Much Ado about the Shrew (4 page)

           
Milford
made a face into his champagne.

           
"Who
is that with her?" Welles asked.

           
"He
is her cousin," Ben said. "His mother is her aunt on her mother's
side."

           
"I
have no idea what you just said," Milford remarked.

           
"Their
mothers were sisters," Welles supplied.

           
"Oh,"
Milford said, "Why didn't he just say so?"

           
"I
did," Ben said. "Just so you are not thrown off, Lennox is Scottish,
but was raised for most of his life in England."

           
"He
looks Scottish, with that bright red hair of his," Milford said.

           
"Or
like an overgrown oak," Welles said. "Dear God, the man is a
giant!"

           
"You
should tell him that," Ben said, pulling at his cuffs. "Let me know
how that turns out."

           
"He
looks to be an eager young pup," Milford said. "Quite amiable save
for his enormous size."

           
Ben
shrugged. "He is, usually. He's just reached his majority a few years ago.
He has a small holding here in England and a larger one in Scotland."

           
"Do
we treat him like a brother, then? If we are treating Lady Beatrice as a
sister?" asked Welles.

           
"I
believe he sees Bee as an older sister," Ben warned. "Lennox is
young, but good with his fists. I wouldn't want to be at the end of them."

           
"So
many knights for such a fair lady," Welles smiled. "If you put up too
many barriers, you won't be able to marry her off."

           
Ben
huffed. "That, I believe, is the necessary evil. To find a husband for Bee
so I don't have to protect her anymore."

           
Milford
blinked. "Protect her? And how have you been doing that, man? You've been
on the Continent for the past five years."

           
"Whenever
I came back on leave I stopped in.
 
Plus,
I've been keeping tabs on her via her aunt. We've been corresponding."

           
"How
have you kept her out of society for so long?" Welles asked. "She
truly is exquisite."

           
"I
thought you said lovely," Ben said, his eyes narrowed.

           
"And
exquisite," Welles said. "Honestly, Kendal... can she be more of a
second cousin than a sister?"

           
Milford
gave Welles a small shove with his arm and a gentle shake of his head.
"No, no, Welles," he said. "We should respect Lady Beatrice and
work to help find her a respectable husband."

           
Welles
looked questioningly over at Milford. "Um... all right," he said.

           
"Yes,"
Milford said. "If Kendal has gone to the extent to keep Lady Beatrice
tucked away
until he returned from the Continent,
we should respect that. Don't want to ruin another chap's chances at her hand,
you know."
  

           
"Ah,"
Welles said, smiling.

           
"What?"
Ben asked. "What are you going on about?"

           
"Look,"
Milford said, pointing his empty champagne glass before passing it onto a
passing servant's tray. "She's coming."

           
Lady
Beatrice was indeed walking up to the trio, and Ben was filled with dread. He
never knew what to expect from Bee- some days she appeared amiable, but usually
that was hiding an ulterior motive. It was easier when they were outright at
war, and he found he had been looking forward to the challenge. He was
surprised by how much he had missed their verbal sparring, and was not quite
sure what to do with that information.

           
"Lady
Beatrice, Lord Lennox," Ben said, taking hold of Bee's hand and bowing
over it before giving a slight nod to Lennox. "Please let me make known to
you my friends, Major Milford and Major Welles."

           
"We're
also sons of an Earl and a Viscount," Welles supplied, releasing a breath
when Ben elbowed him.

           
"We
were supposed to be sons of dukes," Milford muttered. He waited until Ben
had released Bee's hand before taking it and raising it to his own lips.
"Your servant, my lovely Lady Beatrice," he smiled and bowed.
"You may call me
Borachio
."

           
Ben
rolled his eyes.

           
Bee
raised her eyebrows at Milford, but did not immediately take her hand back.
"Is it, now?" she smiled. "Were you aware your name means,
'drunkard,' my lord?"

           
"Does
it?" Milford asked, pretending astonishment. He stood straight and
released her hand. "Welles! Why didn't you tell me as such? Now everyone
will know."

           
"It's
not as if it's a secret," Welles muttered.

           
Bee's
laugh interrupted their argument before it begun. Ben was about to admonish his
friends- again- but instead found a smile creeping up on his own face. Why, he
couldn't be
enjoying this
, could
he?
 

           
"I
am pleased to have entertained," Milford smiled. "We have heard much
about your beauty from Kendal here, but none of it came close to the
reality."

           
Bee
laughed. "I daresay Lord Kendal here compared me to something between
Medusa and a harpy."

           
"More
like Circe," Ben smiled.

           
Bee
rolled her eyes. "So you are Odysseus, then, back from your 20-year
excursion?"

           
"Something
like that," Ben muttered.

           
"I
am afraid I never understood Odysseus," Bee said conspiratorially to
Milford and Welles. "The man sails around the entire Mediterranean Sea for
years, conveniently going everywhere
but
his
own home."

           
"Doesn't
sound like anyone we know," Milford smirked.

           
"I've
been home," Ben grumbled. "I was just back on leave last year, Bee. I
even stopped in on you."

           
"Yes,
yes," Bee said, waving her hands in the air as if to silence him. "He
shows up, completely unannounced, and proceeds to stay an entire week with my
aunt and I."

           
"I
was checking in on you," Ben said darkly, "If I thought I was
unwelcome, I would not have gone."

           
"And
then," Bee continued as if Ben had not spoken, "I find out a few days
later that he had only dropped in on his mother and sister on his way out.
 
He had not even told them he was in the area,
even though our estates are only an hour's ride away. Can you imagine?"

           
"How
dastardly!" Milford smiled, his eyes sparkling.
 
Ben leveled his eyes at his friend, but
Milford merely grinned and shrugged as if to say he could not pass up the
opportunity to find humor at Ben's expense.

           
"Perhaps
he found the company more enjoyable with you, my fine lady," Welles said
diplomatically.

           
"Nothing
that pleasant," Ben said, frowning at Bee.
Dammit, where had that come from?
 
Bee
was just about to retort when Lennox walked up, interrupting them. "Lord
Kendal," Lennox said hastily, offering a short bow. "I do believe it
has been several years since we have seen one another."

           
Ben
stared at Bee a few moments longer. "Lennox, yes," he said, not
averting his eyes. "I believe you were still in short pants when I first
left for the Continent."

           
"And
your friends?" Lennox said quickly, trying to catch Ben's gaze.

           
“We
met at Eton, and have been insufferable ever since,” Milford supplied.

            “Inseparable,”
Ben corrected, dragging his gaze from Bee to Lennox.

            Milford
waved his hand. “That too,” he said.

           Lennox
looked at Milford with curiosity, then turned back to Ben. "Have you been
in town long?" he asked.

           
"Just
arrived," Ben said. "I did call this afternoon, but alas, you were
out."

           
"Yes,"
Bee said. "My aunt was sorry to have missed you."

           
"Just
your aunt?" Ben asked.

           
Bee
gave a slight shrug of her shoulder. "Lennox here was a little put out, I
suppose."

           
Ben
laughed. "Then perhaps he would like to meet me for an early morning ride,
then?" he asked, finally taking his gaze off of Bee, looking over at
Lennox.

           
Bee
scowled, as Ben knew she would. She was always eager to take her horse out. For
some reason, knowing that she would think of him jealously the next morning
filled his heart.

           
"I'm
not much for the mornings when I'm not rusticating in the country," Lennox
said. "But Bee loves a good gallop on Rotten Row. Perhaps you two might go
together?"

           
"Ah,"
Ben said, caught off guard.

           
"Capital
idea," Milford interjected. "Perhaps Welles and I will join
you."

           
Bee
smiled. "Yes, Lennox, that sounds like a lovely idea. Thank you ever so
much, Lord Kendal, my lords," she said, nodding deferentially to Welles
and Milford. "My new mare is in a desperate need for a good gallop."

           
Ben's
eyes narrowed. "We will not be galloping."

           
"But
what else is the point of riding early in the morning?" Bee asked.

           
"Yes,
Kendal," Welles agreed, but looked pointedly at Milford. "That is the
entire point of riding in the park through the interminable fog in the early
morning. Otherwise, why bother to get out of bed before noon?"

           
"Oh,
excellent point, Lord Welles. I do so look forward to seeing you all
tomorrow," Bee said, smiling. "I see Lady Stafford and must introduce
Lennox. Good evening," she said, and Lennox gave a short bow before
trailing after her.

           
"She's
like a small, green tornado," Ben scowled.

           
"Oh,
she's definitely lovely," Welles smiled. "I look forward to spending
more time with her."
           
"
Sister
," Ben reminded him.

           
"True,"
Milford agreed, looking over at Welles, "and as such, we should probably
bow out from tomorrow's ride."

           
"Don't
you dare," Ben warned.

           
"I
do believe I have a prior engagement I just remembered. Quite bothersome, that.
I am terribly sorry, but I shall not be able to go with you tomorrow,"
Welles smiled.

           
"You
cannot do that," Ben growled.

           
"Alas,
but it is done," Milford said. "I am afraid you will have to meet
your... what did you call her? Your lovely... tornado... alone."

           
"I
hate you," Ben said, and grabbed a flute of champagne from a waiter,
draining the glass.

           
"Just
think of it as revenge for dragging us to this horrific ball where there is
nothing but that bubbly stuff. Next time, ensure that there is a card room and
brandy, and we shall not be so cruel," Milford smiled.

           
Ben
frowned into a small line. "Duly noted," he said. "Well, thanks
to you and Lennox it appears I have yet another early morning appointment with
an
Everill
."
 
His heart was filled with both excitement and dread. The dread he could
understand, but why was his stomach doing little flip flops with anticipation
of seeing Bee galloping along on her horse? Perhaps the champagne was a little
off.

           
"Ah,
take heart," Welles laughed. "You can keep a better eye on the lovely
lady this way."

           
"I
fear I will get no rest until she is settled in an engagement," Ben
sighed.