Summary: When Maxwell discovers Bertrand and Beatrix’s relationship, he drops a bombshell that could blow the whole thing apart.
“Come on Bea, I know you’re in there!”
Beatrix and Bertrand stared at the bedroom door in wide-eyed horror, wishing Maxwell would give up and go away.
“I hope you’re decent because I’m going to use my key, OK?”
“No!” she called out in a panic. “Dammit Maxwell, just give me a minute, will you?”
Bertrand gave her a resigned smirk. “I think the jig is up, Lady Beatrix.”
She sighed and slipped on her black tank top and yoga pants before opening the door to Maxwell. His eyes immediately locked on his older brother, obviously naked under Beatrix’s comforter. His eyes went wide with horror and…something else.
“Maxwell?” Beatrix asked, suddenly concerned about his reaction. “Are you OK? I know it’s a bit of a shock but…”
“Bertrand, what the hell!” Maxwell was suddenly shouting, red-faced with rage. “Are you kidding me right now? After all the work we’ve done to help Beatrix win the king’s hand?”
Beatrix took a step towards him, hands held out in surrender. “Maxwell, please…”
He brushed her aside, focused on his brother. “Dammit Bertrand, this house cannot afford another one of your indiscretions!”
“…What did you just say?”
Without answering he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Beatrix and Bertrand stared at each other, stunned.
“What did he mean by that?” she asked him, her voice unsteady.
“I…Beatrix…I honestly have no idea.”
She pulled her messed up hair into a ponytail and wiped off her smudged lipstick. “I’m going after him.”
“I’ll come with you.” Bertrand stood up and started searching for his clothes in the tangled bedding.
“No – stay. I want to talk to him alone.”
His expression was troubled, but he nodded and sat back down, putting his head in his hands. “Please remind him that his spending habits are what’s bringing this house to ruin.”
“I’m not going to do that.” She pressed a chaste kiss to his furrowed brow and left to find Maxwell.
She found him sitting on a bench out behind the estate, one of his usual hiding places that she’d come to learn about. His head was in his hands, his brow furrowed, just like she’d left Bertrand. It was the first time she’d noticed any similarity between the two brothers.
He didn’t notice her approaching. She noticed his phone was sitting on the bench next to him, a photo filling the screen. It showed a pretty but unfamiliar woman with a fat, smiling baby in her arms. Maxwell’s hand flew out to turn the screen off as soon as he noticed Beatrix was standing there.
“Hey,” he mumbled, not meeting her eyes.
“Hey, Max.” She sat next to him, suddenly feeling awkward. Who knew Maxwell Beaumont had secrets? “So…that was kind of crazy in there.”
He turned to look at her then, tears in his eyes. “Beatrix, I’m so sorry. I had no idea Bertrand had a thing for you. I wouldn’t have left you alone with him so often if I’d known…”
“Excuse me? What are you implying?”
“I know you’re tough, Beatrix, but sometimes nobles can get a little carried away with their influence over commoners…”
“No, no, no. For the love of god Maxwell, stop. Is that what this is about? Because I seduced him. I…” suddenly the words felt heavy in her chest, but she had to tell Maxwell the truth. “I think I’m in love with him, Max.”
He groaned, burying his face in his hands once more. “No, you can’t be. You’re here for Liam. He’s crazy about you, we just need to fix this big misunderstanding…”
Beatrix rubbed his back affectionately, unsure what to say. “Max…I don’t know if I want Liam any more. He’s sweet, but…”
“But what? What’s wrong with sweet? He’s the most selfless man I’ve ever known, and all he wants in this world is you.”
She frowned deeply, unable to refute his words. “It doesn’t make any sense,” she whispered.
“No, it doesn’t,” Maxwell agreed angrily. “Bea…I need to tell you something else.” He held out his phone, the photo she’d seen before back on the screen.
“Who is this?”
“It’s Savannah Walker.”
“Oh…I didn’t know she had a baby. Actually I don’t know much about her at all, except that she took off a year ago.”
Maxwell nodded and took a deep breath. “Nobody knows about the baby. She told me not to tell anyone.”
Beatrix gasped. “Maxwell! Did you…is that your baby?”
He winced, looking pained. “Oh, Bea, no. Bartie is my nephew.”
Maxwell was hot on her heels as she ran back to her own room, barely choking back her sobs as she rushed passed the various partygoers lingering in the halls.
“Beatrix, stop! Let me explain!”
She whirled around and pressed her finger into his chest, eyes wide with fury. “What the hell is there to explain? He has a secret family! How could he not tell me?” Her voice faltered, a pained sob escaping as tears poured down her cheeks. Maxwell reached up to gently wipe away the tears with his thumbs, but new ones kept falling. She turned again and ran to her door.
“He doesn’t know!” Max blurted out, just as she reached for the doorknob.
“He doesn’t know what?”
“Any of it. He doesn’t know why she left. Or that she was pregnant.”
Beatrix’s expression softened momentarily, taking in the situation. “Max…you kept this a secret from him? How could you?”
He didn’t have a chance to answer before she swung the door open. Bertrand nearly fell over from surprise as he stepped into his pants.
“We need to talk,” she growled.