Chapter 13

Wagging Tongues

“My goodness,” Beatrice breathed as she entered the breakfast room and spotted her husband sitting alone at the table.

“Elizabeth and Mother have dined already.” Edwin smiled. “I trust you slept well?”

Beatrice looked at the maid by the door and smiled at her. Then, she joined Edwin at the breakfast table and leaned in closer to whisper, “I don’t know what you did to me, but I have never slept better. I still can’t believe we did that in the dining room. You are a rogue.”

“I didn’t hear any complaints from you,” Edwin whispered back.

He looked up at the maid and gestured for her to leave. He did not care about her overhearing the conversation, but he felt it bothered Beatrice.

“No, I had no complaints.” Beatrice blushed and bit her bottom lip. “The way you just swept everything off the table! Well, that was certainly a sight to behold. I never expected a man to do something like that for me.”

“Then you do not know either of us,” Edwin stated.

Beatrice furrowed her brow and wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean?”

“You spent some time yesterday telling me who I am, even though you do not know me, and it seems you do not know yourself either.” Edwin picked up the teacup and drank some Earl Gray.

“I still don’t know what you mean,” Beatrice complained.

“You said you did not expect any man to do that for you, but you are the type of woman who makes men wild. I could find a dozen men who would gladly do the same.”

Beatrice giggled. “Oh, please don’t. I don’t want any other men, thank you very much.”

Edwin smiled and laughed through his nose. “Then I shall not send out word.”

Beatrice placed her hand on his upper arm and held it there momentarily, before she removed it, feeling embarrassed. She quickly turned to her breakfast plate and put some bread and eggs on it.

Edwin watched her, fascinated by her every move. After the taste he had the previous night, he needed more. It would come in time, but he was an impatient man. It was not only the way she acted but who she was. She intrigued him, and he wanted to know her better, to figure out exactly who she was.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Beatrice asked.

“You are my wife. Should I avert my gaze whenever you are in the room?”

Beatrice pursed her lips and looked at him knowingly. “You must stop thinking such impure thoughts.”

“Because you have?” Edwin drawled.

“I am only thinking about the raspberry jam on your right—if you would not mind passing it to me.”

Edwin smirked and held up the jam, but he didn’t pass it to her. Beatrice had to lean across the table to retrieve it, and her face came dangerously close to his. He didn’t react, wondering if she would make a move this time. But she remained resolute and took the jam, even if her hand lingered when it touched his.

“Your Grace,” Mrs. Belcot said from the door. “Lord Pemberton has arrived.”

Beatrice immediately looked at Edwin, her worry obvious.

“I will take care of this. You have nothing to worry about,” Edwin murmured. He then turned to the housekeeper. “Will you show Robert in and invite him to breakfast?”

“Of course, Your Grace,” Mrs. Belcot replied.

“Why has he come?” Beatrice asked.

“Not to stir up any trouble,” the Duke assured. “He is my friend, and I assure you he finds the whole thing rather humorous.”

“Humorous?” Beatrice wailed. “It is not humorous at all. It is embarrassing. I hid in his room, meaning to seduce him, and now I have to face him every time he visits you.”

Edwin tried not to laugh, but he found the whole thing amusing. The arrangement had worked out well for him, and Robert didn’t care a jot, though he might have if he had been the one to discover Beatrice in his room. Only Beatrice cared about the whole thing, and she did not need to.

Still, she was embarrassed about it, and that was valid. So, he didn’t laugh and made sure he didn’t smile either.

“You will be fine. Robert has forgotten the entire thing already,” Edwin reassured.

Beatrice took a deep breath, and Edwin thought about taking her hand, but for some reason, it felt more intimate than what they had done the previous evening.

“Oh, gosh!” Robert gasped when he entered the room. “Were you waiting for me here?” He looked straight at Beatrice.

Her eyes widened, and she looked like a small child who had been caught stealing apples.

“Thank you, Mrs. Belcot,” Edwin said. “Robert, please join us.”

“I wasn’t,” Beatrice managed.

Edwin burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer.

“Oh, please!” Beatrice begged. “I wasn’t waiting for him. I was here with you, Your Grace.”

Edwin managed to speak through his laughter, “He knows that, the rascal. He was only teasing you.”

“I apologize, but I couldn’t resist,” Robert told her as he sat down and began helping himself to a little of everything. He held up a spoonful of the strawberry conserve. “This is the only jam I wish to get myself into.”

Edwin rolled his eyes at the joke.

Beatrice pouted and remained silent, but she looked relieved.

“So, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Edwin asked.

“I suppose my visit today is about something serious. I have attended a fair few events over the past month, and there has been a lot of talk about you,” Robert said.

Beatrice looked at Edwin.

“You too,” Robert added.

“What?” Beatrice asked. “What are they talking about?”

“There are rumors circling about the ton—and that is all they are, because they are completely unfounded. But there has been more talk about the scandal.”

“Oh,” Beatrice moaned.

Edwin placed a hand on her arm. “Don’t worry, we will fix this together. What are they saying?”

“Some people believe you forced Her Grace into marriage by trapping her in a room.”

“He did not such thing! I was the one who—” Beatrice blushed. “I will tell everyone that it is a lie.”

Edwin raised his hand to try to calm his wife. “Robert, please go on.”

“Others say that there was no wedding at all. There was no pomp or ceremony surrounding it, and they claim it is because you have not married and you are keeping Her Grace here for… well, let’s not talk about that part.”

“We have a marriage license, we can show them that,” Beatrice scoffed.

“Far too logical for the gossips. No, they want to see you in the wild and study you,” Robert said.

Edwin nodded in understanding. “We have attended no events since we met, and there are obvious reasons for that. I know what you have in mind, and I am in agreement. We must show our faces and prove to everyone that what we have is real. Even if it is not.”

Beatrice looked away from both men.

“There has also been talk between some lords,” Robert added in a low voice. “The older lords love doing business with family men. There is no concern at the moment, but if the rumors grow worse, unfounded or not, they will become more hesitant to do business with you, Edwin.”

“I have ruined everything,” Beatrice wailed.

“Oh, stop that nonsense!” Edwin snapped, surprising them both. “I arranged this marriage, and by putting all of this on yourself, you make it sound as if you conned me completely. I will not have that talk anymore, Beatrice. We are in this together now, and we will fix it together, yes?”

Beatrice took a shaky breath before turning to look at him with more hope. “Yes.” She nodded confidently. “We will fix it together.”

“That’s the spirit,” Edwin said.

“I’m hosting a garden party in a few days, and, of course, the two of you will be my guests of honor. So, clear your already clear schedule, for you don’t attend any events, and put on your very best clothes for one of the greatest events of the Season.”

“We will be there,” Edwin said.

“Yes, together,” Beatrice agreed.