She gave him a sardonic look. “Only if you have a spear that I might use presently.”
“Grace!” her mother scolded, though the other two laughed.
Grace only smiled and moved on, scanning the gathering for Aubrey or any of her friends. She caught sight of Izzy, Prue, and Elinor, and moved in their direction, sighing with relief when she reached them.
“I have to socialize tonight,” she announced without any sort of greeting.
Elinor looked at her in confusion. “I’m… sorry?”
She ignored her. “Aubrey is going to be paying marked attention to my behavior this evening, as an example of a public setting, and I am to converse freely.”
Izzy’s brow furrowed. “But… no one converses with us. Ever.”
“Exactly,” she replied with a firm nod, “which means I must seek it out.”
“I don’t envy you that,” Prue murmured, her pale eyes wide.
“Envy who what?” her husband asked as he strode up to them, setting his hand on his wife’s shoulder.
Grace grinned at Cam, who always seemed the slightest bit irreverent no matter what he was doing. “Your wife does not envy me, Cam.”
“And nor should she,” Cam blustered, “for my wife is perfection.”
Prue looked up at him wryly. “And Grace is not?”
Cam winced and looked at Grace. “I’m stuck. Help.”
Grace giggled and waved a hand. “No matter, Cam. It is only right you should think your wife is perfection. To be honest, I grow so weary of people calling me perfect, as if that is supposed to make me feel better. It actually makes me feel worse.”
“Does it really?” came a new voice from behind her, and Grace barely avoided rolling her eyes at it.
She turned, fixing a tight smile on her face. “Aubrey. Good evening.”
He bowed in his pristine evening wear, then looked her over quickly. “Dare I risk making you feel worse by saying you look like perfection this evening, Grace?”
“Nicely put,” Cam praised with all sincerity.
Grace scowled, which made Aubrey grin, and she turned back to Cam. “Cam, may I present Aubrey, Lord Ingram? Aubrey, this is Camden Vale.”
Aubrey bowed, as did Cam, and then they shook hands. “You must be the fortunate man married to Prue, then.”
Cam nodded. “I am the most blessed of all men.”
“Oh lord,” Prue muttered, her cheeks flaming.
Cam smiled and brushed a finger along her cheek tenderly, still looking at Aubrey. “She hates it when I say anything of the sort.”
Aubrey shrugged. “It only shows the quality of her good character. True modesty in all sincerity is quite rare, and all the more exquisite when found.”
“I cannot breathe for all the hot air at the moment,” Grace commented offhandedly. “Weren’t you just telling me the other day to drop my modesty?”
Aubrey slid a sidelong look at her. “You don’t have Prue’s good sense and sweetness. It doesn’t suit.”
“Easy,” Cam chuckled as he, too, looked at Grace. “She’s going to strike you.”
“Repeatedly,” Grace confirmed with a nod.
Cam smiled swiftly. “And how do the pair of you know each other?”
Aubrey sobered and clasped his hands behind his back. “I was fortunate enough to be neighbors with the Morledge family in Derbyshire in my youth. The children and I used to run around together and make all manner of mischief.”
“Aubrey has only recently come to London,” Grace told Cam. “And with our renewed acquaintance has also come a continuation of our childish behavior.”
“It’s rather becoming on you,” he replied, shocking Grace and setting her thoughts askew. “What brought you to London in the middle of the Season, Ingram? Looking for a wife?”
God forbid, Grace thought, but couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Aubrey shook his head. “No, sir, only to partake in Society at last. I’ve been much occupied with salvaging my business affairs. And with Grace’s father having recently come to London, I’ve taken it upon myself to seek out his advice and set out to assist both of our estates, now that I have inherited.”
“I don’t envy you that,” Cam sighed, squeezing Prue’s shoulder gently. “We’ve only just gotten repairs to our own estate completed and haven’t yet had the time or ability to see to the land itself.”
“Well, I am happy to offer any assistance you might require,” Aubrey said, sounding the most like himself Grace had heard this evening. “I have some experience now and would be glad to look things over if you have a need.”
“I might take you up on that.”
“Business talk at a ball? No, no, we cannot have that.”
The entire group seemed to both groan and grin at the sound of Miranda Sterling’s voice, and they turned to face her.
She was as resplendent as ever in a silver gown, her arm gracefully draped through Tony’s. Her blue eyes sparkled like the jewels around her throat, and her smile surpassed them all. Say what you will about Miranda, no person alive could find fault with her style. Never in the extremes, and only ever perfection.
It was thrilling to see her, particularly when Grace needed desperately to ask her what she had done to her father to bring this whole farce to fruition, but there was absolutely no way she was doing that in front of the others. Especially not with Cam about.
She glanced at Aubrey, and saw him doing the same to her, and he lowered his eyes ever so slightly.
How had he known what she was thinking?
No matter.
Miranda greeted them all in turn, then her face changed to utter delight when she saw Aubrey.
“Aubrey, darling!” she cried, extending a gloved hand out to him.
He took it, kissing the back fondly. “Miranda, lovely as always. Where have you been? I have been in London for weeks now, and this is the first I am seeing you.”
“Gallivanting, my dear boy, gallivanting,” Miranda told him. “Particularly out to Mawbry for a time. You really must come see it again. The shooting is beyond anything.”
“I should, I know I should,” Aubrey agreed with several nods. “But gallivanting, Miranda? In the middle of the Season? That’s unlike you.”
Miranda tossed her still-dark hair, which danced in its intricate style. “Well, I always say that fresh air and exercise have kept me youthful, so I must ever indulge.”
Tony looked at her in bewilderment. “When have you ever said that?”
“Hush, Tony.” She smiled dotingly at Aubrey. “I insist on a dance, dear Aubrey, before you are swarmed with partners for the evening. Will you object to dancing with an old woman?”
Aubrey bowed. “If I happen to see an old woman, I would take it into consideration. As it is, I will gladly dance with you.”
Grace did roll her eyes at that, but bit back a retort.
She couldn’t risk Miranda’s reaction.
Aubrey leaned close as he passed. “Come find us after. Let’s get this over with.”
Grace reared back, looking at him in surprise, but he was already gone with Miranda. She watched them move out to the dance floor, her mind spinning.
Was he flattering Miranda in an attempt to soften the accusations they would bring against her later?
Devious man.
She prayed it would work.
“I like him,” Cam said to no one in particular.
Grace glowered at him, which he thankfully did not see. She did not need everyone approving of Aubrey while he was gathering information about her. Which reminded her that she had a task to do, and she needed to get to it.
She exhaled slowly, forcing her very best smile on her face. “Excuse me,” she told the group as she moved away and towards a group of people she knew well enough to converse with, however out of practice she was at the exercise.
Where the devil was Grace?
He had been finished dancing with Miranda for almost an hour, and he had absolutely no reason to
keep her near him just to wait for Grace. And there was absolutely no way he was going to do this by himself.
He was just that much of a coward where Miranda Sterling was concerned.
Aubrey skirted the edges of the room with a carefully surveying look, eyes scanning about for any sign of the maddening goddess. It ought to have been easy enough to find her. There was no one else to compare with her this evening.
From first sight of her, before he’d ever expressed a greeting, he’d had the unfortunate sensation of being choked by his own tongue. She was arrayed in lavender silks that could not have flowed more flawlessly from her perfectly proportioned figure. Her golden hair was plaited, pinned, and curled with a degree of elegance he had never seen, and the combs within those tresses engendered an unholy temptation in his fingertips.
And all this from seeing her from behind.
There was no telling what she could do to him when they were brought face to face. He’d only known such fear but once in his life, and that had been falling from a particularly tall tree.
This felt more dangerous.
Thankfully, he’d heard what she’d said about perfection, and he’d been able to answer in a way he knew would irk her.
Her scowl when she faced him certainly dampened the effect of her beauty, but it did not rid him of it. Rather than his knees evaporating or his head swimming, he’d only felt a few fluttering twitches in his chest, which could easily be explained away by recent exertion in his home from moving his bureau.
At any rate, he was much recovered, even in memory, and now desperately needed to find Grace to proceed with the confrontation. He grew more anxious about it the longer they waited, and the further away from his shameless charming of Miranda they got. She would not be delighted with him forever, so time was of the essence.
Then, he caught sight of Grace in the midst of a group of young men, and a few young ladies, listening intently to what was being said, but also attracting a good many looks from those within the circle.
Surely, she had to know that. She had to see how they looked. How they stared.
Even watching this, he frowned. If she attracted such attention, why should she be unmarried and without any sort of courtship?
Clearly, some people were without any sense or intelligence at all.
She saw him watching and raised a brow.
Odd how that motion seemed to set off a reaction in his gut. He swallowed and dipped his chin, hoping she would understand the signal.
Her second brow matched the other, and she lowered her lashes briefly.
Aubrey watched in fascination as she excused herself and came towards him, noting how every single eye from the group was upon her. They watched her with more intensity than he had been doing.
Well, well. He would certainly keep that in mind in his investigation of her.
Grace approached him, widening her eyes meaningfully. “At last. I’ve been stuck in that group for ages, and nothing of any substance or consequence was being said.”
He chuckled, strangely relieved to hear it. There were some very handsome dandies in that group, some of them clearly puppies, but others quite respectable. All would be acceptable marriage candidates, should an offer be made.
Yet, she was pleased to be away.
“You couldn’t escape before?” he asked with a crooked grin.
She scoffed and quirked a smile at him. “I’m not as talented at evasive maneuvers as you are. It’s not in the nature of a young woman, nor in our education. Not a flaw.”
“No, indeed,” he agreed. “In fact, I may have to teach you some proper escape mechanisms for the future.”
“A worthy endeavor, I am sure.” She wrinkled up her nose in distaste. “Shall we get on with it, then? I can see Miranda, and she is currently unencumbered by conversation.”
Get on with what?
Oh, right. Miranda.
Aubrey cleared his throat and gestured for Grace to lead the way. “Ladies first.”
Grace gave him a look as she passed him. “Such a gentleman.”
“Well, I do try.”
“It shows.”
Her dry tone made him grin, and he had to hide it quickly before any following eyes caught sight of it. Imagine someone thinking he was smiling that way at Grace for personal reasons.
The horror.
Miranda saw them coming and immediately turned to face them, her eyes narrowing. “Tell me the pair of you have not come to ask me to assist you in an elopement.”
“What?” they cried together, Grace rearing back while Aubrey merely gaped.
How could she even think such a thing? Cold bursts of shock ricocheted off various parts of him, and it would seem his heart was currently attempting to dance the jig with the guests at this event and was rather painfully failing.
“Such a pity,” Miranda said with a light click of her tongue, ambivalent to their distress. “I was so hopeful.” She heaved a sigh and straightened up. “What can I do for you dears, then?”
Grace looked at Aubrey, but he shook his head.
This was her battle. He was simply fighting it with her.
Her eyes flashed briefly, then she turned back to Miranda. “We know that you are aware of the situation between us.”
“Am I?” Miranda replied with all the expertise of a covert operative.
“And we also know that Georgie wrote to you and explained my particular situation,” Grace went on, miraculously not sounding in any way attacking.
Miranda’s face softened. “Yes, I will admit to that, my dear. I am so sorry, what a horrid mess of things.”
Aubrey’s eyes darted to Grace, knowing too much sympathy would make it all too easy for her to break down and cry. But she was entirely composed and smiling with real warmth. “Thank you,” she replied. “It is a trial, to be sure.”
“I can only imagine.” Miranda nodded with even more sympathy.
Too much.
Perhaps she was a covert operative, for this was a skillful attempt at misdirection. Would Grace catch it, or would he need to intervene?
“But what astonishes me,” Grace continued, her mouth curving, “is how Aubrey could have gotten so wrapped up in this when he refused Georgie’s suggestion.”
Clever girl.
Aubrey smirked and looked at Miranda expectantly.
She flicked her eyes to him. “Perhaps Aubrey has a taste for distasteful ventures.”
“Oh, really, Miranda,” he chortled. “You of all people know I despise distasteful things. We know that you wrote to Trenwick, and something you said convinced him that I ought to be Grace’s examiner. So come on, out with it.”
Grace made a soft sound of amusement beside him, but clamped down on her lips hard, tilting her head at Miranda.
Miranda shifted her gaze between them both, then rolled her eyes. “Oh, very well. Yes, I wrote to Trenwick. We were in the same circles for a time, though he is quite a bit older.”
It took all of Aubrey’s strength not to laugh at that.
“At any rate,” she said quickly, “I happen to know of a particular item in his past that would be remarkably embarrassing should it become public knowledge. I simply wrote him a message that it had come to my attention that he was looking for someone to find fault in his daughter on purpose, and that the only course was to have Aubrey be the person for the task. If he refused, I would reveal what he would like most to be kept secret.”
Blackmail. Plain and simple blackmail had been the sole motivator for Aubrey’s being involved in this whole affair. Trenwick feared Miranda and her threat so much that he convinced Aubrey he was the best choice for this madness.
He couldn’t believe his ears. “But why?” he asked before he could stop himself. “Why me?”
Miranda seemed surprised by the question. “Why not you, dear boy? If anybody was going to be tasked with this, why shouldn’t it be you?”
“Shall I compile a list for you?” he snapped.
“Aubrey,” G
race murmured, putting a hand on his arm.
He seethed silently, but the pressure of her hand kept him steady. A soothing warmth spread from it that did not take away his irritation completely, yet it softened it enough that he could contain it.
“I won’t apologize for this, Aubrey,” Miranda said with her usual bluntness. “Grace was going to be analyzed by someone, like it or not, and it had every possibility of breaking her. Georgie could see that, and she refused to let it happen. I could see it from her account, and I refused to allow it to happen. Selecting you was in no way meant to make either of you uncomfortable, but to make this ridiculous, idiotic, inane venture more bearable for Grace. Because you will not break her, Aubrey. You could not. And that is why I am not sorry, nor should you two be.”
She scolded them both quite soundly with a look before striding away, her dress sweeping the floor with an audible hiss as she moved.
Aubrey stood there without moving, his eyes staring where Miranda had been, his heart no longer dancing, but somehow completely removed from his person and in hiding.
You will not break her.
No, of course he wouldn’t. How could he? How could anyone? Grace was too strong, too perfect, too powerful to be broken, wasn’t she?
But he had seen flashes of shocking vulnerability. The slightest glimpses of insecurity. The hints of rawness that she rarely revealed. She was not invincible, which meant she could be broken.
There was more to Grace than met the eye, as astonishing as that was to believe, and pushing through the walls of education, accomplishment, and nature of such a woman could very well break her if care was not taken.
No, he would not break her. He could not.
He exhaled slowly and turned to Grace, who swallowed hard, her eyes glistening.
“Grace…”
She shook her head quickly, her lower lip puckering. “Give me a moment, Aubrey. It is only the shock.”
She was lying and they both knew it, but he would not press the matter. There would be enough of that to come. In this moment, he had no idea what she needed, but he was willing to provide it.
Whatever it was.
Grace sniffed once, then turned to him, nearly entirely recovered. She smiled playfully, though it did not quite reach her eyes. “That went well, did it not?”
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