Chapter 37: Queen removing the Bishop
The carriage rolled to a gentle stop in front of the Belmont residence, the soft rumble of the wheels fading into the quiet of the afternoon. The horses snorted, their breaths misting in the cool air as Caroline and Ezekiel stepped down.
Caroline smiled brightly. The weight of her arm hooked through Ezekiel’s felt like a prize, as though she had captured something rare and precious.
"Hello, Caroline!" Mrs. Finch, the Belmonts’ neighbour, waved from her garden across the street.
Caroline’s smile widened, her chest swelling with pride. "That’s Mrs. Henley now, Mrs. Finch," she corrected, casting a smug glance at her husband.
"My apologies, Mrs. Henley!" Mrs. Finch chuckled. "I thought you two would be off on your honeymoon! What brings you back so soon?"
Caroline’s smile faltered for only a second before she regained her composure. "Zeke thought it’d be nice to check on the family first," she explained, squeezing his arm. "Make sure they’re doing well."
She had imagined something entirely different for their first days as husband and wife—something more romantic, more intimate. But Ezekiel had remained distant since their wedding, and she still hadn’t shared a bed with him. The thought tugged at her, and though she kept up appearances, disappointment gnawed at the edges of her mind.
Caroline was happy to show off her new dress she wore, though it was tighter than she had expected it to be. What she didn’t know was that all those beautiful clothes in her mansion had been made for her older sister, not her.
Ezekiel’s mind was far from their newlywed life. His eyes were fixed on the Belmont house, scanning the windows and door, looking for any sign of her—Ruelle. His heartbeat quickened at the thought of her, his obsession pulling him back to that night, the feel of her in his arms. She had denied it was her, but he was sure it was her.