“Why are you not eating?” Algernon asked, his deep tone barely above a whisper.
“I am too nervous,” Beatrice confessed then reached for her wine glass.
Algernon took it from her grasp before she could bring it to her lips, and she glared at him.
“All wine and no food will make you lose your head,” he warned.
Beatrice tsked her tongue.
“Nonsense!”
Algernon raised a brow.
“You do not drink spirits much, do you?”
Beatrice shrugged.
“Your point, Your Grace?”
“Oh, dear,” Algernon muttered, placing her glass beside his own.
When he looked at her again there was an air of dominance in his gaze. He picked up her fork and placed it in her palm then did so again with her knife in the other hand.
“Eat. Now. Or this evening will not end well for you,” he commanded.
Beatrice jerked away from him, and she was caught off guard by how such a small movement made her head suddenly swim.
“Is that a threat, Your Grace?” she asked, trying to ignore the spinning that had started.
“More so a fact,” Algernon whispered. “Trust when I say, you do not want to disobey me on this.”
She glared at him, and he glared right back. Then the sound of footsteps erupted on the polished marble floor. Slowly, she drew her eyes back to her plate and put her utensils to the mutton. Beatrice was surprised at how hard it was to focus on cutting through the meat, but she was thankful that she was at least no longer shaking.
The moment she took her first bite, and the food hit her stomach, she realized, to her chagrin, that Algernon was right. She immediately took another bite then another as Henry returned to the table, and the two brothers continued their conversation.
By the end of the fifth course, both her dizziness and her nerves completely subsided, and she felt good enough to try to look up at each of the brothers.
“I am glad that you started to eat,” Henry noted as she met his eyes. “I was growing concerned that you would not enjoy this wonderful meal. Alice, Auggie’s cook, is excellent, and her food is not to be missed.”
“Oh, I agree, it is fantastic,” Beatrice confirmed. “Do forgive me for earlier. I was admittedly nervous.”
Henry let out a laugh, an almost pitying sound that made Beatrice shift uncomfortably in her seat.
“Nervous? Whatever for?” Henry asked. “Did you think I would disapprove of your courtship with my brother?”
He let out another laugh as he looked from Beatrice to Algernon. Beatrice as well looked to Algernon, but like her, he was not smiling. In fact, he looked most serious and commanding as he placed his elbows on the table and folded his hands together.
“Actually, Henry,” Algernon stated, rubbing his hands together as he shifted a quick glance to Beatrice, “Beatrice is not here to court me. She is here to court you. No. I am sorry, that is not true either. She is here to marry you.”
Beatrice’s breath caught in her throat as she glanced from Algernon to Henry. The younger brother’s smiling face slowlyslipped into a frown, and as he sat back, he glanced from his brother to Beatrice.
“What sort of foolery is this?” Henry asked, his tone harsh. “Algernon, you cannot do this!”
CHAPTER SIX
“You had better calm yourself, Henry,” Algernon warned, shooting up from his chair. “This is the best option for you, and you know it!”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Beatrice flinch. He was surprised at how quickly he wanted to assure her, but he ignored the strange and sudden urge to protect her and remained focused on his younger brother. Henry rose from his chair, his sage green eyes darkening as he stared at Algernon in challenge.