Page 56 of Her Tiger of a Duke
Beatrice wished that the others were present so that she could thank them personally, but she was too busy trying not to flush pink at the thought of them all wanting to help because it was her.
She tried on the gown, and it was a flawless fit. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she no longer saw the sad little girl that was stuffed into ridiculous dresses and paraded around. She looked refined and elegant, exactly as she had always envisioned a duchess to be. At last, she felt as though she would belong with her friends, rather than being the unfortunate spinster that she was before.
When she returned home, she faced the difficult task of keeping it from Owen. She wished to show him immediately, but she also wished to keep the surprise. It was the most beautiful thing shehad ever seen, and she did not want the shine to wear off by showing it to him too soon.
As she looked for him so that they could talk, however, she realized that he was still not there. It was strange, for if he had plans he tended to tell her, but everything had happened very quickly, and it was entirely possible that it had slipped his mind.
“Where is His Grace?” she asked Mrs. Forsythe when she found her, dusting a mantel. “I have not seen him since last night.”
“He has gone to the village,” she replied. “Did you not see him?”
“No, I only went to the modiste. He was not there to see me, was he?”
“Oh, no. He is to speak with a man who knows how to construct things. I am not entirely certain quite what he wants built, but he will not be away for too long.”
“I should hope not. We have a ball to attend tonight.”
“Ah yes, the Pembroke ball.”
There was an edge to her words, as though she was not thrilled about it, and it piqued Beatrice’s curiosity.
“Do you know of them?”
“I am a housekeeper for a duke. I know everything,” she laughed sadly. “You did not hear this from me, but I do not understand why His Grace has accepted the invitation. The Pembrokes are not the nicest people.”
Upon hearing that, Beatrice was just as confused. She did not know them, but if Owen was happy to be in their company, then they had to be good people. If he thought otherwise, she was certain that he never would have wanted to go.
“What exactly is wrong with them?” she asked. “Are they unkind?”
“Well, not exactly. They are a proper family, you see. They are very strict about etiquette, with the exception of making very public statements about those that displease them. I do not know why they cannot simply gossip like everyone else.”
“I would have thought it admirable. I would rather things were said to me, not about me, and what with the current rumor…”
Suddenly, she wished she would be in the company who kept such scandal to themselves.
“Do you think we should not go?” Beatrice asked. “I can speak with my husband, and we can–”
“You are going, Your Grace. Do not pay me any mind. Even Lady Pembroke knows better than to mock a duke and duchess.. You have far more influence than she ever would, which means thataside from a few slights, you shall leave the night unscathed if she knows what is good for her.”
She tried to be soothed by the encouragement, but the fear was there. She had done everything she could to ensure that she would be the perfect guest, but was that why they had been invited to begin with? It was perfectly believable that she had been invited as she was a duchess, but knowing how she was, it was also possible that she had been invited so that Lady Pembroke had something to talk about.
She wished that her husband was home.
When he did return a few hours later, he was accompanied by an older man. They were carrying large planks of wood together, and though curious Beatrice was caught off guard by how good he looked doing it.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up, showing his strong arms, and he carried the wood like it was nothing. When she managed to tear her arms away from that, however, she realized that they were taking it toward the forest.
She ran quickly to them, and as she approached they stopped and turned to her.
“Continue with me,” Owen said to the man, and then they continued together.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Something that I have been planning for a while now. How was the modiste?”
“You shall not believe your eyes. Madame Dupont is an incredible seamstress, and she even used her assistants just to ensure it was ready in time.”
“As I had hoped. Am I to know the color? I should like to match with you, so that I am not upstaged entirely.”
