Chapter 6

The morning sun filtered through the grand windows of Hawthorne Manor, casting warm rays of light across the polished floors of the Duke's study.

Duke Daniel Hawthorne sat behind his desk, his brow furrowed in concern as he mulled over the events of the previous night's ball.

"I have a child," Daniel whispered to himself, the words hanging heavy in the air. "A son I never knew existed."

His valet, Thomas, stood silently nearby, his expression a mixture of concern and sympathy. "It's a lot to take in, Your Grace," Thomas ventured softly. "But perhaps speaking with Lady Eleanor would provide some clarity."

Daniel shook his head, the weight of the truth bearing down upon him. "I don't know if I can face her," he admitted, his voice heavy with uncertainty. "To think she kept such a secret from me... but mabe you are right. She left without a word," he muttered to himself, a sense of worry gnawing at him. "I must find her." But in the end he couldn't find her anywhere.

********************************************************************************************************

A week had passed since the revelatory ball. Across town, Eleanor stood before her father, Henry Fairfax, her chest heaving with trepidation. The parlor felt suffocating, the air thick with tension as they faced each other in silence.

"Father," Eleanor began, her voice trembling but resolute, "I have told the Duke about Oliver. He has a right to know about his son."

Mister Fairfax's face contorted with rage, his eyes narrowing into slits of fury. He surged forward, his towering figure casting a menacing shadow over Eleanor as he advanced toward her.

"You foolish girl," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You dare defy me? You dare bring shame upon this family?"

Eleanor braced herself as her father's hand lashed out, striking her across the face with a sickening crack. Pain exploded behind her eyes, but she refused to cower beneath his cruelty.

"I will not be silenced," she declared, her voice ringing out with a mixture of fear and defiance. "I will protect my son, no matter the cost."

But her defiance only seemed to enrage Mister Fairfax further. With a growl of anger, he seized her by the arm, his grip like a vice as he dragged her toward the nearest wall.

"You will learn your place, girl," he snarled, his breath hot against her ear. "You will obey me, or else."

Eleanor's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled against her father's grip, the fear and pain mingling together in a torrent of emotion. But even as she fought to break free, she knew that she was no match for his strength.

With a cry of desperation, she pushed against him with all her might, but it was futile. His hold on her was unrelenting, his rage consuming him as he struck out again and again.

Tears stung Eleanor's eyes as she endured the blows, her body wracked with pain. But through the haze of agony, she clung to one thought—the unwavering determination to protect her son, no matter the cost.

Eleanor's resolve hardened with each passing moment. "I will protect my son, no matter the cost," she vowed, her voice unwavering. "And if you stand in my way, I will leave this house and never return."

In a moment of desperation, she gathered Oliver, who wept incessantly, into her arms and fled from the oppressive confines of her family home. The streets of Ashford blurred past her as she ran, her heart pounding with each step she took.

And then, as if guided by some unseen force, she found herself standing before Hawthorne Manor—the home of the man she once loved and the father of her child.

With a mixture of hope and trepidation, she approached the grand entrance, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she prepared to face whatever lay ahead.

Inside Hawthorne Manor, Daniel paced the study, his mind consumed with thoughts of Eleanor and the child. Little did he know that just outside his door, fate was about to intervene in the most unexpected of ways.

A servant inside the Duke's Manor approached the gate when he realized someone was outside. Then Eleanor ran with the strength she had left to him. "Is Duke Hawthorne here?"

"He is inside, Lady Eleanor," came the calm voice of Thomas, who was at that moment coming out of the house.

But as soon as he saw the situation in which Eleanor was in the calm expression that had always been on his face changed. He was overcome with anxiety and confusion, and immediately ordered the servant to open the gate so that she might enter. 

"Get a doctor, quickly. Lady Eleanor, are you all right?" shouted Thomas, and held her, for she had no more strength after so much running.