She couldn’t be attracted to Dietrich.
Not if she was going to be a duchess.
“Hello,” Dietrich said, dismounting from his horse and allowing Lady Beatrice’s groom to take it away. “I thought I’d come see how you were getting on.”
“You didn’t trust me to take care of her myself?” Beatrice asked with a grin.
“I just thought you might need some help,” Dietrich said, waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
“He doesn’t trust me,” Beatrice said to Ella with a grin.
“I do too,” Dietrich protested.
“And yet you’re here to check up on us,” Ella pointed out.
“Can’t a man do something nice?” Dietrich asked.
The front door opened, and Lord Alexander stepped out.
“No,” he said, “you can’t do nice things.”
Beatrice protested, getting to her feet and walking to her husband’s side.
“Can I?” Lord Alexander asked pointedly. “Or are you out here telling Ella all the things I’ve done to annoy you lately?”
Beatrice grinned. “Okay, so you do annoy me occasionally. However, you’re wonderful when you’re not doing things that get on my nerves,” she added.
“If you say so.” Her husband leaned down to give her a kiss.
“Would you two knock it off?” Dietrich said, averting his eyes. “I don’t need to see that.”
“Get used to it,” Beatrice said. “It’s not going to stop anytime soon.”
“If I’d known that, I never would have helped him save you,” Dietrich muttered.
“How did you save her?” Ella asked as Dietrich climbed the stairs in front of her.
He offered her a hand, and she took it, allowing him to help her to her feet. The new gown that Beatrice had lent her was much longer than she was used to, and the hand was helpful.
She didn’t want to let go, but Beatrice was watching, so she did.
Dietrich took a step away, closer to Beatrice.
“She was an idiot and went off in a snowstorm by herself in her first week here and got hopelessly lost,” Dietrich said, glaring at Beatrice. “I had to help him rescue her.”
“I don’t think that’s entirely how it happened,” Beatrice said.
“I’m pretty sure it is,” Lord Alexander said with a grin.
“You always were too independent for your own good,” Dietrich said, clicking his tongue. “But where I draw the line is when I have to risk my own life to take care of you.”
“You didn’t have to risk your own life,” Beatrice protested. “I was perfectly fine.” Her protest died as her husband tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
“You were not, my love,” he said, “but it’s okay because we found you, and you’re not allowed to get lost in a storm ever again.”
“What if I want to be lost?” Beatrice asked.
“Now you’re just being contrary because Dietrich is here,” Lord Alexander said. “And I think it’s time to remove you from this equation before I spend the rest of the day arguing with you.”
