Grace: Spinsters of the Ton

Chapter 3

There was a chorus of 'Your Grace' from the three of us. It seemed this Duke, whom had eyes that could rival the colour of storm clouds, had us all under his spell. There was just something so mysterious about those eyes, as if they could unearth your deepest secrets and held equally deep ones themselves. I was probably staring. No, there was no 'probably', I was staring but I just couldn't look away.

'Oh dear lord Gracie, you need to pull yourself together. One look at those eyes and the thoughts of spinsterhood have long gone.'

I must have drifted off into to my thoughts because next thing I knew my brother had took my arm.

"Are you well, Gracie? Sinclair was talking to you and you never answered." Oh.

"I apologise, Your Grace, my mind was on other things. What was it that you asked?" My brother's jaw hung a little slack from my apology. I mean, I, independent-self-proclaimed-spinster-Grace, had just apologised, to a man.

"I asked if you would like to dance the next set Lady Grace. I believe it is a cotillion"

"And even after my wool-gathering are you still willing to dance?" Richard looked a bit embarrassed by the fact that I put it so bluntly.

"I am. Only if you would like to of course."

"I don't see how I could refuse then, Your Grace." With that Lord Sinclair held out his arm for me to take and steered us towards the couples already dancing.

'Grace Huntington what on Earth are you doing?! Unless you have forgotten the small detail that you have sworn off men. Why have you agreed to dance with this, no doubt, chauvinistic male?' All these thoughts were going through my head as I was led to the edge of the dance.

After getting in step with the other dancers, Lord Sinclair took the opportunity to speak freely.

"I couldn't help but notice your brother's surprise at your apology."

"I rarely apologise to anyone, Your Grace, least of all to a person of the opposite gender."

"Well I guess I should feel honoured to be granted an apology from such an independent lady."

"Indeed, Your Grace. I cannot help but wonder why it is that you asked me to dance. I'm sure there is much more suitable and willing ladies that would've accepted readily."

"Perhaps there are. However, I couldn't help but notice that you, My Lady, are cut from a different cloth than all these other debutantes."

"Well I'm certainly no debutante, Your Grace." I got cut off by Lord Sinclair's gaze on me. It seems that my comment was not what he was expecting.

"Surely you are no more than eighteen summers?"

"Your Grace obviously has trouble judging ages, I turned one and twenty in spring."

"No I never normally get an age wrong. It is part of my job to distinguish a person's age."

"And what is it that you do, Your Grace?"

"Ah I'm afraid that, My Lady, is classified to almost everyone but a select few."

"You being one of those select few?"

"Me being one of those select few." After that Lord Sinclair rarely spoke unless it was to comment on the evenings dances or the decoration of the room, which I answered with the same disinterest as they were spoken. Only once the dance had ended and he had escorted me back to my brother, as was the custom, did Lord Sinclair speak up again.

"I shall take my leave of you now, Lady Grace, and I hope that I shall have the pleasure of dancing with you again." And with that he bowed and said a quick goodbye. I was not expecting the voice that disturbed me from musing about Lord Sinclair.

"Lady Grace Huntington, what a pleasant surprise!" To my horror, Sir William Quinne was advancing on me. Comparing Lord Sinclair and Sir William was like comparing night and day; one had inky black hair and eyes like the slivery moon, whereas, the other could be likened to an angel with his golden halo of hair and warm smile. I knew the warm smile on his face was only a façade and his true self was blacker than any night sky. How I knew this, you might be asking? Sir William Quinne is one of the slimiest men I have ever had the misfortune to be acquainted with. He has propositioned girls from London to Edinburgh, including Ophelia and I. Thankfully we never let him and Sarah alone, the poor girl wouldn't know what to do.

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Another chapter up! I know that it is quite short and it is more of a filler chapter but I'm hoping the next few chapters will pick up pace!

So what did you think of Sinclair and Grace's dance? Do you think that they'll be having more dances in the future?

And what about Sir William? What do you all think of him?

Picture at the top is Greg Wise whom I have chosen for Grace's brother Lord Richard Huntington!

I'd love any support that people can give, whether that's commenting, sharing or simply just adding it to your library ^.^

Bonny T x