Grace’s entire being seemed to stall when she felt his fingers tighten slightly. She didn’t peer up at him, or try to pull away, but instead glanced down at where their hands were joined together. Much too soon, however, Dr. Hall released her handand with a short bow and a mumbled “good evening,” he turned and walked away, leaving Grace to stare after him for a moment.
“My lady?” the driver said, waiting for her to climb the stairs to the front door.
“Hm? Oh yes,” she said, hurrying up the steps.
But it would be some hours before she was able to think of something else other than Dr. Hall’s fingers.
Chapter Seven
“I’ve never beenso excited in my entire life!” Arabella exclaimed as she twirled in front of the large, antique cheval mirror that stood in the corner of Grace’s room.
The pale blue gown had been embroidered with a silver thread at the hem and the neckline, creating an intricate pattern of swirls and circles. Arabella’s blonde curls seemed to shine in comparison and her rosy cheeks and infectious smile almost made Grace excited for the evening.
Almost.
As she sat in front of the small vanity near the window, Grace’s head was gently redirected by Mrs. Stevens so that she could see her own reflection in the mirror. Her wavy, dark hair was being pulled up and twisted in an elaborate style and though she rarely compared herself to others, Grace felt a twinge of inadequacy as she stared into her own amber colored eyes. Her brows were thicker and nearly black in comparison to Arabella, whose features almost seemed angelic in contrast. Grace’s lips were thinner too and likely less appealing, although to whom she wished to be appealing, she did not know.
Well, perhaps she did.
She blinked slowly, as if trying to barricade her mind from letting it wander. She would not think about Dr. Hall tonight. Not after he had been at the forefront of every thought she had possessed for the last week, ever since she attended him with the Mr. Flannery case.
For five days straight, she had gone to his office and for five days she had done her due diligence at trying to be as accommodating and quiet as possible, because from the moment he squeezed her fingers when he helped her out of her carriage that evening a week prior, Grace had become acutely aware of him every time he was near.
It was embarrassing to say the least, for she had always prided herself on her ability to stop herself from feeling anything but cordial to most people. Particularly when she found that she had a small infatuation with someone, which had been rare indeed, but something about Dr. Hall had destroyed her ability to separate herself from her feelings and it was affecting her greatly.
Such as wondering if she might be more appealing if her nose was smaller, or her eyes a different shade.
“There we are,” Mrs. Stevens said, stepping back as Penguin the cat meowed loudly from the bed. The housekeeper turned and smirked, addressing her new furry friend. “What do you think, Mr. Penguin? As pretty as a picture, innit she?” Grace gave a tight smile, causing the older woman to frown once she glanced back at her through the mirror. “What is it? Do you not like the style?”
“Oh no, it’s very nice. Thank you.”
“Nice? I am not satisfied by making ladies look nice. Tell me what you wish to change and I will do it.”
“Oh, but you mustn’t change a thing!” Arabella said, coming forward as she reached for Grace’s hands. She pulled her up out of the chair she had been sitting in and directed her in front of the cheval mirror. “You’re as pretty as I’ve ever seen you, Grace.”
The wide, scoop neckline showed off her long neck and bare shoulders. The dress was a pale peach, with a sheer brown overlay that split down the skirt. Her sleeves were short and thefabric appeared pinched at the shoulders, in a Grecian sort of style.
It was really a very pretty gown and while it did complement her hair and eye color, Grace couldn’t understand why she felt too exposed. She had worn fashionable dresses before, but this one in particular made her feel self-conscious.
She dipped her chin.
“That is kind of you to say, but I’m afraid I feel more confident in my work dresses than this.”
“Nonsense,” Mrs. Stevens said, coming forward. “You’re quite striking, far more so now than when you’re wearing one of those drab gowns. Now, give yourself a proper once over,” she ordered. “With the pale peach of this gown and your dark hair, I daresay there isn’t a gentleman alive who wouldn’t take notice of you at the opera tonight.”
Grace’s insides twisted. She did not mean to gather compliments by self-deprecation; she was merely stating a fact. It wasn’t as if she cared one way or the other how she appeared. And the last thing she wished was to garner any masculine attention. Honestly, to go unnoticed would be a boost of confidence while attending the opera, as she did not want to stand out in any way.
“Yes, thank you,” she said quickly, hoping to satisfy Arabella and Mrs. Stevens, who seemed bent on making Grace feel self-assured.
“There we are.” Mrs. Stevens nodded. “Now downstairs with the both of you. We wouldn’t want Lady Belle to be caught waiting on you two.”
Grace followed Arabella out of the room and down the stairs as she plotted to wear her black velvet mantle until she was seated at the opera. Perhaps then no one would find her too interesting a subject to study.
The unwelcome sight of Dr. Hall’s steady gaze flashed in her mind as she descended the stairs, causing her to stall for a moment before regaining her steps. Why was it that nearly every time she dressed during the past week, did she wonder what he might think? It was ridiculous to care about any one person’s opinion, particularly when it pertained to such a silly topic as fashion, but Grace couldn’t seem to help herself.
Evidently, her inner turmoil was written all over her face, for when Aunt Belle spotted her, she frowned.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked, herself dressed in a full fur coat, over what appeared to be an emerald-green dress.
