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“Oh, you must excuse me. When I start talking, I sometimes can’t stop.”

“I am the same,” Beatrice assured her, glad she had not been questioned about her motives. “I agree with you fully about Miss Jennings. I am not one to gossip, but she said some horrible things when I was in her presence.”

She did not mention theRunaway Bridenickname.

“I don’t even know why she wanted to wed Edwin. I think it was because he was a duke! Can you believe that?”

Beatrice shook her head. She did not have the same ambitions, but her reasons for marrying Edwin were not entirely decent either.

“Her family visited once, and I am sure her father either hated my brother or feared him. He spent almost twenty minutes talking about the high social standing Edwin has and how it will benefit his family, and he talked of money and power, of course, and all the things men like to talk about that they think impress everyone else. I don’t know why Edwin wanted to wed her either. He tolerated her, but I don’t believe he liked her. I don’t understand the ins and outs of who should marry who and for what reason. Maybe she was right.” Elizabeth pouted. “Perhaps I am not ready for the Season after all if I don’t understand basic societal conventions.”

Beatrice snorted. “Who does? I was once—I mean, I knew a woman who was promised to another man that she would not meet until her wedding day all because her father thought it was beneficial to both families.” She thought about it a little more. “Of course, there are conventions for a reason, and if you stray from them, it can hurt people. Don’t worry, Elizabeth, I shall guide you through it. It can be a lot, but it does not need to overwhelm you.”

“You will?” Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled, and she grinned widely. “I knew we would get on. From the moment I met you, I saw something in you. You are thoroughly decent and good. I am very pleased to have you as a part of my family.”

Beatrice did not feel decent and good after what she had done, but it felt good to be accepted. Of course, if Elizabeth continued to be inquisitive about her past and present, she might have to avoid questions for the next while.

“I am glad to have a friend,” Beatrice said. “This marriage has been a whirlwind, and I have left my family. I especially miss my sisters, but you feel like a sister to me.”

She knew it would take time for her to truly feel that, but it felt like the right thing to say when she could see their progress.

Elizabeth blinked as emotion swept through her, and she pulled Beatrice in for a hug. “Oh, what a wonderful day! I have wanted a sister for so long, and now I have one. You will help me debut and guide me, and I don’t know if I could feel more joy than what is in my heart right now.”

Beatrice felt good. She had done some wrongs without necessarily wronging people, but this was a start to making amends. She hugged her new friend back, her new sister. It was a relief in a sea of tension. They finally pulled apart, and it felt cathartic for both women.

“I, um, I know His Grace, of course, but not as well as you do,” Beatrice confessed. “I don’t subscribe to idle gossip, but I’ve heard things about him over the years.”

“All of it nonsense,” Elizabeth affirmed. She began to walk, and it became obvious she thought there was no need to elaborate on her answer.

Beatrice walked with her. “Why do so many people claim that His Grace is unkind? He has not been unkind to me.”

“You put it far nicer than they do,” Elizabeth assured. “They call him cruel, not unkind. And I have no idea why. I believe they are jealous of him in some way, but he is not a cruel man. Perhaps they don’t like how he does business, but he is not cruel. If you want my honest opinion, my brother is misunderstood. That is what I believe.”

“Yes,” Beatrice uttered, not agreeing or disagreeing with the sentiment.

“We will fight for him,” Elizabeth said. “Now that he has you by his side, and I am to debut this year, we can quash the silly rumors. We will present a united front.”

“Yes,” Beatrice said again.

Fighting on behalf of her husband didn’t sound like the conflict-free life she had hoped for.

ChapterEleven

A Not So Quiet Supper

Edwin placed the newspaper down on the dining table. He had much business to do, and there was important information to be gathered from the pages, but he was irritated. When he thought about it, he discovered he was irritated by his actions that morning.

He should not have brought Beatrice into that situation, and he should have commanded his family to cease asking her questions. He did not need to put on any pretense in his own home, but he had a duty to make Beatrice comfortable.

She suddenly appeared before him in the doorway of the dining room, as if she knew he was thinking about her.

“It is only us,” Beatrice noted.

Edwin took a second. There was nothing overly special or revealing about her dress, but it caught his eye. He thought back to their kiss only a day before. It had been hard not to do more with her, but he had too many business matters to attend to, though that would soon be rectified.

Even as he was admiring a beautiful woman before him, business struggles clouded his mind. However, the only thing that had been able to take his mind off business struggles as of late was Beatrice.

Perhaps I was too generous. I had my hands on her when she was in only her shift, and now I have given her a week to prepare. I don’t want to wait a week. I want her right now on this table, everything else be damned.