Page 66 of The Rogue’s Offer

“You’re wrong about him. The earl is a good man.”

“Forgive me for disagreeing,” he said in a low voice.

“You’re a stubborn man, Mathias Gilchrist.”

From across the room, Chelmsford met his gaze, and the two of them acknowledged each other’s presence with brusque nods. Anything more than that and Mathias would not have wanted to be held accountable for his behavior. Louisa looked over her shoulder at his brother with a smile.

“Oh, Charles, I almost forgot. An old friend of yours is here tonight. Constance asked Beatrice Wiltshire to join us since she’s about to retire to the country at the end of the week.”

Mathias didn’t have to look at Charles to feel the tension suddenly bouncing off his brother. His gaze quickly swept across the room until he found Beatrice in a lively conversation with their host, the Earl of Melton. Sebastian laughed at something she said, and a soft sound behind him indicated Charles had seen her smiling at their host in a flirtatious manner.

If Louisa was aware of his brother’s discomfort, there was nothing in her expression to suggest she’d planned a reunion between Charles and Beatrice. Despite that, Mathias wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that either she, or Constance, had arranged the chance meeting. For the next half hour, Louisa worked hard to coax Mathias out of his dour mood.

Although she didn’t admit it, her efforts only deepened his belief she’d been privy to, if not the mastermind of, the plot to drag him here tonight. It also made him believe her determination to entertain him was a silent apology for any role she’d played in the plot.

By the time dinner was announced, she’d managed to make him laugh more than once. Something he’d not done in weeks. He didn’t know why he was startled to find himself escorting Beatrice into the dining room. Deep inside he’d assumed Louisa would have seated her next to Charles.

Perhaps he’d been wrong about the youngest Rockwood’s intention of meddling in Charles’s personal affairs. From several places down the table, he saw his brother glance in his direction. It was barely a cursory look, but the moment he saw Beatrice seated next to him, Charles’s features looked as if they’d been chiseled out of marble. For a brief moment, he experienced sympathy for his brother before a cold satisfaction swept through him. Tonight, he wouldn’t be the only one in hell. His brother would be joining him.

“You look well, Mathias.” At Beatrice’s quiet words, he turned his head and smiled at her. He’d always liked Beatrice. The biggest mistake his brother had ever made was letting her go to America as another man’s wife.

“Flattery from a beautiful woman is always a pleasant thing to hear.” At her blush, he chuckled. “When did you return from America?”

“Almost two weeks ago. My father has been ill, and the possibility…the possibility of him never meeting Nathanial made me decide to come home.”

“Nathanial?” Although Mathias was certain she was referring to the son he’d heard others mention, the child’s name startled him. It was Charles’s middle name, and he wondered if Beatrice had chosen the boy’s name with his brother in mind.

“So seeing his grandson played a role in your father’s recovery?”

“Yes, I think our arrival was all he needed to recover” she sighed with relief before a pensive look crossed her lovely features. “Perhaps I should have come home sooner, but there were a great many things to do after Barnabas’s death.”

“Forgive me. I was remiss in offering you my condolences on the loss of your husband,” Mathias’s said with a wince at his oversight.

“Thank you,” she murmured as she bowed her head slightly and avoided his gaze. “Barnabas was a kind and generous man.”

“Then you were happy?”

Mathias didn’t know why he pressed her on the matter, but something in her voice made him think her marriage might not have been as idyllic as many had been led to believe. She didn’t answer him for a long moment, and she gave off the impression of a gazelle ready to flee a predator.

“Barnabas worked a great deal, but I had Nathanial. I was lonely more than anything else.”

“Surely you had friends.” Mathias eyed her in puzzlement.

“A few, but New York society is far more…restrictive than here at home.” A smile tugged at her lips. “I know there were a number of mothers who found it difficult to open their doors to me. Barnabas was considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the city before he married me.”

“Louisa mentioned you were leaving for the country in a few days. I’m assuming you’ll be returning to Ravenswood.” At the curiosity in his voice, she hesitated before she nodded.

“Yes. Nathanial will be off to school in a few years, and I’d like him to enjoy his childhood in the country. Father will also benefit from the fresh air.”

Mathias nodded his understanding as Beatrice’s attention was pulled away from him by the gentleman on her left.

On his right, the Duchess of Trowbridge was engaged in a lively conversation with the man seated beside her. The older woman was a friend of Lady Stewart’s, the current chief of the Callendar Stewarts clan. A frequent dinner guest at Melton House, he always enjoyed his conversations with the duchess, but at the moment he was content to consider Beatrice’s relationship with Charles.

Her return to London had clearly been precipitated by her father’s illness. While he understood Beatrice’s reasons for retiring to the country, he couldn’t help wondering if Charles had played a role in her decision. Ravenswood Hall was less than three miles across the pastures from Thornbury Hall. Was she leaving town to avoid Charles or was she hoping he’d follow her to the country as he once had to London.

Even before he’d inherited his title, Charles had always had a natural tendency to enjoy life without thought of consequences. When their father died, Charles had simply delegated the majority of his financial and estate management responsibilities to Mathias. It was at one of the house parties, he’d hosted at Thornbury Hall when he’d met Beatrice.

She’d just returned to Ravenswood from finishing school in France, and the two had met while out riding. His brother had been the Earl of Thornbury for little more than two years at the time and had earned a reputation for breaking hearts when he’d met Beatrice. When Charles had followed Beatrice to London, Mathias had hoped it was a sign his brother was ready to fulfill his duties. He’d been wrong.