gently bred to hurt anything or anyone. The other day you saw a mouse and would not hear of calling the housekeeper.”
As Beatrice spoke she stroked a hand down Katherine’s back and could not help but notice how tense she was. “If you do not stop crying, you will not be able to give us the true account of what happened. Clearly it weighs on you and we want to help.”
Nora leaned forward and took the girl’s other hand. “Tell us what happened, Katherine.”
Katherine sniffed, finally calmed by Nora’s gentle voice.
Jess had moved over to stand closer to the fireplace, his expression one of casual interest. Beatrice could tell by the way he held his fist tight by his side that his composure was all an act. She could almost hear him thinking, Here is one more life that Crenshaw has damaged.
“Lord Crenshaw sent me a note asking me to meet him at the banqueting platform in order to watch Cecilia and Lord Destry’s race. I thought it rather unusual and asked Mama what I should do. It was she who decided it was all right for me to go without a chaperone. That we would be out in public with others near enough. She was very anxious to promote our acquaintance.”
Her mother was anxious, Beatrice thought. It did not sound like the girl had been as interested.
“Lord Crenshaw and I waited and waited for the race to come our way, but it was taking the longest time and he grew annoyed as he tended to do when time failed to march to his plan.” Katherine paused and dabbed at the last of the tears running down her cheeks. “Then he asked me to marry him.”
Beatrice and Nora exchanged startled glances. That was not what they expected.
“I was surprised. It was so soon. I was flattered, of course, and told him so, but asked if I could think about it awhile.”
That was sensible. Beatrice leaned a little closer, and Finch dashed back to Nora. Even Jess straightened and focused more fully on Katherine, who began to twist her handkerchief.
“You see, I’d had a conversation with Lord Jess, and it gave me pause.” She looked up at Jess. “If you will forgive me, my lord. Mama said that you could only be expected to speak ill of him, but when I spoke to Mr. Garrett after our conversation he assured me that you were telling the truth when you said that Lord Crenshaw was not always kind where ladies were concerned.”
Not always kind? Beatrice was amazed at his choice of words. Crenshaw had used and abused his wife to the point of death.
Instead of being offended by this part of her story, Jess bowed a little. “How wise of you to find someone as sensible as Mr. Garrett with whom to speak.”
She shrugged off his words and went on. “I wanted some time to make sure that even considering a courtship, much less agreeing to marry Lord Crenshaw, was the right decision.”
She never would have counted sensibleness as one of Katherine’s virtues. Beatrice was impressed.
Finally Katherine turned from Jess to look at Beatrice, then Nora Kendrick. “When I asked for time to consider, Lord Crenshaw changed before my eyes. He was furious with me. His anger was out of all proportion to my request. I did not reject him,” she said urgently. “I may be inexperienced, but I do understand a man’s pride is at stake in a situation like this. But it was too soon.” She almost wailed the last.
“Of course, you handled a difficult situation very well,” Nora said, though Beatrice wondered how she could know that when they had not heard the end of the story yet.
“He grabbed me and began shouting, insisting he would shake some sense into me. I was afraid that he was going to hit me and I pulled myself from his grip, backing away until I was leaning against the railing of the platform. I had no place to go.” She stopped and drew a breath to fortify herself.
Beatrice was desperate to know what had happened and was annoyed that Katherine had to stop to breathe.
“Crenshaw lunged for me, and I stepped out of his reach. He fell against the railing where I had been standing, and it gave way. Lord Crenshaw tumbled to the ground before I could do anything to save him.”
Beatrice was about to point out that if Katherine had reached for him, she would have fallen also, quite possibly