Page 3 of Her Lion of a Duke
“Your title has its use at times,” Cecilia muttered to Leonard, who rolled his eyes playfully.
When they entered the gardens, Beatrice at last seemed to find her voice.
“Alright,” she said quickly, “why are the two of you together again?”
“What do you mean?” Cecilia asked.
“For a start, you are using me as a chaperone. Do not think I did not guess that from the start.”
“It is not that at all,” Leonard said in a cool tone. “We like your company, nothing more. Besides, poor Miss Punton has been set upon once again by Lord Pember.”
“Oh, no,” Beatrice groaned. “Surely your aunt has something to say about that?”
“She would be pleased to see me married off to any man if it means helping her daughter. She means well, but we are all aware of what has been said about me. I am a wanton, and I am going to destroy the family name. With one wrong move, I could ruin Clara’s reputation. You know as well as I do that I hate all of this, but Clara does not deserve to be ruined in the process.”
“And so, at last, you have decided to bend?” Beatrice asked.
“She would have,” Leonard replied, “but I saved you both from such a fate and whisked her away.”
“And I am most grateful for that.”
Cecilia studied him. Leonard Kingsman was the very opposite of Lord Pember; he was tall and broad, his eyes like those of a lion. He was fearsome, and like Cecilia, he had a reputation that most would have preferred to avoid entirely.
It was what made him bearable, and a good friend to her. There were no pretenses, and that made it easier to converse with him.
Beatrice did not see it the same way. She was, like most of the ton, rather frightened of him at the best of times, but she trusted Cecilia’s judgment of his character.
“Does this mean that you will find a husband this Season?” Beatrice asked, a hint of a whine in her voice.
“It is possible, yes.”
“But I will be alone!”
“Then you ought to allow available gentlemen to court you! Beatrice, you know as well as I do that gentlemen would fall at your feet if that was what you wanted.”
“Gentlemen look past me as if I am not there. I am not like you, tall, slender, and pretty. I am—” Beatrice broke off.
But Cecilia knew what her friend was going to say.
Beatrice enjoyed baking, which was looked down on by polite society and had also led to her being perhaps a little softer and rounder than was preferred by most men.
Regardless, Cecilia had always thought that she would make the best wife in their group.
“Besides,” Beatrice continued, clearing her throat, “you and I were supposed to be spinsters together.”
“That has never been my plan, and you know it. Come now, we will find someone for you tonight.”
“Please do not!” she squeaked. “I cannot bear the thought of asking a gentleman to dance with me.”
“You need not do so,” Leonard assured her. “I shall do it for you.”
Beatrice turned scarlet, but they did not stop to say anything further.
They returned to the ballroom, Cecilia tightly looping her arm through Beatrice’s. Leonard found Lord Pember, whom he towered over, and tapped his shoulder.
“Your Grace!” Lord Pember greeted. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Do you see that lovely young lady in blue?” Leonard asked. “The one beside Miss Punton, yes. I would like you to dance with her.”
