Page 40 of The Sprinter
“Well good to see you too!”
The voice was unmistakably Mr. Jacobs. It was clear enough that Lord Ryland had chosen to accommodate Lady Heathway’s and the duchess’ request that Mr. Jacobs not appear anywhere they were to attend. It was equally clear that Mr. Jacobs had not paid heed to it.
What was to be the end of it? Was he to be admitted? Grace could not bear his sly smile and joking manner, even if she had been the cause of it.
“I did ask you to excuse yourself from this evening,” Lord Ryland said.
Grace could practically feel Lord Ryland’s eyes drifting toward her.
“What on earth are you talking about, Ryland?” Jacobs asked, his voice full of false jocularity.
“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about,” Lord Ryland said. “Out you go, and we’ll say no more about it.”
“I see,” Jacobs said, in a tone far more threatening than it had been. “Everybody is to rally roundherand pretend she did not climb out a window, though you all know she did. Nobody seems the least curious as to why, though there must have been a gentleman involved. No,Iam made the villain, though I did nothing!”
Lady Heathway took Grace by the arm and hurried her away.
As they approached the ballroom, Lady Heathway said softly, “Lord Ryland will deal with that scoundrel. Do not allow it to discompose you.”
“I was afraid he would be exceedingly angry, and he is,” Grace said. She did not add that Lord Gresham had thought the letters that had gone out were extremely ill-advised and would only compound the problem. As much as she did not care to believe Lord Gresham right in any matter, he was right aboutthat.
“He is cooking his own goose,” Lady Heathway said. “Lord Ryland may have pushed him off for this evening to please me, but it is unlikely that he would have carried on forevermore. I suspect now, he will.”
“It is frightening, though,” Grace said, “that he would have come despite Lord Ryland’s request.”
Lady Heathway stopped Grace and cupped her face. “He tried it once, but his failure will mean he will not try a second time. You will not see him again. Furthermore, you are to know that I can be a veritable Visigoth if someone under my wing is threatened. These wings of mine are big enough to protect you.”
Grace was touched by Lady Heathway’s words. Though she had sometimes thought of her as a Viking, her styling herself as a Visigoth was equally suitable.
The lady was so different from her mother! She was so bold and strong. Lady Barlow was affectionate in her own way, but she did not have the strength or fortitude to shield anybody from anything.
“Chin up, my dear,” Lady Heathway said encouragingly.
Grace nodded. “Yes, thank you,” she said, regaining her composure. “I know I have nothing to fear with you to protect me and I will not dwell on what has just occurred.”
“That’s my girl,” Lady Heathway said. “And just in time too, as the gentlemen approach.” With almost a sigh she said, “I see Mr. Vance is in the lead.”
Grace was determined to follow Lady Heathway’s directive and not allow Mr. Jacobs to discompose her. She was also rather cheered to see Mr. Vance, as he was a very genial gentleman. And, of course, she was resolved to view every gentleman she encountered with new, more open and realistic, eyes.
Mr. Vance bowed and said, “Lady Heathway, Miss Yardley, you both look exceedingly charming this evening.”
“Am I to be charmed by supposedly looking charming, Mr. Vance?” Lady Heathway asked with an eyebrow raised.
“I certainly hope so, as I am determined to secure Miss Yardley for supper. I am all confidence that she is exceedingly clever and will solve the mystery speedily.”
Grace was delighted with the idea; she was sure that Mr. Vance would be diverting. However, she remembered Lady Heathway’s lack of enthusiasm for the gentleman’s pedigree and so she glanced at her. Lady Heathway only shrugged before her attention was pulled by the duchess, who had come sailing over in her usual brocade. Grace took that as acquiescence and presumed she was being indulged because Lady Heathway wished to keep her spirits up. She handed over her card.
As Mr. Vance wrote down his name, he said, “I am delighted, Miss Yardley. Of course, I understand you will want to sit out the dancebeforesupper, on account of your ankle. I pray both you and Lady Heathway are amenable to our going into the card room. We might play piquet.”
“My ankle?” Grace asked, having not the first idea of what he was talking about.
Now, Mr. Vance looked confused. “Indeed,” he said. “Not a moment ago, Lord Gresham told me you had violently twisted your ankle in the garden this morning and would not prefer to dance.”
Grace glanced at Lady Heathway, but she was whispering rapidly to the duchess on her other side, no doubt telling her of the arrival and departure of Mr. Jacobs.
Lady Heathway had not heard this unusual story and Grace hardly knew what to think of it.
Until suddenly she did.
