Page 14 of Married By Twelfth Night
Richard came up on her other side but spoke to the group at large. “We are glad you all could join us. The ice is holding decently, but avoid the section under the willows. It’s not as thick over there.”
Mama tapped Papa’s arm. “Lace up quickly, dear, so you can catch Tobias and tell him to avoid the willows.”
Grace dug out a pair of wooden skates for herself, carefully avoiding the metal blade she knew had likely been sharpened just that morning. Ruth was next to finish her skates and stepped slowly to the pond’s edge.
“Let me help,” Richard said to Ruth, extending his arm.
Curious, Grace watched as Ruth’s arm rigidly accepted Richard’s. They looked hesitantly at each other before Ruth released him and made her way onto the ice alone.
Something about the interaction rankled her, and she struggled to know why. Perhaps she didn’t like watching someone else’s relationship beginning, or perhaps the two were so opposite she couldn’t imagine them fitting together. Or maybe it ran deeper—a reflection of her own worry that such a relationship would never happen for her. She turned to lace her skate, but Mama caught her eyes.
“Interesting,” she whispered.
“I don’t know what you could mean,” Grace hissed, reaching for her second skate. Why was she annoyed? Richard and Ruth were supposed to be warming to each other.This was the plan.Why did she feel jealous? She could admit Richard was attractive, but it took more than appearance for her to be won over. And Richard’s lackadaisical approach to life in his adolescence had perpetuated in his adulthood. From what she’d heard, he hadn’t taken his studies seriously or spent a single second thinking about his future. He’d opted to stay with friends instead of returning for the summer, visiting only on occasion. Certainly he was home now, but his presence hadn’t changed his attitude. Family was not his highest priority, and she would never be more than a gnat in his ear—just the way she liked it.
“Hurry,” Bridget prompted. “We can practice our turns together.”
“I’ve never been good at turns,” she reminded. “Slow and steady is my preference, remember?”
“A practical approach,” Richard said, returning to them. “I will take Miss Steele’s arm while she warms up, Bridget. We wouldn’t want her hurting herself before she remembers how to skate.”
He was goading her, and she wanted to volley with a remark about how she was not in need of any practice. Unfortunately, Richard likely knew the truth about her lack of skills, and there was no use pretending.
“That is a magnificent idea,” Bridget answered. “Don’t you dare complain, Grace. I want you to skate with me for the entire afternoon.”
When Grace reluctantly met Richard’s gaze, he winked. Her eyes widened. This wasn’t him being helpful. This was him beingcrafty. Knowing she was playing a part was much easier than admitting to her weakness on the ice. She could play along. “Who am I to argue with magnificence?” She exaggerated the word for Richard’s sake, barelyholding back the sarcasm. Let his ego eat up her kindness while he could. It wouldn’t be forever. She had hoped to warm up on Papa’s arm, but this was the perfect opportunity to hatch their plan. She looped her arm through Richard’s with far more confidence than her sister had.
“Enjoy yourself, darling,” Mama said.
Grace did not respond. That woman didn’t care which of her daughters had Richard Graham’s attention so long as one of them kept it forever. In a few weeks’ time, Ruth would make Mama very happy.
Grace set her first foot on the ice, and it nearly went out from under her. She barely held back her shriek.
“Careful,” Richard said, steadying her.
It was one thing to embarrass herself in front of Bridget, but in front of Richard it was mortifying. “Thank you,” she muttered.
“After a few times around, you’ll find your footing.”
She didn’t care to be the worst at something. “Tobias and Ruth had made it look so easy. Are you sure my skates aren’t sharper than theirs and a tad more dangerous?”
He laughed. “It could be a possibility. A very small one.”
Bridget rushed by her like she had been born to skate, turning in a full circle without disrupting her balance. Ruth and Tobias were lining up for a race.
Grace followed Richard’s eyes to where they stood. “What’s your plan?”
He looked down at her. “Skate with you around the pond.”
“I mean, after that. You had a dual purpose for inviting us here, did you not?”
“I confess I did.”
“It was a good idea, but now what?”
He squinted at her. “I thought I would leave that up to you. Scheming is, after all, your specialty, not mine.” He pulled her more fully onto the ice.
Her brow furrowed. “I am choosing not to take offense to that veiled insult since I am supposed to be thinking of your finer qualities, whatever they may be.”
