Page 38 of The Marquess's Imperfect Brid
Grace giggled again, her cheeks burning hotter than ever.
“It does seem as though there is a connection between us,” she said, surprised at how good it felt to speak the words aloud. “He makes me feel seen and understood, like he truly values my time and my words.”
Her mother and father exchanged knowing glances with proud smiles. Then, the marchioness turned back to her daughter, giving her a pointed look.
“Then do not let anyone change your mind about him,” she said.
Grace laughed.
“Let me get through the performance, Mother,” she said. “Then, I can begin to contend with my feelings about Lord Hayewood.”
The marquess raised his eyebrows with a twinkle in his eye.
“I believe that you already have,” he said.
***
Gareth descended the stairs, thoughts of the previous night filling his mind. Lady Grace had never occupied his mind more than she did that morning. He had struggled with the dilemma regarding what his parents demanded against what he knew deep down he truly wanted. But he had never experienced such high emotions as he was right then. More specifically, he had never felt as wildly in love, and as concerned for the future of that love, as he did in that moment.
To try to compose himself, he decided to take a ride before breakfast. He might even ride through breakfast, considering how beautiful the day already was at just after eight o’clock in the morning. It was his aunt’s estate at which he was a favored guest. He knew that no matter what protests his parents raised, Caroline would be sure to remind them that they were not in their own home to impose their own rules. And he was eternally grateful to her for that. In truth, he was grateful to her simply for who she was. She was his anchor in times of turmoil. And she had a heart too filled with love to tolerate any injustice on innocent people. Especially Lady Grace, it seemed.
He could practically smell the stables as he headed down the corridors of the mansion. But before he could reach the servant’s entrance, he was intercepted by the very aunt he revered.
“Gareth, darling,” she said, giving him a warm smile. “Might I speak with you before you go for your ride?”
Gareth smiled, kissing his aunt on the cheek before replying.
“Of course, Aunt Caroline,” he said. “What occupies your thoughts?”
His aunt leaned in close, her eyes sparkling with a joy that Gareth could not recall seeing. She touched his arm gently, smiling in a way that made her merriment contagious.
“I just wanted to say that I have never seen you happier than you are when you are with Lady Grace,” she said. She kept her voice low, but that did not keep Gareth from noticing theexcitement in it. “I know that you have tremendous pressure on you to enter into a marriage with Lady Cecilia. But I implore you to listen to the feelings you have whenever you see or think of Lady Grace. I will not tell you that it will be easy. I only guarantee that it will be well worth it not to succumb to the expectations of others.”
Gareth studied his aunt for a moment. Then, he sighed.
“I do feel the pressure from my parents,” he said. “And from Lady Cecilia and her parents, and from all of society. I know what is expected of me, and I can barely stand it some days. And I do long for love which seems too far beyond me to ever truly grasp. My feelings for Lady Grace are strong, but her ability to see past all the shallowness of nobility and to reach my heart in a way that no one else ever could is stronger. She is the most remarkable woman I have ever known. And I want nothing more than a future with her.”
Caroline smiled, gazing at him with understanding as she spoke with the wisdom that only she possessed.
“Then that is all the more reason to remain true to your desires, Nephew,” she said. “Fight for the love you deserve. Do not spend the rest of your life fighting in a loveless existence.”
Gareth nodded. He wanted things to be a simple as his aunt made them sound. But would there ever be an easy way for him to act on the love he felt for Lady Grace and not worry about suffering consequences simply because he did?
***
Grace trembled with nerves as her family traveled to the vicarage for the musicale that evening. Her parents and siblings talked with great excitement, gushing about how proud of her they were and how they could hardly wait to hear her play. But Grace barely understood the words they were speaking. She was excited to play, but her anxiety was battling to take over thethrill. She could not help wondering if she had made a mistake by agreeing to perform. As much as she loved music, and as confident as the marquess had made her feel the night before, she was still unsure whether she was ready to put herself in direct scrutiny from the very people who sought to do nothing but criticize and ridicule her.
When they arrived at the vicarage, Grace took her place alongside the other performers for the evening. They were in line along the wall beside the makeshift stage that had been created just for the event. Everyone displayed the same sense of anticipation that Grace did. However, the rest of the performers seemed more excited than she did. She admired their innocence and the fact that they had all practiced their respective talents specifically to perform publicly. She had done the same once. But with her scars, she feared that she would be nothing more than a laughingstock, not a talented musician, like her peers.
Listening to the other men and women sing and play various instruments did little to secure her comfort. Each one was better than the one before, and she felt as though she did not have the skills to perform on the same stage with them. But the musician within her felt the calling from the pianoforte, making her fingers long to dance on its keys. She patiently but nervously waited her turn. Before she knew it, she was headed up to the bench of the pianoforte and into the shrewd eyes of the villagers and the noble guests who were in attendance.
When she finally settled in to begin her performance, she allowed her fingers to hover over the keys. She knew each key of the instrument by heart, and she closed her eyes, relishing the usual, more pleasant anticipation she always felt, of waiting to play. With a deep breath, she began to play, pretending that it was just another lesson for the orphans. Yet it felt like one of the most significant moments in her life.
She had no idea how long she played before she noticed thesilence. She could hear her own playing, of course. However, there were no whispers or titters of laughter or rude remarks made just loudly enough for her to hear. She dared to glance out into the crowd to find that they were all staring at her. However, instead of contempt, Grace saw awe and surprise on their faces. They had all fallen silent, wearing identical expressions of surprise and suspicion. But Grace did not mind. Everyone could have their own opinions, after all. And she had expected nothing less from the performance. So how could she get upset or angry?
Chapter Twenty-one
Gareth had no idea what to expect when he saw Lady Grace, dressed in a ravishing dark blue dress, even more beautiful than that which she had worn the night he first danced with her, sit down at the bench of the shiny black pianoforte. All he knew was that she looked more radiant and beautiful than he had ever seen her. His heart began to skip from the instant his eyes had locked onto her. He felt as though it might burst in his chest, and he thought there could be no better way to die.
