“Indeed, I think I shall push for a quick wedding. From the way you make it sound, I just had my last kiss until I get hitched.”
Now it was Silence’s turn to chuckle. “It is the way of the world, Kingston,” he explained. “You have to play by the rules.”
“I never had to play by the rules before,” Gavin sighed. “That was the best part of having Grace as a best friend. We could do whatever we wanted.”
“Not anymore,” Silence warned. “Now she has a reputation to uphold. I know you do not like it, but you need to behave like a gentleman. Bat your eyes at each other if you must, but your entire goal from here on out must be to safely usher her into society. Now I must be going. I am expecting a package soon for tonight’s ball.”
“A package?”
“New Hessian boots. And do not think I will not use them to kick you in the behind if you make a wrong step tonight.”
CHAPTER 14
After Silence departed, they all took tea together, and the duchess started laying down the law. Grace tried to stay out of the crossfire as his mother dictated numberless rules of behavior. Gavin agreed to only three. The others, he said, would drive him to Bedlam.
“Mother, I shall behave as a gentleman. You have my word. But if you try to put any more restrictions on us, we might just disappear to Scotland.”
The duchess gasped in disapproval, and Gavin winked at Grace, who couldn’t completely stifle a giggle. They both knew the duchess had her heart set on a beautiful church wedding. “Dukes do not elope, Gavin!” his mother shuddered.
When his mother wasn’t looking, Gavin snuck in one last kiss before releasing her to his mother for wedding preparations.
*****
Gavin only had a few hours before attending the ball, meeting Mr. Broadbent, and dancing with Grace. It would be a busy evening. But there was a pressing matter to attend to first.
He knew there was a Bible in the library somewhere among his grandfather’s old journals. It took a few minutes to find it. The poor book probably had not been opened in years, and the dust on it showed. If he remembered right, his grandfather’s collection contained a Bible dictionary too. After a little more searching, he found it.
He opened the dictionary and turned to ‘G’. “Goliath”, “Gomorrah”, “gopher wood”. . . ah, “grace”. His head was filled with thoughts and visions of Grace. Her beautiful face swam in front of his eyes. But even after everything that had happened, he felt a quiet hunger in his soul to learn about spiritual grace. He began reading verses. As he studied, he made a few notes on a piece of paper.
A few hours later, Grace found him in his study. “Should you not be getting ready for the ball?” she asked. “What are you doing?”
“Reading the Bible,” he replied as if he did it every day.
“Well, I would hate to interrupt such a worthwhile endeavor,” she asserted. “I will leave you to it.” As she turned to leave, Gavin jumped up from the desk and reached out for her elbow.
“No, do not go,” he said mischievously.
“But this sounds like a personal quest,” Grace teased. “And I believe I promised your mother that I would not to be alone with you anymore. Perhaps I could fetch you an archbishop.”
He pulled her in for a kiss. “But I really do need your help,” he whispered between kisses. “Could you not guide me a little?” he asked with a dazzling smile.
She nodded with a grin, surrendering remarkably quickly. He moved a second chair over to his desk and pulled out the list he had begun to make. “Well, I know that God loves us. He forgives us when we repent, but grace is somehow more than forgiveness, right?”
“True. God’s grace applies to all of His children, no matter––”
“No matter how sinful?”
“Yes.”
“Even if I kissed a few ladies?” he asked with a grimace.
She kissed his hand and laughed. “Of course. Gavin, there is not a human on the earth who has not sinned. God’s grace is available for everyone.”
He looked over at her, entranced by the angelic smile on her face and the way the afternoon sun illuminated her red hair. “Do you know how remarkable you are, Grace?”
“Enough puffing me up, Gavin,” she teased him. “What was your question about grace? Or did you trick me into staying under false pretenses?”
“Actually, I would like your insight on 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul writes, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ I do not understand.”
“Well, I think Paul is encouraging us to acknowledge our own weakness and lean on the Lord. When we do so, the Lord’s grace will strengthen us. So our weakness becomes strength. God may not move the mountains in front of us, but He will give us the strength to climb them.”
“So grace is what helps us make it from one day to the next?”
“Yes,” Grace nodded. “It is an enabling power. It enables us to return to Him. What else?”
“Well, I understand that grace is a gift,” Gavin continued, “but in order to use that gift, we have to live the best life we know how. For example, I know better than to lie and steal and cheat; if I do so anyway, I am basically rejecting the gift, right?” She nodded. He paused and a frown darkened his face. “It just seems like an impossible standard, Grace. By that standard, I have been rejecting the gift most of my life thus far.”
“No, Gavin. None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. All that matters is that we are trying, that we are improving. He only asks us to do our best,” Grace assured him, “and that can change from day to day. Today my best may be to serve God, love my neighbor, and forgive my enemies. But perhaps tomorrow it may simply be to get out of bed. It does not matter. As long as we keep trying, the Lord will offer us His grace,” she assured him. “How long have you been studying in here?”
He couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride with the progress he had made. “About three hours. Ever since Mother left me with that laundry list of rules she thinks I will abide by,” he grinned.
“Do you think you have a good understanding of God’s grace now?”
“Hardly,” he chuckled. “But I think I have made a good start. If I do all I can, be the very best I can be—then when I have exhausted all my efforts, God’s grace will make up the difference.”
“Precisely. When you have nothing left, grace will always be there as the precious gift that it is.”
“Is that a promise?” he grinned. “Will Grace always be with me? Till death do us part?”
When she smiled again, he couldn’t resist any longer. He glanced around the empty study and pulled her into his arms for another kiss. He held her tightly, breathing in her cinnamon scent.
“You are the precious gift, Grace. You strengthen me. You make me a better man.” He felt a deep peace settle into his heart. “Thank you,” he whispered.
*****
An hour later, Gavin was dressed and ready for the ball. He clippity-clopped into the foyer and met Grace by surprise.
“Ares’s snake!” Grace blurted out before covering her mouth. “Forgive me,” she mumbled. “You caught me off guard.”
Grace felt her cheeks flush. He certainly cut a fine figure. Winston must have taken extra care with him tonight. His blonde curls were slicked back and plastered into place, exaggerating his finely chiseled cheekbones and jaw. His two-toned, tan-and-gold waistcoat fit him so well that she could nearly make out his chest muscles underneath. Over that, he wore a deep-blue, double-collared jacket that was flawlessly pressed. He was just beginning to button the jacket. She found herself disappointed that he was covering up such a handsome chest.
Gavin chuckled and asked, “Tell me, Grace, why was an oath to the Greek god of war the first thing that came to your mind when you saw me?”
Grace looked up from where his hands were buttoning the jacket and tried to meet his eyes. She lifted her chin and said, “Does it matter? My foul mouth never bothered you before.”
“And it does not bother me now. I find your unique expressions rather humorous. But what is it that made you swear?”
“It was not a real swear word.”
“I know. What exactly took those words right out of your mouth?”
“You are so arrogant.” He waited expectantly but made no reply. “Very well, if you honestly want me to say it, I will.”
He grinned widely. “I do.”
“You look rather handsome tonight.”
“Now I am graceful and handsome?” Before she could respond, he took her shoulders and pulled her into his arms. “What will I do with two compliments from you? I thought your goal in life was to keep the size of my head in check.”
She didn’t mind his teasing in the slightest tonight. She looked up at him and said, “Quite handsome, actually.”
The humorous sparkle in his eyes turned into a more serious look, a look that told her what was coming. Sure enough, he leaned down and pressed his lips ever so lightly to hers. Her heart galloped away, and it felt as if lightning had struck her from her lips all the way to her dancing slippers. He reached his hand around to her lower back and pulled her in tighter, all the while caressing her lips with more fervor than he had yet used. As he pulled her closer, his lips became more urgent, and she lost all coherent thought. All she could think about was how delicious and tantalizing he tasted. Heat filled her bosom, and she wondered how much longer her knees would support her.
“Gavin Marcus Kingston, you release Grace this minute!” his mother shouted.
Gavin released her, grinned mischievously, and stepped away. “It was only a kiss, Mother.”
“I do not care what you want to call it. You will behave. Do we need to go over the rules again?”
He sighed and repeated the rules. “No being in the same room together without a chaperone. No entering her bedchamber. No more kisses until we officially announce the engagement. I know, Mother, I know. But I believe you also have a rule about not being late, so unfortunately there is no time to spare for a lecture. Are you ready to depart?”
Grace couldn’t help but giggle at his reluctance for the rules. It looked like they had just broken two out of the three with that kiss.
“Shall we?” Gavin held out his arms, one for his mother and one for Grace. Grace took his arm and looked up at him. She caught him looking sideways down at her, and he muttered under his breath, “I am sorry, Gigi. You are just so dazzling tonight. I thought I could get away with one more kiss.”
“It is nothing I am not used to.”
“You always have to have the last word.”
“Always. Try not to forget it.”
*****
Grace was ushered into the ballroom on Gavin’s arm, but after a few introductions, Mr. Silence came up and begged Gavin’s presence for a moment. In his absence, she looked around the room and felt slightly overwhelmed. She was wearing the ball gown that the duchess had rush-ordered for her. It was a silvery blue that reflected the candlelight and had a deeper neckline than she was used to.
The duchess must have noticed her discomfort, because she reached over and patted Grace’s arm encouragingly. “He is right, my dear,” she said. “You look dazzling in that dress. It really brings out your eyes.”
“Thank you. I feel like a princess.”
“Charlotte did a fine job with your hair as well. The braid around the crown of your head makes it look like you are wearing a tiara. In this light, you will capture everyone’s attention. Remind Gavin to give Charlotte a raise.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Grace replied.
“It is time to make the rounds, my dear. Stay close. Gavin will find you before the first set; have no fear.”
As they moved around the room, Grace was indeed grateful for the duchess’s ability to maintain the conversation and make the introductions. Many people were curious, some were forward enough to ask direct questions, and others just examined her from head to toe. It was nerve-racking. She kept a close eye on Gavin across the room. He was in the corner with Silence and had a severe look on his face whenever he looked in her direction. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
She tried to refocus her attention to those she was meeting. With effort, she was able to recall several names and relationships. She was pleased when Mr. Harrison came up and greeted her.
“Good evening to you too, Mr. Harrison. It is nice to see a friendly face.”
The duchess asked Mr. Harrison if he wouldn’t mind occupying Grace for a few minutes and then excused herself.
Mr. Harrison took her arm and whispered, “If you stick with me, I may yet win the title of ‘the Shiner’. I will outshine every man in the ballroom with you as my adornment.”
Grace noticed that he did not stutter at all in that statement. “Thank you. It feels different this time.”
“This time?”
“I had nearly a full season three years ago when I was one-and-twenty. But back then I had no one to usher me into the ton. I attended several balls where I did not dance even once.”
“What a p-pity! Let me introduce you to a few p-p-people.” They walked toward a small group that looked friendly. There were two ladies, each with impressive, ornately decorated gowns that put hers to shame. She particularly admired the brunette with the deep-burgundy chiffon dress held up with a single string of half-inch black lace ribbon on the shoulders. It was a dress to be admired, but never worn, in Grace’s mind. There was far too much skin showing.
As they approached, she reminded herself to pay attention to the men as well. She was being introduced as a debutant, even though she was rather old in comparison to the seventeen- and eighteen-year-old ladies. Mr. Harrison greeted the women with a bow and started the introductions. If the tall man with his back to them hadn’t turned around, it might have been possible to remember the ladies’ names; but as the man turned, her breath caught in her throat.
At the same moment, she felt a hand on the small of her back that could only be Gavin’s, but she did not dare turn to check, because there standing in front of her was Mr. Broadbent. She had not seen him since her first season, but there was no mistaking him. The moment was prolonged, as if in slow motion for dramatic effect. As he noticed her standing there, she saw awareness revealed in his face as Mr. Harrison gave her name to the group.
She felt a whirlwind of emotions. First was surprise. She had heard that he had moved to the country and given up his London townhouse, but there he was in front of her. The next was anger. As she took in the lady in the burgundy dress who was possessively hanging on his arm, she realized the woman must be Mr. Broadbent’s wife, the woman he secretly courted while he was lavishing attentions and promises on her. The next feeling was overwhelming jealousy; the woman was breathtaking. She had a flawless porcelain complexion with expressive brown eyes.
She then felt guilt for all of the above feelings. She told herself there was no reason to feel threatened. She was engaged to Gavin, the only man she had ever really loved. She had never had feelings for Mr. Broadbent. She had been flattered by his attention to her but felt nothing for him.
She finally returned her gaze back to Mr. Broadbent. He unabashedly looked her up and down from head to toe.
“Miss Iverson, what a pleasure it is to see you again. It has been far too long.”
She felt the heat of anger rise up again, and pink infused her cheeks. She suddenly wished to be something other than a redhead; her emotions were all too readable. She found the strength to reply, “It has been nearly three years, Mr. Broadbent.” It was not possible for Grace to return the compliment, to say that it was nice to see him again. She was far too honest to offer such a falsehood.
The moment seemed to stretch as Mr. Harrison realized that Grace knew Mr. Broadbent. The tension between them was not difficult to detect. The hand on the small of her back pressed firmer, and she turned to verify that it was indeed Gavin. He was looking between her and Mr. Broadbent in a rather curious way. It seemed he wanted a
n explanation—or at least an introduction.
Grace swallowed her pride and said, “Mr. Broadbent, may I introduce my friend, His Grace, the Duke of Huntsman.”
They bowed to each other, and Gavin was his usual cordial self. He smiled politely and began innocuous pleasantries, asking Mr. Broadbent about his family and where he hailed from, acting as if he were completely ignorant of their history together. Then she realized he was. She had never told Gavin the name of the suitor who had deserted her for another woman three years ago. Grace realized she was staring again at the woman in the burgundy dress. She looked away just as the woman noticed.
Deciding that conversing with the woman would be far easier than addressing Mr. Broadbent, Grace put on her best smile and spoke as if nothing had ever occurred between the woman’s husband and herself.
The woman, whom she now recalled from the introduction was Lady Monique Pinnock, replied, “I had heard that the Duchess of Huntsman had a pupil. What a beautiful woman you are! My father had red hair, and yet none of my brothers or sisters were blessed with such unique coloring.”
Grace had always been proud of her red hair, regardless of the fact that many did not appreciate the color. “Yes, few possess it.”
“And fewer radiate it as flawlessly as you do. I have missed you, Grace,” Broadbent said. She willed herself not to flinch at his use of her Christian name.
She could not even say thank you, nor did she wish to acknowledge such a compliment from someone who had once unabashedly asked how many of her family were redheads and what was the likelihood that the coloring would be passed onto her children. And now he was pretending to admire it! It left her completely speechless.
Gavin stepped in and said, “Indeed. No redhead possesses finer features. If you will excuse us, our dance is starting.” Gavin led her away, and they took their positions.
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