Page 19

Beatrice breathed a sigh of relief that their interaction was over. She didn’t know how much more she could take speaking with the Duke with her mother and sister in attendance.

As she swept by Graham he lifted his hand to grab hers, stopping her at his side.

“Had I known you had a brash tongue I would’ve have put it to good use the other night.”

It took her a few moments for her brain to catch up with her body.

She stood there for a moment until she realized that he had dropped her hand and she was still standing there.

Her eyes re-focused on the room around her.

Curious eyes followed by whispering mouths watched as she tilted her chin in the air and joined her mother and sister by the door.

It took a small miracle for Beatrice to get through dinner. Luckily, the Duke was seated further down the table from her, but unfortunately, he was on the opposite side which allowed her eyes to drift to his.

Every time she stole a glance, his eyes were already on her.

One unfortunate time, she was bringing her water glass up to her lips when she looked at him.

The intensity of his stare startled her and caused her to spill some of the water on herself.

One very unfortunate time, she was cutting a particularly stubborn vegetable and his laugh caught her so off guard and her knife missed the potato causing it to fly off her plate and land in Lord Shelding’s lap.

Her nerves were frayed, and her head was pounding. Between the potato incident and her nervous stomach, she didn’t eat much at dinner. Now that dinner was over and the guests retreated to the parlor for after dinner drinks, her stomach regretted not eating.

Sarah’s parlor led to a veranda with her lush gardens surrounding it. Seeing no one on the veranda Beatrice stepped into the cool night, knowing that at least the night’s breeze would help settle her nerves.

“I just had an enlightening conversation with a friend of yours.”

Beatrice’s stomach flipped. Unfortunately for her, she knew it was because of the man who had stepped onto the veranda and not the lack of food.

She swallowed as she turned. Graham stood in the waning light, the shadows of the coming night showcasing his chiseled face and lean, yet muscular, body.

“Oh?” Her voice squeaked.

“Lady Jane? I had no idea the human palate could register so many different tastes.”

Beatrice relaxed slightly at the mention of her friend.

“Yes, Jane is a connoisseur of sorts. Her family travels a lot and her favorite part is trying new foods and dissecting the different tastes. She says that throughout all of her travels, Sarah’s cook has the best food. It’s quite a compliment in her eyes.”

Graham nodded in agreement. “Are you well-travelled, Lady Beatrice?”

She shook her head. “No. Perhaps that is why I read so much. I do my traveling through the pages of a book.”

Beatrice caught herself. She was still on edge from their earlier conversation about books, bringing it up again may have just put her back in spotlight. Her eyes flittered around the empty veranda. Who was she fooling? It was only the two of them out here, there was no escaping his gaze.

A bubble of laughter came from the parlor. A reminder that just inside were people who would be very interested in knowing that it was just the two of them out here. If the wrong person saw them it would most likely mean ruin for herself.

Eleanor stepped through the door with Sarah close behind her.

Her sisters nodded in their direction before moving to the other side of the veranda.

It looked like Sarah was showing Eleanor her newest addition to her garden but Beatrice knew their true intentions.

They were keeping an eye on them. And while she doubted she wanted them to overhear anything her and the Duke would discuss, she appreciated them keeping her reputation in mind.

Even if her reputation was the furthest from her own mind.

Her eyes floated back to the Duke before dropping under his gaze.

“Yes. It seems our earlier conversation concerning books was interrupted.” Graham noted.

Beatrice nodded as she shuffled her feet. Her body began to hum, something she was becoming quite accustomed to when in his presence.

Her fingers started to fidget while she took slow breaths to regulate her breathing.

“T’was a pity. I had a question for you about your book recommendation.”

Curious, Beatrice lifted her eyes to his. “Oh?”

Graham nodded and looked over towards her sisters. “Perhaps we should call Her Grace to offer her opinion, since it is from one of her favorite books.”

He lifted his hand as if to motion to her. Without thinking Beatrice raised her hand and pulled his down. “No!”

If her sisters heard her loud whisper they didn’t respond.

“Just ask your question.” She pleaded.

Graham licked his lips and her body heated.

“I read the book in question.”

Beatrice narrowed her eyes. “I thought you forgot the name of the book.”

Graham rolled his lips before a wide, innocent smile broke free as he shrugged.

“While the book itself was interesting, I paid close attention to the opera scene and I must ask, is that really what you want to do?”

A blush bloomed across Beatrice’s cheeks as the warm heat that started moments ago blossomed into an inferno within her veins. The cool breeze did nothing to cool the radiating heat from her body.

Her mouth dried as she once again recalled the scene in her mind. The idea of the Duke kissing her, touching her, massaging her in the way her book described had her knees threatening to give out.

She didn’t trust her voice so she simply nodded.

Graham nodded once. “Very well. Next item we’ll cross off will be the opera scene.”

He bowed his head as he turned to walk back into the parlor.

Beatrice turned to face the garden. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths as she tried desperately to calm her raging nerves and hormones.

“Beatrice?”

She yelped at her sister’s call

Beatrice turned to see Sarah and Eleanor watching her carefully.

“What were you two talking about that has you so unnerved?” Eleanor asked.

Sarah flashed a wicked grin. “Continuing your conversation about my books?”

An eye brow of Eleanor’s quirked up in question. “Your books? You read romance…” Eleanor’s eyes widened as they flew to her youngest sister. “Beatrice! Were you talking about romance novels with the Duke of Graham?”

Beatrice winced. There was no use in lying to her sisters. Not only were they able to tell immediately if she were lying, she valued their friendship and advice more than her propriety.

“At Lady Joynor’s ball we got into a discussion about books and yes, I mentioned a few of Sarah’s books that piqued my interest even though I am not a fan of the genre myself.”

Beatrice chose her words carefully. While she didn’t want to lie to her sister’s, she didn’t want them finding out about her list and the Duke’s involvement with completing it.

Eleanor worried her bottom lip. “I know Mama and Sarah spoke with you regarding Graham, but I must add my concern. While he is highly respectable amongst the peerage, I caution you when spending time with him. People are beginning to talk, Beatrice, and I’m not sure it is wise to attach yourself to him that manner. ”

Beatrice cocked her head to the side and played innocent. “And what manner is that, dear sister?” She blinked her eyes quickly to further emphasize her mock naiveté.

“Don’t play coy with me, Beatrice. Mama may think you’re still naive, but we all know you know more than someone of your status should know.” Eleanor’s motherly tone came out and once again, Beatrice recalled a time when her oldest sister sounded like a sister and not a mother.

“I already have a mother, Eleanor, and you and I both know our mother is enough. I don’t need another one.”

Sarah laughed before Eleanor’s eyes cut to her quelling her laughter.

“I know you don’t, but right now you’re not thinking. You think your conversations with the Duke are just that, conversations. But in the eyes of the ton you are acting as if he is courting you.”

Eleanor stopped and took a step forward. “Is he?”

Beatrice wrinkled her nose. “No! How many times, to how many people,” she said with a look towards Sarah, “do I need to say that just because I danced with the man twice and had a few conversations with him it does not mean that I plan on marrying him? In fact, the more I talk with the man, the more my stance on marrying has not changed.”

Beatrice’s sisters both let out a sigh of relief, an action that irritated Beatrice for a reason she couldn’t name.

“Well that’s something at least.” Eleanore smiled. “Come, let’s go back to the parlor before Jane eats all the sweets.”

“Eleanor, don’t make me lecture you about commenting on my friend’s eating habits. You’re really turning into Mama.” Beatrice jested.

Eleanor gasped in mock horror. “You take that back!”

Beatrice walked back into the parlor, giggling with her sisters. And while she was enjoying their carefree exchange she couldn’t stop wondering why the notion of her sisters being relieved she wasn’t after the Duke bothered her.