Sir Walter appeared to be everything that was jovial and friendly, leading Bea to conclude that the chill of the house must have come from Lady Francesca.
During their months spent in London together Bea could not say that she had found the other woman to be of a type she might make into a bosom friend, but she had not found her to be unfriendly either. They were merely of a different age group, Lady Francesca nearing forty years of age, and Bea not yet twenty. Nor did Lady Francesca appear to possess the maternal instinct that might have drawn the two women closer together. That the Lathams’ marriage was childless perhaps accounted for the latter.
Bea had no idea if she was merely being fanciful about her aunt-by-marriage, or allowing some of Griffin’s obvious aversion to Lady Francesca to influence her own feelings towards the wife of her guardian.
No doubt they would all learn more upon that lady’s return.
Bea felt a blush warm her cheeks as she became aware that the other three gentlemen in the room were now eyeing her and Griffin curiously. No doubt that was because Griffin still had a hold of her hand.
‘May I pour you two gentlemen some tea?’ She deftly slid her fingers from between Griffin’s, before once again making herself comfortable on the sofa, waiting until Shaw had entered the room and placed the extra cups on the tea tray in front of her before pouring more of the brew.
She was barely aware of Lord Maystone’s acceptance as Griffin chose that moment to make himself comfortable on the sofa beside her.
The hard length of his thigh pressed warmly against her own.
‘Tea would be perfect, thank you, Lady Beatrix,’ he accepted huskily.
Bea turned slightly to give him a sideways frown from beneath her lashes. The two of them were supposed to have only now been introduced to each other, and from what she had gathered of Griffin’s relationship with his neighbours, and his indifference towards remarrying, she did not believe he usually singled out any of his neighbours’ nieces—for his particular attentions. Much more of this and Sir Walter would be demanding that the Banns be read on the morrow!
Aware of the reason for Bea’s censure, Griffin moved his thigh slightly away from her own. But he could not bring himself to move away from her completely, finding some comfort in at least being close to her.
‘I hear you have recently added a fine grey hunter to your stable, Sir Walter?’ Aubrey Maystone smoothly stepped into Griffin’s breech in manners after receiving his cup of tea. ‘You must allow us to see this fine horseflesh before we depart!’
Griffin took advantage of Sir Walter’s fulsome praise of the other man’s hunter in which to talk quietly with Bea. ‘You are well?’
‘Quite well, Your Grace,’ she replied quietly as she handed him his tea. ‘We only parted a short time ago,’ she added even more softly.
Griffin put the cup and saucer down on the table beside him untouched as he kept the intensity of his gaze fixed upon Bea. ‘And I have hated every moment of it!’
Bea gave him a searching glance, cautioning herself not to read too much into Griffin’s statement; he could just be once again referring to the danger she had placed herself in rather than any deeper meaning.
Such as that he loved her as she surely loved him?
Bea had known it for a fact the moment the carriage had pulled away from Stonehurst Park earlier this morning. Had felt an ache in her heart such as she had never known before. An emptiness that could only be filled by Griffin’s presence.
She loved him.
Not because she was grateful to him for having rescued her. Not because he had continued to protect her once he’d realised she had no idea who she was. Nor because they had made such beautiful love together.
She loved Griffin.
All of him. The bad as we
ll as the good.
His manners, for instance, could be exceedingly rude. His nature could occasionally be morose, even terse. As for his suspicions concerning her friendliness towards the gardener, Arthur Sutton, and Christian Seaton—they had been altogether unacceptable.
But there was a kindness to Griffin, a caring, that he hid beneath that gruff exterior. Perhaps because of his lonely childhood. Or the sad end to his marriage. Whatever the reason, Bea saw beneath that gruffness to the man beneath, and she loved him.
Unreservedly.
When all of this was over she did so hope that the two of them could remain friends, at least. She did not think she could bear it if they were to never see each other again.
But she must not let her own feelings for Griffin colour her interpretations of his comments. When he said he had hated every moment she had been away from him, he had surely meant in the role he had undertaken as her guardian.
‘Perhaps once Lady Francesca has returned we might all be better informed as to how we might proceed,’ Bea spoke again softly.
Griffin clenched his jaw at the mere mention of the other woman. ‘It is to be hoped so.’ He really did not think that he could leave Bea behind when he departed Latham Manor. Just the thought of it was enough to make him clench his fists in frustration.