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‘I think that means a comfy bed, lots of walks, plenty to eat, and a fresh bowl of water.’
Sixteen
ThenightoftheMistletoe Dance came all too soon for Grace, and yet not soon enough.
She had found the perfect dress and she couldn’t wait to see what, Griff thought of it.
The look in his eyes when she walked in and he took her coat said everything she hoped and needed it to, but his voice said even more.
‘You look so beautiful Grace, I don’t think I’ll be able to take my eyes off you all night. You outshine the stars.’
The dress was fitted to accentuate every line and curve of her body. It was made of the finest silver thread that gave it a gossamer like quality and beneath the see-through silver was the softest white chiffon. She wore her hair in a loose bun and had a single sprig of mistletoe clipped into place.
Griff wore a black tuxedo and a white shirt and cummerbund and his dark ebony hair glistened beneath the lights.
‘Dance with me?’ he asked as soon as the music started. It was provided by a choir from St Gabriel’s Church and a string quartet from Folkestone.
‘With pleasure, Grace said, revelling in the feeling of being swept up in his arms and the warmth of his body against hers.
He sighed softly. ‘If someone had told me that Bianca’s tantrum of just over two weeks ago would have led me to this, I would never have believed them. She looks so well tonight, and that makes this evening even better.’
‘She does. And your dad looks happy.’
‘Maybe he is. We’ll have to wait and see.
He twirled Grace around the floor with dance moves that would have made all four judges of Strictly Come Dancing score them perfect 10s.
‘You can dance!’ Grace said, surprised at his prowess.
‘Why so surprised? It’s something I’ve practiced over the years. If I’m going to do something, I try to do it well.’
She could imagine several things she thought he would do well. He certainly kissed well if that kiss beneath the mistletoe that day was anything to go by.
‘I bet you do,’ she said.
‘Look at me,’ he whispered.
Grace almost stumbled when she did. There was a look in his eyes that made every nerve in her body sing jingle bells at full pelt.
‘There’s something I want to ask you, but I think Russell has something he needs to say to you first.’
‘Russell?’ Panic gripped her.
She had been wishing Russell would ask her to be his date for this dance for so long and now, when she didn’t want that wish to come true, was this the one night of her life that it would?
‘He’s going to be waiting for you in the study,’ Griff said. ‘I’ll take you to him after this dance.’
‘Griff? Why? What does he want to say to me?’
‘I’d better let him say it. It’s not my place to do so.’
Was this why Griff hadn’t asked her out? Was this why Griff hadn’t tried to take things forward? She wanted to run. She flet like Cinderella. Was the magic about to run out?
The music stopped far too soon and Griff held out his arm for her. She reluctantly slipped her hand through it and he led her from the dance floor towards the back of the house to a room overlooking the rear garden.
The moon added an extra sparkle to the water of the lake that was visible through the window. And Russell stood beside the roaring fire of the study, gazing out to the indigo sea beyond, and the black velvet sky dotted with stars.
Seventeen
