Page 55 of For a Lady's Fiery Heart
"Do you remember the last night we spent together in the library back at Thorneby?" she asked, her sultry tone causing the hackles on his back to rise.
"You make it sound much worse than it was. Your maid was there," he said flatly.
"Nobody said that she wasn't," Lady Beatrice replied, sitting up straight again. The grisly shadows returned, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Really, James. I do hope it is not going to be like this for the rest of my stay. Eight months is a long time to live in such indifference."
"Perhaps your husband should have thought better of asking my father to allow you to stay. You have many more friends throughout the country who would have been delighted for you to stay with them, I am sure." James paused for a moment. "Families without married sons," he added.
She glared at him. "You are not being fair to me, James. I harbour nothing but tender friendship for you, and this is how you treat me?" she said. Her voice grew in pitch, and she sniffed loudly. But he would not fall for her tricks.
"You denied the right of friendship five years ago when you broke my heart, Beatrice," he said. If she wanted to have a conversation, then Good God, he was going to give her one. “You led me to believe you loved me, and when the time drew near for us to make our engagement official, you chosehim?”
All the anger and bitterness of years past came boiling to the surface. He threw up his hands, casting caution to the wind. Lady Beatrice pulled out a handkerchief and began to cry, but he knew her games. “James, please, do not rebuke me. I cannot bear it. You do not understand the position I was in.”
“Oh, I understand plenty. You told my wife that your father forced you to marry Sir Gerald. But that is not true, is it?" James's chest heaved with every breath, the anger making his heart race. "Is it?" he asked again, louder this time.
Lady Beatrice's face fell. She said nothing for a long time. "I loved you, James. I have only ever loved you, but I had to consider my future. With Sir Gerald out of the country, do you not think we can be–" she stopped, as if she had to carefully think of her next word choice. "–friendly again?"
James shook his head vehemently.
"No!" he roared, not caring who heard.
"I stopped loving you five years ago, and even if I were a free man and you were unmarried, I would never pursue you. Your heart is as black as coal, Lady Beatrice. I am sorry to say that your parents ruined you. You are a selfish, conniving, grasping woman, and I would never trade what I have with my wife to stoop to your level."
Lady Beatrice sat in stunned silence, her counterfeit tears forgotten. Replacing them was a rage at being cast to the side without so much as a cursory glance, no doubt. "No one talks to me like that–"
"Well, perhaps they should. Now, as it would be embarrassing for us to look upon each other after this night, I suggest you return to your room, pack your things, and find other accommodations for the remainder of your stay in England. Or even better yet, return to Inverness. I care not what you do, only that you leave my house as soon as can be arranged."
James finished his speech with what felt like a heavy burden being lifted off his shoulders.
Lady Beatrice rose smoothly, her face a mask of cool indifference once again. She walked to the edge of the sitting area, stopping a few paces from him. She curtsied low and glared up at him. "As you wish." She then hurried out of the room without another whisper.
James let the air out of his lungs with a long sigh. He leaned against the back of the settee, wondering what kind of mess he had just created between him and his father. However, James did not care at that moment. He had stood up for himself and for Caroline, and he would deal with the consequences of going against his father later.
James turned around, meaning to retire to his bed as well. It had been an exhausting day. However, as soon as he turned around, he saw Lady Grace standing in the doorway. She wore an unguarded smile. "That was superb," she whispered. "I have been longing to say such things to that woman ever since she started making trouble for Caroline."
Chuckling softly, he joined her in the doorway. The candles had not yet been snuffed, and there was plenty of light to see his sister-in-law's face. "Do you think I was too harsh on her?" he asked.
"Not in the slightest," she replied with a mischievous smile. "However, I have a low view of anyone who tries to torment my sister. Or any of my family, in fact. I am glad that you stood up to her." She looked at him with a sisterly affection that warmed his heart.
"I must confess I am glad that you overheard. What made you come to the library? It is far removed from the dining and drawing rooms," he asked, curious. He motioned for her to head toward the foyer and more public spaces where they would be safe from prying eyes. The last thing he needed was to trade one looming scandal for another.
"I was on my way to my room when I thought of finding a book. Lord Highclere was very generous and told me to go and procure as many books as I should like before I returned home. We do not have a very big library at home."
Lady Grace clasped her hands in front of her. "I shall be sad to leave tomorrow, but I assume all will be well once Lady Beatrice is no longer hanging about making trouble."
"One can only hope," James said. "I trust I shall have a lot of patching up to do with Caroline. Have you seen her since she came in from the garden this afternoon?"
Lady Grace sighed. "I have. She was very upset. And was even thinking of returning to our parents for a time. However, I doubt that such drastic measures will be needed now since Lady Beatrice will not be with you for much longer?"
"Yes, she is to find other lodgings as quickly as possible. And if she refuses to go, or enlists my father to overturn my orders, then I shall take Caroline away from here. Perhaps we will go to Pembroke, as I had originally planned." James scrubbed a hand down his cheek, tired and discouraged. "But that is something that can be straightened out tomorrow, I suppose."
"Yes. Each day has enough troubles of its own. Isn't that how the scripture goes?" Lady Grace asked. They started up the grand staircase, and it was only then that he realised the butler had never come into the library with his tea. He had probably scared all the servants away with his bellowing. He sighed. It would be all over the house what had transpired between them by morning. He felt no doubt.
Lady Grace arrived at her door, and he gave a slight bow. She smiled up at him. "Well, I know my sister will be very pleased with the news. Good night–" she halted, biting her lower lip. However, she seemed to make up her mind and plough forward. "Good night, brother."
His heart soared at this. "Good night, sister," he replied. "Sleep well."
She entered her room and closed the door. He then headed down the hall toward his own. James hesitated before Caroline's door for only a split second. Seeing that no light came through the crack under the door, he surmised she was already asleep. Rather than wake her, he decided to speak with her first thing in the morning.
