Meant to Bea

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

"I am certain she will concede to seeing me." Beatrice rose a brow, standing still by the seat in Mr. Belington's drawing room, her eyes fixed on his weary form by the entryway.

It was a week after the dinner and the incident with Lord Wilson. While Noah had managed to get the man arrested for trespassing, he had only spent a night in jail, before he was released -a fact that pissed Beatrice off. She hated to think that the man would get away with nearly raping Mrs. Belington, but as it was, it looked like that would be exactly the case.

Perhaps she understood Mrs. Belington's reasons for not wanting the scandal of that evening to go public -the gossip mongers would be sure to twist the truth, and in the end, Mrs. Belington's reputation would be as ruined as the reputation of her assailant- yet, something about Lord Wilson's freedom angered her. She had spotted him a day before, strolling the streets like it was the most natural thing to do, and she had decided she was going to try to do something about it.

Race let out a soft sigh, his hands falling loosely to his sides. "Perhaps it is best if she had a guest? I am uncertain what it is that has turned her cold and distant. She barely even speaks to me now." A frown settled on his face. "She says she's fine, but I am in doubt she is."

Beatrice stared at him, realizing then that he was in love with Lady Bianca. Perhaps the realization surprised her so much because her first impression of Race was not a good one? After practically insulting her to her face -accusing her of murder, and calling her a gold digger- she had decided she didn't like him, and had been more than certain to make that fact very clear.

Yet, here he stood before her, looking weary and beaten down by the thought of something bad happening to his wife. The coldness and anger in his eyes were gone, and in their place, was fear.

Fear of the unknown, she realized. Then, Lady Bianca hadn't told him of the incident yet? She speculated that was the case. After Noah had threatened to have Lord Wilson arrested for attempted rape and trespassing, Lady Bianca had objected to it, pleading with them to keep that fact away from the public. At the time, Beatrice imagined the public did not include Bianca's husband, but right now, she knew it did.

She nodded. "Perhaps."

He ran his fingers through his curly locks. "She is in her bedchamber. I shall have a maid announce your presence."

Beatrice shook her head. "No need, Mr. Belington, I shall go up there myself, for I am certain Mrs. Belington would come up with an excuse not to see me if I asked her permission."

His frown deepened. "You wish to barge in on her?"

"Exactly so." She shrugged. "She shall be left with no other choice but to tolerate my presence for an hour at least." When he opened his mouth to argue, she held up a hand. "It is the least you can manage, Mr. Belington. Considering the fact that you nearly turned my husband into a gambler," A small smile curved her lips. "in order to pay off about half the debt the duke owes, I am told?" She rose a brow.

He shifted from one foot to another, visibly uncomfortable. "Very well," He sighed. "I shall have a maid show you to the bedchamber."

"Thank you, Mr. Belington, and considering the fact that we always manage to butt heads everytime we meet, this is a pleasant change of pace."

It was a few minutes before Beatrice was entering Bianca's bedchamber. She was seated on a white couch, her hands clinging to a book before her, a small frown creasing her face as she stared at Beatrice in obvious surprise.

"Your ladyship," Slowly, she rose to her feet.

Beatrice ran her gaze down the length of her white nightdress, confused. It was the middle of the day, and Bianca still chose to remain in her nightdress?