Page 90 of Everything But the Earl
“Of course, of course. We shall leave in a few minutes. Although I assure you he is quite safe with Mrs. Roberts.”
“I know. I do truly believe that. But it is difficult to be parted.”
“Then we shall return posthaste. But only after I hold you for a few more minutes.”
She looked like she wanted to argue with him, but then she smiled. “Well, all right. If you insist.”
Epilogue
Grace was nothappy about returning to the Rutherford Ball, exactly, but the annual fete was indeed probably the best place to reenter society. There were plenty of people here—including her parents, unfortunately—so it was easy to get lost in the crowd, but plenty of people she knew asked after her and her health.
She found herself sipping lemonade with Penny, much as she had a little over a year ago just before the kiss that had sealed her fate. She couldn’t say she regretted any of it.
Penny said, “I intend to let Beckwith dance with me as soon as he tears himself away from the card room.”
“Indeed. I had forgotten how handsome he is.”
“Yes. We rode in Hyde Park yesterday and it was a delight. Raced each other a bit. I had thebesttime. I do think a proposal will occur soon, although I don’t want to count on it.”
“He’d be a fool not to offer for you. You are beautiful and clever.”
“Yes, thank you. I hope you are right.”
Beckwith did indeed appear at Penny’s side a few minutes later. He held out his arm for her.
That left Grace alone, so she went to go look for her husband. Likely he was also playing cards. When she escaped the ballroom, into the hallway, she found Anthony leaning against a wall, nursing a snifter of whiskey.
“Hello, my lord,” she said.
He looked up and smiled at her sadly. “Hello, my lady. It is good to see you. You look lovely tonight.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
“You seem to be drowning in melancholy. Or whiskey perhaps. Is something wrong?”
He sighed and went back to leaning on the wall. “Oh, everything is wrong. I’m to be married.”
“Are congratulations not in order?”
Anthony looked up and down the hallway, likely verifying that they were alone. Softly, he said, “Waring has left me. Ended our relationship about a month ago. And I promised my mother I’d marry by the end of this Season, so I have just become betrothed to a virtual stranger and we are to be married in a few months.”
“Oh. Oh, Anthony. I am sorry to hear about Waring. Is that why you are so sad?”
“I suppose it is obvious, isn’t it?”
“You are drinking alone in the hallway at one of the largest balls of the Season.”
“My mother thought it would be good to be seen with my fiancée.”
“And who is she, if I might ask?”
“Matilda Clairborne.”
“Oh. She is lovely, at least. I don’t know her well, but I’ve met her a few times and always found her to be friendly and clever.”
“Yes, that is something. Unlike many of the other chits my other threw at me, Miss Clairborne and I do seem to be able to hold a conversation.”
“Anthony.” Grace tutted. “Such low standards.”
“I do not wish to marry at all, if you must know. What I want is to be with Lark again.”
