Dark Obsession | Open Novella Contest

Chapter 5

April 16th, 1912

The following morning after the party, Grace quickly bathed and dressed so that she could be ready in time to take Ralph to Dior Cake Shop with her on her father's orders. Once finished with everything in her room, Grace quickly walked down the stairs, trying not to step on the hem of her dress. As she walked down the staircase, thoughts constantly ran through her mind about how she could possibly get out of this supposed 'date.'

As she got down to the bottom step she heard the sound of a voice clearing, stopped on the staircase and then turned to see who it was. Looking up, Grace saw Peter staring at her with his arms folded across his chest. Seeing this Grace dropped the hem of her dress and moved toward the railing of the mahogany staircase and said with a small smile. "Good morning, Peter!"

"What's so good about it, Grace? You're going to be stuck with that damn Ralph all day." Peter replied snidely.

Grace sighed deeply and then replied. "That is true Peter. But if I have my way I think I might be able to get out of it."

"What are you thinking, Grace?" Peter asked, curious about what Grace was about to say.

"I was thinking about going with Ralph to the cake shop, but I was only planning on staying with him for maybe about thirty minutes before telling him that I wasn't feeling good and telling him that I was going to go home and rest." Grace said as she picked up one side of her dress and then finished walking down the staircase and walked over and stood beside Peter. 

As Grace looked to Peter she noticed just how much he towered over her. As she continued to stare at the red-haired young man, she heard him respond to what she had told him about her bright idea. "That is not a bad idea, Grace. But are you sure that this is gonna work?"

"It has to work, Peter. I want to spend the entire day with you. That was the entire reason why I came up with this idea in the first place." Grace said as she looked at him with a look of determination on her face.

As she looked at him she saw a smile form on his face before speaking. "So that's what you had in mind, Grace. Well I can say that I like the idea and it's not a bad one."

"Of course you think it's a good idea." Grace said with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around Peter and hugged him, resting her head against him before saying. "I wish that I didn't have to go with him at all. I wish that I could just stay here with you all day."

"I know you do, sweetheart. I wish that you didn't have to go either. But look at it this way, you only have to spend thirty minutes with him and then we can spend the entire day together." Peter said as he hugged her tightly against his body. 

"That is true." Grace said as she released him from her hold and took a couple of steps from him as she heard the sound of the grandfather clock in the hallway chime signalling that it was nine o'clock. "Well it's time to meet up with the snake. I'll see you in thirty minutes, Peter." She said with a smile and a wave as she walked over to the front door and opened it and went outside where Winston was waiting on her.

Once she was outside she quickly walked down the steps with assistance of Winston who helped her over to the car and helped her get inside, closing the door behind her before he got into the driver's side and closed the door behind him and then cranked the car. As Winston drove off, Grace turned in her seat she saw Peter standing outside on the porch step waving to her, Grace waved back to him with a smile on her face, happy that this supposed date with Ralph would be over soon.

Once the sight of Peter's figure was out of her viewpoint she turned back around in her seat and faced the front of the car and awaited the dreadful date. As they continued down the road Winston turned down another road and then arrived a long driveway which he drove down. As Winston pulled up in front of the white sided mansion, Grace saw an impeccably dressed Ralph standing on the front porch of the mansion. Once there, Grace watched as Winston motioned for Ralph who quickly got into the car beside Grace.