Page 35 of The Sprinter
Grace had expected she would seem angry or irritated, but she only nodded and handed the letter over.
“She complains as much as ever, but in a far more encouraging manner. I believe she gets on very well. You will see what I mean.”
Grace looked down at the letter in her hands and read it.
My darling daughter,
I pray you are being entertained in London. I, of course, am not so entertained. The nurse is the same terror she has been since she arrived. However, I remembered that I am a viscountess and have a certain bearing and dignity to fall back on. I have chosen to teach the old harridan a thing or two. When I am forced to walk, I speed up so that she is always behind me. When I wake, I open the window before she can get to it—it is my decision and my purview, and I can see very well it infuriates her. How is she to justify her pay if I am doing everything myself, I wonder. At meals, I do not give her the chance of urging more on me, as I take seconds before she can even suggest it.
She and I have been circling one another in battle and I have been the clear victor.
I keep my spirits up by remembering that it will be very soon that you will marry well and we will leave this place for good. Each day that I wait for the post, I wonder if I will read the welcome news that I am to come for a wedding breakfast. I will lock Nurse Maddington in a closet before I set off.
All my love,
Your mother
“I am astounded,” Grace said. “I have never heard her so…forceful.”
“Quite right,” Lady Heathway said, nodding. “She gets her health back and she can stride ahead of the nurse all day long if she likes it. Now, my dear, it was a pleasing evening all the way round and we can retire very satisfied with ourselves.”
Grace re-read theletter a number of times. It really was quite marvelous. The only detail contained in it she was not entirely comfortable with was the idea that Grace should be married soon. She really was not anywhere near it and she feared her mother was pinning all her hopes on a speedy engagement.
Grace stared at herself in the looking glass as Betsy brushed out her hair. What was she doing, anyway? Her mother was quite right in expecting to hear of an engagement. It was her primary reason for coming. Somehow, she had been doing everythingbutgetting engaged.
She must put all of her childish notions aside. Her mother was counting on her. For that matter, she ought to be counting on herself! Her entire future was at stake. She was here on serious business and there was no point in mooning after a gentleman who did not hold her in the slightest regard. Her inclination toward Lord Gresham had blinded her to any other possibility. She must open her eyes and be rational!
She was determined not to let her mother down.
Grace suddenly noticed that Betsy had been chattering on without her.
Betsy ended the tale with, “So you see, the footmen were able to convince Mr. Ranston that a good dose of brandy would sharpen his hearing. As he intended it to be very sharp to be able to hear a criminal approaching, he had more than a few glasses. The end of it was he was remarkable calm and didn’t hear any kind of sound out of doors that must be shot at. Good thinking from those two boys, I thought. Though mind, I did spy Jenny helping herself to the marquess’ bottle too. She is positively wicked.”
Grace smiled. She might well be amused at Lady Heathway’s household. It seemed everything was a bit lighter on her shoulders, now that her own household in Kent got on so well.
And after all, what were her feelings for Lord Gresham? It was bound to be only a girlish infatuation. She was certain she’d look back upon those feelings someday and shake her head and laugh at them.
It was time to grow up and go forward. She must put all of her attention on doing her own part for her household and secure her and her mother’s future. She must marry.
*
Lady Heathway hadbeen up at dawn. Who could sleep when such a triumph was currently tucked into one’s reticule? One must naturally have a great wish to pull the triumph out and wave it around for all to regard. Grace had been decisively the most skilled on the pianoforte the evening before. As her name gave a charming forewarning of, she was all grace at the instrument. It was just as Penelope had envisioned in her imagination so often over the years. Her girl had positively prevailed.
Though she would certainly never say it aloud,hergirl had crushed the aspirations of those other young musical hopefuls under her delicate slipper. And so amiably too.
She’d since fired off notes to all the other ladies, congratulating them on the success of their project at last evening’s soiree. Everyone attending was well aware that Miss Yardley was sponsored by their esteemed society, and so it must be considered a victory for all.
Naturally, in her note to Louisa, she may have offhandedly remarked that they all still looked forward to hearing Lady Langley play. If Louisa’s own pianoforte ever did get repaired. Which to Penelope’s mind was looking less and less likely, though she was too pleased with her circumstances at the moment to say so.
Certainly, last evening had squashed any unfortunate talk about Grace. Nobody could have witnessed her proper bearing and listened to how well trained she was and imagine she would find herself hanging on the side of a house by way of a drainpipe. Even if shehadbeen hanging off the side of a house on a drainpipe.
The notes had been sent flying out of the house and Penelope was just dressed when she was told her nephew awaited her downstairs. He was finishing his breakfast in the breakfast room and would repair to the drawing room. It was not so entirely rare that George would take advantage of her board. He was just down the street and usually ate at his club, but on occasion he strolled into her house, especially for breakfast. He never ate that meal at his own house, thinking it was a waste to have his own cook provide a spread when it was him alone. Whatwasso rare was that he wished to see her. When he did come, he so very often slipped in and then out again.
Surely, he wished to convey his congratulations over her triumph at Lady Redfield’s musical evening. It was very kind of him to think of it!
“Tell my nephew I shall be down forthwith,” she said to her maid.
*
