As Grace’s fingers lightly flew across the keys, she said, “I believe it is my purview toshoot, as you term it, as high or low as I like.”
“Yes,” Lord Gresham said slowly, “but a lady as young and inexperienced as yourself must also wish to take the advice of older and wiser people.”
“I am twenty, my lord. I have hardly just broken out of the schoolroom.”
“I am twenty-six.”
“Congratulations.”
There was a long pause after that particular statement. Grace was not surprised by it, as it had been the sort of thing she ought to have thought, rather than said.
“I only say,” Lord Gresham plowed on, “that older and wiser people may know what would be best for you.”
Though Grace’s composure was generally so reliable, it had never been tested to such a degree. Who did he think he was? Why did he think he was so clever? Did he really imagine she did not see through his ruse? He wished to ruin her chances and mask that effort by pretending it was only concern for her future. Because he was twenty-six?
Her composure, as long a rope as it might be, had an end as all ropes did. She’d finally come to it.
“Lord Gresham, you should know that I am a sensible person who is all too cognizant of her duty to a widowed mother. If a gentleman asks for my hand, I will very sensibly accept. Immediately. And that includes Mr. Vance. I intend on marrying and making provisions for my mother at the very first opportunity. I would appreciate it if you would cease your meddling, as it is none of your affair.”
Grace bent over the keys and concentrated on her playing, lest she tip over and hit the carpet like a pile of bricks, just as Ranston had done two days earlier. She’d never given anybody such a dressing-down in her life. She suspected her father would not be approving of precisely how discomposed she’d become.
Lord Gresham did not answer her salvo, but rather marched to the bookshelf, took a book and threw himself into a chair.
Her fingers trembled and she willed them to stop, but in the meantime, she chose a much slower piece of music so she could keep control of where her hands were going.
Fortunately, the duchess and Lady Heathway provided some distraction. First, they’d had a thorough discussion about the shock of Lady Featherstone figuring out Lord Ryland’s mystery and their trepidation over how many lectures would be foisted upon them regarding how she’d done it. They were in total agreement that they were already tired of her staring down at the emerald broach and it would probably be with them like an unwanted extra person for the rest of their days.
Then, they were in total agreement that their lords were not playing very well and that it was nearly a forgone conclusion that they would come out the victors.
Then the duchess commented that there was a certain nobility in the composition of Lady Heathway’s furniture. While Grace was well aware that Lady Heathway thought the duchess threw round the wordnobleexcessively, she seemed to take that particular application in cheerful stride.
Finally, they had an in-depth discussion about Lord and Lady Wunderman. Grace did not know them, nor had she even heard of them. But it appeared as if Lord Wunderman was irate that his lady had redecorated their entire house while he was on the continent attending to some government business. Lady Wunderman, for her part, felt it was a suitable answer to her lord’s seemingly unending and embarrassingly schoolboy appreciation for Lady Calhoun’s wit. If Lady Wunderman could not be as witty as that irritating lady, she would at least have new drapes, carpets, bedding, and sofas.
Lady Heathway and the duchess appeared to find great amusement in the idea, though when Grace glanced over it did not seem as if the two lords were equally diverted. Perhaps they wondered what would happen to their own houses should they find another lady too witty for their wives’ comfort.
In the end, Lady Heathway and the duchess prevailed at whist over their husbands. It seemed an outcome that was very usual and Grace wondered if the lords did not find it more convenient to come out the losers as it kept their ladies in such good spirits.
Grace was relieved that supper had been announced as her fingers were quite worn out. She would have stopped playing ages ago, but what was she to do? Sit across from Lord Gresham as he pretended to read? She was certain he was not reading as she did not think he had at all turned a page.
She had thought about claiming an illness and retiring, but she was starving and did not think she could manage until morning with only the biscuits in the tin in her room. She could also do with a glass of wine.
At least now he would go, and she could have her glass of wine in peace. She might even ask for madeira. Truthfully, if it would not have shocked, she’d ask for Lord Heathway’s brandy.
“Do you stay for supper, George?” Lady Heathway asked. “It will be no trouble at all. We have a buffet on these nights so it is quite casual.”
“Delighted, Aunt.”
Delighted? Why should he be delighted? He had sat an entire evening pretending to read a book. One would think he’d be ready to get out of the house and go to his club. Or go home. Or jump off a bridge if that would be more convenient.
“Come, Grace,” Lady Heathway said kindly, “I fear you have quite worn yourself out providing us with music for so long a time. I ought to have told you to rest ages ago, but it was so very pleasant.”
“Miss Yardley plays beautifully,” the duchess said. “Of course, we all did wonder when we’d hear Miss Wilcox play.”
The duchess and Lady Heathway gave each other meaningful frowns and Grace supposed they were of one mind regarding Lady Langley’s as yet undiscovered musical ability.
The supper wasindeed a buffet and whatever Ranston’s nerves might be, he certainly could rally the staff to produce quite a good dinner. There were cold dishes of meats, salads, jellies, and pickled vegetables, as well as hot dishes of a ham, a chicken, a roasted beef, and a dish of fish in a sauce, along with broiled onions and stewed cabbage. At the end of the board, there was a selection of cakes, candied fruits, and stewed pears.
Grace attempted to be delicate in her selections, but really she felt as if she could eat a mountain of food. Her appetite always grew when she was out of sorts. She had eaten all the day long when her father had died. There were some who wasted away from upset, her mother was such a person, but Grace only piled her plate ever higher.
