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“I have a little time,” the Duke relented.

Everyone moved quickly after that. Phineas returned to the breakfast room and ordered some of the food and tea to be taken to the conservatory. Letitia and Hannah joined him moments later and resumed their breakfast.

Beatrice found herself in the conservatory with the Duke, still confused about the chain of events. Food had been brought out, but she no longer had an appetite.

“Well?” the Duke prompted when they were alone.

“Well, what?” Beatrice asked.

“What do you wish to talk to me about?”

“You are insufferable already,” Beatrice huffed. “You come in here and force me into marriage, and I thought it might be worthwhile to get to know each other a little before we spend the rest of our lives together.”

“I already know all about you,” the Duke replied. “Last night told me everything. I don’t think you wanted to speak to me because of that. You wish to know why I let them publish the scandal about us, don’t you?”

“Perhaps. I am also interested in how you broke off your engagement to Miss Jennings. I spoke to her last night, and she was under the impression that you love her. Has so much changed in such a short time?”

“Not so much,” the Duke replied, pacing around the room. “I do not love her, and I don’t believe she loves me.”

He had chosen not to sit since they entered the conservatory, and his pacing made her nervous.

“Miss Jennings does not know yet, but she will soon. I shall have to break it to her gently so she doesn’t become too upset. Breaking the engagement will give the matrons something to talk about, but going ahead with my engagement to Miss Jennings after our scandal will only cause more gossip. I would rather save some reputation by marrying you. So, your ploy worked, after all. You went to Robert’s room to seduce him and put him in a compromising position, so he would have to marry you and you could avoid a life with Lord Mutton, but you got me instead. You should be proud of yourself.”

Beatrice folded her arms across her chest. She was not proud of herself, and she hoped the Duke would see just how irritated she was. “How long will it be until you cast me aside like Miss Jennings?”

“That depends on you. From what I know of your situation, you won’t dare do anything to jeopardize this, so it depends on how intolerable you are. But I enjoyed your cunning, so you already have my attention. When we were caught together, the next steps became simple enough. I do not take this decision lightly. This is best for both of us.”

“So, you wish to save your reputation?” Beatrice asked.

“Oh, come, my wife-to-be. We both know my reputation is far better than yours at the moment. You have heard your nickname, haven’t you?”

Beatrice looked down at her feet. “Yes,” she murmured.

“The Runaway Bride,” the Duke said, as if she needed to be reminded. “You should be thanking me profusely for saving your reputation, Lady Beatrice. I could have persuaded them to print a different story, where I would come out clean and you would look worse, but I decided not to. Your reputation would have been tarnished even more, and your family would have suffered. Say the word, and I can change everything back to how it could have been. Is that what you wish for?”

Beatrice was more annoyed than she had been when she had leaped on him in the bedroom last night.

“No, I don’t wish for that,” she muttered.

“Good, because neither do I,” the Duke stated. “So, will you thank me for being so gracious and saving you, or are we done here?”

Beatrice stood up and faced the Duke. Was it a better option to wed him instead of Lord Mutton? Yes, in many ways, it was. When she thought about it, she could not think of any way it would not be better.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Beatrice said softly. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”

The Duke shook his head. “You are infuriating, but in a very different way to Miss Jennings. Yet, you are curiously exciting, too, Lady Beatrice. I don’t know what our future holds, but I know it will be a lot of fun.”

“Will it?” Beatrice challenged. “I have heard stories about you.”

The Duke raised an eyebrow before stepping closer. “Have you? And what have you heard?”

“Many things,” Beatrice replied nervously. “There is talk about how you treat people.”

“Hmm,” the Duke replied, moving closer still. “And do you believe everything you hear?” he whispered.

“I-I—Of course not. But not everything that is said is a lie.”

“Very true,” the Duke conceded. He leaned in so that his mouth was close to her ear. “You wonder if I am as cruel and ruthless as people say. I might make a terrifying husband, mightn’t I?”