“This ismylife, brother,” Henry gritted out, pointing to his chest. “Mine! And you have no right to dictate how I lead it!”
“I do if your way puts our family name in danger!” Algernon shot back.
Immediately Henry paled, but his expression of rage did not waiver.
“Youneeda wife,” Algernon commanded. “Someone who is kind and understanding, and Beatrice is such a woman.”
“Is she?” Henry asked, sending an accusatory glance toward Beatrice. “Because every time I have attempted to ask about her life, you have cut off such questioning with a quickness. Who is she, brother? I have never heard of a Lady Beatrice Cooper among theton’stalk. Where did she come from?”
Algernon glanced at Beatrice. A sliver of guilt shot through his chest as he watched her cheeks turn crimson and her gaze fall to her plate.
“Where she comes from is of no importance,” Algernon retorted. “What matters is that she is willing to accept your proposal.”
Henry let out a bitter laugh as he walked around his chair and gave it a gruff shove.
“Well I am not offering it!” Henry shouted. “I am not marrying, brother! You are the eldest, and we have no other siblings, therefore society does not require my participation in the marriage mart! It is you that needs to produce an heir, not I. You marry her!”
“I am not the one at risk here, Henry!” Algernon roared, losing his temper. “What do you think would have happened if someone else would have seen what I saw? You would have been ruined!”
Silence exploded through the room. Henry went inhumanly still as he stared intensely at Algernon, his gaze wide and unblinking for an inordinate amount of time.
“I was in the privacy of my own home,brother,”Henry finally stated, his tone low and full of hatred. “No one would have seen if you would have kept your nose in your own business instead of being worried about mine.”
Algernon drew in a deep breath, trying to even out the rage pulsing through his veins. Why couldn’t everyone just obey him? Don’t they see how much easier life would be if they did?
“It is only a matter of time, brother, before someone else catches you in your poor habits,” Algernon gritted out. “At least with a marriage, you would have the excuse to stay out of society.”
Algernon heard Beatrice draw in a breath at his words and snapped his teeth together, urging himself to calm down. It was close,tooclose, to letting someone else know the truth.
“Beatrice, I thank you for joining us for dinner this evening, but I believe it is best that you retire to your room for the night,” Algernon suggested, his tone straining to be polite.
Beatrice nodded as she rose from her chair, but Henry rounded the table in an instant and snatched her wrist.
“Unhand her!” Algernon snapped, taking a warning step toward his brother.
“Who are you?” Henry asked her, ignoring his brother as he stared into Beatrice’s wide eyes. It was apparent she had been frightened into stillness, and the sight did not settle well with Algernon.
“What did he promise you, hmm? What are you getting out of this? What sort of trouble has my brother promised to help you out of?”
“I—” Beatrice shakily replied.
“Enough,”Algernon growled. He grabbed Henry’s wrist and squeezed it until he let Beatrice go, then Algernon stepped in between them.
“This lady has done nothing but try to be accommodating in this very troubling situation. A situation you caused!”
“I have not caused anything!” Henry roared. “What I do in my private life is no one’s business but my own!”
Algernon gritted his teeth then turned his back to his brother. He placed gentle hands on Beatrice’s shoulders and found her trembling.
“Go upstairs, Beatrice,” he calmly commanded. “We will speak later.”
Beatrice looked at him questioningly for another moment then she looked over his shoulder.
“I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable, my lord,” she said, her tone so soft it made Algernon’s heart quiver. “It was never my intention, and I am sure it was not His Grace’s either. Whatever is going on, I am sure he was only trying to help you.”
Algernon froze for a moment. No one had ever come to his defense before. He’d always had to act alone, to take control over every situation. Yet this woman he’d only met the day before was trying to come to his aid.
He let go of her shoulders and turned to look at Henry. He still looked enraged, but at least now, he was taking deep breaths, as if trying to calm himself.