Grace (A Sinclair Society Novella) Rough Draft

Chapter Nine

Mr. Melbourne did come to claim me for a quadrille about an hour later. The pointed attention was embarrassing to say the least, for he did not dance twice with any other lady present. He didn't even approach Miss Dunbar.

Not that I paid that much attention to who he spoke to.

That is not to say I was the most popular girl there. I sat out several dances but had several lovely conversations with Mrs. Forrester and other ladies around me. It would have been a most enjoyable evening if I had been able to dismiss Mr. Melbourne's puzzling actions from my mind.

Why had he unsettled me so much? He wasn't the only one to mention Jonathan Sinclair to me. He wasn't the only one to compliment me. Was it because he had done both in the course of one conversation?

Mother had noticed Mr. Melbourne's attention, and she was not at all pleased. "What does he mean by singling you out? He means to make you look ridiculous in front of your friends and family," she said in the carriage when we returned home. "John, you saw it, didn't you?"

"I thought him a respectful and polite young man," Papa said. We passed a streetlamp and I could see that he was smiling. "It was thoughtful of him to dance with Grace. Aren't you always wanting to see her dance more?"

"No doubt he did so because he was friends with Jonathan," I added.

"And no doubt he will be off once again as Mr. Harper was," Mother said with a huff. "Do you think no one noticed, Grace? What do you think everyone will say?"

Papa reached over and patted her hand. "Would you have had Grace refuse him and then sit out for the entire evening? I would understand your concern if he had asked her for a third dance, but he did not. He remained within the bounds of propriety. I would wager no one will remark on it."

Part of me wanted to question why my mother was not pleased about a gentleman showing me some attention. If it had been any other gentleman, she would have been ecstatic, especially if it had been one of the bachelors she had introduced me to before. I found it enlightening that she was no enthused when it was someone she had not chosen.

But I didn't have the energy for the fight that would ensue if I mentioned it. There was no point in exaggerating the situation. By morning, Mother will have moved on from her annoyance and I hoped a night to reflect would also help me reconcile Mr. Melbourne's actions and words in my own mind.

****

The following afternoon, I spent several hours at the pianoforte. Mother had gone to visit a sick friend, and Papa was reading in his library. When I finished one of Mozart's sonatas, I heard someone clear their throat behind me. Startled, I twisted around to find a maid in the doorway. How long had she been there?

"Pardon me, miss," Sally said. "There's a gentleman here to see you. Shall I show him in?"

Immediately, I thought of Mr. Harper. It had been some time since I had seen him, and I was always willing to speak to Jonathan's closest friend. "Of course," I said, standing up from my instrument.

Sally bobbed a curtsied and hurried out of view. I took a seat next to the window and reached for my embroidery. What brought Mr. Harper to me now? Would he ask me about what I remembered from five years ago as he and that lovely maid, Miss Nelson, had done already?

"Good day, Miss Anderson."

I almost dropped the shawl I was embroidering. Mr. Melbourne? I jumped up from my chair. "Oh. Good day, sir. This is...a surprise. I'm afraid my mother is not here at the moment"

"No matter. I came to see you," Mr. Melbourne said, striding across the room. He caught my hand as he bowed and brought it up to his lips. "You are looking well. Clearly the enjoyments of last evening did not adversely affect you."