“What?”
Monty once again had that claret-on-guinea-cravat look.
“I thought she was!Shesaidshe was.And you know that I am related to half of the gentry and aristocracy.I have so many cousins—it is impossible to keep track.I meet new cousins every year of my life, especially of the more distantly related variety.And so I didn’t question her claims.”
“Monty,” Leith said, dismay radiating through him.He had thought he was defiling a Carrington family member against his best friend’s express wishes.It now turned out that Monty had wanted him to bed the woman…and she wasn’t even his relative.
“And my mother is traveling!She is the keeper of all such things.But then Beatrice—not your Beatrice, my sister, Beatrice—was there when we were visiting Lawrence in the countryside, and I told her about the appearance of this third cousin.And she insisted that we had no cousins by the name of Salisbury who lived in Somerset or at a place called Parkhorne Hall.I argued that of course we did, and she insisted that we didn’t.In the end, we pulled up the peerage and, lo and behold, my sister Beatrice was right.”
“Monty.”
“Wearerelated, however, to a family by the name of Salisbury who live in Cornwall.So you can understand my mistake.”
“So, then, why on earth did Beatrice come toyoufor help?If you are not her cousin?”
Monty shrugged.“That, my friend, will be your mystery to unravel.”
“I need to return to Somerset,” he said, realizing that Monty was right.He had been a blockhead to leave.
“You need to return to Somerset,” Monty said, his smile wide but sympathetic.“And I wish you all the luck in the world in making Miss Salisbury—whoever she may be—your wife.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The Marquess ofLeith had been gone for two days.
And Beatrice could not stop crying.
Technically, she knew she had asked for him to leave.That it was foolish to cry about what she had brought upon herself.
After all, she thought to herself, as she lay in the bed where they had made love so tenderly and so fiercely,thiswas what she wanted.
She wanted to be with her family at Parkhorne Hall, free and unencumbered, to be in control of her domain.She did notwantto be the mistress of a London marquess of vice.She wanted to be the spinster of Parkhorne Hall, the one who drove a hard bargain and made the estate profitable, and who took advantage of erotic opportunities discreetly.
Beatrice could not imagine trading her life here for an unfamiliar one, where she would be watched and judged by a society that had always scorned her, when it acknowledged her at all.
The only problem was that her body appeared not to agree with the assessment of her mind.Whereas sheknewshe should stay at Parkhorne, she found it difficult to stem the flood of tears that arose whenever she thought of Leith, herThomas, in London without her.
She did not want her family to see her so weepy.They had already been startled by the abrupt, tandem departures of Mr.Gordstone and Leith.While they had been shocked to hear of Mr.Gordstone’s treachery and relieved to hear that the debt was no longer a consideration, they were surprised that Lord Leith had gone as well.
In fact, Malcolm had crossed his arms and sighed.“Let me guess.Youtoldhim to go?”
“I don’t know why you assume that,” Beatrice sniffed, crossing her own arms.
“Yes, I can’t see why I would at all.”
Now, Beatrice had just left Malcolm in the barn, so as to not to cry in front of her brother.She did not want his questions, and she didnotwant to prove him right.
As she turned around the edge of the barn, however, she nearly ran into Charles and Sally.
She had not yet spoken to her sister alone and thus had not had the opportunity to ask her what in the world she was doing with Charles and Fred.In fact, if Beatrice was honest, she was avoiding her.She had questions she wanted to ask Sally, but she was also reluctant to answer the questions she knew Sally would have for her.
And she was frankly shocked to see Charles still at Parkhorne Hall.
“You didn’t leave with Lord Leith?”she demanded of Charles, right after they had nearly collided.
“No, ma’am,” he said, his eyes sliding over to Sally.“I thought it right to stay here.”
“My sister is engaged to another man, you know,” she said, unable to help herself.She was so vexed and so very, very heartbroken.“So I am not sure if there is a place for you, Charles.”
