Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“What in the devil has gotten into you, brother?” Henry whispered angrily.
Algernon kept his eyes on the drink in his hands.
He wished he had an answer. In truth, things in Morcaster had been running quite smoothly.
His steward had been doing an excellent job, and there had been no real need for Algernon to travel there.
Except, of course, to put some space between him and Beatrice.
That had been torture. He had kept himself as busy as possible, visiting with the farmers and the merchants to receive in-person updates.
He went hunting and took long horseback rides through the breeze-filled fields that had waved their long stalks of wheat at him.
No matter what he did though, his mind always went back to her.
He longed for her. Her presence. Her touch.
Her beautifully open mind that was so full of compassion despite all that she had gone through.
He was growing too fond of Beatrice.
He had not wanted to admit at first, but now as the party unfolded, he knew it was true.
He saw it in the way he hovered just behind her as Henry escorted her through the party, introducing her to people and showing her the majestic beauty of the gardens.
His heart had fluttered with such joy as he watched Beatrice marvel at blooms, statues, and elegant decorations of the high-society property, but he’d also felt his heart stutter and grow wary any time someone asked for her name.
She had tried to hide it—she did hide it well from Henry and anyone she talked to—but Algernon knew the tiny shifts in her expressions now and what they meant.
He knew that despite her smile and resigned nature, Beatrice grew more anxious with every encounter.
Even though everyone thus far had simply swooned over her dress and praised her for its beauty, there were still too many people at once for her handle.
He also knew that he had to work harder at restraining himself, so instead of pulling her away and taking her home like he wanted to, he fisted his hands tightly behind his back and let his brother be her escort as he was supposed to.
However, it was obvious that Henry had noticed his use of self-restraint, and now, as Beatrice spoke with a group of ladies not far from them, Henry was questioning him about it.
“I do not know what you mean, Henry,” Algernon replied, doing his best to sound bored at the question. “I am simply trying to enjoy my drink.”
He did not have to look up to know that his little brother was glaring at him.
“I believe something else is going on,” Henry accused under his breath, so those around them could not hear their tiff.
“You have been most strange about Beatrice from the very beginning, and I cannot figure you out.”
Algernon looked up. Not at Henry but to Beatrice.
She still looked like a cake, he thought, but the ridiculous costume did nothing to hide her true beauty.
It glowed bright under all those pastel flowers and cosmetics, going deeper than her flesh.
It was a beauty from her heart and her soul that made her truly stand out.
“Perhaps you were right earlier,” he begrudgingly admitted, swirling his drink in his hand. “About me being overprotective. I have never had a woman under my care before, and perhaps because of such a thing I have overcoddled. I will step back, I promise you.”
Finally, he did look at Henry, and he was met with a suspicious expression.
“Your plan so far has been successful,” Algernon went on, “It seems you were right about everything. Go. Bask in your victory with your lovely companion. I noticed you have not asked her to dance yet, and I am sure you two will appear excellent together on the dance floor.”
Henry’s expression softened a little, and after a moment, his suspicion faded into understanding, and he looked toward Beatrice.
“I am still annoyed by your overreaching, do not think otherwise,” Henry countered.
“However, I must confess I am starting to understand it. Beatrice truly is a breath of fresh air among this stifled society. I enjoy her company very much, and I do appreciate that you introduced us. I think… I believe… that if I were to take a wife, she would be perfect for me.”
Algernon forced a smile, even as pain rippled through his chest.
“I am happy to hear that,” he replied.
“I think you are right,” Henry said, straightening his jacket as he continued to look on at Beatrice. “I think it is time that I asked her to dance. As you say, we will appear excellent on the dance floor with our marvelous matching ensembles.”
Algernon fought the urge to roll his eyes. He found the costumes quite garish, but what was important was that his plan was working. To have them married had always been his goal after all.
He was watching, his smile quickly fading as Henry approached Beatrice.
Her smile was beautiful as she turned to him, and when he offered his hand to her with a dramatic bow, she laughed beautifully as she took his hand and offered him an equally dramatic curtsey.
Henry led her to the dance floor just as a new dance began—a lively tune in which the dancers would switch partners occasionally.
If Beatrice was nervous over the steps, she was not showing it.
In fact, she moved with a grace of a young lady that had been practicing all of her life.
Despite his worry, despite the anxiety he noted on Beatrice’s face here and there throughout the night, at that moment Algernon had to admit that two of them were enjoying themselves.
Such an admission, even just to himself in the quiet depths of his mind, made his stomach tighten in discomfort, and he pulled his gaze away from them as they began to dance.
Algernon instead scanned the crowd, looking for Simeon, his wife, and his other daughter.
He had spotted them at the party when they had first arrived, but thus far, none of them had attempted to come near Beatrice.
In fact, he was not at all sure that they knew she was there.
Perhaps her costume truly had disguised her features enough to hide who she was from them.
Algernon continued his inspection for several minutes, looking out to the large, illustriously decorated ballroom as members of the finely dressed ton entered and exited through the many open French double doors that led to the gardens.
Seeing nothing to worry about yet, Algernon abandoned his untouched glass atop the bar counter and waded through the sea of people until he stood at the edge of the dance floor.
His skin prickled in discomfort at being so surrounded, but even so, he stayed, using the center of the room and his height as a vantage point to see the comings and goings and even listen in on a little gossip too.
Several guests, particularly the ladies, were staring quite intently at Beatrice and Henry. Their smiles seemed wide and genuine as their bodies moved passively along with the music.
“Splendid, splendid gown,” he heard one murmur.
“Such a refined beauty. And mysterious too!” another whispered behind her fan.
“I do love when a new member of ton makes themselves known however I must confess with this Lady in Bloom, I am having feelings of wild jealousy. She is here with Lord Henry, yes, but what if they end their courtship? How are the rest of us supposed to find courtship if every gentleman here is wanting to meet her?” another complained, contempt sneaking into her obviously forced casual tone.
Possessiveness wrapped around Algernon like a steel band, choking him, and before he could stop himself, he looked once more toward Beatrice and Henry.
Would it be possible for Beatrice to want to court another gentleman if things between her and Henry did not go well? Thus far, they had only discussed a possible marriage to Henry or her freedom, but what if other gentlemen did want to call on her? Woo her. Marry her?
The thought pushed into his mind like a dark storm cloud, causing every tendon in his body to tighten and his fisted hands to shake.
“A snake in the garden is what I heard.”
Those words whispered with wariness snapped Algernon out of his possessive thoughts. He looked around quickly, trying to decipher which direction he had heard the vile words spoken from.
“I heard she has not been at France at all,” he heard another whisper. “That is all a great ruse, and in fact, she was actually shunned from her family for a deep dishonor.”
Algernon gritted his teeth as he looked around. Where were they coming from?
Then suddenly, a familiar face appeared in the crowd. Then a second. Then a third. All three of them whispering to anyone who would listen to them just a few scant feet away. The Coopers. They must have come in while he was distracted, and Algernon cursed silently at himself for being distracted.
Algernon’s lips drew back in a silent snarl as he straightened his shoulders, steepled his fingers together, and walked as casually as possible through the crowd, approaching Beatrice’s despicable family from their backs.
“Do I need to show how well I make good on my threats?” Algernon leaned down and whispered into Simeon Cooper’s ear.
Algernon watched in satisfaction as Simeon froze.
His shoulders slowly rose to ears, his back bowed, and from where Algernon was standing, he could plainly see the little hairs at the back of the man’s neck rise in fear.
Elspeth and Verity had heard him as well, for they too froze in their steps and slowly turned their heads toward him with wide, terror-filled eyes.
Algernon could not help but wrinkle his nose and pinch his brow as he looked down at the two three of them with open contempt.
To think that Simeon had assumed Algernon would ever marry the man’s stepdaughter was almost comical.
Slowly, Simeon turned to look at him.
So. These are the faces of Beatrice’s torturers, he mused silently, his disgust growing just by being so close to them.
He had not truly taken the time to take in their features upon their last interaction.
He was too busy trying to scare them away.
Now, though, he could plainly see. They truly did look average.
Their fine clothes were no better than the other members of the surrounding ton.
No inexplicable beauty or grace to speak of. They were just… people.
“Your Grace.”
Simeon was barely able to breathe.
Algernon’s chiseled lips lifted up into a smirk.
“You must be the most poorly witted man I have encountered,” Algernon said, his tone low but menacing. “What on earth is it you think you are doing spreading these rumors? Did we not already discuss what the consequences such actions would bring upon you if you did not desist with intervention?”
Simeon visibly swallowed.
“I… I do not know what you speak of,” Simeon began to stutter, but Algernon put his hand on the man’s shoulder.
From an outsider’s point of view it would look as if they were two old friends catching up, but as Algernon applied pressure and heard the man let out a squeak of pain, he knew that Simeon understood that this was anything but.
“You will go back to the people you have been gossiping to and recant your filth immediately,” Algernon commanded, his low tone deadly as he continue with his soft smirking expression.
Simeon shook his head though he still appeared wide-eyed and on the verge of fainting.
“You must understand how quickly rumors spread,” Simeon whispered. “We cannot go and find every single person. It would do no good. They have already spread the word to at least five people each, surely.”
Algernon’s grip on Simeon’s shoulder tightened, his fingers finding that groove in a person’s frame that when pinched would render the limb useless and full of pain unless released. Simeon instantly began to sweat profusely.
“I suggest you act quickly then,” Algernon warned, leaning just a little closer to Simeon’s face. “You have until tomorrow to clean up this mess you have made, or I swear to you another rumor will be freed. The truth. The one about you selling your hidden daughter to an illegal flesh market.”
Simeon’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head at Algernon’s words.
“You would not,” Simeon panted, clearly in pain. “You would damn me, but you would also damn yourself!”
Algernon’s smile was positively wicked.
“I am already damned,” he whispered menacingly. “I would just be making you my company.”