Grace’s thoughts came to a crashing halt and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. So it was not just a matter of her brother’s matchmaking. Lord and Lady Hamdon were in on this as well. Anthony she could see, but Lord Gladsby’s own sister?
“How do you know?” Grace wrapped her arms about herself to ward off a sudden chill. What would Lord Gladsby say if he found out?
Her sister shook her head, her lips firmly shut.
“Pru.” She growled, her hands coming to rest at her sides. “I need to know. Have you been a party to this?”
“No! I would never. You know how hard it is for me to keep a secret.”
That was true. They all knew better than to tell her anything that they did not want the entire family to know within a matter of minutes. “Then how did you discover it? Or are you simply making assumptions?”
“I overheard Bradley and Diana talking at the breakfast table the morning after we arrived. I asked them about it, and they insisted I not say a word.”
At least she had made it a few days. That was far longer than she’d kept any of Grace’s secrets.
Mindlessly, Grace picked up a brush and ran it through her hair. Did Lord Gladsby know of this? Would he be angry when he discovered the subterfuge of not only her family, but his? Or was he a party to it? Maybe he had feelings for her and had been too reticent to admit it. Such a thing was possible, was it not?
But she was the daughter of a poor country gentleman, and he was a baron. While there had been matches of much greater disparity than theirs, Society often frowned upon them.
Then again, if a viscount in line for an earldom approved, perhaps the disparity in position was not as great as she’d feared. A small smile curved her lips.
Prudence bounced on the bed. “I see that you approve.”
“Not of the plan, but perhaps of the gentleman. Tell me, is that why you gave us so much space this morning?”
The grin Prudence tried to cover confirmed Grace’s suspicions. “I am unsure what you are speaking of.”
“No, you are not, Pru. You may wander when we go out, but you never stay away for long. Lord Gladsby and I talked and played for a full quarter hour before you made your way back to us.”
“It was actually half an hour. I know. I checked my timepiece.”
“So youwerein on it.”
“No, but playing matchmaker seemed so fun, I had to try my hand at it. I have to say that I was a smashing success.”
Grace shook her head, but she had to admit those few minutes had been her favorite… that is, until the mistletoe. Butterflies fluttered in her belly at the memory.
“You have that look again.”
“Look?” She rose from the dressing table, plaiting her hair as she approached the bed.
“You know, the one where you are floating off into the land of happily ever after with your one and only.”
“I do not.” But then she giggled, and Prudence punctuated her assertion with a raise of her dark eyebrows.
Grace began laughing so much she could hardly tie the ribbon about her braid. Prudence giggled, too. Whether from the sight of her wrestling with the ribbon, or her inability to stop laughing, she did not know, but it felt good. For the first time, she allowed a tiny seed of hope to sprout in her heart.
“Oh, let me do it,” Prudence finally said. “You are making a mess of all the work you have already done.”
When her plait was fixed and Grace had finally sobered, they crawled into the big bed.
Grace blew out the candle, and Prudence rolled to her side. “You never did answer my question about the kiss.”
“I am not sure what to tell you. It was sweet and glorious, but a little too short.”
Prudence giggled again. “And does it have a taste?”
“I could not say. His lips barely brushed mine, but they were warm and very soft.”
