Falling from Grace - Bridgerton

Chapter Twenty-Two

Past:

It was later that night when Grace couldn't sleep, and the rain outside simply did not help at all. She could feel his lips upon hers still the tingle of mouths molding into each other, her back tickled with grass. If it was so pleasant and full of content in the moment, why did she feel so miserable now? 

And although she would not want to admit it Grace knew of the true reason she was miserable and unable to sleep, she was to marry a man that Anthony had no knowledge of. She had taken advantage of him without his consent and he believed that she was his and in return he was hers.

But that couldn't happen, not after Elliot caught them and approach Grace seizing her by the arm. She would have to sign the contract in the morning, that contract would plague her for the rest of her life. 

Maybe Grace should take Anthony's offer run away from Hastings and go with him to London, tell Anthony she loved him and she wants to spend the rest of her life in his arms. 

So standing up in the darkness, Grace took her cloak and a pair of boots and climbed down the vine from her bedroom she used when she and Simon were children and Grace needed an escape. 

The rain had completely soaked her through by the time she reached the ground her hair dripping with water and her dress weighing her down as she ran across the field that separated the two houses. 

Expectations high and a smile spreading across her face thinking of the life she would live with Anthony, and how she would never have to face the wrath of her mother ever again. How Jane would marry once she married Anthony and how everything would be fixed and perfect.

The cold night bit at her nose but Grace enjoyed it knowing she would be in Anthony's arms soon. She could see a light on in the parlor of the house and was so close. 

Running up the steps she did not care about dragging water into the house, "Anthony!" She yelled not taking in that most of the house was asleep. 

"Anthony!"

His hands would hold her soon as they warmed by the fire. She would kiss him, hold his face while they rode away in the carriage to London. 

"Grace?" Simon came out of the parlor, eyes concerned at his best friend who was dripping with water a wide smile plastered across her face as she yelled up the staircase.

"Grace, what on earth-"

"Where is he?"

"Where is who?" He was deeply worried now and his voice was low. Had the thunder truly driven her to madness?

"Anthony, where is he?"

Simon could practically hear her heart beating out of her corset, "Anthony, he's-"

"He's where?" She interrupted him too giddy and having no patience for how long Simon was taking to tell her.

"He's gone." Her face fell and she marched up to him, "What do you mean he's gone."

Simon handed her the letter he still had in his pocket, "Its father he's died and Anthony's returned to London to become head of the household."

And in a moment the world seemed to stop, clocks did not tick and the rain pounding against the window could not be heard through her ears. He had left her, and she would never get to tell him the truth.

"No, you are lying." She felt an ache appear beneath her eyes and she fled up the stairs Simon taking after her quickly, "Grace!"

Grace began to mutter under her breath flinging open every door she could find desperate to find him, to find Anthony.