Page 20 of Rivals

What had gotten into her? She was acting like Samantha—issuing challenges, daring people to accept them.

“By all means, then. Let’s run.” Louise smiled in a way that was somehow amused and skeptical at once, nodding at Beatrice to go ahead.

Neither of them commented when Beatrice picked up the pace, running at a far greater clip than her usual jog. Louise gritted her teeth but kept up. Franklin, for one, seemed delighted by the speed, straining at the end of his leash as he loped ahead. His paws left imprints in the sand, still damp from the receding tide.

Finally they turned the last curve around the island, and Bellevue rose up before them, its white stones gleaming against the gold-streaked sky.

Beatrice began to sprint. Her entire body screamed inprotest, the air sharp in her lungs, but still she ran faster. Louise matched her step for step, though her breath came in ragged, wheezing gasps. Beatrice wondered how immature they looked: a pair of queens racing like children on the playground.

Still, Beatrice couldn’t bring herself to slow down. She refused to let Louise beat her.

They reached Bellevue neck and neck, both stumbling the last few steps. Louise leaned forward, bracing her hands on her legs. Her nose and cheeks were flushed a bright red.

Then, to Beatrice’s surprise, Louise bent down and ruffled Franklin’s ears. “You did well, Monsieur Franklin.”

“It’sMonseigneurFranklin, actually,” Beatrice said, testing a joke.Lord Franklin,notMr.Franklin.

“But of course, I should have known. It says right here that he is royalty.” Louise reached for the gold tag on Franklin’s collar, which was engraved withBRforBeatrice Regina.“My Geneviève wears something like this. But with anL, of course.”

“You have a dog?”

“A cat,” Louise corrected. “Geneviève thinks thatsheis the Acting Queen of France, not me.”

Beatrice smiled. “Franklin just thinks everything is a game.”

“He certainly did well at this game. If it had been a race, Franklin would have beaten us both. You must run that loop often,” Louise added.

“I used to run here with my father, whenever we came to this house.”

“Ahh.” Louise said nothing else—noI’m sorryor other expression of sympathy, the way most people would have. She just nodded, her blue eyes darkening in understanding.

A few yards away stood the fountain at the entrance to thegardens. A trio of carved cherubs perched at its top, water spilling from the tips of their arrows into the stone basin below. Before Beatrice realized what she was doing, Louise marched over to it and leaned down like a child at a water fountain in the school hallway, lowering her mouth to the water.

“Don’t do that!” Beatrice cried out, but Louise had already stumbled back, coughing furiously.

“Well. If that sprint hadn’t cured my hangover, this would.” Louise choked out a strangled laugh. “I certainly didn’t expect salt water.”

Beatrice flushed. “I’m sorry. We pump it up from the ocean—”

“You shouldn’t do that,” Louise interrupted.

“It’s more environmentally friendly this way,” Beatrice explained, puzzled.

“No, you shouldn’tapologize.” Louise flicked her ponytail over one shoulder. Sunshine shot through her blond hair, highlighting its platinum streaks. “You just told me that you’re sorry. Never use those words.”

Beatrice hesitated. “What if I really am sorry?”

“It doesn’t matter.I’m sorrymeans that you made a mistake, and you cannot admit to that. The world will forgive a man, but rarely a woman. Certainly not a woman in power.”

No one had ever spoken to Beatrice like this before. It was exhilarating.

“You’re right,” she agreed, nodding. “That makes sense.”

“Of course I’m right. I’m always right,” Louise said breezily.

They started up the lawn toward the terrace. A footman must have seen them through the windows, because he hurried forward with a pair of chilled water bottles. Beatrice took a grateful sip. Franklin whined softly until the footman returned with a bowl of water.

“I noticed that you don’t run with headphones.” Louiseshot her a curious glance. “I assumed you were the type to listen to a podcast, or at least music.”