Grace was dumbfounded. Why on earth would Lord Gresham wish to upset her plans in such a manner? Of course, he did not approve of her in general, but this idea! That he would absolutely attempt to prevent her from her future? Did he despise her? She had not thought so, but perhaps he did.
Perhaps he was so offended by the talk she’d caused that he wished to punish her in some manner?
And then, was Lord Ryland really interested in her? She had not looked at him in that light. But then, she’d stupidly stopped herself from looking at anyone in that light. Perhaps she needed to look again? Her mother would be mightily pleased with a marquess and he did seem a sensible and well-regarded sort of gentleman. Since she would not be one of those ladies who had the good luck to marry for love, would not a sensible and well-placed gentleman be enough?
Whatever she thought of Lord Ryland, or anybody else, she really could not fathom why Lord Gresham would wish to ruin her chances. A second season guaranteed nothing, as he well knew! To disregard an offer now would be foolhardy, as it might be the only offer that arrived. Especially in her circumstance. She did not come with a large dowry and there were rumors that she’d slid down a drainpipe.
“I even think, Aunt, that perhaps Ryland’s mystery ball ought to be skipped.”
“That is out of the question,” Lady Heathway said. “Lord Ryland quite depends upon me.”
“Does he?” Lord Gresham asked, the skepticism in his voice evident.
The door to the drawing room fairly crashed open.
“Goodness, Ranston,” Lady Heathway said. “What is the matter?”
“Oh. The matter,” Mr. Ranston said.
“Yes, why do you look round the room so wild-eyed?”
“I thought Miss Yardley might be in here.”
“She is still above stairs, what do you want her for?” Lady Heathway asked, the puzzlement in her voice clear enough.
Grace was herself puzzled. She could hardly keep up with everything she was hearing.
Ranston let out a long and sad sigh. “Her lady’s maid says she’s not there, and she’s not in the breakfast room or the library and now she’s not here…”
“Not there…not here…do you mean to say she is not anywhere…but you don’t think…she would not have…there would be no reason…” Lady Heathway said, as if her thoughts would not compose themselves into some sort of reasonable order.
“Blast it! She’s run off again!” Lord Gresham said loudly.
There was silence in the room as everyone except for Grace considered the idea that she’d run off again. What was she to do? Reveal herself now, after hearing everything that had been said?
“I’ll go to the stables and discover if she’s been there,” Lord Gresham said. “If she has, I’ll set off after her.”
“Yes, do, very good thinking. I’ll interview her lady’s maid and discover what she knows. A lady’s maid always knows everything,” Lady Heathway said.
“And I will…” Ranston had trailed off.
Lady Heathway said, “Go have a lie-down, Ranston. We’ll do what can be done.”
Grace sat stock still, the horror of the situation covering her like a heavy blanket. She had not run off to Kent, but she could not reveal where she was.
The three left the drawing room and she heard the door close behind them.
Her thoughts raced, thinking about the layout of the house. Where could she have been that was not this alcove?
Her eyes settled on the window.
She leapt up and undid the latch with shaking fingers. She lifted it up and climbed out, dropping to the alleyway between the two houses. As she did so, she heard the clatter of Lord Gresham’s horse galloping down the road.
Grace picked up her skirts, ran to the back garden wall and found a foothold. It was not a high wall and was meant for decoration rather than keeping anything in or out. She was over it and on the gravel path in a trice.
A housemaid came around a corner and Grace thanked the heavens the girl had not come a moment sooner. The girl was petite and her view had been blocked by Lady Heathway’s shrubbery. The maid looked at her as if she’d seen a ghost and hurried to the opposite side of the garden.
Grace’s heart pounded as if she’d run a mile and she willed it to slow.
