Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“Ido not care what your rules are, madam. If she would allow it, then I demand to see her if she is here.”
Beatrice froze on the steps, her broken heart beginning to thrash wildly as she heard Algernon’s familiar voice at the door. She looked up and saw not just Mrs. Kilborn but Deborah as well blocking the entrance.
“Absolutely not,” Mrs. Kilborn replied in her usual sharp tone.
“I know who you are, Your Grace,” Deborah added icily, “And even if Mrs. Kilborn would allow you entry, I certainly would not. You need to leave the poor girl alone. Have you not put her through enough?!”
Despite her appreciation for Deborah’s protective nature, despite her crushed heart, Beatrice hurried the rest of the way down the stairs. It might pain her to see the man that had caused her so much sorrow, but she could not seem to stop herself from going to the door.
She pried her way between Deborah and Mrs. Kilborn’s shoulders, and her heart gave another powerful thump within her ribcage as her eyes landed on Algernon.
He looked as terrible as she felt. There were hollows under his deep green eyes, and even they seemed a bit faded and dull.
There was a dark scruff along his jawline, and his usually well-combed hair looked mussed.
At once Algernon’s gaze fell on her, the skin around his eyes tightening the moment she came into view, and almost as though it was a reflex, he lifted his hands as if he were about to embrace her.
Beatrice’s gaze dropped to the movement, longing filling her even as she stood straight and still between her two protectors.
Then, as if he’d realized what he’d done, a look of pain flashed across his eyes, and he dropped his hands back to his sides.
“Beatrice, I beg you for a moment,” he pleaded, all sharpness and command dropping away from his deep voice.
“Absolutely not,” Mrs. Kilborn and Deborah replied in startling unison, both of them staring daggers at the man.
“Ladies, please,” Beatrice implored, finally able to find her voice.
“Two men?” Mrs. Kilborn huffed, crossing her arms. “Well, I never!”
She shook her head, clearly disgusted, but then she took a step back and pointed in the direction of the parlor.
“Duke or not, I will box your ears if you take one step toward the stairs. You are allowed in the parlor only,” she warned.
She turned to give Beatrice a discouraging look then shook her head as she walked away. Deborah, though, still refused to move. She did, however, raise a parasol up—something Beatrice did not even know she was holding until that moment.
“I will strike you if you hurt her,” Deborah warned, pointing it at Algernon.
“I insist upon it,” Algernon replied with an earnest look.
It startled Beatrice, but she waited quietly. After another tense moment, Deborah lowered the parasol and stepped into the parlor.
“Ladies, come,” she said with authority to the few curious girls that still remained there. “Upstairs to your rooms. Go on!”
Beatrice glanced over her shoulder and watched as the young women quickly disappeared up the stairs.
“I will be in the dining room just across the hall,” Deborah said, placing a reassuring hand on Beatrice’s shoulder as she turned to her. “Simply say my name, and I will come running.”
Beatrice offered Deborah a small smile as she reached up to her shoulder and squeezed her hand.
“Thank you,” she answered quietly.
Deborah shot another warning look toward Algernon, who met it with a steady gaze. Then she left, going to the dining room as promised and leaving Beatrice alone in the doorway with the man that had broken her heart.
For a moment, they just stood there, as if neither of them knew what to do next.
“Here, Beatrice?” Algernon rasped, breaking the silence. “This place is better than my home?”
Beatrice steeled herself against fresh wave of heartache and shook her head.
“There was no chance of running into you here,” she confessed, “or hearing your voice. I needed… I could not take anymore.”
Algernon swallowed, hurt shining in his eyes. Then he nodded.
“I suppose I understand,” he said hoarsely.
Feeling her resolve already starting to fade, Beatrice beckoned him inside.
Algernon followed, shutting the door behind him before entering the parlor.
She turned around as she reached the center of the room and nearly collided with Algernon.
As if by reflex, his hands shot out and steadied her by the shoulders.
The moment she felt his touch it was followed by sweeping wave of longing that was so terrible, she gasped.
“Apologies,” Algernon offered quickly. He let go, and immediately, despite her heartbreak, she missed his touch.
“What are you doing here, Algernon?” she asked, trying to talk around the sob welling up in her throat.
“I needed to speak with you, Beatrice. I… I… I needed to tell you the truth.”
There was something different in his deep voice. There was not the usual tone of command but an earnest yearning. She’d never heard him in such a way, and despite the pain he’d caused her, empathy rippled through her broken heart.
“Go on?” she tentatively offered.
For a moment, he just stood there, eyes to the ground, wide shoulders drooped.
She almost reached for him. Almost offered the support she so very much wanted to give, but then at the last second, she wrapped her hands around her arms to stop herself—perhaps even shield herself from whatever Algernon was about to say.
“I have been terrified for a long portion of my life,” Algernon confessed.
His words had her looking up at him again, and she was taken aback by the fear and vulnerability she saw in his eyes.
“I understand that fear,” she whispered.
“I better understand that now,” Algernon quickly replied. “Truly, I do. Henry helped me see that I was not alone.”
Beatrice drew up a confused brow.
“Henry?” she asked.
“We had a talk, he and I. Earlier today,” Algernon explained. “In fact, it is he I owe for the courage I needed to come to you. He removed the scales from my eyes.”
More curious than ever now, Beatrice nodded, encouraging him to continue.
“I did not quite tell you the truth about our parents,” Algernon confessed in a low, quiet tone. “No one but my household knows the truth.” He paused, taking a breath as if he needed to gather his courage.
“You see, our father did not just die from some malady or accident. He killed himself, and I… I am the one that found him. I am also the one that covered it up.”
Beatrice’s heart skipped a beat as cold tunneled through her veins. She knew Algernon had barely been sixteen when his parents had passed, and she could not imagine of the heavy weight of responsibility such a task would put on a young boy.
“Our mother was not exactly in touch with reality before his death, but when I confessed to her what happened, she truly broke off all ties to it. Her mind became lost, and she tried to take Henry with her,” Algernon went on, his voice laden with sorrow.
“It is… um… it is why I snapped at Henry for telling you that story when we were in the garden. He never knew how close he was to joining our parents. I think—it is awful, but I believe my mother was trying to die as well, and she wanted Henry to go with her. He would have if I had not intervened when I did. So, in a way, both of our parents committed suicide. And I have been afraid of connecting with people ever since.”
“Algernon,” Beatrice whispered, her heart aching for him, “I am so very sorry.”
“Not as sorry as I am,” he quickly replied, shaking his head as he cast his gaze to the floor, “I let that fear push me away from you. Let it tell me that no matter what I felt for you, I could not have you. That you were not safe with me and that you were better off with your arrangement with Henry.”
Algernon looked up at her again, his grief apparent in his eyes.
“Beatrice, I love you,” he confessed shakily, helplessly as he shook his head.
“I think I felt it the moment I saw you at auction. The way you faced the crowd so fiercely lit a fire in me that I thought would never ignite.”
The lump in Beatrice’s throat broke and came out as a sob, her entire body upheaving a breath of relief.
“I am so sorry,” he choked out. “So sorry that I hurt you. That I made you believe that I felt anything less than adored, and I did that. I know I did that, but I swear to you, if you forgive me I will never…”
Beatrice did not let him finish; she closed the space between them, throwing her arms around his neck, and leaned up to kiss him. A tortured sound left Algernon’s throat as their lips collided, and his arms instantly wrapped around her waist, lifting her off her feet.
“I am sorry,” he rasped between kisses. “I am sorry. Forgive me. I love you. Forgive me.”
“I love you,” she whispered then hungrily kissed him again.
Another sob left Algernon’s throat, and he drew his hand up to the back of her head and pulled her into a long, deep kiss. They stayed that way for long time, long after Beatrice’s lungs burned for fresh air and her mind grew dizzy from the rush of it all.
Then eventually, Algernon slowly pulled away from her lips. He gently brushed another soft kiss across her mouth and lowered her feet back to the ground. Even still, neither let go of one another as they pressed their foreheads together.
“I know you had your heart set on marrying Henry,” Algernon said after they caught their breaths, “however, I was hoping you might settle for me instead?”
A half-sob, half-laugh broke from Beatrice’s lips at his question, and even Algernon gave a small chuckle as his hand came up to cup her cheek. He gently pressed his palm there until she looked up, and she saw the most playful, loving look in his green eyes.
She could not help but smile back, even as tears began to trek down her cheeks.
“I believe I could make that adjustment,” she replied, and reveled in the way she felt Algernon’s chuckle deep within his chest.
“I have missed this so very much,” she confessed, snuggling into his chest.
“As have I,” Algernon replied, holding her close. He nuzzled the top of her head with his cheek, making her heart flutter.
“Let me take you home,” he urged, slowly pulling away from her.
She lifted her head just in time to see him taking a long look around the parlor.
“This is a nice place, but you belong somewhere better,” he added.
“What about the Church?” Beatrice asked hesitantly.
She wanted more than anything to leave at once with him, to go back to the estate she had grown to love, but she feared it would put their plans in jeopardy.
“Would they grant us our union if they discovered that we have been living together?” she asked worriedly.
Algernon shook his head.
“I will take care of it,” he promised, caressing his thumb down her cheek. “You will never have to worry about anything ever again.”
Beatrice positively vibrated with happiness as he said so. If his words were not enough, the earnest look in his eyes certainly was.
“And no more secrets?” she asked.
Algernon hurriedly shook his head.
“That is what we will do from now until our wedding day. Tell each other everything,” he insisted. Then to her surprise, he smirked.
“After all, I need something to hold me back until our wedding night, and some heavy conversation might just do the trick. While I cannot promise to keep my hands off of you entirely, I should like to give you the wedding tradition you deserve. That is, if that is what you want?”
Beatrice bit her bottom lip, caught in thought as her body grew warm and sensitive under Algernon’s touch. He was letting her choose what she wanted, just as he’d promised.
“Can you make the wedding quick?” she asked at last, and Algernon threw his head back and laughed. She smiled with him, already feeling her broken heart fusing back together.
“I shall make it so,” he promised.
“And in the meantime, perhaps we could still partake in our lessons?” she asked innocently.
Another chuckle, deep and delicious and full of wicked promised, erupted from Algernon’s chest as he cupped her cheeks and kissed her deeply again.
Beatrice sighed in contentment, loving that their kiss was no longer an ache-filled fantasy she had to long for but something that would forever be a part of her life.
When she pulled away, it was slowly, and though they were both smiling, the moment had grown sincere again.
“Take me home,” she murmured, nuzzling into his chest.
“Yes, my love,” Algernon’s deep voice rumbled as he held her close and stroked her hair.