“You are being told what you need to know,” Algernon quickly replied, “Now, I ask again, why are you not eating? I saw this at our dinner the other night. You barely picked at your food before I had to order you to eat.”
Beatrice blushed as she thought of that night. She was still confused as to how his demands had gotten her stomach to quiet down and accept the food. In her mind, she had not wanted to obey, but the way he commanded her certainly had her body feeling the exact opposite.
It was as if his voice caused a war to wage between her mind and her body, and it was as curious as it was annoying. She had taken orders from Simeon for the past fifteen years, and the last thing she wanted to do now was obey a new master.
And yet…
“I have no appetite,” Beatrice answered and hated that she felt her cheeks blush.
No longer able to take his intense stare, she let her gaze fall to the floor, and her hands slowly moved from her hips to around her waist, her bravado gone.
“This situation is incredibly stressful, and I understand I am indebted to you in a way, but I do not like feeling as if I am some toy to be given to whomever you wish to lend me to. I am a human being, Your Grace, not an object.”
Beatrice braced herself and waited for Algernon’s condescending retort or worse. Save for the night they parted ways, she’d never spoken such a way to her father, but if she had, she had no doubt he would have stricken her with his hand or worse. Yet no strike came. Nor did any berating words. Instead, she heard a weary sigh, and she watched as his two large black leather shoes appeared in her line of sight.
Heat rushed into her shoulders as his hands fell softly upon them, and Beatrice blushed at how much she enjoyed the touch.
“Beatrice, please look at me.” Algernon’s deep voice was commanding as usual, but instead of its usual sharpness, there was something incredibly soft to his tone. She couldn’t help but obey, and she raised her eyes to find his forest green eyes calm and steady. The sight made butterflies flutter in her stomach, and she almost had to look away again.
“You are correct,” he stated in that same smooth tone. “You are not a toy. I am not trying to treat you as such, and if it has seemed that way, then I must apologize. I do not wish to ‘lend’ you to anyone. As I told you, I wish for you to marry my brother, and from what I recall, you seemed amiable to that request. Is that still true?”
Beatrice nodded. The longer she looked into his eyes and felt his touch, the more she relaxed.
“It is,” she agreed. “But he made it quite clear that he does not wish to marry me.”
“He does,” Algernon insisted. “We just have to change his mind. And we cannot do that if you starve yourself to death. So please, sit down and eat. You are too small as it is.”
Beatrice took a step back, shocked that he would say such a thing. Did not all gentlemen prefer a small woman? That is what Elspeth had always preached.
“Come. Sit. We will talk while you eat.” Algernon commanded, walking to the table.
After another moment of hesitation, Beatrice followed him and sat down as he lifted the silver cloches from the tray. It was strange how in the days past her body made no reaction to the food Mira had revealed. Yet as Algernon did so presently, her stomach seemed to roar to life, and her mouth watered as she took in the heavenly scents of spiced meats, roasted vegetables, and sweet raspberry tarts with whipped cream.
Her appetite back in full force, Beatrice picked up her fork and began to eat. For her first several bites, Algernon said nothing but instead watched her lips closely, as if making sure that she was actually swallowing every bite. She supposed that she should feel awkward being watched so closely, yet instead, she felt satisfaction unfurl through her veins. The feeling surprised her, but with so little moments of satisfaction in her life, she chose to merely accept the feeling. It was only when she was halfway through her plate of spiced meat and roasted vegetables that he finally seemed satisfied and began to speak.
“What do you recall from your lessons?” Algernon asked, breaking the silence.
Beatrice paused mid-chew and furrowed her brow. Algernon simply looked on at her expectantly. Slowly, she swallowed and cleared her throat.
“What do you mean, Your Grace?” she asked. “Do you speak of my lessons in reading and history and such?”
“No,” Algernon chuckled.
Beatrice’s lips twitched toward a smile as the tips of his ears grew red.Was… was the domineering Duke embarrassed?
“Is something the matter, Your Grace?” she asked.
“No,” Algernon quickly replied, his nervous expression quickly shifting into a more serious one. “Nothing is the matter. I do not mean academic lessons, Beatrice. I mean the lessons that most mothers teach their daughters. In terms of how to catch the eye of a desired gentleman and such.”
It was now Beatrice’s turn to blush. No longer hungry, she sat down her fork and folded her hands on her lap.
“I am afraid I did not receive such lessons, Your Grace,” she confessed. “My mother passed away when I was nine, and my father and stepmother had no wish to continue raising me.”
Algernon’s brows dipped in confusion.
“What do you mean ‘no wish to continue raising you’? A parent cannot simply decide to stop taking care of a child,” he argued.
Appreciation for such a thought rose up in Beatrice, and she gave Algernon a sad smile.