Page 17 of The Marquess's Imperfect Brid
Grace smiled again, giving her brother a kiss on the cheek.
“I cannot thank you enough, dearest brother,” she said.
Neil shrugged, glancing back toward the house.
“I am thrilled to see you happy again,” he said. “Now come. We must prepare for Mother’s picnic this afternoon.”
Grace nodded, taking a deep, grounding breath. She wouldprepare for the picnic. And she would enjoy herself. She would let nothing ruin it, or the rest of the house party events, for her. No matter what.
***
Gareth skipped breakfast the following morning, uninterested in fraternizing with Lady Cecilia after the stimulating, invigorating conversation he had had with Lady Grace the previous night. He knew that he could not bear another moment of listening to the blond woman prattle on about the latest fashion or dance steps right then. And he certainly was in no mood for the glares from his father, the pointed glances from the earl and countess about their daughter, or the conspiratorial whispering between his mother and Lady Cecilia’s while he tried to ignore the tension and the silent hints being tossed around the room.
He understood what was expected of him. He knew that all the elders, apart from Caroline, pushed for him to court Lady Cecilia. His parents could not see past her beauty to her faults. And if her own parents could, they certainly feigned ignorance better than any actor. The whole of society would be expecting him to take a lovely wife. Beauty was highly valued in society. No matter how nasty a person was, if they were attractive, everyone could overlook what they did behind closed doors. So long as it did not cause a public scandal.
However, Gareth, now more than ever, craved a connection beyond such shallow, meaningless qualities. The confines of society should not be where his opportunities and chances for happiness ended. And especially after his dance and conversation with Lady Grace the night before, he knew that it was possible to meet people who made him feel hope for the future. He did not want to be tied to the likes of Lady Cecilia. He wanted to spend his time getting to know Lady Grace better anduncovering the true depths of character that he sensed within her. He had already seen the charitable soul she was. But he wanted to know more about other things she enjoyed. And if she was just as passionate about those things as she was about the orphanage, he could hardly wait to learn more.
Caroline entered the library, to which he had stolen away that morning, closing the door quietly behind her. He looked at her with a mixture of relief and helplessness. He knew that she understood he was suffering. But he also knew that his father would never listen to his sister. Even if she tried to speak on his behalf.
“Good morning, darling nephew,” she said, smiling with encouragement. “It would seem that your dance with Lady Grace is the talk of all of London.”
Gareth sighed, slumping his shoulders.
“I know what Mother and Father expect from Lady Cecilia and me,” he said. “But I find myself quite attracted to Lady Grace. She is such a charming and remarkable woman. And quite beautiful, too.”
Caroline nodded, her smile widening and her eyes brimming with understanding.
“Do not let the expectations of others rob you of the chance to find true happiness,” she said. “Especially since I just saw the way that your eyes lit up at the mere mention of Lady Grace.”
She winked at Gareth, and his lips twitched again. It was true. Just the thought of Lady Grace made his heart skip, no matter how heavy it was. And Caroline had given him a line of support when he needed it most. Just knowing that he was not going through his struggle alone made it easier to bear.
“Thank you, Aunt Caroline,” he said, embracing her with fierce gratitude. “I do not know what I would do without you.”
Caroline patted her nephew’s back, pulling away with a sly grin.
“For starters, you should go dress for the picnic,” she said with another wink.
Gareth’s eyes widened and he hurriedly kissed her cheek.
“You are right,” he said. “Thank you again, dearest Aunt.”
With Caroline’s laughter following him, he raced from the room, summoning George, his valet, as he dashed about his chambers, searching for an outfit. And as his valet dressed him and combed his hair, anticipation and trepidation rapidly filled him. He would be expected to focus all his time and attention on Lady Cecilia, as per his parents wishes. But he could not help looking forward to an opportunity, however brief, to see and speak to Lady Grace.
I will do anything to speak to her today, he thought as he straightened his jacket and went to join his family to depart. And I do not care who it upsets. Aunt Caroline supports me in this. That is enough to at least try.
Chapter Ten
Grace had reentered her family’s home with traces of the discomfort she had felt the previous evening when the eyes of all the ton were upon her, whispering about her. But by the time Juliet had finished helping her change into a dark blue muslin day dress with a matching bonnet which helped conceal the marred side of her face and her bad ear, Neil’s encouraging words had left her with a different attitude. She could never be as confident as he believed that she should be. But she could step out into her family’s gardens with a small smile on her face.
Ever present lest her mistress need her, Juliet escorted Grace silently out to the picnic area, down by the lake that occupied five acres of her family’s land. It had been one of Grace’s and her sibling’s favorite places since they were children. Both her brother and sister had spent many peaceful afternoons awaiting the sunset with her since her accident. And that day, the sight of it, despite the guests milling about waiting for the anticipated picnic, filled her with an excitement to rival the apprehension she had been feeling. It was a beautiful day, and the tranquil waters made her feel calmer and more at ease.
Fortunately, the lively chatter around her was so soft and coming from so many different people around her at once that she could not focus on individual conversations. Thus, if anyone was whispering about her as they had the evening before, she could not hear them. She carefully skimmed the faces of nearby groups, searching casually for blurs that would indicate familiar faces. The voice she heard as she tilted her head was the most familiar, and most welcome, of all.
“Grace, darling,” Millicent said, patting the spot beside her on a cozy, shaded spot in the lush grass. “Oh please, do come andjoin us.”
Grace grinned, uttering soft apologies as she delicately wove through a small group of people and made her way to where her friend sat with her family and another friend of both her and Grace, Lady Nadine Watkins, who was also a wealthy merchant’s daughter.
“Good day, Mrs. and Mrs. Hughes,” Grace said as she settled into the spot beside her dear friend. “Nadine, that yellow dress looks positively divine on you.”
