Grace made her face blank, hoping not to convey any sort of emotion.
“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint.”
“It’s not that dear, it’s just—”
“Ah, Lady Smyth, Miss Scott,” Mr. Milton said with a bow, before giving Grace his full attention. “Miss Sharpe. I’m so glad to have you here.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Grace said with a curtsy.
“Mr. Milton, I must say, you have an impressive home,” Belle said with a strike of her cane.
“Oh, there’s no need to flatter me, Lady Smyth. I built this house with a motive.”
Grace tilted her head, curious.
“What sort of motive?”
“Aye, well, when I was a lad growing up in Glasgow, I may have once or twice tried to get into a party or two of one of the well to do families. Of course, I was immediately removed, but not without first seeing the style in which those great houses were decorated. If you remember, Miss Sharpe, I’ve a fondness for architecture.”
“I do remember,” Grace said, ignoring the curious expression of Arabella and the suspicious glare of Belle.
“Well, it was my memory of that first house that inspired me to build this. It’s grand, excessive, even gauche, if you ask the right people.” He winked, causing Grace to smile. “But it was built in reverence and in response to my dreams as a youth.”
His sparkling eyes seemed to be trying to draw her in and while there were a number of qualities that Mr. Milton possessed, none seemed to speak to Grace’s soul and for that, she was grateful.
“Then I take back my comment about it being nice and now see it as a wonderful testament.”
“Nice?” he repeated, obviously tickled by the word. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called it nice. Over the top, uncouth, tasteless, beyond self-awareness, but never nice. That is a first.”
Grace laughed at his self-deprecating honesty.
“Well, you’ll have to forgive me. And I no longer think it is nice. I think it is wonderful, as I just said.”
“Aye, you did,” he said, his tone warm as the waltz came to an end. “Miss Sharpe, I know I’m to see to my other guests, but might I steal you away for a dance instead?”
A troublesome pain pinched the center of her heart at his question, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead, she held out her hand.
“Of course, Mr. Milton.”
He reached for her fingers and lightly drew her toward him. However, with a backward glance at Arabella and Belle, Grace saw a taut expression of concern. Why, she did not know, as they had both been particularly excited to come to Mr. Milton’s ball and had talked of little else all week. Confused, Grace moved into position for a quadrille as the musicians plucked their instruments.
“Is there something amiss?” Mr. Milton asked, evidently noting her expression.
She instantly made the muscles in her face relax as she smiled at him.
“Not at all.”
With her left foot, Grace stepped forward and brought her right foot forward in a circular motion before falling on both feet as she straightened her knees. As someone who struggled with dancing before her coming out, Grace had spent many months reading and practicing her footwork, but she had to focus, otherwise she would miss a count.
Coming together with another gentleman, before twirling around to the back of the line, she was met with Mr. Milton, who appeared charmed.
“You’re quite a natural, Miss Sharpe.”
“Ha,” she said as she twisted to face the opposite way, as their hands joined together. “I assure you, nothing is natural about dancing.”
Mr. Milton chuckled at the bemused quip and Grace felt pleased. This was just the sort of companionship that she should be seeking. There was nothing about Mr. Milton that made her insides turn and twist. It was rather pleasant, knowing that herbody wouldn’t react so when their hands touched, or that her pulse would remain completely unfettered when he glanced in her direction.
As they continued their dance, Grace noted a number of reasonable, perfectly agreeable attributes about him. He was obviously a progressive sort of man who had a passion for architecture and travel. He was agreeable, and kind, not to mention the fact that he was extremely well off. If he became the patron of a hospital, his wealth could truly make a difference and while Grace refused to marry, they could form a rather powerful partnership.
