cold and unwelcoming.

As they sat for dinner, he could not help but stare at her for just a little longer.

“What?” she asked, having caught him staring at her.

William simply smiled.

How was he going to tell her that he enjoyed having someone who demanded to know how he had spent his day and who also seemed to enjoy hearing about the rather mundane activities he engaged in?