Page 53 of The Duke's Vice

She grumbled as her head fell to the desk. Was she pushing against what society wanted for her because she always had? Or did she truly still want a life of being alone?

Her heart sank. Last night shook her world in more than one way. Her body still throbbed when she recalled his kisses, histouch, but she had erected a wall that demanded she only allow her body to react, not her heart.

So why did thinking of completing her list, something that should be bringing her joy, bring her a touch of sadness?

A knock jolted her upright.

“Lady Beatrice? Your sister Eleanor is here. She’s with your mother in the parlor. They’re asking for you.” Candace’s voice drifted through the door.

Beatrice briefly thought it was curious her maid didn’t open the door to let her know but the thought dropped just as quickly as it came. “Please tell them I’ll be right there.”

She pushed away from the desk and gave herself a glance in the mirror to make sure she was presentable.

Beatrice entered the parlor and immediately knew why her maid spoke to her through the door. Beatrice had been a part of polite society long enough to know when scandal hung heavy in the air.

Candace stood in the corner with her mother’s maid, Elizabeth, both of which dropped their gazes as soon as Beatrice looked at them. Her eyes fell on her mother who was sitting on the sofa, worrying a handkerchief in her hands, her gaze staring off into nothing. Odd, and dramatic, but so was her mother, so she couldn’t gather much information from her.

It wasn’t until her eyes landed on Eleanor that Beatrice knew something was amiss.

“Eleanor. I didn’t realize you were coming today.” She tried to keep her tone light and casual, hoping their peculiar behavior was all in her mind.

Naturally, she immediately thought someone saw her in the Duke’s box last night. But, the Duke was right, once the house lights go out it near impossible to see the last row of box seats from another box. Unfortunately, the knowledge didn’t do much to quell the growing knot in her stomach.

Eleanor looked to her mother before forcing a fake smile on her face as she stepped towards Beatrice and embraced her.

“I was in town doing some shopping and had some time before I needed to get back to the children so I decided to stop in to see how everyone was doing.”

“I’m glad you did. How are the children? We didn’t get to talk much at the dinner party.” Beatrice started.

“Oh, can we stop with the niceties?” Charlotte wailed.

Eleanor rolled her eyes and dropped her shoulders. She mouthed apologies to Beatrice as Charlotte’s hysterics continued.

“We warned you, Beatrice! We told you to mind your business when it came to that Duke and look, just look!”

It wasn’t a handkerchief in her mother’s hands, but a gossip sheet. Beatrice’s heart dropped to her toes. With a shaky hand she reached out and took the paper her mother was holding out to her.

The words blurred in front of her as she scanned for her name, or the Duke’s. She squinted, clearing her vision. Her eyes raced over the page several times.

“Forgive me, I think I’m missing something. I don’t see anything of note concerning me or the Duke.” Beatrice looked to Eleanor.

Her sister stepped forward and pointed to a small line towards the bottom of the page. Beatrice read the lines out loud.

And it seems having the newly bestowed honor of Diamond of the Season has enabled Lady Beatrice to reenter the marriage mart with her eyes set on the formidable Duke of Graham. They have been seen dancing and conversing at several events.

Beatrice flipped the page over and back to the front. “Is this it? On an entire page of gossip, there are two lines, at the bottom, that insinuate something that I already told you wasn’t true and you think there’s a scandal brewing? Mama.” Beatrice admonished. “This is a bit dramatic, even for you.”

Charlotte balled her hands into tight fists. “People are talking, Beatrice!” Her mother’s eyes shot to the two maids in the corner who continued to find the floor particularly interesting.

Beatrice felt her blood begin to boil. She hated gossip, and while she was thankful the maids in her family’s employ were faithful and didn’t let information out, they had no problem taking part in other’s gossip. To Beatrice, taking any part in the circulation of gossip was deplorable.

“And what are people saying?” Beatrice asked the maids.

Charlotte began to speak when Beatrice held her hand up. “No, Mama. I’d like to hear it from the source, please.”

Candace’s cheeks flamed red but it was Elizabeth that stepped forward. “Lady Beatrice, you know your family has our loyalty and it is because of that loyalty that I came to your mother with what I heard.”

Beatrice’s resolve softened. “We are forever grateful for your loyalty, Elizabeth. Please, tell me what was said.”

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