Page 28 of Married By Twelfth Night
She started to pull back, but he held firm. “Your family is watching.” He bent over her hand, and at the last minute, flipped it over, exposing her wrist. His lips pressed against her bare skin, sending a dizzying tingle up her arm. He slowly lifted his head until his gaze reached hers.
“Until next time, Gracie.”
She could not bring herself to respond, so utterly stunned by his unexpected kiss. He seemed to guess her thoughts and gave an unrepentant grin. After his carriage pulled away, her eyes flicked to the windows to spot her family.
Not a soul was in sight.
Chapter 11
Despite all his promisesto himself that he would do anything to save Belside, Richard had refrained from seeing Grace or Ruth at all the day before. He knew the risk he took wasting precious time, but the right choice was not always the practical one. Instead of games of courtship, he made a special effort to write to his mother and spend time with Bridget. Surprisingly, his sister hadn’t abandoned him to be with her dearest friend. Shehadwanted to be with him.
Grace was right. He’d neglected his sister in her time of need. Last night they’d stayed up late reading Father’s journal in the library together. Afterward, they’d talked about how they’d felt when they’d heard the news of Father’s death and relived those first few weeks. Speaking about feelings and thoughts that Richard had attempted to bury had been cathartic. His previous conversation with Grace had opened a channel he had dammed up, and the pent-up emotion poured through more freely now.
Grace had seen what he could not. Bridget hadn’t just needed him; he had needed his sister. When he visited Callis Hall today, he intended to pull Grace aside and thank her. No one else could have been so frank, so honest. She had not only helped his relationship with Bridget, but Ruth was now meeting his eye and speaking to him. It was certainly not enough to secure an engagement, but Grace had known the way to Ruth’s heart. He was eager to renew his efforts in courtingGrace and watching Ruth soften, but he would no longer ignore his sister in the process.
Over breakfast, he extended his invitation to Bridget. “Would you care to accompany me to Callis Hall today? I had hoped to meet with Mr. Steele—”
“You mean you’d hoped to meet with Grace,” Bridget said, pointing her fork at him. “You do not have to play coy with me. And if it is courtship you want, you might want to think beyond simple visits to the house while Mrs. Steele hovers about.”
What was he to say to this? “Since you are so well-versed in these matters, what would you suggest?”
Bridget set down her fork and exchanged it for her half-eaten roll smothered in plum jam. “Well, since you are being so amiable as of late, why not accomplish two tasks at once? I have long desired for you to teach me to fence, and I believe it the perfect sort of activity to invite the Steeles over to join us for.”
“Tobias might enjoy sparring, but it is not a ladylike sport. Mr. and Mrs. Steele would never let their daughters near us again.”
“Women have fenced before,” Bridget complained. “Do you not recall the stories about Catherine Douglass, Duchess of Queensbury?”
“I recall that she was an eccentric woman who many spoke ill of. I do not want that for you or the Misses Steeles.”
Bridget finished off her roll and wiped a bit of jam from her finger with her napkin. “Will I never convince you?”
He shook his head. “So will you join me at Callis Hall or not?”
“How about a fencing example then between you and Tobias? Surely, a lady can watch the sport in her own home.”
Richard sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. Bridget rarely asked anything from him. Surely a little demonstration wouldn’t hurt. “Can you keep this a secret from Mother?”
Bridget crossed her heart and put her hands together to beg.
“Enough. I will send a missive over to the Steeles, but do not be surprised if only Tobias comes.”
In the end, it was he who was surprised. Tobias arrived an hour later accompanied by his sisters.
“I am pleased you could come,” he said to them.
Grace dipped a curtsy. “Thank you for inviting us.” Her cheeks bloomed a subtle shade of pink when her eyes met his, and his stomach clenched at the reaction. Was she remembering the kiss he had left on her wrist? Because he certainly was. Her impossibly soft skin had smelled like spring flowers. A scent he would gladly breathe in again and again. He had not anticipated his impulsive move that day, nor his reaction to it. Nor could he explain why he couldn’t chase away thoughts of her as easily as before.
“We are eager to watch the match,” Ruth said, distracting his attention.
“Uh, this way to the drawing room. The footmen have moved the furniture back against the wall for the entertainment.”
They walked in companionable silence into the room
“It is not every day we have permission to watch a men’s sport,” Grace said, finding a seat on a sofa.
“Indeed, weneverhave permission,” Ruth said, meeting his gaze—a subtle point in his favor. “I have only read about fencing matches in books.”
“Aw, but books have high stakes, where this is going to be a short lesson and simple sparring.”
