Debutantes Don’t Date (20 page)

“That sounds nice.” Sarcasm dripped from her lips. “You wouldn’t allow that to happen
would you? Why would you give him access to your money if you know he’s going to lose
it all gambling?” Grace turned to her friend in confusion, she just couldn’t understand
allowing someone else dictate your life. Living in the 1800s was a real eye-opener
for her. “You wouldn’t really let him do that would you?” she asked again.

“He is my brother and what choice to I have? I have to follow his wishes, besides
it makes my life a lot easier if everyone in it is happy.” Anne glanced at Grace before
ducking her head.

“That’s bullshit, Anne.” Anne gasped and she looked as though she would faint. “Pull
yourself together, Anne, it’s just a swear word. You should try using them once in
a while; they make you feel better.” Grace waited until Anne closed her mouth before
continuing. “How is your life better if you don’t even get a say over what happens
in it? It’s bad enough you were willingly going to marry someone you don’t love just
to please your father, but to give your money, your independence away, as well? Anne,
I just don’t understand your reasoning.”

“What about you, Grace?” Anne finally looked her in the eye and she was surprised
she could see fierceness lurking there. “You are going to marry Lord Bingham and you
can’t tell me it is what you want. Where is your independence?”

Grace let out a bark of laughter. “You have me there, Anne. It’s sure easier said
than done keeping one’s independence, isn’t it? Especially for us women. Hard to believe
that back home I had a job. A proper job. I would like to think I’m a woman with my
own means, but the truth is, if I wasn’t marrying Jasper I would be on the streets.
And we know what the only option for a woman there is, don’t we. Come on, let’s go,
people are starting to wonder why we are standing here all by ourselves, besides I
don’t think we want anyone to overhear what we’re saying.” She led her friend further
down the street. “Are you happy now, Anne? I mean, now that you don’t have to marry
Jasper?”

“I’m looking forward to happiness, yes. Not that being married to Jasper would have
been bad. He is a nice man, I could certainly do worse. But you’re right, I don’t
love him and it would have been the same as my life is now. Except of course I would
have children. I’m thankful now I will have a real chance at finding a man I want.”

“Do you have someone in mind, Anne?” Grace asked teasingly but Anne had her head ducked
again. Grace was sure she saw a blush colouring her cheeks though. She wondered who
the lucky man could be. “Oh, look, let’s go in here.” Grace pulled her friend into
her favourite shop. It was full of candles and beautiful linen.

“Grace, this is where the housekeeper shops.”

“I know, isn’t it grand? I thought to give each lady at the wedding a sweet-smelling
candle and a box of bath salts as a gift. I think I should be able to find them here.
I don’t know what to do about the men though, and I’ll need your help, but what are
bridesmaids for, huh?” She looked around the shop, smelling candles and looking at
the lovely ribbons until the shopkeeper was done serving her other customer and came
over to help them.

“Miss Lancaster. How nice to see you again. Have you given any more thought to what
you wanted to order? If you do want the cinnamon candles, I will have to ask Jane
to start on them right away, but I did just get the lavender in this morning. I have
saved the whole lot for you just in case.” Mrs Edmond bustled into the back room without
waiting for Grace’s reply. A few moments later she came out carrying a small wooden
crate and put it on the counter. “See, aren’t they beautiful? I told Jane myself you
would be impressed with them. And don’t they smell sweet?”

“They are lovely, Mrs Edmond. I can’t believe that Jane was able to make all of them
so quickly. And so beautifully too. Anne, come and look. What do you think? Won’t
the ladies love these?”

“Grace. I don’t think ladies of the
ton
will appreciate getting candles.” Anne put down the ribbon she was looking at and
walked across the room towards them.

“Come and have a look before you decide.” Grace smiled kindly at Mrs Edmond who looked
crestfallen at Anne’s unkind words and gently pulled a candle from its box. Mr Edmond
had made individual boxes for each candle and Jane had wrapped the candles in colourful
material before placing them in their own boxes and then into the larger crate.

“Oh,” Anne gasped, “it’s beautiful! How on earth did you think to do that, Grace?”

“Brides always give away favours at their weddings back home and candles are always
a nice gift.” She turned to Mrs Edmond. “I will take the lavender. How could I not
with a reaction like that?” She smiled before asking, “Do you have any ideas on what
the gentlemen would like?”

An hour later Grace and Anne exited the shop each with their own cinnamon-scented
candle that Mrs Edmond insisted they take free of charge. Grace arranged for the wedding
favours to be delivered to Victoria’s house for the wedding breakfast. The gentlemen
would be getting their whiskey flasks engraved with the wedding date and Bingham’s
crest.

Grace and Anne both agreed each guest should also get some chocolates and they went
off to sample some from the chocolatier who had just set up shop down the street.

“I just love chocolates, don’t you, Grace?” Anne sighed as they entered the little
shop. The delicious smell greeted them as they walked in the door. The small room
was full. Every lady who was out shopping had stopped for a tasty treat before heading
home. Anne finished explaining about her brother as they waited to be served.

“You must stay away from him,” she whispered. She didn’t want anyone overhearing their
conversation, although it was so noisy in the shop Grace didn’t think that would happen.
“He has gone mad I think. Every time I see him, he tells me you need to go. And with
your wedding getting closer he is getting more and more unstable. Please tell me you’ll
stay away from him, Grace.”

“OK. If you really want me to.” She turned and looked at her friend. “I didn’t want
to say, but I don’t really like him anyway, so it won’t be a problem to keep away
from him. He kind of creeps me out, so I tend to avoid him as it is. Besides, like
you say, the wedding is in a few days. After we are wed there is nothing he can do.
Don’t worry, Anne, everything will be OK. Jasper won’t let him harm me.” Finally they
were at the front of the line and they had to stop the conversation.

When Grace asked if she could place an order for one thousand chocolates the chocolatier
shooed everyone else out of his shop and locked the door.

“One thousand, you say?” The man was grinning from ear to ear. “We can do that! When
do you need them by?”

“I need them as wedding favours for our guests and the wedding is in five days’ time.
Does that give you enough time to make them?”

“Five days?” The smile on his face faded slightly, but then gained strength. “A challenge!
I am sure it won’t be a problem, my lady. What exactly do you have in mind?”

With the last of the wedding plans under control Grace could look forward to enjoying
the last days before the big day. She caught herself smiling whenever she thought
of Jasper. It appeared she would be staying, so she might as well make the most of
it. She could think of a lot worse things that could have happened to her than getting
married to a man who set her on fire with just one look. She went up in flames when
he touched her, how could she ask for much more? She knew there were a lot worse marriages
out there than that, even in 2013 when people were allowed to pick their own partners.

She wished she could figure out what caused her to time travel; she wouldn’t want
to just disappear on the poor man. Maybe she could go and see Lord and Lady Kensington
before the wedding; the scene of her arrival. Maybe Rupert would escort her there
when he went to see his parents. Although that might not be the best time to go, especially
since they thought he was dead. It was going to be quite a shock to their system when
he showed up on their doorstep.

Anne continued to talk as they made their way down the street towards the Harrisons’
residence, unaware Grace was lost in her own thoughts. Anne had agreed this afternoon
to stay with her until the wedding and Victoria had been kind enough to offer Anne
her own room. She just hoped Victoria was sober enough to remember when they returned
to the house.

Grace was sure this was the most freedom Anne had ever experienced. She hoped Anne
would one day find a man to be happy with; she deserved the best the world had to
offer.

Chapter Twenty-One

Grace had been pacing her room for an hour, ever since Anne went to lie down for a
nap. She had to tell him! They were getting married in a few days, for Christ’s sake.
He had to know, but getting up the courage to tell him was impossible.

Too soon a knock sounded on her door.

“Miss Lancaster? Lord Bingham has arrived. I have instructed him to await you in the
drawing room.”

“Thank you, Hoskins, I will be down directly.” She took a deep breath, squared her
shoulders and whispered “Here goes nothing,” and walked out the door to her fate.

Jasper was shown into the drawing room and told to wait for Grace. Usually, she met
him in the library so he knew something was up. The note he’d received earlier gave
it away as well. He pulled the note from his pocket again and studied her handwriting.

Jasper,

Please meet with me today at your sister’s. I have something most important to discuss
with you.

Grace

When they had come out of Neal’s study and found Anne and Grace missing, his heart
had stopped. Victoria was snoring on the couch so she was no help at all. It wasn’t
until Hoskins came in and told them they had gone for a walk that they even knew where
the ladies had gone to. He and Rupert were set to rush from the house when Hoskins
told them he had taken the liberty of sending a footman with them, just in case the
ladies purchased anything on their way.

It was the light in Hoskins’s eye that eventually put his mind at ease. Hoskins wouldn’t
see her hurt either.

He had just arrived home when the note was delivered. His heart got tighter and tighter
with each passing minute. One did not send a note like that if there was something
good to discuss. This could only be bad. Had she changed her mind? The wedding was
in a few days but they had agreed to call it off if either of them decided marriage
to the other was undesirable.

Desirable. Grace was the only thing he desired. She had consumed his entire life so
much that he couldn’t picture it without her. The thought that she may want to call
the wedding off made him double over in pain.

“Jasper, are you all right?” The concern in her voice gave him hope and he straightened
to watch her walk into the room.

“I was just stretching my back. How are you, Grace?”

She gave him a look he couldn’t read and his heart dropped again.

“I need to talk to you.” She paused before adding, “In private.”

“We are in private.”

“No. I mean with the door closed.” She shut the door with a firm click and turned
the key before walking over to the chair nearest the fire. “I have asked Hoskins to
hold off on the tea, if that is all right with you,” she said as she sat. “I would
prefer to get this over and done with before I chicken out.”

Jasper noticed her hands in her lap were shaking, even though she clasped them tightly.
He crossed to the fire and forced himself to be seated in the chair next to hers.
He turned it to face her and held his breath, awaiting the verdict.

Grace held her trembling hands together tightly. They were shaking so badly she was
afraid they may fall off. Her stomach clenched and she knew if she didn’t get the
words out soon something else would make its way from her mouth, and it wouldn’t be
pretty. She took a deep breath and sent a quick prayer to heaven before letting the
words tumble out.

“You’re what!?” Jasper couldn’t understand what Grace had just said. He sat there
stupefied.

“I know it doesn’t make any sense.
Trust me
; it doesn’t make sense to me either.” She reached out and grabbed his hand. “I did
tell you the truth the night I met you. Remember I said I organised the Kensington
ball? Well I did, only I organised it in 2013, not 1813. Somehow I ended up travelling
through time to here.”

Jasper couldn’t believe she would go to these lengths. “If you want to get out of
marrying me, just tell me. There’s no reason you need to make up such an outrageous
story.” He couldn’t get out of here fast enough. He wished the ground would open up
and swallow him whole. Who knew getting rejected could hurt so much? His heart lay
in pieces on the floor at her feet. This, he knew, he would never recover from.

“Wait!”

Against his better judgement he turned back just as he reached the door. He couldn’t
resist having one last look at her. He drank in the sight. There was a warm glow all
around her from the fire at her back and he could only too easily picture her standing
before him naked. In fact, as the wedding day drew closer and closer he found it was
the predominating thought in his mind all day…and night. The glow from the fire gave
her an angelic look, as if she had come down from heaven just for him. He barely resisted
taking a step towards her. He stepped back instead and grabbed the door knob.

“Please wait,” she begged him and walked closer.

He pushed himself up against the door to distance himself. He dared not let her touch
him.

She stopped about a foot away and held up a strange black object with a shiny front.
Until now he hadn’t noticed that she carried her reticule in one hand.

“What is that?”

“My cell phone. I would turn it on for you, but the battery died and I can’t plug
it in to recharge it. I showed your sister the night of the ball when she invited
me to stay, so she can tell you about it.” She pushed the item into his hand and dug
into her bag again. The smooth glass-like surface of the ‘cell phone’ was cool in
his palm. Little buttons filled the bottom half. He looked closer and saw they contained
the alphabet and numbers. “Here, this is my lipstick.”