Page 50 of The Duke and the Runaway Bride

She stared up at the ceiling, the ornate embellishments painted in bright colors to showcase the sky above and angels with trumpets heralding the sunrise. The sky was so realistic that she became disoriented for a moment, as if she were outside.

It was not only the ceiling. The cushions were so soft, like clouds, and the cutlery and crockery were fancier than the ones she had seen in her new home.

She looked at Edwin, only to find he was smiling at her. She closed her mouth and smiled back at him.

“I am awed by it all,” Beatrice admitted. “I don’t even know what I might order after seeing this place. What should I do?”

Edwin chuckled. He waved a finger in the air to summon one of the servers. “I would like half a dozen raisin scones, strawberry jam, clotted cream, butter, two plates of smoked salmon, two cups of coffee, and two glasses of champagne,” he ordered.

Beatrice had been looking at the server as her husband made the order, but then her head snapped back, and she looked at him.

“I couldn’t resist,” Edwin admitted. “They have the best scones in London.”

“That is not why I am looking at you,” Beatrice said, her eyes wide.

Edwin smiled again. He looked more relaxed than she had seen him before.

“I thought we should treat ourselves,” he explained. “It has been a long time since I was out for the day, and I don’t know when I will get the chance to do it again. It has been a while since I had the chance to fully entertain a lady.”

“How about Miss Jennings?” Beatrice asked sheepishly. “You courted her before I… You must have spent time with her.”

“About as much as I spent with you in our courtship,” the Duke replied.

“But we—oh!”

“We were seen at events together, but we never spent any real time in each other’s company. There was perhaps one time when we were as alone as we could be, and she wanted me to relay to her all the gossip I heard. I heard some, of course, but it felt like bad manners to spread it. I could see she did not want to know because she was interested in what people were up to, but because it was a form of leverage for her. She wanted to use it to hurt people, and I gave her very little—nothing she could do real damage with.” Edwin put his hands flat on the table. “Look at me, prattling on about Miss Jennings when I am here to spend time with you. Let us not talk about her today.”

“I agree,” Beatrice said.

She didn’t want to talk about Miss Jennings but was glad to hear about the Duke’s experience with her. She felt bad about taking Edwin from someone else, but hearing how manipulative and ill-mannered Miss Jennings was lessened her guilt.

Two servers arrived with carts loaded with their breakfast. The plates, cups, and other utensils were laid on the table, and Beatrice heard her stomach rumble. Before she could try one of the famous scones, Edwin picked up his champagne glass and held it in the air.

“To a wonderful time today,” he toasted.

Beatrice picked up her glass and held it in the air. They both drank, and she felt the bubbles rise to her nose. As they breakfasted, she also felt the bubbles in the champagne lift her spirits. She could not deny that the scones were fantastic, but it was the smoked salmon that made her close her eyes and moan.

“Please save some of that for me,” Edwin suggested.

“Oh, did I take too much salmon?” Beatrice asked.

“Not the salmon, but the moans,” Edwin whispered across the table.

Beatrice almost spat out her food, and she might have replied if a stranger had not approached the table.

The man was a stranger to her but not to Edwin, however.

The Duke rose from his seat. “Lord Wiltshire,” he greeted, shaking the man’s hand.

“Your Grace, it is good to see you again,” Lord Wiltshire said. “I hope everything is… well.”

“Always,” Edwin replied confidently. “I hear you are opening another shipping route to the colonies.”

“To and from,” Lord Wiltshire corrected. “It will increase trade in London by ten percent. And it shall reduce transit times by three days. I am looking for further investment to open another trade route with the Dutch in the coming year.”

“I would like to talk to you about that another time,” Edwin said.

“We shall see how things progress over the next few months,” Lord Wiltshire returned.

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