Beatrice was certain he looked for some explanation regarding Van Doren’s bizarre behavior, beyond her father’s noting that he was a longstanding neighbor.
“I will apologize on behalf of Lord Van Doren,” she said, “though I cannot account for his behavior. I am hoping it can be blamed on too much champagne.”
The duke looked at her critically. “Is that what you were hoping for?” he asked.
Beatrice was a bit baffled by the question. “I do not know what else I might hope for,” she said.
“I see. Perhaps it is confusing to you to have so many gentlemen circling round, perhaps you hardly know where to look.”
Now Beatrice was entirely confused. Did he make some comment on Darden’s friends? Of course, he did not know of their real purpose in luring out the tortured gentleman and so would believe them to be suitors.
“Anybody with a pair of eyes can parse what is really happening around you. The fools can be easily enough stripped out of the scene to arrive at the truth of the situation.”
Beatrice was becoming flustered and felt her cheeks get hot. It seemed the duke hinted that Darden’s friends were not convincing.
Rather than answer directly, she said, “You speak in riddles, duke.”
“And you would have me speak plainly?”
“I’m not certain,” she said honestly.
“Lady Beatrice,” he said, his tone containing a hint of exasperation, “a gentleman does not rip a card out ofmyhands for his own amusement. Not when he risks meeting me at dawn to answer the insult.”
“You would not challenge him?” Beatrice said, her blood running cold in her veins. She could not know the duke’s skill with pistols, but she could guess at them. Van Doren might be killed, and all over a fit of pique! She would never forgive herself. Never.
“Duke, please do say you will not,” Beatrice said.
“I most certainly will not,” the duke said. “Far be it for me to kill a fellow for being hopelessly blinded by love. And blind to his own intentions, I suspect.”
Beatrice’s relief at the duke’s assurance that he would not call out Van Doren caused her to take some moments before comprehending the rest of what he’d said.
He thought Van Doren was in love with her. It was not true, of course. Neither she nor her sisters believed Van Doren could be in love with anybody. It was not in his nature.
But then, her father and her brother had hinted something along the same lines.
Lynette’s words came back to her. Someday a lady would bring Van Doren to his knees.
It could not be her, though. She had seen no signs!
“Duke,” she said slowly, chafing under his amusement, “I will hold you to your assurance that you will not demand a duel. However, I must also inform you that your guess could not be further from the truth.”
“We’ll see,” the duke said, with a rare laugh.
*
Matthew had notescaped the various nets set out for him. Both Lady Mary and Lady Clara had placed themselves in such positions, cards dangling, that he’d no choice but to put his name down.
At least he had dodged their suppers, though he cringed at Lady Mary’s petulance and Lady Clara’s disappointment over it. They seemed particularly put out that he was to take Beatrice into supper.
He was beginning to think he ought to go home to his estate to escape these two ladies. He was beginning to think that both of them meant to trap him somehow.
But then, if he did go, he would be leaving Beatrice behind, unprotected from the duke.
Matthew thought he began to understand why the duke had not demanded he answer the insult of ripping her card from his hand. The fellow had not wished to discompose or displease Beatrice. Certainly, that could be the only reason for it.
Now, he led Lady Mary through the changes and they returned to their place.
“Lady Clara claims that you are forever hanging about Lady Beatrice Bennington,” Lady Mary said, “though I assured her that you were a longstanding friend to that house, having neighboring estates.”
