A Lesson in Pride (15 page)

The first words the butler made were to direct him to his father. “Your father is in his study. Was he expecting you?”

“No, but he will be very interested in what I have to say.”

“Allow me to ensure your father is available.” Jennings directed him to the small parlor used to make people wait for his grace. Grant shook his head, crossed his arms, and stood his ground. Watching the small muscle in the butler's cheek jump at his impertinence made Grant smile again. One simply had to appreciate the little things in life.

The butler returned after a few minutes. “Your father will see you now.”

“Thank you, Jennings.”

Grant made his way to the study. With one smart knock, he entered his father's favored domain. Unlike the last time he'd spoken to his father here, Grant's enthusiasm was buoyed over the reprieve he was certain his father would give him. Surely, Grant would have months before having to make his way down the aisle.

“I am a busy man. What is it you want?”

Grant took his time choosing a seat. Once he finally sat, he said, “I have chosen, Father. Miss Persephone Horton. She has agreed and we are to be married.”

“Very well,” his father uttered, looking back down at his papers without another word. Grant could feel himself being dismissed, from Bedford's presence, his house, his life.

“I should imagine you would want me to wait until the baby is born to marry the girl. What if the babe is another girl?” His tone was even, but Grant was quaking inside. His reprieve sat upon a boat, slowing being taken out to sea.

“I should not think that necessary. The chances are slim that Alexandra carries yet another girl. And I grow tired of supporting your otiosity. I would not have you in trade, but that does not mean you cannot live off someone who is.”

“And if the babe is a girl?” Grant asked, one more pathetic, half-ditch effort to save him from a loveless marriage.

“Alexandra is young enough to have another. I plan to be around for some time yet, so it is highly unlikely that you will ever inherit.”

Now it was Grant's cheek that was twitching. So much did he want to let his father know exactly what was thought of him. In the end, though it might give him a measure of satisfaction, it would serve no purpose. His father was who he was and there was nothing on earth that would change that.

Rising from his chair, Grant was about to make his way out when his father made one last jab.

“I suppose you wish for Porter to handle the wedding contracts. I will send him word to contact you directly. Arrange a meeting with Horton for tomorrow.”

Efficient. That was his father in a word. No feelings, no concerns. All things would bend to his will. As Grant took his leave, he wondered if he would ever be in his father's presence again. Grant had no wish to ever have to, but there was something inside him that protested. It wasn't any sort of affection that drove him, but instead a need to watch his father's fall. Watch as his perfect world crumbled. Watch as the man found out just how human he still was, despite his behavior to the contrary.

Chapter 21

Ginny's whole body shook. In her hand was a short note from Grant saying that the banns would be read and he would be married in a month's time. She and her stepdaughters were invited, of course. An official invitation would arrive in the next few weeks. While Ginny sat numb, Alysanne was breaking apart.

Ginny had no idea how much Alysanne had staked on her dream of marrying Grant. The girl had loved the man since childhood, first as an adolescent crush, then as a passionate lover. Ginny's consciousness was being pushed aside, alarming Ginny to her core. What would this impetuous, young girl do on her own? Without Ginny's maturity and pragmatism, what trouble would Alysanne cause?

She didn't have to wait to find out. She was dressed to attend a musicale with her stepdaughters. Before Hope and Charlotte had finished dressing, Alysanne was out the door. On foot, she made her way to Grant's home. She knocked on his door. When there was no answer, she opened the door on her own and made her way inside. When no one stopped her, she entered what she figured was his parlor. She could hear his voice as he ordered something from a servant.

Pushing open the double doors, Alysanne entered the room without a care. Her eyes narrowed on her prey, excluding all her surroundings but his handsome face. As though from a great distance, she heard him ask, “Alysanne, what brings you here?”

Those words made her snap. Ginny watched in horror as Alysanne answered his question.

“You cannot do this, Grant. It will be a huge mistake. You must reconsider. You must!” All the pain and loneliness of barely two decades of life poured through her. Ginny fought to come back, instead of being a spectator to this farce, but Alysanne was too powerful and wouldn't let go. It wasn't until a throat cleared behind her that things finally changed.

“Lord Grant, will you introduce us to your lady friend?” The tone was not kind, but the baritone cadence held a touch of commonality to it.

Turning her body slowly, Ginny saw that Grant was not alone in the parlor with just a servant. No, there was an older man and woman, along with a pretty girl. They sat and watched her like she was the lead in a comedy. Which was not far from the truth.

It had been the man who'd spoken. Ginny watched as he placed the wine glass onto a small table next to his chair. He stood up and showed off his impressive size. The man was a bear, forbidding and hairy. His wife seemed to shrink smaller and the girl was clearly too shocked to say a word.

“Oh, God,” was all Alysanne could manage before she disappeared. In a metaphoric sense, Ginny felt Alysanne walk out of her mind, careful to close the door behind her quietly. The girl who had caused the problem had no intention of sticking around to fix it, leaving poor Ginny to wonder what was next.

A few more seconds ticked by before Ginny finally spoke up. If not her, who? Alysanne was proving to be an enormous coward. It was so easy to pine for someone from afar, but more difficult to work to make her dream come true. In a moment of clarity, and daresay brilliance, Ginny took a deep breath and laid out the largest pile of lies she'd ever spewed.

“Lord Grant, I could have sworn you told me that your friends would be here this evening.”

Before Grant could utter a word, the bear man asked, “And what difference would that have made, Miss...”

With a few steps in his direction, Ginny lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “Lady Essex, actually. I am the dowager Lady Essex, as I was married to the former Lord Essex.” It sounded like she was buying time, which of course she was. Clearing her throat, she continued.

“Lord Grant is an old friend of my father, you see. When he told me that he was to marry, I wanted to poke some fun at him. He has waited so long and I know that I am hardly the only one of his friends to tease him.”

The man's impatience was beginning to show. “And...?”

“And I could have sworn that he told me his friends were here this evening. I was to make a silly scene for a laugh. I can see now that it wasn't nearly as funny as I thought it would be.”

“So you have no objections to his marriage?” the bear man asked.

Swallowing down her bile, the last vestiges of Alysanne, Ginny smiled. “Of course not. I'm actually very pleased that he's found someone to spend his life with. I had quite given up on him, you see.”

A moment passed before the bear man smiled a big toothy grin. The grin was followed by a laugh. And soon his wife and daughter joined in as well. Ginny laughed sparingly, knowing that she was in big trouble with the man who stood behind her. Her reckoning would not come that day, as he would not be able to get her alone, but it would come. What small reprieve she could have, Ginny would take.

Closing the distance between them, the bear man introduced himself. “Well, my lady, my name is Malcolm Horton. This is my wife, Georgina, and my daughter Persephone.”

Ginny shook the man's hand and nodded to the two women. The full impact of her disgrace hit her as she realized that she'd just try to convince Grant not to marry a girl as said girl watched. Even Ginny, who was not known for her subtlety, would have never done something so heinous. Her only option had been to make it seem like a big joke, which Ginny sensed that Malcolm enjoyed. Making people uncomfortable was probably the most fun the man had.

“Please allow me to apologize to you,” Ginny said as she looked at Malcolm. Turning toward his daughter, she added, “Especially you, Miss Horton. It was a silly prank and I am truly happy for you both.”

Standing, Persephone came forward and grabbed her hand. “There is no harm done, Lady Essex. If you could have seen Lord Montgomery's face, you would have seen that your prank nearly sent him into a fit of apoplexy.”

Turning to look at the man in question, Ginny saw the strain on Grant's face. He produced a smile, which none of the Hortons would have thought was fake, but Ginny knew better. Grant would definitely be paying her a visit in the next few days. A meeting that Ginny didn't relish.

Malcolm, in his new jovial mood, proclaimed, “You must dine with us this evening, Lady Essex. We were just on our way to the Savoy.”

“Oh, that is so kind of you, especially after my awful behavior. Unfortunately, I cannot. I have plans with my stepdaughters this evening.” All Ginny wanted to do was be gone. She definitely didn't want to be around Grant's fiancée and her family any longer.

“Have you dined?” Malcolm asked, clearly unable to take no for an answer. “We could pick them up on the way.”

“No, we are invited to a musicale this evening. There was to be refreshments after.”

“Well, then, that settles it. Have dinner with us and go to your musicale after. Refreshments at those affairs always end up being disappointing.”

Considering the man's size, Ginny thought that any small food would be a disappointment. She turned to look at Grant, begging him with her eyes to help her get out of dinner, but he merely smiled instead.

“Would that be the Fredericks' musicale?” Grant asked, innocence projected on his face.

Knowing that she was about to be beaten, she answered, “Yes.”

“There is no issue at all. The Fredericks never get started on time, so you will have plenty of time to dine with us first.”

A sneer crossed Ginny's face before she turned back to the Hortons. “Very well, Mr. Horton. It would be our pleasure to join you for dinner. It will give me the opportunity to tell you stories of Grant in his younger years.”

A small cough came from behind her, which might have actually been Grant choking. Excusing herself, Ginny left to fetch her stepdaughters for an evening that would most likely prove to be painful. Grant walked her to the door and opened it for her.

Before she could escape, he whispered, “You and I will need to speak later, Alysanne.”

When she turned around to respond, the door was closed in her face.

********

Hope and Charlotte were surprised to hear about their change in plans. Ginny probably would have gone as far as saying they were shocked. Instead of explaining her impromptu meeting at Grant's home, she merely said it was a last-minute change so they could meet Grant's new fiancée. Damn Hope for being so perceptive.

“Lord Grant is getting married?” she asked innocently enough. Ginny knew better.

“Yes. Miss Persephone Horton. Her father is apparently disgustingly rich.”

“Oh, I see,” she stated as she put on her gloves. When Charlotte walked away to retrieve her coat, she added, “So that is how it is.”

Instantly defensive, Ginny muttered, “What is there to do, Hope? He has no money on his own and I have no inheritance if I remarry. We can't live on nothing.”

A sad look came upon her face when she said, “So, that is how it is, Ally. I am sorry. I wish I could help in some way.”

Ginny produced a brittle smile. Though Alysanne had hightailed it out of her mind and hadn't shown her consciousness since, Ginny still felt like she'd done something wrong. When was she going to learn that the story would do as it pleased, no matter the cost? Something would change. It had to.

“I will survive this, Hope. In the meantime, there is you and Charlotte to consider.”

“Consider for what?” Charlotte asked as she made her way back to them.

“Why, a happy marriage of course.”

“Well, I cannot speak for Hope, but after the Copeland Ball, I have found most men to be silly and childish.”

Hope laughed. “I must admit that I met no one of any redeeming value. I cringe thinking about how many men stomped on my toes while dancing.”

Ginny noticed a secret smile on Charlotte's face and thought she might know why. “Charlotte, didn't you dance with a nice, young man. He was an agriculturalist, I believe. And very handsome to boot.”

Sensing that Ally could actually read her mind, Charlotte's eyes widened. She had just been thinking of that exact man. Even though he would never do for her, he might like Hope, since her sister was not as picky about looks and wealth.

“He was very nice. I was thinking I should introduce Hope to him. He seemed more her type.”

“An agriculturalist?” Hope asked, her eyebrows raised in question. “What could I possibly have in common with him? It was you who attended the kitchen gardens and directed the gardeners. I should prefer a pirate.”