Falling from Grace - Bridgerton

Chapter Eighteen

~Episode Three~
Music paraded through the house as Grace walked into the drawing-room for tea that day, Ben smiled once he saw her and pulled Grace down to sit next to him on the couch.

He lay down on the couch his legs over the top of her lap as Daphne continued to play the piano. Violet soon walked into the room letter in hand,

"Is it a letter from Francessca?" Colin asked and Violet looked up and nodded at him, "Yes it is, she is doing quite well in- Benedict Bridgerton!"

Ben's face shot up suddenly to face his mother as well as Grace's, "Get your feet off of Grace at once!"

Holding his hands up in defense Benedict did so cautiously as the rest of them tried not to laugh, except for Anthony who hiding behind his paper pretended not to notice and even more so pretend that he was not in the least bit jealous.

Yes, he had remembered a time where his legs would be over Grace's and she wouldn't be repulsed by him or angry, but he knew things were better now. They had to be.

"Grace dear, how are you this morning?" By the look in Violet's eyes, Grace knew what she was surely referring to and she swallowed looking down for a moment as if every bruise that still littered her skin had suddenly come to life and brought her to her knees once more.

"I am well, thank you" but as she said it her mind suddenly flashed back to her face pressed against the pillow, the pain in the back of her knees from being pinned down. Coldwater seemed to rush over her skin and then-

"Grace, are you alright?"

Anthony eyes suddenly went onto her, knowing that fake smile too well that was suddenly plaster onto her face, it was there when she first met him, it was there when Leisel pulled her away from the creek, it was there when she kissed Elliot before going to Wales to get married.

If this were any time before the past events of the last week Anthony would have thought nothing of it just a deceiving smile from a deceiving girl and if it was from before the events that caused him to hate her, he would have thought it was her usual beautiful smile. But now, now he wasn't so sure.

His mother left the room and they went back into the conversation, now about the new art being displayed later tonight. A new smile, a real smile. And it angered him that it was towards his brothers and that they returned the same smile not seeing the fury that built inside Anthony.

He truly saw her for what she was, he always had and he was one of the only people who could. And they both knew it.

Then she was laughing, laughing along with Colin at a joke that wasn't even remotely funny. How could she be laughing while in his presence, how dare she.

His leg hit the paper box beside the table suddenly and he remembered the reason he had waited for Grace to come to breakfast. Standing from the table box in hand he sauntered over to where she sat with his brothers before practically throwing the box into her lap.

Startled Grace looked up at him from her seat as well as Colin and Benedict who was just as confused.

Anthony agitated motioned towards it, "Go on, open it."

Still confused she hesitantly opened the box. Ben and Colin both bending awkwardly in their seats trying to see what it is.

The box was only half opened when Graces face became red and she let out a frustrated breath,

"Are you trying to get a point across, Anthony? Or are you just being your usual generous self?" She asked looking from the contents of the box to where Anthony stood beside her.