Page 5 of A Scandalous Bargain
Beatrix glanced down and saw there was indeed blood, streaming from beneath the viscountess’s head and running along the stone straight for her boots. Gasping, she stood so quickly, she lost her balance.
The viscount reached for her, grabbing her arm and keeping her from falling. “All right?”Hewas asking if Beatrix was all right?
Unable to form words, she merely nodded. He released her, then stared down at his wife.
“I don’t think she’s breathing,” Beatrix whispered. She glanced at the woman, but had to look away from the unsettling sight of her. Instead, she focused on the viscount.
Rockbourne lowered himself and held his fingers to the viscountess’s neck. “She is not.” His face turned a shocking shade of gray. He withdrew his hand to cover his mouth.
Beatrix reached for him with an instinctive need to provide comfort. But how could she? She pulled her hand back before she touched him.
Remaining crouched, Rockbourne slowly lowered his hand. He gently touched the vicountess’s brow, and his eyes closed. “I can’t believe…” Anguished lines creased his face, tugging at Beatrix’s heart.
She again told herself to flee, that she had no business here, but her feet were rooted to the ground while the rest of her began to shake. She couldn’t leave him.
Looking toward the house, she wondered about the servants. Surely one of them would come outside any moment.
“I can’t believe she’s gone.” Rockbourne brushed his hand over Lady Rockbourne’s eyes and removed his waistcoat to drape it over her upper chest and face. He slowly rose, a ragged breath stuttering from his lungs. “This is my fault.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Beatrix tried to sound calm and firm, but her voice was shaking. “She fell over the railing. It’s not as if you pushed her.”
Tension and emotion pulsed out from him, clouding the air. “We were arguing.”
“That doesn’t mean you…” She couldn’t bring herself to saykilled her. For then she’d have to acknowledge the woman was truly dead. But she was, and nothing would change that. Beatrix nearly reached for his hand, but stopped herself again. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Thea,” he whispered. “Why did it come to this?” He stared down at the viscountess. His eyes closed once more as the muscles of his jaw clenched tightly. “What will I tell my daughter?”
He had a daughter? Horror knotted in Beatrix’s throat. The poor child. Beatrix wondered how old she was and immediately thought of her “sister” Selina, who’d lost her parents at such a young age that she didn’t remember them at all. In many ways, that seemed far easier than what Beatrix had endured—losing her mother to illness when she was eleven and then losing her father when he’d shipped her off to school and out of his life. She would hope Rockbourne’s daughter was young enough to recover better than Beatrix had.
The viscount seemed frozen, his face still ashen. And why wouldn’t he be? “Where are the servants?” she asked.
“Hiding, most likely. They always retreat to the nether regions of the house when Lady Rockbourne and I are arguing.”
“You think they’ll assume you pushed her?”
“No.” He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”
He suddenly turned toward her, his gaze sharp as a bit of color returned to his face. “Whoareyou? And why were you in my tree?”
“I’m Beatrix Lin—” Damn, she’d almost divulged her real name. She hadn’t made that mistake in years. “Miss Beatrix Whitford. I was, er, watching the duke next door.” She didn’t want to discuss that, and he couldn’t either, not with what had happened. “You can’t possibly be blamed for this. It was an accident. I saw her come after you.”
“And you would give evidence as my witness?” Rockbourne sized her up, from her men’s boots to the too-large men’s suit of clothing to the top hat on her head. “Why would Bow Street listen to you?”
“Because my soon-to-be brother-in-law is a Runner.”
His eyes widened briefly in surprise. “That may be, but acting as my witness will damage your reputation beyond repair.” He narrowed his focus on her. “Do youhavea reputation?”
“I suppose so, yes.” She was trying to establish herself as a young lady of high regard in order to impress her father. Furthermore, her sister was marrying the son of an earl. He had a point—her reputation was vitally important if she hoped to gain her father’s favor. And protect Selina, which was just as critical.
Beatrix could hear Selina’s voice in her head:“Then why are you gallivanting around dark gardens dressed as a man?”
Beatrix inwardly winced. She’d been very careful, and if not for tonight’s unfortunate events, she would not have been found out. For years, she’d crept in and out of places without detection.
“If you are a lady with a reputation, you can’t be a witness. You shouldn’t even be here.” His voice broke, and he looked away, taking a deep breath. It was a long moment before he continued, whispering softly, “But I’m glad you are.”
She was glad too. “This is a horrible tragedy, but no one will think it is anything other than an unfortunate accident.”
“I am not as confident as you.” He stared at her in bemusement. “Why are you still here with me? You should have gone as soon as she fell.”
