Married By Twelfth Night (Regency Christmas Brides)

6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Grace left the breakfast room the next morning with a sense of relief. Ever since her agreement with Richard, she had felt a burden lifted from her shoulders. She would finally be free of Mr. Dobson. Whenever the slightest misgiving niggled its way into her mind, she chased it away. It would take time to get used to the idea of Richard marrying Ruth, but surely with her sister’s happiness, Grace would find contentment with the situation.

Nothing would go amiss. She wouldn’t let it.

Mama met her in the corridor, standing on the black-and-white tiled floor, waving a note in the air. She had that excited look about her again—two days in a row.

“Mama?”

“It’s from Mr. Graham,” Mama said, coming to a stop in front of her. “He says their pond has frozen over, and he has invited us all over to skate on it.”

“I am not overly adept at skating, but I suppose I could manage for Tobias’s sake. He will surely enjoy the outing.”

“A generous thought, Grace. But is not the invitation quite formal? What do you make of it?” She pointed to the words in the letter as she repeated them. “He specifically mentions the Misses Steeles and their family.” When she looked up, her eyes were positively gleaming .

Grace opened her mouth, ready to make a snide remark about how Richard was finally making an effort to be a better brother by inviting entertainment and friends for his sister, but she remembered at the last moment that she was supposed to be fond of him. “We must thank him for his kindness.”

Mama’s brow rose. She knew Grace’s frustration toward Graham better than most. “I will write to him and accept, of course, but it would be most appropriate for you to thank him in person as well.”

“I will endeavor to do so as soon as we arrive.” There. She had been perfectly cordial. This wasn’t hard at all.

Mama’s grin spread. “Wonderful. I shall tell the others of our change in plans for the day.”

Not an hour later, they were all wrapped in fur cloaks and gloves, making their way to Belside’s pond a small walk from the front of the house. A few trees and shrubs were covered in a lacy frost and the ground was stiff beneath their steps. A heavy cloud cover of gray reached every corner of the sky, making Grace wonder if it would snow again.

Bridget and Richard, bundled in warm outer clothes, were already gliding across the ice.

Tobias ran ahead to meet them, his boots crunching against the frozen grass.

“How long do we plan to stay?” Ruth asked their parents.

“Until we turn into icicles,” Papa responded.

Grace couldn’t help but smile at his excitement. Papa was not as strict or stoic as some fathers were. He enjoyed a good lark with the rest of them.

The Grahams had a crate full of skates next to a bench, and by the time the Steeles reached it, Tobias had already dug out a pair and had them laced to the bottom of his boots .

“Slow pokes,” he said, hobbling on the blades to the pond’s edge. “Catch me if you can.” He stepped onto the ice with ease and sailed across its glassy surface.

Bridget and Richard stepped off the ice a moment later.

“It’s even better than two years ago,” Bridget said, coming up beside Grace and taking her arm.

Two years ago, Bridget had skated for two weeks straight. Grace had attempted to do the same but with far less success. Last year, no one had skated. The family had still been in mourning, and no one had cared to think about forms of amusement.

Richard came up on her other side but spoke to the group at large. “We are glad you all could join us. The ice is holding decently, but avoid the section under the willows. It’s not as thick over there.”

Mama tapped Papa’s arm. “Lace up quickly, dear, so you can catch Tobias and tell him to avoid the willows.”

Grace dug out a pair of wooden skates for herself, carefully avoiding the metal blade she knew had likely been sharpened just that morning. Ruth was next to finish her skates and stepped slowly to the pond’s edge.

“Let me help,” Richard said to Ruth, extending his arm.

Curious, Grace watched as Ruth’s arm rigidly accepted Richard’s. They looked hesitantly at each other before Ruth released him and made her way onto the ice alone.

Something about the interaction rankled her, and she struggled to know why. Perhaps she didn’t like watching someone else’s relationship beginning, or perhaps the two were so opposite she couldn’t imagine them fitting together. Or maybe it ran deeper—a reflection of her own worry that such a relationship would never happen for her. She turned to lace her skate, but Mama caught her eyes.

“Interesting,” she whispered .

“I don’t know what you could mean,” Grace hissed, reaching for her second skate. Why was she annoyed? Richard and Ruth were supposed to be warming to each other. This was the plan. Why did she feel jealous? She could admit Richard was attractive, but it took more than appearance for her to be won over. And Richard’s lackadaisical approach to life in his adolescence had perpetuated in his adulthood. From what she’d heard, he hadn’t taken his studies seriously or spent a single second thinking about his future. He’d opted to stay with friends instead of returning for the summer, visiting only on occasion. Certainly he was home now, but his presence hadn’t changed his attitude. Family was not his highest priority, and she would never be more than a gnat in his ear—just the way she liked it.

“Hurry,” Bridget prompted. “We can practice our turns together.”

“I’ve never been good at turns,” she reminded. “Slow and steady is my preference, remember?”

“A practical approach,” Richard said, returning to them. “I will take Miss Steele’s arm while she warms up, Bridget. We wouldn’t want her hurting herself before she remembers how to skate.”

He was goading her, and she wanted to volley with a remark about how she was not in need of any practice. Unfortunately, Richard likely knew the truth about her lack of skills, and there was no use pretending.

“That is a magnificent idea,” Bridget answered. “Don’t you dare complain, Grace. I want you to skate with me for the entire afternoon.”

When Grace reluctantly met Richard’s gaze, he winked. Her eyes widened. This wasn’t him being helpful. This was him being crafty . Knowing she was playing a part was much easier than admitting to her weakness on the ice. She could play along. “Who am I to argue with magnificence?” She exaggerated the word for Richard’s sake, barely holding back the sarcasm. Let his ego eat up her kindness while he could. It wouldn’t be forever. She had hoped to warm up on Papa’s arm, but this was the perfect opportunity to hatch their plan. She looped her arm through Richard’s with far more confidence than her sister had.

“Enjoy yourself, darling,” Mama said.

Grace did not respond. That woman didn’t care which of her daughters had Richard Graham’s attention so long as one of them kept it forever. In a few weeks’ time, Ruth would make Mama very happy.

Grace set her first foot on the ice, and it nearly went out from under her. She barely held back her shriek.

“Careful,” Richard said, steadying her.

It was one thing to embarrass herself in front of Bridget, but in front of Richard it was mortifying. “Thank you,” she muttered.

“After a few times around, you’ll find your footing.”

She didn’t care to be the worst at something. “Tobias and Ruth had made it look so easy. Are you sure my skates aren’t sharper than theirs and a tad more dangerous?”

He laughed. “It could be a possibility. A very small one.”

Bridget rushed by her like she had been born to skate, turning in a full circle without disrupting her balance. Ruth and Tobias were lining up for a race.

Grace followed Richard’s eyes to where they stood. “What’s your plan?”

He looked down at her. “Skate with you around the pond.”

“I mean, after that. You had a dual purpose for inviting us here, did you not?”

“I confess I did.”

“It was a good idea, but now what? ”

He squinted at her. “I thought I would leave that up to you. Scheming is, after all, your specialty, not mine.” He pulled her more fully onto the ice.

Her brow furrowed. “I am choosing not to take offense to that veiled insult since I am supposed to be thinking of your finer qualities, whatever they may be.”

“I will happily list them for you, if it helps.”

That could take all day. She shook her head, her feet doing their best to keep up with his. “Don’t change the subject. Is it safe to assume that you did not come up with a plan and that you are hoping I will take it from here?”

He gave a shoulder shrug. “I am new to faking courtships with women. Perhaps you have some experience you might lend me?”

She gave him a very dull stare, which was quite brave of her since she really should have been watching her skates.

“No? Well then, I suppose we will have to forge our way one step at a time.”

She risked falling again and narrowed her eyes at him, her skates wavering as she did. “You’d better not take your flirtations too far.”

He set his free hand on top of hers to steady her again. “You’d better not forget you like me and say something rude.”

She emitted a nervous laugh, very aware of the strange pressure and warmth seeping through her mitten. “Touché.”

“Ah, I made you laugh. An improvement. We are well on our way to fooling everyone.”

She shook her head. “The only one you’re fooling right now is yourself. Can anyone truly believe the two of us could make a match?” She was proficient in chasing away men, and he had a trail of swooning women on his heels. Two such repelling opposites had no business being together .

“It appears we are fooling your parents. I caught your mother watching us as we skated off together. It made me worry that my acting skills are too good.”

Mama was a gullible target. She believed her daughters were capable of ensnaring hordes of the finest suitors. She was destined for disappointment. “Your surprise visit yesterday has already gone to her head. Instead of wondering about your sudden interest, she has immediately jumped to matrimonial conclusions. She has no preference which daughter you pick, so that is in your favor.”

Grace watched Tobias easily beat Ruth in their race, and Bridget rushed to join them for a second run.

“You will be happy to know that you chose the better skater for your real relationship,” she added, admiring Ruth’s elegant form.

Richard chuckled. “Where is the fun in that? I’d much prefer to have a woman by my side than chase after her.” Grace knew she shouldn’t react, but her stomach tightened. He seemed to realize what he’d said and cleared his throat. “I mean, I hope I do not have to chase Ruth for long.”

A disobedient foot slid slideways, and she instinctively leaned into Richard. In some rather quick maneuvering, he managed to switch the arm that held hers and threw his free arm around her waist.

Her waist!

She blinked up at his light-blue eyes and his much too satisfied grin.

“Another time around?” he asked, his smile widening.

Oh, he was good at this. “Don’t gloat,” she said, carefully extricating herself from his arms. Her heart pounded much too fast for a little stumble.

“I’m not gloating. It’s just nice seeing there is something you don’t excel at. ”

“This is one of many things, but it won’t keep me from trying.” She pushed away from him. She’d felt a little thrill from Richard before on an occasion or two, and it scared her then as much as it did now. She was doing well enough, and a few falls wouldn’t kill her. Staying on Richard’s arm might though. He was too convinced of his own self-importance, and she needed to remember how very much she disliked him.

“What about our planning session?” he argued after her.

She shook her head. “A woman doesn’t plan how a man will court her. You will have to put some effort into it.”

He didn’t have to skate fast to catch her; in fact, he had to slow down. “And what of your end of the deal?”

“I won’t disappoint you, Richie dear,” she said with a cheeky grin. “No one outside your family loves Belside manor more than me. But I can only take courtship in small doses, and I am afraid I have reached my fill for the day.”

She had almost said she had reached her fill of him , but that wouldn’t have been nice. And she was trying to be on her best behavior. She liked loathing Richard, and she didn’t want anything to interfere with that.

Most especially Richard himself.