Page 74 of The Duke's Vice

“Not from me.” She finished for him.

His eyes softened and he reached out. Beatrice threw off his advance and took a step back.

She bit her inner cheek to stop tears from falling. She had given this man too much of herself to grant him the honor of seeing her broken by his words.

She squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. “And to think I thought there was more to you than the show you put on for other people.”

Graham dropped his eyes.

Good. He should feel ashamed.

“You are what they say. Mean. Unruly. Dangerous. A caution to women.”

Graham lifted his head and stood taller. She watched as he stood motionless, only his throat moved with his swallow.

She shook her head once. “Consider yourself let go from our arrangement.”

Beatrice thought he took a step forward but she had already turned quickly to run from the room. Without thinking, her body carried her down the back hallway steps and out the door she came through. She had no idea if anyone was there, if anyone saw her. She no longer cared.

If she was caught then she would cement her future as a spinster. She could survive the pain a scandal caused. She swiped at the tears that fell as she ran all the way home. She was doubtful anything could top the pain she was feeling right now.

CHAPTER 20

“Ah, Beatrice, I’ve been looking for you.”

Beatrice turned at the sound of her mother’s voice coming through the garden arch. It had been deemed that Beatrice was spending too much time inside, sulking, so her mother prescribed her a morning outside in the garden.

“I’m where you left me.” Beatrice’s voice was emotionless. She was too tired to give her mother the usual sass that was needed in surviving a conversation with her.

“I see my treatment did nothing to cures what ails you.” Charlotte lifted an eyebrow at her daughter.

Beatrice sighed and transfixed her gaze on the ground before her. She didn’t blink, not a single thought entered her mind, she was just lost in the haze of melancholy.

“Well, if this beautiful morning didn’t help, perhaps the news I have will.”

Beatrice felt her mother sit next to her, she shifted her body to face Beatrice.

“From your mood these past few days I take the letter written to your, um… friend, was not received well.”

And there it was. The only thing that was able to break through her defensive emotional wall.

Heartbreak.

Beatrice squeezed her eyes shut as she tilted her head away from her mother. She was tired of the tears that accompanied her thoughts whenever she thought of that night, of him.

She tried giving into the feelings and completely losing herself in sobs. She tried ignoring the pain that radiated from her very being, and tried distracting herself with books, music, food. No matter what she did the embarrassment and heartache from that night didn’t dissipate.

“Oh, darling, I hate to see you suffer like this.” Charlotte reached down and patted Beatrice’s thigh before grabbing her hands. “Which is why I went and did something you probably won’t like. However, please know, I did it with your wellbeing as my only motivator.”

Beatrice was too tired to fight. Even turning her head to face her mother took too much effort. Charlotte brought their clasped hands up to her chest. “Look at me, sweetheart.”

Beatrice sighed and dragged her eyes to her mother’s.

“What did you do?” Her voice creaked from misuse.

Charlotte hesitated for a moment. “I think I may have found your match.”

Beatrice swallowed. What did it matter? What did any of this matter? She knew what her future held.

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