Page 19 of The Marquess's Imperfect Brid
“We are all very proud of our darling Grace,” she said. “Her parents and siblings, especially. And yes, her work at the orphanage is beyond commendable. She is such an inspiration to all who know her.”
Gareth nodded, watching another shy smile grace the beautiful young woman’s face. He was reminded once again of how deep her humility ran, and he gave her a crooked smile.
“She certainly is,” he said, his breath hitching as his heart skipped. He looked back at her with renewed awe. “The compassion and dedication you possess to teach young children is such a rarity, and I find it incredibly admirable. It speaks volumes about your character and kind heart.”
Lady Grace blushed more furiously than ever before, yet he had never seen a bigger smile on her face. She looked up at him, staring as though she was trying to understand him. He paused, willing to give her all the time she needed to respond to him.
***
Grace listened to the marquess speak, unable to believe her ears. Even with her partial deafness, she did not miss how warmly earnest his words were. She might have felt that she was dreaming, had it not been for the squeeze on her hand. Millicent was discreetly holding her hand, tightening her grip as Lord Hayewood spoke. There was a vulnerable honesty in his eyes as he looked into hers. She thought her heart might burst with pure delight as she realized that he was beginning to truly see her.Neil said that worthy people would see me, she thought as she tried to gather her thoughts. I did not believe that anyone ever could. Yet here is Lord Hayewood, going out of his way to get to know me.
It was the most humbling notion she had ever experienced. It occurred to her that she might soon be able to call the handsome, gentle marquess a friend. While she would never pretend that she could have a loving future with such a man, it gave her hope that she might still be able to make kind friends like him.
She opened her mouth to offer her gratitude for his continued and endless kindness. But just as she found her words, they were joined by another, smaller guest. Lady Whiskers, who had been exploring the grounds and greeting the guests who would pet her, suddenly reappeared. Grace reached toward her, but the feline ignored her. Instead, she trotted right up to Lord Hayewood, hopping up into his lap before anyone could stop her.
“Oh, heavens,” Grace said, shuffling to rise from her seat and fetch her feline, who instantly curled herself up in the marquess’s lap and lifted her head for chin scratches. “I sincerely apologise for Lady Whiskers. She is always friendly, but she never does that with people she hardly knows.”
She expected the marquess to scowl or shove the cat away from him. But to Grace’s surprise, he chuckled, bending close to the animal’s face and complying with her delicate request for attention. She was even more stunned when he placed a kiss on the tip of Lady Whiskers’ nose.
“It is quite all right,” he said with a mischievous sparkle in his eye. “I am rather fond of her. And I believe she is simply thanking me for helping to rescue her.”
Grace stared as the cat rolled over in his lap, allowing him to rub her belly. It was true: for as friendly as Lady Whiskerswas, she never allowed people to rub her stomach. Grace herself often got scratched several times in the early months of having the animal, before she learned about the special chest spot. The cat seemed to sense something in the marquess that she trusted deeply. That realization only fed the attraction that Grace felt toward Lord Hayewood.
“I know that I am certainly grateful to you for that,” she said.
The marquess shrugged, his smile softening into tenderness.
“It truly was my pleasure,” he said. “If I had to do it all over again, I would absolutely do it.”
Grace’s heart melted. If she had not already been well on her way to falling in love with him, she was then.
Chapter Eleven
Gareth could feel the glares from his mother, Lady Cecilia and her family as he petted the beautiful feline in his lap. He understood that he would likely receive a stern lecture later, if not simply for such a display with a ‘filthy animal’ as his mother would say, then for abandoning Lady Cecilia yet again. But he did not care. He truly did enjoy the feline’s antics. He had always loved animals, especially his horse, Lord Hoofer. But what he loved most was the smile on Lady Grace’s face as her cat showed him unabashed affection. There was nothing more appealing to Gareth at that picnic than seeing the lovely woman so happy.
To help avoid the scrutinizing eyes of his mother and her friends, Gareth turned his attention back to Lady Grace. She was laughing at something that her friend, Miss Watkins, said quietly to her. The young lady in the yellow dress seemed a bit shy, having barely spoken to him since he joined their group. But she was not the center of Gareth’s thoughts. It was Lady Grace who kept capturing his focus.
The previous night, it had been difficult to ignore the whispers and remarks from the other guests at the ball, only because it was clear that they had put Lady Grace in a great deal of discomfort. But in the light of the beautiful afternoon, with Lady Grace’s musical laughter and brilliant smile, Gareth could not fathom what it was that people saw that made them gawk and gossip about her so.
He could not find horror in the scars that seemed to be the subject of so many rumors about her. She was lovely, kind and held fascinating conversation. And the more time he spent around her, the more time he wished they had together. He thought about what his aunt had said about her. She truly was aremarkable young lady. And Gareth did not think that he could ever tire of her company.
Unlike Lady Cecilia, he thought, suppressing an eye roll. He grew bored of her shallow conversation and contrived interest in Gareth within minutes of speaking to her any time he was forced to do so. He could not understand how his family could be so insistent that a woman such as Lady Cecilia was a good match for him. He might have believed that his parents simply held a bias for Lady Cecilia and her family due to their friendship. But could they truly not see that the young lady simply wanted to lay claim to their family’s fortune? Or had his parents decided that it was all right since her parents were such close friends?
After the picnic, Lord Farenley clapped his hands sharply to gain the attention of the guests. Everyone turned their eyes to him, eagerly awaiting his announcement.
“Honoured guests, I would like to open the lake for rowing at this time,” he said. “Please, split into the pairs or groups in which you wish to row and gather where the boats await. And if you opt to not partake in the rowing, you are free to mill about here, stroll through the gardens or join my wife for a tour of the grounds.”
Gareth leapt up, straightening his jacket and preparing to invite her to row with him. However, a firm arm gripped his before he could take a single step and cold lips grazed his ear.
“A word, Gareth,” his mother hissed, pulling him to the side.
Gareth clenched his jaw, following his mother to a spot where he was sure other guests could hear. He faced her, trying to keep his expression relaxed, even as his eyes narrowed, and his shoulders squared.
“Yes, Mother?” he asked, fighting to keep his tone pleasant.
The duchess gripped her son’s arm just a little too tightly as she pulled him away from where he had been sitting with Lady Grace and her friends. He was sure that the women wouldnotice, and he would be sure to apologize to them for such an abrupt and awkward interruption to their conversation. For the time being, however, he looked his mother in the eye, waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind.
“I do not understand what you are doing,” she said, glaring behind him at where the women still sat. “And I certainly cannot imagine what you think you are doing, putting your hands on a horrid cat, and at a picnic, no less. What I do know is that you utterly abandoned Cecilia, when she is attending this infernal picnic to spend time with you. The least you could do is pay her a little attention.”
