Page 11 of Her Tiger of a Duke
And it most certainly was; cold meats, whitebait, poached eggs, french bread, custard tarts, lemon puffs, and sitting in the middle of it all an enormous wedding cake. That was all alongside the fresh fruit and nuts and the tea and coffee. It was no wonder that she was so hungry.
She smiled as she bit into her ham.
“A smile!” he cheered quietly. “Does that mean you are pleased to be my wife after all?”
“It means that I am pleased to have a husband with such good taste,” she giggled.
After the wedding breakfast, her friends surrounded her at once, pulling her away from the other guests.
“What did you do?” Cecilia asked.
“I believe she means to ask you what has changed,” Dorothy said helpfully, but Cecilia shook her head.
“No, I was asking her what she did, but she is more than welcome to answer your question first, if it pleases her.”
Beatrice shuddered, wondering what her friend had heard. If Cecilia knew something, then it had to be because the knowledge was circulating, for she had very little interest in gossip.
“I was protecting a friend,” she explained simply. “That should answer both of your questions. I did not intend for all of this, but my hand was forced.”
“So, you did not intend to ruin a wedding?” Cecilia asked, and their two friends gasped.
“I ought to pay closer attention to the happenings of London,” Emma sighed. “I miss so much by hiding away.”
“I long to hide,” Beatrice countered. “I did not want any of this. All that I intended to do was protect my friend, for she was going to marry the man that is now my husband and I knew she did not want to. I was not thinking.”
Her three friends looked at her in surprise, and Beatrice could not blame them for that. She had never been one to engage in antics that could be perceived as unbecoming. But instead of making several smaller mistakes overtime, she’d made a colossal mess in one fell swoop.
“Well,” Emma said carefully, “in any case, it has served you well. Look at you! You look lovely, and now you are a wife. You know that we were all concerned about you finding the perfect husband.”
“Who is to say that he is perfect?” She sent a surreptitious glance over her shoulder at the Duke.
“He is a husband,” Cecilia said firmly. “You have protection now, and that is enough. It also means that you can leave your family home, and I shall not pretend that is a bad thing.”
Beatrice smiled in spite of herself. She did not have an ideal family life, much like her friends, and so they understood the good that came of her leaving her parents behind. But there was sadness in the act too, for she had always hoped that she would at least come to an understanding with her family. If that wasnot to be, then she was at least pleased to be leaving home in exchange for a nicer life than the one she led before.
At least, that was what she hoped.
“This is a good thing,” Dorothy said gently, squeezing her arm. “It may not feel like it yet, but this is how it was for the three of us. It may not be easy, but the joy will come. Who knows? The two of you may even fall in love.”
Beatrice thanked them, but she did not believe it. Owen was a good man. She trusted him simply because of what he was prepared to do for Helena, but they did not love one another. Beatrice was quite convinced that he could never love her, especially not after the trouble she had caused but also because of her mannerisms. It would be difficult for a man who knew her well to abide her quietude and reticence. But Owen, the Duke…he did not know her at all.
She did not say that to her friends, of course. She did not wish to hear them tell her how wonderful she was because she would not believe a word of it. Pretty words were a waste of her time.
They returned to the guests, who came to her one by one to congratulate her. The only person that she was yet to see was Helena, and though Beatrice could see her speaking with other guests, Helena did not come to her of her own accord.
“Is she angry with me?” she asked Owen, who had joined her to thank their guests. “She has not said a word to me.”
“I do not believe so. Thanks to you, she does not need to marry a man she does not love. She is appreciative, I rather think.”
“If that is true, then why will she not speak to me?”
“Because you have sacrificed for her sake. She is likely ashamed. Give her time. I am certain she will want to see you.”
Beatrice hoped that he was right, and fortunately he was. As the day continued, they exchanged short smiles, and just before they were set to leave Lady Helena came to her, asking if they could have some privacy. A servant brought them to a room indoors at Owen’s request, and the moment the door closed behind them, Helena burst into tears.
“Oh! Oh, Helena, do not cry,” Beatrice said, panicked. “I am so sorry. I did not mean to take your husband from you, you know that. If I had known-”
“I know,” she wept. “I know, and these are not tears of sorrow. Has your husband not told you what he has done for me?”
