“How did you end up courting Cecilia then?”
He squirmed under her direct stare. How could he explain it even to himself? “When the Carmichaels heard about Frank’s death, they came to pay their respects. The bad feelings seemed to have mended, and Cecilia started going out of her way to talk to me at church and social functions. Our relationship sort of evolved from there.”
“Are you happy about it? The relationship I mean.”
His usual glib reply died on his tongue at the sincerity in her eyes. “I thought I was. But when Christian came into my life, I started noticing a few problems. I’m hoping they’ll resolve themselves in time.” How had he ended up discussing his feelings for Cecilia with Grace of all people?
“May I give you a piece of advice?” she asked softly.
“Be my guest.”
She shifted to face him more fully, her expression earnest. “Don’t base any important decisions on the expectations of others. You deserve to live your life the way you want. The way God intends for you.”
Andrew went very still. The words of the prayer he’d uttered right before Grace had come into the garden rang in his ears. Help me to know your will for my life, and I will do my best to follow it. Had God used Grace as an instrument to get His message across?
“I know it’s none of my business, but you see, I have this terrible character flaw.” She gave a slight shrug. “I need to make sure everyone is happy.”
“Actually, I find your honesty refreshing. And I’ll keep your advice in mind.”
Grace smiled at him, the lights from the fountain reflecting in her eyes. He could stare into their depths all night.
Probably not a good idea.
With effort, he tore his attention away and pointed at the sky. “Have you noticed how bright the stars are tonight?”
She tilted her head back. “They’re amazing.”
“I used to love coming out here as a boy. I’d lie on the lawn and watch them for hours. Sometimes I’d even fall asleep out there.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
“Would you like to see my favorite viewing spot?” His mouth seemed to operate independently from his brain. But after enduring the falseness of his parents’ guests all evening, Grace was a breath of fresh air.
“I’d love to.”
Andrew held out a hand to her, regretting the tentative expression in her eyes. But she placed her hand in his, and they rose. He led her out of the garden to the long stretch of grass beyond. Immediately, the lush darkness surrounded them, enveloping them in hushed stillness. When they reached the large maple tree he loved to climb as a boy, Andrew stopped. “This is where I used to come,” he said. “I would lie out here under the tree for hours.”
But they couldn’t do that now. Not in their good clothes. So he tugged her farther along to the gazebo and pointed to the steps. “Not quite the same view, but a lot drier than sitting on the grass.”
“This will do nicely.” She smiled as she smoothed her dress under her on the top step.
He sat beside her, careful to leave an appropriate distance between them. “If you look straight up, you can sometimes see the Milky Way.”
Her lips parted as she gazed upward. “It’s breathtaking. It feels as though God is sharing the beauty of heaven with us.”
“That’s what I always imagined too.” He found himself caught up in the wonder of the heavens on display. The immense universe spread out before them, splashed with hundreds of thousands of dancing lights.
They sat together in perfect harmony, staring into the sky, content to drink in the magic of the night. A sense of oneness filled him. Never could he remember being so at peace with himself and the world. His soul sang as though he’d found his perfect match.
Someone who valued the same things he did.
Someone who understood him as no other.
After a few minutes more, Grace rubbed her arms and glanced over at him. “I’d love to stay longer, but I really should get back.”
Reluctantly, he held out a hand to help her up. “You’re shivering. Here, take my jacket.” He removed it and draped it around her shoulders. But somehow he couldn’t make his arms drop away. Instead, he tugged on the lapels to pull her closer.
Her soft gasp and the quickening of her breath made his pulse thunder. When she lifted her face to stare up at him, he was undone.
“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he whispered.
She shook her head, her eyes never leaving his.
The chorus of crickets serenading them faded to the background, while the scent of roses and fresh grass filled his senses. He lifted a finger to caress her silky cheek. At that moment, there was nothing he wanted more than to kiss her. Slowly, he moved closer until their lips met. He lingered there for a second before easing back to make sure she wanted this too. Her eyes burned with longing and perhaps a touch of indecision. Yet when he lowered his mouth again, she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back with a passion that astounded him. His chest expanded and filled with heat. Every nerve in his body hummed with electricity.
It seemed all the stars in the universe had aligned for this precise moment.
The joining of lips. The merging of hearts. The union of souls.
He cupped the back of her head and wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her closer. The silken strands of her hair teased his jaw as his mouth found the sweetness of hers once again. She tasted of honey and freshness and hope.
A groan rumbled through his chest. Before he lost complete control, he broke the kiss, but kept his arms around her. She fit against him perfectly, his chin resting lightly on top of her head. His heart beat an unsteady rhythm while his breathing fought to even out. He’d never experienced such a perfect moment in time. If only he could stay cocooned in this bubble of joy for the rest of his life. Then Andrew could die a happy man.
CHAPTER 22
Grace pressed her face into the silkiness of Andrew’s shirt, inhaling the spicy scent of his cologne. Despite an attempt to gather her wits about her, her frantic pulse rate refused to slow. She’d never experienced anything quite like Andrew’s soul-stirring embrace. Now, resting in his arms, she’d never felt so safe, so cherished.
When he tilted her chin and pressed his lips to hers again, she responded willingly, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.
“Andrew? Are you out here?” Mr. Easton’s booming voice rang out over the stillness of the night.
Andrew sprang back, his expression panicked. “We can’t let him find us together,” he said. He scanned the dark expanse of lawn between them and the garden. “Wait here till I’ve gone inside.”
Her spirits plummeted faster than a falling star. Of course Andrew wouldn’t want to be seen with her. Being caught with the nanny would be a transgression of the worst kind. One Mr. Easton likely wouldn’t forgive.
“Promise me, Grace. He’ll fire you if he finds you here.” The urgency in Andrew’s voice brought the strength back to her knees.
“I-I promise.”
He guided her into the gazebo. “I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” With a last tortured look, he took off at a run across the lawn and soon disappeared behind the bushes.
Grace leaned back against the wall of the gazebo, her breath still coming too fast. She touched her fingers to her lips. Had Andrew really kissed her or had she dreamt the whole thing?
She closed her eyes, reliving the feel of his arms around her, his warm lips, the brush of his beard against her cheek. If she’d believed she was falling for him before, that embrace had magnified every sensation, fanning her feelings into a roaring inferno.
Yet underneath this moment of bliss lurked the hard reality. Andrew was still involved with Cecilia. She should have pushed him away. Demanded he never touch her again.
But instead she’d kissed him back with reckless abandon.
Reckless. Irresponsible. Just like her mother always claimed.
A groan escaped her. H
ow would she ever face Andrew after this?
Andrew slowed his breathing and stepped from behind the bushes. His father had come down from the verandah, the glow from his cigar bobbing as he walked.
“There you are. Why are you out here all alone?” Father scanned the property behind him.
Andrew prayed Grace had stayed hidden. Neither of them needed the grief that would follow if his father discovered them together. “I needed some air. Why?”
“The Carmichaels are leaving. You need to see them out.”
Of course. Heaven forbid he miss saying good-bye. One more thing for Mrs. Carmichael to complain about.
“I didn’t realize they’d be leaving so soon.” Andrew went to straighten his sleeve and froze. He’d left his jacket draped around Grace’s shoulders. How was he going to explain that?
At the same time, his father’s eyes narrowed. “Where is your jacket?”
A bead of sweat snaked down Andrew’s back. “I must have left it by the fountain. You go ahead. I’ll be right in.”
His father stared at him. “I hope you’re not foolish enough to bring another woman out here. Not with Cecilia waiting for you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” The denial sounded defensive even to him, almost an admission of his guilt. Andrew clenched his hands into fists. “Tell her I’ll be right there.” He turned and strode away, praying Grace was still where he’d left her.
Otherwise how would he ever explain the disappearance of his jacket?
How long had Grace been waiting? Long enough for Andrew and his father to have gone inside? Certainly long enough for her to miss the warmth of Andrew’s embrace.
She shivered in the cool breeze and rubbed her arms. At the feel of the scratchy wool, she gasped. Andrew’s suit coat. Would he come back when he realized he’d forgotten it?
From inside the gazebo, Grace peered into the darkness. Above the bushes, all she could see was the faint glow of lights from the solarium. With no way to tell if Andrew and Mr. Easton were still out there, Grace would have to leave the jacket here and hope Andrew would find it after she’d gone.
She slipped the coat off her shoulders and laid it on the bench seat.
“Grace.”
She jumped at the hoarse whisper and whirled around.
Andrew entered the gazebo, a curious mix of relief and anguish flooding his features.
Without a word, she handed him the jacket.
“Thank you,” he said in a low voice. “I wish I could stay, but I have to get back before they send out a search party.” He put on the coat and adjusted the sleeves.
“I understand.” She’d love nothing more than to be able to sit by the fountain with him. Maybe he’d hold her hand or even kiss her again.
But it was not meant to be.
“I enjoyed our time together.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “We’ll talk tomorrow.” With a quick smile, he turned and ran back toward the house.
Grace stood alone in the darkness, more chilled than ever without his jacket. Without his reassuring presence. Though it was silly, she couldn’t help but feel abandoned. Finally, when it seemed enough time had elapsed, she made her way back to the house, keeping to the shadows until she reached the servants’ entrance.
Thankfully, she encountered no one on the way up to her room. She shut her door without a sound and leaned against it, her spirits sinking. How had she gone from the most wonderful experience of her life to sneaking back to her room like a criminal?
What a fool she’d been to think she could ever ignore her feelings for Andrew. His kiss had changed everything, and now their relationship would never be the same.
A sharp tug of guilt sliced through her as the faint chime of the grandfather clock registered. She’d only meant to spend a few minutes in the garden, but instead had spent far more time away than she’d planned, gazing at stars and kissing her employer, letting her own selfish desires outweigh her responsibility.
Her mother was right. She was reckless. Untrustworthy. Tears fought their way into her eyes. Would she ever learn her lesson?
She entered the nursery through the connecting door, not daring to breathe until she peered into the crib. The baby was sleeping peacefully, his thumb in his mouth.
Grace exhaled softly. Thank you, Lord.
She would never have forgiven herself if anything had happened to him while she was gone.
Without a sound, she slipped back into her room, leaving the door slightly ajar so she could hear him if he woke. Her gaze fell on the end of her bed, and she frowned. The corner of the quilt was sticking out as though tucked in with great haste. She was certain she hadn’t left it that way when she’d gone downstairs.
Prickles of foreboding raced along her arms. Had someone been in here?
Grace moved toward the bed and pulled the quilt free. An object flew out and landed on the floor. Slowly she bent to pick it up. A large blue stone surrounded by a circle of diamonds dangled from a gold chain. Instinctively, she knew this piece was no imitation.
A jolt of anxiety streaked through her, along with a thousand thoughts pinging through her head. Someone had purposely hidden it in her bed. But why?
Muffled voices sounded from the corridor. She froze, the necklace seeming to weigh like a brick in her palm. Harried footsteps followed, then a deep voice filtered through Grace’s door.
“You’re being ridiculous, Celia. It probably slipped off somewhere downstairs.” Andrew sounded exasperated.
“I’m not being ridiculous. Someone took it. You’ll see.” Cecilia’s petulant voice grew louder. “That nanny of yours was staring at it earlier when she brought the baby down.”
Two sharp knocks sounded on her door. “Grace, are you awake? I need to speak with you.”
Grace’s heart stalled in her chest. She couldn’t make her mouth open to answer him. Maybe if she stayed silent, they’d believe she was asleep and leave her be. But Andrew would know she was awake. It hadn’t been that long since he left her in the gazebo.
How was she ever going to explain this necklace?
CHAPTER 23
In the corridor outside Grace’s room, Andrew held his breath and prayed she wouldn’t answer his knock. He didn’t know if she’d had enough time to make it back from the gazebo yet, but if he could convince Cecilia that Grace was asleep and that he’d confront her with this ridiculous accusation in the morning, it would buy him time to determine how best to handle the situation.
On the other hand, if Grace was here, Andrew could make a perfunctory search of her room and prove she had nothing to do with the disappearance of Celia’s necklace.
Andrew clenched his jaw. He couldn’t begin to comprehend why Cecilia was so insistent Grace had stolen her pendant. Most likely, the clasp had come loose, and the piece had fallen off. The maids would find it when they cleaned up after the guests left.
He turned to Cecilia. “I’m sure Grace is long retired for the night. I’ll speak to her first thing tomorrow, if the maids don’t come across the necklace in the meantime.”
Her thin brows crashed together. “That is unacceptable.”
Then before Andrew could stop her, she twisted the doorknob and pushed into the room.
Grace stood by the end of the bed, still in the dress she’d been wearing earlier. A fleeting look of panic flickered in her eyes. “What is the meaning of this?” She clutched the bedpost with one hand, thrusting the other behind her back.
Cecilia advanced on her. “Hand over my necklace, you thief. I know you took it.”
The blood drained from Grace’s face, and for a moment, Andrew feared she would faint.
Then her features hardened as she glared at Cecilia. “You mean the one you stashed under my mattress?”
Cecilia’s mouth fell open. “Of all the nerve—”
Grace sidestepped Cecilia to stand in front of Andrew. “When I returned to my room earlier, I noticed my bed was untidy, not like I’d left it. I pulled out the quilt and fou
nd this.” Grace held out her hand, revealing the sapphire and diamond pendant. “Someone came in while I was gone and put it there.” She shot a hard look at Cecilia.
Cecilia’s nostrils flared. She snatched the necklace from Grace’s hand. “A liar as well as a thief. This would have fetched a pretty penny for someone of your station. I’ve a good mind to call the constable.”
Despite Grace’s bravado, her bottom lip trembled. She turned her wide brown eyes on him. “Surely you don’t believe that, Andrew.”
He almost groaned. She’d called him Andrew, not Mr. Easton. With that tiny slip, Grace might have fueled Celia’s ire and sealed her fate.
His stomach twisted at the unfairness of the situation, for even with the evidence in her hand, Andrew knew Grace would never take anything that wasn’t hers. Everything in him wanted to shout her innocence. That she couldn’t have stolen the necklace, because she was with him outside. But if he admitted they were alone together at the gazebo, it would ruin her reputation.
And he couldn’t risk upsetting Cecilia even more. Not with so much at stake.
His hesitation became evident to both women, each looking equally unhappy. He needed time to figure out how to protect Grace from whatever was happening here.
“Let’s all calm down,” he said. “Celia, you have your necklace back, and your parents are waiting for you. Let’s sleep on the situation and deal with it in the morning.”
“And give her time to disappear? I think not.”
Grace whirled on her. “Why would I disappear when I’ve done nothing wrong?” She turned to Andrew. “I would never abandon Christian. Never.” Her eyes shone with moisture, beseeching him to believe her.
“Those tears aren’t fooling anyone,” Cecilia scoffed.
Andrew’s stomach churned. Any minute, Cecilia would storm down the stairs and accuse Grace of theft, leaving his parents with no choice but to call the authorities.
The Best of Intentions Page 19