Page 13 of Married By Twelfth Night
“I don’t expect you to. Just remember your promise to me.”
She nibbled at the corner of her lip. “I suppose I can think of something.”
“All while you are convincing the rest of the world that Richard Graham has more merit than you’ve previously believed?”
She grimaced—not a promising start.
He hadn’t much to show for his life up until this point, and she knew that all too well. But he hadn’t known responsibility then. Father hadn’t wanted his involvement. It was different now, and he was determined to never shirk his responsibility again. “Well?” he hedged. “Think of Mr. Dobson.”
“Must I? Oh, so be it,” she huffed. “From this point forward, I am enamored with you, Richard Graham.”
“Enamored?” He liked the sound of that far more than he should have. He wouldn’t hold back either. Grace had it coming for her. He grinned and pushed the abandoned cribbage board aside. “Now this I cannot miss.”
Chapter 6
Grace left the breakfastroom the next morning with a sense of relief. Ever since her agreement with Richard, she had felt a burden lifted from her shoulders. She would finally be free of Mr. Dobson. Whenever the slightest misgiving niggled its way into her mind, she chased it away. It would take time to get used to the idea of Richard marrying Ruth, but surely with her sister’s happiness, Grace would find contentment with the situation.
Nothing would go amiss. She wouldn’t let it.
Mama met her in the corridor, standing on the black-and-white tiled floor, waving a note in the air. She had that excited look about her again—two days in a row.
“Mama?”
“It’s from Mr. Graham,” Mama said, coming to a stop in front of her. “He says their pond has frozen over, and he has invited us all over to skate on it.”
“I am not overly adept at skating, but I suppose I could manage for Tobias’s sake. He will surely enjoy the outing.”
“A generous thought, Grace. But is not the invitation quite formal? What do you make of it?” She pointed to the words in the letter as she repeated them. “He specifically mentions the Misses Steeles and their family.” When she looked up, her eyes were positively gleaming.
Grace opened her mouth, ready to make a snide remark about how Richard was finally making an effort to be a better brother by inviting entertainment and friends for his sister, but she remembered at the last moment that she was supposed to be fond of him. “We must thank him for his kindness.”
Mama’s brow rose. She knew Grace’s frustration toward Graham better than most. “I will write to him and accept, of course, but it would be most appropriate for you to thank him in person as well.”
“I will endeavor to do so as soon as we arrive.” There. She had been perfectly cordial. This wasn’t hard at all.
Mama’s grin spread. “Wonderful. I shall tell the others of our change in plans for the day.”
Not an hour later, they were all wrapped in fur cloaks and gloves, making their way to Belside’s pond a small walk from the front of the house. A few trees and shrubs were covered in a lacy frost and the ground was stiff beneath their steps. A heavy cloud cover of gray reached every corner of the sky, making Grace wonder if it would snow again.
Bridget and Richard, bundled in warm outer clothes, were already gliding across the ice.
Tobias ran ahead to meet them, his boots crunching against the frozen grass.
“How long do we plan to stay?” Ruth asked their parents.
“Until we turn into icicles,” Papa responded.
Grace couldn’t help but smile at his excitement. Papa was not as strict or stoic as some fathers were. He enjoyed a good lark with the rest of them.
The Grahams had a crate full of skates next to a bench, and by the time the Steeles reached it, Tobias had already dug out a pair and had them laced to the bottom of his boots.
“Slow pokes,” he said, hobbling on the blades to the pond’s edge. “Catch me if you can.” He stepped onto the ice with ease and sailed across its glassy surface.
Bridget and Richard stepped off the ice a moment later.
“It’s even better than two years ago,” Bridget said, coming up beside Grace and taking her arm.
Two years ago, Bridget had skated for two weeks straight. Grace had attempted to do the same but with far less success. Last year, no one had skated. The family had still been in mourning, and no one had cared to think about forms of amusement.
