Page 11

“ Y ou and the Duke of Graham seemed to be getting along well, Beatrice.” Charlotte took the cup of tea Elizabeth offered her before giving Beatrice an all knowing smile.

Beatrice sat back in her chair. “Don’t give me that look, Mama. I have not set my intentions on His Grace, nor have I changed my mind on my future.”

Beatrice took a sip of her own tea, relishing in the calming effect tea had on her. After this morning’s excursion she needed all the help in settling her nerves.

Charlotte laughed. ‘While I am not happy to hear you have not changed your mind, I am glad you are not going after Graham.”

Beatrice cocked her head to the side. “Really? Then why did you all but push me towards him at the park? At the ball?”

Charlotte waved her daughter off with a scoff. “I just wanted people to see you socializing. If your head isn’t in a book it’s hiding in the shadows. People need to see you out there if you are to rightfully claim your title as diamond of the season.”

Beatrice looked at her mother in amazement. Even after living with all of her mother’s dramatics and scheming ways for the past eighteen years, there were times when her mother’s ruthlessness still shocked her.

“I do not want the title of diamond of the season, Mama. And can we at last acknowledge how sad it is that Cecilia’s entire family is ill and needed respite? Or are titles and marrying me off the only thing of worth around here?”

Charlotte set her tea down and collected herself. “You know I sent correspondence wishing for their return and full recovery, but I’m not ashamed to admit I also added that they should not rush their recovery.” A small smile tilted Charlotte’s lips.

Her mother groaned at her daughter’s eye roll. “Really, Beatrice. You act as if I am the one that planned their demise. Don’t give me that look. I did no such thing and the fact you think I’m capable of doing something like that is insulting.”

Beatrice was not convinced but gave her mother a shrug. “All I’m saying is that the further we go into this season the more reasons I find that validate my decision to retire after this season.”

“Beatrice, all I’m asking is you give it a fair shot. You have already made up your mind and I’m afraid you might miss something that is right in front of you. Something that could make you happy if you give it a chance.”

Beatrice raised her eyebrow. “Like Graham.”

Charlotte laughed and picked her tea back up. “Heavens no, he was satisfactory in getting you noticed at the park today and at the ball, but I don’t think we need to use him anymore.” Charlotte took a sip of her tea and signaled to Elizabeth to bring them the plate of biscuits.

Beatrice took a biscuit and broke off a small piece. “Why don’t you like the Duke of Graham? You seemed to like him at Lady Swanson’s ball. You didn’t object to him dancing with me.”

Charlotte brushed the crumbs from her lap. “He’s not bad, per sé, he’s just not that good, either.” Charlotte offered her daughter a tight-lipped smile.

“Care to explain that, Mama?”

Charlotte brought her cup up to her mouth and took continuous sips.

It took everything in Beatrice not to roll her eyes at her mother’s avoidance of the subject.

When her sisters lived at home it took a lot of Charlotte to annoy Beatrice.

Now that it was only the two of them Beatrice was finding it harder to remain calm in the presence of her mother.

“What was that, dear?” Charlotte feigned forgetfulness.

Beatrice bit her lip before proceeding. “The Duke, Mama. Why don’t you like him? Why is he not bad, but not good?”

“Why must it go further than that? Just take my word, my love. What about Lord Devlin’s son. Wasn’t he at the park, Elizabeth? I think I saw him.” Charlotte looked to her maid who looked put on the spot.

Before Elizabeth could open her mouth Beatrice raised her hand. “Mama. I’m not a child anymore. If you intend to marry me off then I am old enough to know what makes a man bad or good.”

“Fine.” Charlotte huffed. “I told you he is a known rake. And while no real scandal has touched him, it doesn’t mean I want to see my youngest daughter attached to a man with certain… proclivities and tendencies.”

Beatrice’s ears perked up. “Proclivities and tendencies?”

Charlotte’s eyes drifted to the two maids were huddled in the corner, watching with caution. Beatrice’s eyes followed.

“There’s been talk, love, about his behavior at certain parties.”

Beatrice returned her gaze to her mother’s. “Talk from whom?”

Beatrice looked back to Candace who was looking at the floor, then to Elizabeth. Why did Candace look like she was in trouble? Beatrice knew that Candace shared gossip with the other maids, it’s where Beatrice got most of her information. Why was Candace avoiding Beatrice’s eyes?

Elizabeth’s eyes were wide, staring at Charlotte in disbelief.

There was a tickle in Beatrice’s mind, a notion was forming and it brought a sense of dread down on her.

Candace talked to Beatrice, but, Candace also talked to the other maids, including Elizabeth.

If Candace was forthcoming with gossip to Beatrice, it’s only fair to assume Elizabeth was open with Charlotte.

A pit formed in Beatrice’s stomach. Did Candace tell Elizabeth about her midnight errands and therefore her mother knows?

Her eyes quickly returned to her mother’s who was sitting back, stirring her tea with her spoon.

“Oh, Beatrice, I know you know more than you let on. Elizabeth told me that Candace told you about the night life of some of the peerage. Although, heaven knows why anyone would want to travel down to that area is beyond me. I’m just thankful that your father and I raised you and your sisters better than to be seen at one of those establishments. ”

Beatrice bit her tongue. Did her mother know? She wanted desperately to look at Candace for confirmation on how much she told Elizabeth but she was afraid any movement would give her away.

She took a sip to wet her dried throat. “You don’t have to worry about that, Mama. You know me, I’m naturally a curious person.”

Charlotte leaned forward. “That’s exactly what I told Elizabeth.” She said with aplomb. Charlotte turned to the two maids. “Isn’t that exactly what I said, Elizabeth? Our Beatrice is always so curious, it’s from all of the reading she does.”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Her maid responded. Both Elizabeth and Candace looked sheepishly at Beatrice who pushed out a sigh of relief. It seems the topic of Beatrice’s interest in the midnight parties stopped there, with just her interest in them.

Charlotte sighed. “Anyway, I hear the Duke of Graham frequents that area often and some of those parties, well, I don’t want to shock your sensitivities, love, so we’ll just leave it at they are no place for a respectable young woman, or man, to be. So there.”

Beatrice shook her head. “Well, you won’t have to worry about me going there, Mama.” She failed to add that she can’t go without an invitation. She set her tea down and stood. “It’s been a very long day, I think I shall retire.”

She kissed her mother on her cheek and made her way up to her room with Candace following her.

Candace closed the door behind her and rushed to Beatrice’s side.

“I’m sorry! Elizabeth’s the one who confirmed the information about the party, but you must believe me, I did not tell her you went, only that you had overhead a conversation and you were curious.

I promise, I would not betray your trust like that. ”

Beatrice held her maid’s hands in hers. “I believe you and thank you. I was worried there for a moment. My mother can be very intimidating and very cunning when it comes to getting information on her daughter’s, so I appreciate you keeping this between us.

I know your part in all of this weighs heavily on your conscience. ”

Candace smiled and hugged Beatrice. “Thank you!”

Beatrice pulled away. “Would you mind helping me get ready for bed. It was quite the day and I want to put it behind me.”

While Candace helped Beatrice with her nighttime rituals she kept catching Candace’s look in the mirror.

“Something on your mind, Candace?”

At first Candace shrugged her off but after she helped Beatrice into bed she sat on the edge of the mattress.

“What were you two really talking about in the park? You seemed completely enraptured with the conversation and I didn’t know you had such an interest in birds.”

Beatrice feigned ignorance. “What can I say? Mama was right, the man is charming.” She smiled before rolling to her side, hoping to effectively shut down the conversation. She felt the bed lift as Candace stood and made her way to the door.

“Good night, Lady Beatrice.” Candace called as she closed the door.

Beatrice laid on her side, facing the wall, waiting for her maid’s steps to quiet. When she no longer heard them she flopped onto her back.

She ran her hands over her face. What a day! She rolled back onto her side, trying to find a comfortable position. She kicked her legs out, tucked them in, stuck one foot off the side, thought better of it and tucked it back underneath the duvet.

After what seemed like hours of tossing and turning she sat up.

“This is useless.” She pouted. Frustrated, she got out of bed and began to pace the room. She saw the corner of her new list sticking out of the book she hid it in. Seeing the list brought thoughts of the Duke rushing into her mind. Her body began to hum and tingle.

“Oh, that man.” She went back to pacing.

“Who does he think he is deciding if I’m experienced or not.

” Beatrice stopped in front of the mirror.

Who was she kidding? She had virginal maid written all over her.

Her only kiss was from Graham and the only men who have touched her in any way other than a familiar handshake were the men who danced with her and that was in a middle of a ballroom.

Her chest swelled with the memory of dancing with Duke.

He had a way of making that feel scandalous even in a full room of people.

She groaned. How was he able to make a regular waltz feel like an intimate dance in front of hundreds of people?

How was he able to have a lasting affect her all this time?

Her skin began to itch and that low heat that had settled in her belly earlier in the day returned. She shifted her feet while she eyed the corner of paper. Her eyes drifted to the bed.

Do me a favor. Think of me when you do.

The duke’s seductive tone rang through her head causing her body to vibrate in delicious warmth. She shook her head. “No. This is ridiculous.”

She walked over to the bed when the friction of her shift along her skin shot a sensation of need through her. Beatrice stopped in her tracks, she’s never felt that before.

She made it back to her bed and laid down.

She stared at the ceiling while her body cooled.

Maybe if she just relaxed she could fall asleep and forget all about her conversation with the Duke.

Unfortunately every time she shifted her body sprang awake, looking for something.

She rested her folded hands on her lower abdomen.

After a few moments of tapping her fingers against her stomach she pretended she had an itch on her inner thigh.

She huffed. She was being absurd. If she wanted to touch her body anywhere that was her prerogative, she didn’t need to pretend there was someone there she had to justify her movements to.

She squeezed her eyes shut. She felt silly arguing with herself. She should just touch herself to see what it felt like. If anything, if she ran into that blasted Duke again she could tell him she did it as further proof she isn’t as innocent as he perceived her to be.

Beatrice reached down and felt a wetness pool between her legs. Interesting. She brought it out from under the covers, it wasn’t her monthly courses.

Now, Beatrice is well read and she has read some books that dealt with human sexuality, although it was mostly contraband from friend’s parent’s library’s.

Her one friend’s father is a surgeon. The textbooks she found in his library kept her awake for weeks.

Some touched on sexual intercourse between a man and a woman but it was from a purely scientific perspective.

There was nothing scientific about how Beatrice was feeling right now.

She moved her finger back down and it grazed over her sex, causing a yelp. She quickly looked to the door and waited for footsteps but none came.

She continued her ministrations, slowly at first. Her movements were stunted and awkward until she figured out what she liked. The warmth that had pooled in her stomach began to grow and spread throughout her entire body.

Ha! Just wait until I see that Duke again!

The Duke.

With his strong hands, broad chest, emerald green eyes, and a smile that could get even the holiest of women in trouble.

Beatrice’s hips began to move underneath her.

She could feel his body pressed up against hers.

His breath on her neck as he praised her and encouraged her to keep going.

She felt her body pushing closer to a cliff.

Her mind and body began to fight for control.

Her body has never felt this way, it was as if something else was in control of her and her mind was fighting for decorum.

The Duke’s eyes flashed in her mind and her body froze. Her stomach cramped from the sudden stop. She licked her lips and sat up, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

This wasn’t working, she needed more. She needed to know more. She sprinted to her closet where she kept her cloak.

She needed the Duke.