Finding Grace: A Novel (21 page)

But when she smiled, it was incredible. It
was like watching sunlight emerging from behind a cloud,
illuminating her whole presence. And then there were her lips that
looked so soft and rosy. She had a small mouth, but he found it
just perfect. Her lips were a natural shade of coral pink, colored
only by nature and not by some cosmetic paint. And if it hadn’t
been for the interruption, he would have finally found out just how
soft that tempting little mouth was. Damn his luck. Maybe if he
tried again, he could have another chance. Maybe he could somehow
sneak her away from the crowd, sweet talk her a little. Anything
was possible if he planned it right. And he was just about to get
to his feet when Victoria came walking up to him. At first he
didn’t look at her, even though she was standing right in front of
him.

“
Enjoying yourself?” she
asked.

He nodded. “Very much.” He wasn’t a fool.
She’d seen him talking to Grace, and now she was here sniffing
around, looking for clues to prove her suspicions.

“
Are you ready to head up to
the lake?” she asked.

“
In a little while,” he
replied, rising to his feet. “We haven’t even been here thirty
minutes. It wouldn’t be very neighborly if we just up and left, now
would it?” He went to the table and poured two glasses of lemonade,
handing her one. “Have a drink and take it easy. Enjoy yourself a
little.”

He strolled over toward the house next door,
and she followed a few steps behind. Normally, she would not have
stayed so close. When they had these kinds of neighborhood
gatherings, she was usually content to find a quiet corner and keep
to herself until he came to fetch her and take her home. But now it
seemed that she wanted to keep him in her sights. How could he do
anything if she was trailing him like a stubborn bloodhound?

Maybe it’s better to
wait
, he thought.
Bide my time.
Grace wasn’t going
anywhere, although at the moment, she seemed to have
disappeared.
Where is that girl hiding
now
? He wondered. He glanced around and saw
John Langdon, and thought that maybe she’d gone to her brother for
protection. It seemed like a logical answer, although he knew he’d
have to move with caution. If she’d told her brother something
wrong had gone on, there was a good chance he’d find himself
fending off an attack.

But as he approached the house next door, he
was offered a smile and a handshake, and he knew he was safe for
the moment. Jack was exuberant.

“
Henry, where the hell have
you been? We were looking for you the other night at the club and
never saw you once. Where did you go?”

“
Oh, I was around,” Henry
answered. “The place is always so busy on the weekends. Sometimes I
get lost in the crowd.”

Jack nodded. “I think I know the reason why
they pack the place, and it’s standing right there behind you.” He
smiled kindly at Victoria, who was looking away with an air of
great distraction. Still, she managed to look at Jack for a moment,
giving him a polite smile in return. “You know, speaking of
talent,” said Jack, “I think maybe we should get my little sister
to entertain us. This is a party, after all. Now where did she
go?"

Henry was wondering the same thing. It took
a lot of strength not to turn his neck to look for her. It wasn’t
wise…not with Victoria standing right beside him. He couldn’t be
for certain what she’d do if he overstepped his bounds, although he
honestly didn’t care. But he didn’t want to make a scene, for the
sake of his neighbors. So he tried to maintain a careless
aspect.

"Oh there she is," said Jack, moving towards
the porch where Grace was sitting. "Come on out of that corner,
baby sister. We want to hear you play and sing a little.”

Play and
sing
? Henry thought. He knew she played
piano. But there was more to her talents? He was instantly
curious.

He watched as she waved her brother away,
shaking her head. But Jack was quite persistent. He went over to
her and took her hand, trying to pull her to her feet.

“
Come on, sis. It's been a
long time since I heard a song from you. I'll even play along with
you and we’ll get Alice to join in."

“
Maybe we should just let
her be,” Henry chimed in. “She looks a little skittish to me. Maybe
she’s too scared to perform in front of people.”

What he hoped was to provoke her. He wanted
to see that bolder side of her personality, wondering if a
challenge would do the trick. He met her eyes, daring her to prove
him wrong. And he was thrilled when she got to her feet, following
her brother back over to their yard. He gave himself a few moments
pause, just so it wouldn’t look like he was chasing after her. When
he thought a decent amount of time had passed, he casually strolled
over to the Langdon’s porch, where a small crowd had started to
gather.

Alice brought out instruments…a fiddle and
banjo, a guitar and mandolin, which Grace took in hand, and Jack
had a harmonica which he put in his pocket. They sat close
together, and just before they began, Jack turned to Henry with a
sharp eye, but a slight grin.

“
Listen here, Mr. big shot
businessman. Don’t go getting no ideas after you hear this. She’s
not for hire.”

Henry just smiled a little and held up his
hands in defense.

They began to play, and right away it became
clear what talented musicians and singers they were. They soared
through lovely harmonies that reminded him of Irish songs he used
to hear as a child. Some were fast and infectious, others were slow
and sweet, and when they did a rendition of “The Wabash Cannonball”
Henry and the others watching were delighted by Grace’s ability to
yodel.

But it was the soft, sweet sound of a
country hymn that captured him and the others who were listening,
leaving them spellbound. Her voice was tender and sweet, unpolished
and yet oh so pure. It was a moving experience to listen to her,
and everyone listening was in awe.

Except for Victoria.

No one seemed to notice that she stood off
to the side with a pained expression on her face. In the middle of
a song, she suddenly turned and walked away, and only Henry caught
sight of it. For a few minutes he ignored her departure, preferring
to stay where he was. All three of the Langdons were true talents,
but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Grace. Not only was her voice
a marvel, but her fingers were so nimble in playing, moving
effortlessly as they danced across the strings of the instrument
she held. How he would have loved to remain and hear more. But he
knew that he had to go, and with great reluctance he pulled himself
away from the crowd and went after Victoria. He followed her into
the house, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"All right, let's have it," he said. "We're
in the house. We're all alone, and I know you've been waiting to
rant and rave about something. So let's get it over with."

"It's her, isn't it?" she cried.

God, woman,
he thought
. You don't
waste time, do you?
Then he snorted, and to
her question he gave his own. "Her who?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" she cried. "I'm
talking about that skinny little bird over there. She's the one who
has your head all a mess, isn’t she?”

Lord, how he detested the jealously of
women, especially a woman like Victoria. As if she had some claim
on him. As if she had the right to pry into his business. And as if
he was going to give her the satisfaction of admitting anything. He
didn’t bother to hide his contempt.

"For God's sake, Victoria. You see me
talking to a neighbor and that's the first thing you think?"

"What do you expect me to think? I'm not a
fool. I saw the way you were looking at her. I saw the way you were
watching her while she was singing. I'm not blind, Henry!"

He let out an irritated sigh and moved past
her. "You're out of your mind. And even if I was looking at her,
what concern is it of yours? Who I talk to and who I spend time
with is none of your business."

"It is my business!" she shouted, her voice
cracking slightly. "Everything about you is my business!"

At that he turned on her, furious. "We are
NOT married!"

Suddenly she shrank back a little, her eyes
full of deep pain at his statement. Tears began to well in her
eyes, but his tone did not soften. She had her place, and it was
about time she learned it. He advanced forward a step, pointing an
angry finger at her, his voice low and menacing.

"YOU are not my wife. I have never given a
vow of any kind to you. But I have kept you under my roof. I have
treated you as well as any man could treat a woman. I have kept
company with no one but you. So do not dare to question me on
anything."

He watched her, eyes blazing, and he saw her
sink down to a sitting position on the sofa. She tried to turn away
from him, to hide the tears that had started to spill down her
cheeks. But she could not hide the sobs that came from within her.
For a brief moment, he felt a twinge of guilt at what he had
wrought. Then, his brow furrowed in anger and frustration.

"I will not listen to this.”

He threw open the front door, and a moment
later he slammed it behind him as he stormed off into the
night.

* * * * *

The Great Pier was a wonder for the senses.
With its long boarded walks, lit along the way with the soft light
of lanterns, and the grand auditorium from which sweet music
flowed, it was a feast for the eyes and ears, and Grace drank in
the romance of it all. The lake looked so different at night, lit
by the light of the moon and dotted with the many boats that had
gathered near and far to await the fireworks that would soon
illuminate the sky.

At home, July the Fourth had been just
another day in their little world. She had seen a fireworks display
just once, many years ago, when Jack and Alice had taken her to
Charleston. Now she waited in anticipation to see them again. But
it was only nine-thirty now. Jack had said that the show wasn’t due
to begin until almost ten, so she took to enjoying all that was
going on around her.

While Jack and Alice were dancing in the
ballroom, she stood near the doorway, just watching. Several young
men had approached her and asked her to dance, but she had politely
declined. It was exciting to have that kind of attention, but the
simple fact was she didn’t know the first thing about dancing.
After some time of listening to the music and watching the elegant
movements, she took to a nearby bench and watched the people go by.
So many couples drifted along within her view, some holding hands
and some arm in arm. For the first time in a long while, she felt a
deep sense of sadness.

Suddenly, she felt a great longing for a
companion. She had always been her own confidant and best friend,
but she had the same feelings and longings as any other woman. She
sighed, and for some strange reason her mind turned to Charlie.

Of all people, he was the last one she was
sure she should be thinking of, but she could not help but wonder
what might have been. If only he had remained the sweet, charming
young man she’d first thought him to be. Maybe she would have grown
to love him in time, had she not been witness to the darkness of
his personality. It still hurt her deeply when she thought of the
way he had turned on her…the dark look on his face when he spoke
his cruel words. Why couldn’t he have been the right one? Someone
to share her thoughts and feelings. Someone she could confide in,
and turn to when the world was cold. Someone like Henry.

Lord, why can’t I stop thinking of him?

She knew it was wrong. She knew he was the
kind of man that she should be staying far away from. He was
dangerous, in so many ways. And yet, he was on her mind constantly.
He was like the forbidden fruit that she was warned to keep herself
from, but like the weakest of human beings, she found herself drawn
more and more to that which she could not and should not have. What
was it about him that she was drawn to? As soon as the question
formed in her mind, the answer came in quick and obvious
succession. He was handsome, intelligent, and charming - when he
tried to be. Maybe that was where the attraction lay.

He had an intensity about him that she could
not understand, and yet it was the very thing that seemed to drive
her senses mad whenever he came near to her. There was something in
his gaze when he looked at her…something that burned like fire. The
only way to keep from feeling that burning was not to look at him,
but even that was not easy when she felt his eyes upon her. When
their gazes were locked, she was helpless. And in the deepest,
darkest part of her soul, she longed to be weak - and discover just
what it was that was lying there behind those eyes.

Looking around at the crowd, she half
expected to see him among the people. He had his way of appearing
out of nowhere, as he had done to her before. And though she knew
it was wrong to wish it, some mischievous part of her longed for
him to come and surprise her once again. She was so busy looking,
in fact, that she did not see him approaching slowly from behind.
He came to stand just near her shoulder, and there he stood for
several long and silent moments.

She felt a presence behind her, and without
turning her head she knew who it was. A smile threatened to break
on her lips, but she managed to hold it back. Though she was
pleased to see him, she did not wish him to know it.

He’ll only gloat if he sees
it
, she thought.
And I can’t let him make me a fool.