Page 32 of Her Tiger of a Duke
Beatrice decided, after some careful contemplation, that their first dispute had ended well enough.
She knew that a disagreement would be inevitable, and she was pleased that it was done with because it meant that she was no longer waiting for it. It had been settled, and though she had not said as much to him she had already owned her part in it.
She felt utterly miserable when Mrs. Forsythe revealed that she was supposed to be staying in the village for the night, which was likely why he was so angry with her. It was no wonder that he had lost his temper, but that did not matter to her. She had lived with an irascible man all her life, and she was not going to do so any longer.
Their dinner had proven to her, however, that Owen was not an outrageous man. He was, in truth, thoughtful and kind, a good husband, all things considered. He did not have to open their home to her friends without inviting his own, but he had done sowithout question, and she appreciated that more than he could have known.
“I must admit that I am apprehensive,” she said to Ella as she was prepared for bed. “They have all been in love for so long now. They will see that I do not share in that with them.”
“They will not expect you to, Your Grace. They know the circumstances, and that it will take time for a bond to form. If you pretend otherwise, that is what will lead to concern on their part.”
Ella pulled the last pin from her hair, and it tumbled down for her to brush.
“All the same, I do not want them to pity me. This is more than I expected for myself, and more than I ever allowed myself to want.”
“And that astounds me, for you are beautiful.”
“So my friends claim, but I have never seen it. It was easier, I suppose, to tell myself I did not want to be liked, so that when I was not it hurt less.”
She was trying to be funny, but it was the truth. It was her way of protecting herself, and it had worked until it no longer did, which was when she lost her mind and decided to interrupt a wedding.
Fortunately, it turned out to be a good idea.
“Do you think you will marry one day?” Beatrice asked. “You are a lovely lady yourself.”
“I have always dreamed of it. Granted, when I was a little girl, I thought that a prince would choose me somehow, so I have more realistic expectations now, but I would still very much like to fall in love. I simply do not mind who I fall in love with as much anymore.”
Beatrice was not too different from her. Though her father had never expected much she once wondered if she might find the perfect gentleman despite everything. For all intents and purposes, she had, and it was a strange thing to consider.
The following morning, after she had broken her fast, she decided to take a walk in the grounds. Knowing that Dorothy would be coming to visit, she wished to learn all the plants that she had and note any interesting ones that she could point to later.
She did not take anyone with her, for she rather liked the idea of having time to herself Not only that, but her tour of the grounds with Mrs. Forsythe had been very short, as though she was not interested in them, and Beatrice did not want to burden her a second time.
As she reached the edge of the land, she saw a dense thicket of forest. It was overgrown, and once more there was that clear division between what was cultivated by the Duke’s staff and what was not. It had been explained that it was how the gardener preferred it, but Beatrice could not help but disagree with that. A gardener would do as instructed and would never leave a large area so unkempt simply because he wanted to. Something about the place made her feel a great sense of unease, but a greater sense of intrigue.
And so, taking a glance around her, she made her way through. It was easy enough to make her way to the trees, where the grass was shorter once again from being in the shade. It was eerily quiet, with only a bird or two making sound. It was cooler in the shade, and Beatrice shivered as a breeze brushed past her.
As she continued, she heard something else. It was water, and her curiosity was piqued. She picked her way through the woods gingerly, coming to a stop at a high drop, water rushing below her. Her heart pounded from the height, and instinctively she stepped backward and looked away.
That must have been, she decided, why Owen hated rivers. He had grown up seeing them as something to fear, because even as an adult she had to admit that it was a threatening sight. She was vaguely aware that she would eventually be searched for, and so she made her way back without investigating further. As she reached the garden again, she caught sight of Owen and Mrs. Forsythe looking around frantically.
“I cannot believe she has disappeared without saying anything,” he said loudly. “And you are certain that you did not see her?”
“No, Your Grace. Ella took her breakfast to Her Grace’s bedchambers, and then dressed her for the day. But then, Her Grace was left her to her own devices as always.”
“Surely, she will not have gone far? She would have said something.”
“Indeed. There is no need to concern yourself so.”
Beatrice pressed her back against a tree, feeling that it was best she remained hidden. She did not know why, but there was a sensation in her chest that told her she was doing something very bad and could not be seen there eavesdropping on their conversation.
“Perhaps I should check the forest,” he said, and Beatrice bristled.
“You have not set foot in there in years. Are you quite certain it is a good idea?”
“Of course I do not wish to go there, but I must make sure she has not– I need to know that she is safe.”
She heard him approaching, and though she knew the right thing to do was reveal herself, Beatrice knew what had happened last time she had angered him. They had spoken, and all waswell, and she did not want to unsettle the peace between them. So, she had to be dishonest.
