He seemed to brush off the idea and said, “I have given the matter more thought.”
Why? Why must he think more about it? Certainly it would be better if he did not think any further than he already had done.
“I find I cannot entirely condemn a daughter’s wish to answer the call of a distressed mother, even if the notion was misguided. And the means…unfortunate.”
“I did not know what else to do,” Grace said. “It seemed an emergency, I felt I must act quickly.”
“So I understand. I just pray there is not to be a repeat of the escapade.”
Grace could feel the heat on her cheeks. He always managed to go a step too far. He had begun so pleasant and now they were back to scolding.
“May I speak freely in front of your maid?”
Betsy, to Grace’s amusement, appeared entirely affronted. As if there could never be any secrets kept from her.
“Betsy has been with me for years and is well-acquainted with the events of last evening.”
Betsy nodded vigorously. “If I may say so, my lord, you shouldn’t harry Miss Yardley ’bout climbing out the window. Mr. Ranston was downstairs creepin’ round with a gun and her ma is a wilting flower that needs lots of water. Everybody knows it.”
“That is perhaps enough for now, Betsy,” Grace said.
“I cannot say ifeverybodyknows it,” Lord Gresham said, staring at Betsy as if she were a unique specimen, “but now I know it.” He patted his horse’s neck and said to Grace, “There is, unfortunately, already talk of what occurred.”
Already? Why would people be so interested in what she was doing last night? Whether that be reading quietly or slipping down a drainpipe? Did they not have other things to think about?
As soon as Grace thought those things, she realized how foolish were those hopeful ideas. In her neighborhood at home, news of the smallest occurrence traveled from one drawing room to the next like a flock of birds settling on a recently-harvested grain field. Last Christmas season, at a moment when nothing else in particular was in the offing, Mr. Stanfield’s new horse had been discussed for a month.
“What-ho!” a voice nearly shouted from behind the carriage. Lord Gresham’s expression instantly darkened.
Grace turned her head to see Mr. Jacobs trotting up.
She turned back just as quick and hoped he had been calling to somebody else.
“Miss Yardley,” he said, trotting alongside the carriage and tipping his hat. “Gresham.”
Lord Gresham did not answer, and nor did Grace. Why was the gentleman stopped to speak to them? Had he not already caused her enough difficulty? Certainly, it was he who had spread the tale so quickly. He had been one of the gentlemen so amused by the sight of her coming down the drainpipe and she already understood he was an inveterate gossip.
“We were not formally introduced last evening, but I pray it was sufficient under the unusual circumstances. I trust you have recovered from your daring descent?” Mr. Jacobs said, with an unpleasant curl to his lip.
“We have no idea of what you speak, Jacobs,” Lord Gresham said sternly. “Perhaps you were the worse for drink and have begun imagining things.”
Mr. Jacobs raised a brow. “So that’s the game, eh?”
“There is no game, and as for yourowngames, careful you do not go too far one day or you may find yourself on a green at dawn. You have not been introduced to the lady, nor will you be. The marchioness finds you distasteful, as do I, and there will be no cause to approach Miss Yardley again. Now move off, if you please.” Lord Gresham said.
Grace felt near-paralyzed. Lord Gresham’s expression was enraged and his voice was low and deadly.
Mr. Jacobs only shrugged. He turned his horse and said over his shoulder, “A green at dawn? You are far too serious, Gresham. Good day to you, Miss Sprinter.”
“I apologize, on his behalf,” Lord Gresham said, watching Mr. Jacobs’ departure. “He is a coward who thinks a great deal of himself until he is challenged on the idea.”
“Miss Sprinter,” Grace said softly.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Lord Gresham said. “But all you can do is face it down. My aunt will no doubt be an effective ally.”
“As you have been. I thank you for defending me,” Grace said softly. “He seems a very unpleasant person.”
“Unpleasant!” Betsy cried. “I’d knock him off his horse as soon as look at him!”
