Page 56 of The Duke and the Runaway Bride

“Hmm,” Elizabeth said. “Her Grace, perhaps, but I don’t think you have ever been naturally talented at anything, dear brother.”

“You should not say such things to me when I am still annoyed at you for running off that morning,” Edwin scolded. “If you irk me any further, I will make you attend the next painting lesson.”

“You would not be such a brute, would you? Did you see the painting Mother made? Do you know she wishes to hang it in the dining hall? I love Mother more than anything in the world, but she does not have any artistic talent. If the ghastly thing is hung where we eat, I will be put off my food forever.”

Edwin laughed. “I shall ensure you can still eat.”

“Thank you, Edwin,” Elizabeth said. “Perhaps you have some talent in making everyone else’s life better. I know you have done that for me. Still, you are surprisingly good at dancing, and I believe I have worked out why.”

“Why?” Edwin asked curiously.

“It must be because the two of you are in love. That is the reason you were able to dance so beautifully together without any practice.” Elizabeth placed her hands on her cheeks. “Oh, I will fall in love someday, and it will be wonderful.”

“I must go,” Edwin stated suddenly. Then he strode out of the room without waiting for a reply.

“Oh, my,” Elizabeth murmured. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, of course not,” Beatrice replied.

At least, not intentionally.

They were not in love, but they could not admit that to Elizabeth. To do so would be to admit that everything was a sham.

“His Grace is busy right now. It was a pleasant surprise that he took enough time off to perform the dance with me, and I hope you were watching carefully, even if he did perform some different steps at one point.”

“I thought there was something amiss,” Elizabeth admitted.

“There is something else amiss,” Beatrice said.

Elizabeth looked worried.

“You must not call meYour Graceanymore. I know I have been teaching you the proper etiquette and manners, but you must forego it on this occasion. We have become friends since I got here, and in the spirit of friendship and sisterhood, you must call me Beatrice. In public, we can follow convention, but in private, we do not need to be formal with each other.”

Elizabeth beamed as if she had just been given a present. “I would like that very much. I know you have not been here for very long, but I already think of you as my sister. Edwin chose a wife well.”

“He did, but I am biased,” Beatrice quipped.

Elizabeth laughed.

Someone cleared their throat at the door, and when Beatrice turned around, she saw that her husband had returned.

“We need to talk,” he uttered.

“Give me a moment, Elizabeth,” Beatrice said.

He surely cannot have a problem with what his sister said.

She walked over to him, and then he led her out of the room and down the hallway.

“We just received an invitation for supper,” Edwin announced.

Beatrice let out a sigh of relief. She had thought it was something worse.

“Will we attend, or have you said no?” she asked.

“It is a supper we must attend,” he informed her. “Your family has invited my family to dine with them tomorrow evening.”

“Oh,” Beatrice murmured. When she realized the implications, she gasped. “Oh! The scandal has got back to them, hasn’t it?”

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