Chapter Twenty-seven
Grace was quite certain that she was going to thrash them all soundly the moment they finally showed their faces back in the ballroom. As it was, she couldn’t very well run into the fray; it would be not only unnecessary, but she could easily create a larger problem than solve any of the issues at hand. She wasn’t foolish enough to try such a move, but she was dreadfully curious, and that curiosity seemed quite corrosive to her mood.
Not that Samantha was faring any better.
“And you’re quite certain you sent them in the right direction?” Samantha watched the entrance to the ballroom from the direction of the Garden with a trained focus.
“Yes.” Grace bit out the word. Her patience was spent, but Samantha had asked that same question several times before. She wanted to remind her that she wasn’t about to change her mind about the answer.
“We should not go after them,” Samantha remarked, though the words had the slight lilt of a question.
“No,” Grace replied, resolved yet utterly irritated in it.
“No. They are used to this type of thing, I imagine.” Samantha sighed. “Wretched to be aware of it though. This has taught me a dear love for ignorance.” She arched a chestnut brow and gave a rueful grin to Grace.
“Of that I am in complete agreement,” Grace replied, nodding with emphasis.
“Pardon, my lady?” A footman addressed Samantha with a soft mummer.
Grace turned to fully face the man, waiting while he spoke in hushed tones to Samantha.
Unable to hear the words, Grace watched Samantha’s expression. At first, her brows were furrowed as she focused on the words, then her eyes lighted with understanding as she gave a kind nod, and then turned to Grace.
“We are requested at the front where our carriage has been summoned. The viscount has fallen ill and needs to return home.” She arched a brow, just enough for Grace to note her inflection, and then thanked the footman before they departed.
Grace resisted the urge to scoff at such a falsehood. Ill.The viscount was a paragon of health, yet it was as good a reason as any to avoid the ballroom and head back home.
She and Samantha walked as quickly as was polite. Grace’s heart was pounding with anticipation; at leastnowshe’d finally know what happened after she fled the scene. Just as the footman had said, the Kilpatrick carriage was waiting at the bottom of the steps, a footman holding the door open for the ladies.
Samantha stepped up first, taking a seat beside her husband. Grace grasped the hand of the footman and stepped up, ducking slightly as she entered into the dark carriage. She turned to the side opposite Samantha, but gasped when she noted that the bench seat was not vacant, but was occupied by no one other than Lord Sterling.
She inhaled softly, but recovered and took the seat beside him. Upon inspection, she noted the darker shadow under one eye, along with what seemed to be dried blood just below the corner of his mouth. “Does he look worse?” Grace asked, not thinking about her words.
Ramsey chuckled, the sound deep and surprised.
“Well, does he?” she asked, after he didn’t readily respond. Bother with being polite, she wanted to know!
“Yes, he does, Miss Grace.”
“Good. Though, now that I think of it, I’d hardly expect you to say anything else, pride and all,” she mused.
“You may also ask your guardian’s opinion of the matter if my word is not enough to satisfy your inquiry.” He nodded toward the viscount.
Grace turned to him, noting the way he pinched his lips as if suppressing a smile.
“Ramsey has but one black eye, Westhouse has two.”
“Amongst other things,” Ramsey added, as if making certain there could be no confusion on who came out the victor.
“I see. Good,” Grace replied.
“Will you finally tell us what happened? We’ve been out of our minds with worry!” Samantha directed her question to her husband, her hand resting upon his arm and clutching it slightly, giving her words emphasis.
“It’s a rather long story.”
Grace sighed in exasperation. “Of course it is. And I’m sure that this is not the place to speak of it, etc. Forgive my frankness—”
Ramsey snickered softly.
