All he could ever manage was what he considered to be niceties, and although Anthony assumed that some of them held veiled flirtations to the trained ear, he genuinely meant the pleasantries he shared with Miss Ivanry. He was allowed to admire her form without speaking during the carriage ride, for there were a few who conversed around them, and when the small party arrived in the neighboring village, Anthony again offered his hand to Miss Beatrice.
“You are a true gentleman,” the lady had said, her pink lips moving elegantly over every syllable, making Anthony long to feel such exquisite diction against his own mouth. Even this thought, though bawdy in nature, was meant by Anthony with only the highest respect toward the subject of his affections. He wished to hear her angelic voice, even when it was full of annoyance, read to him from all the great poets and seal the moment with a loving kiss.
But he did not betray this dream and instead only smiled at the lady as she descended, “Of course, Miss Beatrice. May I have the honor of walking beside you as we venture into town?”
Her eyes were mirthful when she replied, “Yes, Mr. Grayson. There is something I read last night in Lord Saumon’s library that I wish to discuss with you.” Anthony nodded eagerly and stepped aside so that Miss Ivanry could take her place beside him in the short line that was headed by Lord Randlay and Lady Ivanry.
The rakish gentleman would never admit it, but he was slightly confused by Miss Beatrice’s sudden friendliness. After he had upset her in the library, Anthony fully expected to ultimately fail in this venture, no matter how much faith he had in his skills, for women were intricate beings. But it seemed that his small gestures had made some progress, for she was now far more receptive to him than she had ever been before without his lips upon hers.
That morning, Anthony took great pleasure in accompanying Miss Beatrice as they peered into the frosted windows of the shops and breathed in the refreshing, cold air. He knew that the Viscount was watching his every move, so Anthony did his best to show his grandfather that this would make for a fine match. And he thought he succeeded until the group arrived back at the estate.
* * *
“Have you lost your mind?” Lord Randlay asked quietly, but forcefully, admonishing Anthony from where he sat opposite him in Lord Saumon’s study. “What have I told you time and again, Anthony?” When Anthony only scowled, Brandon Grayson answered himself, “To keep away from these young ladies who are only after our money. For God’s sake, Anthony, I thought you had more sense than to entertain Miss Beatrice!”
The Viscount stood, brushing at his pristine, graying mustache with his thumb and forefinger as he regarded Anthony. “You have not been privy to the conversations I have, dear boy, for if you had, you would know that Lord Ivanry is not a gentleman to be trusted,” he said. “For all of his pomp, the man’s intentions are quite clear, and those are to sell off his wards to the highest bidder.” Lord Randlay paused for a moment, muttering to himself with disgust, “Though I do not doubt that he wants the oldest Miss Ivanry for himself, the despicable–”
Anthony’s grandfather cut himself off, seemingly realizing that he still had an audience, and sighed. “Whether or not her intentions are good, I suspect that Miss Beatrice has been instructed to trap you into marriage by her guardian, and you, Anthony, are playing along like a fool!”
Anthony had only ever had this conversation with his grandfather one other time in his life – it had involved a debutante all the way from France who shocked Anthony with her knowledge of intimacy and blinded him to her dishonest search for monetary gain – and it was then that Anthony promised his grandfather that he would solely pursue affairs with women of the night. Still, he felt anger frothing inside him at the insinuation that Miss Beatrice’s intentions were less than honorable.
“You speak of duty and passion as though the two can never be combined,” Anthony responded as steadily as he could, sitting up to address the Viscount. “Though her guardian’s intentions may not be respectable, I can assure you that Miss Beatrice’s are.” He grimaced and continued, “We are merely two people who are learning how to enjoy each other’s company, Grandfather, nothing more. I have no designs on her at the present, and I doubt she wants anything more than my friendship.”
Though it stung him to admit this to himself, Anthony knew that with time, her affections might change, and that they would only have a happy ending if his grandfather approved of her. Therefore, he would have to do everything in his power to convince his grandfather that their relationship was innocent, or as innocent as it could be between a rake and a young woman who clearly wanted to know more about him. “If it pleases you,” Anthony placated, “I shall keep a more wary eye out for suspicious behavior and report it to you should it arise.”
The Viscount hummed, clearly displeased at being talked back to, but he supposed that Anthony was old enough now to make some of these decisions on his own. “That will suffice at present,” he agreed, “but I must remind you that, above all things, the way one comports oneself is what determines his future success. Do keep that in mind when you are speaking with Miss Beatrice.” Anthony’s grandfather kept his message short and clear, dismissing his grandson with a flick of his hand.
Anthony could tell that his lack of immediate acquiescence with what the Viscount wanted vexed his grandfather, but blinded by the beginnings of fondness, Anthony knew he could not be limited by Lord Randlay. Besides, how likely was it really that Miss Beatrice had tricks up her sleeve that Anthony could not anticipate and overcome?
* * *
For herself, Beatrice could not believe the way things had seemingly fallen into place. While she could always play into the games that Mr. Grayson was most likely playing with her and appease Lord Ivanry, Beatrice could not bear the thought of lying to the gentleman that had kissed her so zealously nor making a fool of herself should his feelings be false. After arguing with him again in the Saumon’s library on one of the first days of their stay, she relayed this to Miss Saumon in so many words when the large gathering ventured from the drawing room, and Beatrice was forced from her hiding place after kissing Mr. Grayson for the second time.
With red-rimmed eyes and a runny nose, Beatrice muttered, “I do not know whether I can continue in this manner, Minnie.” Clasping her friend for comfort, she continued, “When Mr. Grayson kis – talked to me just now, there was a sincerity in his voice that makes me regret tricking him.” Minnie did not appear to hear Beatrice’s near slip, for she was too focused on shielding her friend from the watchful eyes of the party.
Taking Beatrice aside to a corner in the grand hall, Minnie offered her a handkerchief before replying solemnly, “I know this upsets you, Beatrice. But what are we to do when you are caught in the middle of two fiendish wagers? Surely there must be a way for you to make peace with this in your soul – perhaps if you thought of it as merely some fun to be had while you are here for my wedding?”
Beatrice shook her head. “I cannot treat it so lightly, not with Penelope’s happiness at stake. No, I must find some balance between keeping both Mr. Grayson and Lord Ivanry happy.” The girls noticed Mr. DeLancy approaching, and Beatrice rapidly switched to generalities. “I shall simply have to handle the former with a light touch to appease the latter and not allow my feelings to get caught in the crossfire.”
Mr. DeLancy joined them and tilted his head at Beatrice. “Are you all right, Miss Beatrice? Miss Saumon and I both noticed your absence from the drawing room a while ago.” Beatrice appreciated his gentle nature and responded just as kindly–
“Thank you for your concern, Mr. DeLancy. I did not sleep very well last night and needed to take a moment or two to myself. I apologize for disrupting your festivities.” Beatrice made an effort to lighten her tone as she joked, “I did not think that my absence would be noticed by so many!”
Mr. DeLancy and Minnie both laughed with her before he reassured Beatrice, “Of course, it would! You are my friend as much as Miss Saumon’s, and I would not wish to see you distraught.” Beatrice and Minnie exchanged a look that spoke of Mr. DeLancy’s involvement in the wager with Mr. Grayson.
Minnie’s betrothed grinned and bowed slightly, saying, “Well, now that I am sure you are all right, I will leave you ladies to your gossip.” Beatrice and Minnie both giggled weakly and watched him join another group’s conversation.
Seemingly sensing Beatrice’s distress, Minnie spoke immediately, “I am sure that Mr. DeLancy speaks the truth, dear friend. If you remember, he was not the most vocal gentleman when they made that wager, so for all we know, he just wants you and Mr. Grayson to be happy.”
Beatrice sighed, tired of the constant secrecy, but relented if only for her friend’s sake. “Yes, I suppose you are right. We would not know for sure unless we revealed ourselves to the gentlemen, and I have no intention of doing that at present.”
The young ladies talked for a while longer until Beatrice felt calm enough to rejoin the party who were gathering together in the Saumon’s largest dining room for lunch.
* * *
Beatrice became less and less vexed as the days went on, contenting herself with placidly accepting Mr. Grayson’s affections which were decidedly less provocative. When they walked into town together, Mr. Grayson kept his tone light, asking, “What do you think of these festivities, Miss Beatrice? Surely a young lady such as yourself cannot be far from thinking of her own wedding.”
“I must confess,” Beatrice began, choosing her words carefully so as not to inadvertently offend their host, “I would rather like to be married in the spring. It is a time of rebirth and renewal whereas autumn, though beautiful in its own right, is the onset of decay.” She paused, suddenly bashful about sharing her true thoughts. “I hope you do not think me dreary for saying such things.”