“You won’t be rude.” Kelly cleared her throat. “Grandmama? Tell him it won’t be rude to go take a run.”
Mrs. Beaufort opened her eyes just a slit. “Well…”
“Don’t tease him. Tell him it’s fine.”
“Exercise would be acceptable,” Mrs. Beaufort intoned.
Peter exhaled in relief, smiling over at Kelly and mouthing a thank-you.
She gave a silent chuckle and picked up her book again, as Peter got up to make a hasty retreat.
He changed clothes and then went outside to run through the historic neighborhood. It was a mild evening, and he had a lot of pent-up energy, so he ran for almost an hour before he finally returned to the house.
He was coming in the front door when he nearly ran into Mrs. Beaufort. She was evidently heading upstairs.
“Did you have a good run?” she asked.
“Yes. Thanks. Where’s Kelly?”
“She said she was tired and so she went to her room. I am on my way to bed myself.”
It was barely nine, but Peter wasn’t about to complain about her early bedtime. “Okay. Goodnight.”
Mrs. Beaufort took a step toward him, her expression changing. “Just a minute, young man.”
Peter had been about to turn away, wanting to find Kelly, but he paused immediately at her words.
“What are you doing?” Mrs. Beaufort demanded.
“What do you mean?” Peter wiped sweat from his face. He’d felt pretty good until he’d come back inside. It was way too hot and stuffy in this house.
“What are you doing with my granddaughter?”
He blinked. “We got married. I thought she explained.”
“Yes, she explained. But now I’m asking you. I want to know what your intentions are with her.”
“My intentions?” It was like something out of an old-fashioned book. “I married her. I’m not taking advantage of her.”
“Both are possible, if this is some sort of a game you are playing with her.”
Peter’s heart was pounding, partly from his run but partly because of this conversation. He had no idea how she’d realized something wasn’t right about their marriage, but she obviously knew there was more going on than they wanted to show to the world. “I’m not playing any games with Kelly. I wouldn’t do that.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“No. I wouldn’t.” He was a full foot taller than the old woman was, but it still felt like she was towering over him. He had no idea how she did it, but he would like to master the skill himself.
“Kelly is not as easy and casual as she might appear on the surface. She can be hurt. I will not let you hurt her. I don’t care if you’re a Blake. If you hurt her, I will crush you.”
Peter was absolutely astonished. So astonished that he couldn’t answer with anything but the truth. “I would never hurt her. I love her. I love her.” He was dripping with sweat, and he felt like an absolute idiot.
But evidently his answer appeased Mrs. Beaufort. After another moment of cold scrutiny, her face relaxed slightly. “Very well. I expect you to be a real husband to her.”
“That’s what I want,” he said, his mind whirling, trying to orient itself to this bizarre conversation. “That’s what I want too.”
“Very well.” She gave a little nod. “Then go to her.”
Peter stood like a statue while Mrs. Beaufort made her slow, dignified way up the stairs. Then he shook himself off.
Savannah definitely had the old lady wrong. Everyone thought she would do anything to marry her granddaughters off to rich men, men of good families. Yes, here she was, with Kelly married to a Blake, and she was doing her best to intimidate him and push him away.
She was trying to protect Kelly, and Peter couldn’t help but like her better for it.
Mrs. Beaufort would have no way of knowing that protecting Kelly was the thing Peter wanted to do the most.
***
As Mrs. Beaufort predicted, Kelly was indeed waiting for him when he walked down the hall and into their large room.
She was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her textbook opened in front of her, but she didn’t appear to be reading. She wore the two long braids she always wore, and she’d changed into a tank top and a pair of pajama pants.
She looked relaxed and beautiful, and Peter’s heart did a silly little skip when he saw her. In bed. In their bed.
No, not their bed. He was sleeping on that little couch.
“How was your run?” she asked, pushing her glasses back up her nose as he entered the room.
“Good.”
“Did you see Grandmama?”
“Yeah.”
“Did she…did she say anything embarrassing?”