Page 31 of Grace in Glasgow (Seduced in Scotland #3)

“A picnic?” Arabella spoke, confused. “Sir, it is November.”

“Yes, surely you do not intend to freeze my poor niece to death.”

“Not at all, my lady. I’ve a project I’m partially heading near Kelvingrove Park,” he stated, turning to Grace. “We’re building a wrought iron glass house, but one of enormous size. I’d like to show it to you, if you are interested.”

“How enormous?” Grace asked.

“Grace,” Aunt Belle hissed, as Arabella appeared dumbfounded.

Mr. Milton smiled.

“Quite. Of course, I would expect the company of your aunt and companion to join us. It really is an impressive feat of ingenuity, if I do say so myself.”

“I don’t see why not then.”

“Er, my dear, would it not interfere with your work with Dr. Hall?”

Grace’s smile fell.

“No. It would not, I’m sure.”

Aunt Belle, whose expression had gone from mildly hopeful to downright irritated, shook her head.

“Very well, Mr. Milton, we will join you. But I should change my mind if you don’t behave like a proper host and start paying attention to your other guests,” Aunt Belle snapped, tapping her cane on the parquet wooden floor.

“It is not becoming of a gentleman to invite so many guests that he cannot speak to each and every one of them.”

“Aunt Belle,” Grace tried, but Mr. Milton only laughed.

“Of course, my lady. I’ll send word to your house in the next day or so to confirm our plans. Until then.” He bowed and disappeared into the crowd behind him.

“Rather forward that one,” Belle said, and to Grace’s surprise, Arabella nodded in agreement.

“What is that matter with you two? I thought you liked Mr. Milton.”

“We do, er, well, we did,” Arabella said. “It’s just, well. Lady Belle is right. He shouldn’t be ignoring all his other guests. It isn’t polite, is it?”

“No, it is not,” Belle retorted.

Grace frowned at the two, unsure what to make of their sudden aversion to Mr. Milton, who again, had been the main topic of discussion for that past week.

“I don’t understand. The both of you were quite complimentary whenever you spoke of him—”

“Oh look!” Belle said loudly, interrupting Grace as she strained to peer over her shoulder. “Dr. Hall has arrived.”

Grace spun around and cursed her foolish heart that had jumped into her throat.

In a sea of clean-faced gentlemen and pastel-dressed women, James appeared nearly a head taller than everyone else, dressed in a moss-green plaid kilt, black jacket, and matching vest over a stark white shirt.

He wore hose up to below his knees, black shoes, and a large fur sporran with three black tassels that bounced against his thighs as he walked toward them.

Mouth open, Grace was paralyzed where she stood as he approached, rather like a magpie entranced by a shiny object.

Never had she seen the doctor dressed in formal Highland wear and she was amazed at how very handsome one person could be.

Every inch of him seemed to reveal something new and magnificent that she barely recovered herself by the time he reached them.

“Hello,” he said to her and her alone, his gray-blue eyes, two warm pools of want as they gazed over her. Grace fought off the urge to shiver.

“Hello,” she said softly. “I thought you said you weren’t coming.”

“I wasn’t, but I…” He hesitated, before glancing over Grace’s shoulder. “Lady Belle. Miss Scott.”

“Dr. Hall, what a pleasant surprise,” Belle said, scooting around Grace to get in front of her. She certainly seemed to be able to move quickly when she wanted to, despite the cane. “Grace said you weren’t coming?”

“Yes, well, my previous engagement was canceled and I found myself rather bored, to be honest, when I remembered that tonight was Mr. Milton’s ball.”

“How fortunate for us then. Grace was in want of a new dance partner, after her charming cotillion with Mr. Milton just now,” Belle said, adding in a faux whisper, “You know, Mr. Milton was very eager to dance with our Grace. He made it a point to interrupt his duty hosting, just to do so.”

“Aunt Belle,” Grace breathed, embarrassed. Hadn’t her aunt just criticized the man for doing so? And now she sounded as if she were bragging about it. “Please.”

“I cannot fault him for doing so,” James spoke, seemingly unaffected. “Indeed, I should follow his lead. Miss Sharpe?”

He held out his hand and whatever animosity that had been between the two for the past week melted away. Her fingers were gripped gently.

“Do remember to tell Dr. Hall about our upcoming visit to Kelvingrove Park,” Belle added loudly as James led Grace out onto the dancefloor.

Grace stared daggers at her aunt over her shoulder before she gave James a tight smile, just as a waltz began.

For several moments, neither spoke, as the music began. Instead, they just stared at one another, moving with an amount of grace she had never experienced before. He was a proficient dancer, of course, and led the way with such ease that she barely had to count her steps.

“Your aunt is trying to make me jealous.”

“Oh, no,” Grace countered, worried. “I don’t think that was her meaning in telling you about Mr. Milton.”

“I think it’s exactly her meaning and I do not fault her.”

“You don’t?”

“No. I’m beginning to think that Lady Belle believes that something might transpire between us.

” He leaned down, close enough to lower his voice, but not quite close enough to be considered indecent.

“And while I do not completely understand the rhyme or reason for your experiment, Grace, I have come to the conclusion that I’d rather be at your disposal than be your opposition. ”

The words sank into Grace’s heart and once more, a pulsating need coursed through her. Every time she was sure she knew what James was thinking, he surprised her and what’s more, it was always something that made her like him more. Still, she tried not to appear so taken with him.

“You called my experiment deranged.”

“Oh, I still believe it’s deranged and I’m convinced you’re playing with fire, but at least with me, I might be able to protect you from getting burned.”

Grace felt her insides melt as an overwhelming sense of something came over her.

She wasn’t sure what it was, having never felt it before, but it was intense.

Her affection for this man had grown exponentially since her arrival to Glasgow and she wished she could kiss him at this very moment, to demonstrate her fondness for him.

Of course, she could do no such thing, not in a ballroom full of people. Instead, she squeezed his hand with her fingers. He smirked down at her, eyes alight with pleasure at the small gesture.

“So, tell me about this trip to Kelvingrove Park.”

Grace’s smile vanished.

“Oh, yes. Well, just before you arrived, Mr. Milton invited me, I mean, us. That is, Aunt Belle, Arabella, and I to Kelvingrove Park. A glass house is being constructed and he wishes to show us.”

James’s eyebrow gave a slight twinge.

“I see,” he said, and then after a long pause added, “I should think that with your experiment, you might refrain from giving a man like Mr. Milton false hope.”

“False hope?”

“Yes.”

“How is visiting his structure giving him false hope?”

“Grace, you cannot be so naive as to the happenings of the world,” he said. “Mr. Milton fancies you.”

She let out a laugh.

“I doubt it.”

James frowned.

“How could you?”

“He is merely a friendly acquaintance. One that has proven to be quite pleasant whenever we meet, but I don’t believe he has any sort of affection for me. And even if he did, it wouldn’t amount to anything. Or at least, I’m very close to being certain that it wouldn’t.”

“Why wouldn’t it amount to anything?”

“Because I’m not… That is to say, I don’t feel…” Her brow creased as she tried to find the appropriate words. With a lowered voice, she spoke. “Mr. Milton is a fine man, but I do not react the same way with him the way I do with you.”

Though the words came out quiet and quick, a flash of yearning crossed James’s face and even that made Grace’s heart race. He cleared his throat.

“I don’t think you know what you do to me when you say such things, Grace.” She ducked her head, feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the moment. “But Mr. Milton is undoubtedly under the impression that you may fancy him as well.”

She frowned as she gazed up.

“I don’t think so. I haven’t given him any sort of hope that might lead him to believe that.”

“Men do not need nearly as much coaxing as one might think. You’ve already said yes to his invitations twice.”

She shook her head.

“And?”

“And if it were me, I’d believe that you were feeling a particular way.”

Grace couldn’t believe that Mr. Milton believed there was anything more than friendship between them.

They had just danced after all, and while she had considered replacing James with him in her experiment, internally she knew that it wasn’t a possibility because there wasn’t any inkling of desire between them.

“You are mistaken. There isn’t any feeling between me and Mr. Milton.”

“There may be on his behalf though. You cannot know his thoughts on the matter. And if you go with him to Kelvingrove Park, whatever his feelings are now, they’re liable to grow.”

“Are you suggesting that I renege on my intention to go?” James didn’t answer, though his expression seemed to speak volumes. “I cannot. I already promised to go.”

The dance concluded then and though their conversation was far from over, James appeared contrite and remained silent as they removed themselves from the dancefloor.

Surely he understood that she was expected to go, and in the company of her aunt and Arabella, it was hardly a romantic sort of venture.

He had to know that. Didn’t he?

“James, I—” she began just as the Baroness Glengirth and Aunt Belle came into view.

The baroness was a short woman, dressed in a black velvet gown with lace trim that was covered in what appeared to be hundreds of bows. Her square, wrinkled face sneered at James.

“Ah, my former escort,” she said, her voice sour. “Come to abandon my dear Lady Belle and her companions as you did me the other night?”

James gave her a nod.

“Baroness, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

“Do not try to flatter me in front of my acquaintances, doctor. I will not be fooled again.” She leaned toward Aunt Belle, though her eyes remained on James.

“You know, he left me alone for a good hour during the opera and when he returned, he had completely forgotten to retrieve for me a beverage.”

“The insolence,” Belle said, though she winked, obviously used to the complaints of her elderly friend. “I should never again refer such a ruffian to escort you to the opera.”

Grace tilted her head.

“You did?” she asked, the cogs of her mind turning slowly.

There was something suspicious about that, but Grace couldn’t seem to recall what.

“Ah, yes, but that is neither here nor there. Tell me, Dr. Hall, did Grace mention our trip to Kelvingrove Park with Mr. Milton?”

“Aye, she did. I hope you all have a pleasant time,” he said.

Belle frowned.

“Will it not interfere with Grace’s apprenticeship? I should think you would have a bit more to say on the matter.”

“I do not. If Miss Sharpe wishes to attend a picnic,” he said evenly, “I cannot stop her. Now, if you ladies will excuse me.”

“Where are you going?” Grace asked.

“Goodness, child, never ask a man such a thing, unless you wish to be made a fool,” the baroness said. She lifted her hand and shooed him away. “Leave us, if you must.”

James did not hesitate and so with a final nod, he turned and left, moving into the crowd with surprising ease.

And it wasn’t lost on Grace that while she had practically confessed to her feelings for him, he seemed disheartened by her upcoming visit with Mr. Milton.

But why? She had already expressed that she viewed the man as a friend and nothing more, and even if Mr. Milton expressed something different, well, she would simply explain to him that she didn’t have any sort of affection for him.

That her heart was otherwise engaged, because wasn’t it?

“Hm,” Belle mused. “That did not go as I expected it to. Well, this just will not do. I shall have to call in the cavalry.”

Grace frowned.

“What cavalry? What are you talking about?”

Belle glanced at her, shaking her head.

“Nothing, my dear. Do not worry yourself about it.”

For the remainder of the evening, she did not see James, and Grace contemplated what she had done or said to make him leave.

By the time she, Belle, and Arabella returned home, she had come to the conclusion that she had somehow hurt him, but as she undressed in her room late that evening, she couldn’t see how.

Just because she was friendly with another man, didn’t mean—

Oh .

The realization hit her suddenly and without warning. She was friendly with another man, while expressing her feelings for James, just as Catriona had done, right before abandoning him at their wedding.

Grace slapped her hand to her forehead. How could she be so insensitive? So blind to her own actions? Of course, James would behave strangely! He had lived this very situation before, only it had ended poorly for him.

As she got into bed, she couldn’t let go of the fact that she had been so blatantly foolish.

She would rectify this immediately. Tomorrow morning, she would apologize and hopefully he would forgive her for her supposed indifference.

Because in truth, indifference was the furthest emotion from how she felt about James.

And tomorrow, she would tell him so.