The Bad Boy's Muse

Lady Grace

Bristol, England.

Grace's POV

I hugged the pillow to my chest as I lay on the bed, trying to block the hurrying footsteps on the ground floor. My father had been sick for quite a while now and his illness had defiled every medical treatment in the whole of England. He was getting better. At least that was what we all thought until two days ago he had gone into a full relapse when he was taking a stroll with my mother in the garden. We contacted immediately the Doctor and when he finally pulled up at the gate; I knew he was tired, perhaps tired of treating father. 

His usually gaunt face looked even gaunter, and he barely spared me a glance when he walked past me. My governess Miss Rose had shooed me to my room, whispering in my ears to read my favourite story. Even now the book lay on my leg, turned upside down. I was much too distracted to read.

As a child, I had developed a voracious appetite for books but my parents only wanted me to get basic knowledge and learn other skills like how to play the violin or the piano. My mom had always complained about my poor sewing skills and would often chide me that one day when I finally become a Madam over my house, I would understand why she was so insistent, but I didn't care about those things. I knew I was born for more.

 So, one day when I was waiting for Miss Rose in the drawing-room, I had seen a book placed carelessly on the table, walking over to it, I had seen the words 'The Bride' by Julie Garwood etched beautifully on the cover of the book. Immediately I picked it up to read. I became hooked till Miss Rose came into the drawing-room.

"Lady Grace," she had gasped, rushing at me to snatch the book away, "you're not allowed to read such books".

"But I found it lying on the table. If it didn't want to be read, why did you keep it there?" I complained, stamping my foot in anger.

"Would you rather I go to Countess and tell her I caught you reading a book meant for adults?" she raised her eyebrows at me.

"Would you rather I go to my mother and tell her you left careless books meant for an adult in the drawing-room?" I fired back.

"You would do no such thing, Lady Grace. You're not allowed to negotiate with me now go sit and practice what you learnt yesterday with your violin," she ordered me firmly.

Later, she came to my room and asked me if I had liked what I read and I replied yes. So, she started giving me books to read. I would hide in my room each night after lights out and delve into pages and pages of the mind-blowing romance of a handsome rake who fell in love with a maid or vice versa. 

I and Miss Rose became the closest of friends.

Last season, my sister Phoebe got married to the Marquess of Devon. My mother was all tears and joy. Now everyone expects me to marry well; maybe a Duke or even a marquess, but nothing lower than my father's rank.

I sighed and went to my window. Sometimes, I wondered what lied beyond Bristol, beyond England. The only place I had ever travelled to was the places in my head that I would make up or the places in the book I read. Sometimes, I will seat for hours trying to picture each description. Sometimes I would catch myself trying to act like the female character and one time I had daydreamed about the nakedness of a man, after that I had asked for forgiveness from the blessed Virgin. I am not supposed to have such impure thoughts.

Sometimes, Miss Rose would sneak into my room with her phone and we would sit side by side watching American teen movies and it had always fascinated me with how much such young teens could kiss at will. At home, they made us to watch the news or other non-exciting programs. 

The doorknob to my room turned. I knew it was Miss Rose.

"Grace?" she called out. We have dropped the titles whenever we were alone. So I called her Rose, and she called me Grace.

"Over here," I spoke from the window. It was already getting dark and my room was dark.

"What are you thinking about?" she came towards the window after turning on the lights in my room.

"I don't know what I am thinking of. I feel empty, I feel sad and I don't know why. I am scared, Rose. I am so scared for my father." I trembled.

"Nothing will happen to him, remember Great expectations" she grinned widely at me, I knew she was trying to cheer me up.

"What if something happens to him, Rose? Father had promised to let me go to a proper school in Manchester instead of getting married, and you know who my mother is. The only thing she's about is marriage, marriage, marriage." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I have faith that the Earl will get well at least for your sake so you could explore all the things you've written in your bucket list".

"When I finally turn 16, Father has approved that I can now get a cell phone. Then I can start using social media. Uhh..." I clasped my hand together in excitement, "I just can't wait".

"Maybe, if you're a good girl and do as you're told, I may open an i********: account for you just ahead of your 16th birthday gift," Rose titled her head in pride.

"C'mon Rose," I grabbed her arm "I am your best friend. You can't deny me this one thing." I made puppy eyes at her.

"Alright, when everywhere is a lot calmer, I promise I would help you open an i********: account".

"Promise?" I squealed in delight.

"Okay," she rolled her eyes "I promise".

"Now, you've to go to bed," she winked at me.

I wasn't going to bed yet; I had gotten a book from Rose this afternoon; 'Eloquent Silence' by Sandra Brown.

I allowed Rose to tuck me to bed and waited painfully for another 60 minutes for the nanny to make her rounds before I tiptoed to my door and locked it. Carefully, I brought out the book from underneath my bed and carefully fixed the small flashlight on my forehead, securing it with a piece of cloth. Thirty minutes later, I got lost in the world of Drake and Lauri.

~~~

I heard a loud shriek coming from the rooms downstairs, still lost at the part where Drake and Lauri kissed by the washing machine. I paid no attention. It came stronger this time around, and I knew it was my mother.

Without bothering to close the book and place it underneath my covers away from Nanny's hawklike eyes, I made a beeline to my door and moments later, my nightgown fisted in one hand, I was running down the great flight of stairs bare-footed.

At the end of the staircase, my mother was crying and rolling on the floor. She was being held by both Nannies and Uncle Sylvester. 

"You must pull yourself together, Adele. Do it for your kids," he came to console her.

"Mother?" I came down slowly, filled with apprehension, trying not to think of anything at all.

"Grace, why are you not in bed?" Uncle Sylvester was walking towards me. I dodged him and ran into the room that had a makeshift hospital for my father.

"Grace, for chrissakes," Uncle Sylvester cursed, following behind me hotly.

Inside the room, I met the doctors and the nurses that had come the previous day. There was a white sheet over dad's face.

"Father" I tried to rush to his side.

One of the Doctors apprehended me.

"Why is his face covered?" I screamed in hysterics "He'll suffocate with that clothe over his face," I continued to struggle.

"Grace, my dear, please come with me" Uncle Sylvester's powerful arms grabbed my waist gently.

"I will after I talk to my father" I slithered out of his hand and rushed towards the bed. 

This time, I succeeded. I was too fast for all of them. I opened the sheet and saw Father lying lifeless with both eyes shut. A purple hue had replaced his usually bright face. His sides placed both hands. He was dead.

"Father" I screamed, feeling the salty taste of my tears flowing down my cheeks. I didn't know I was crying.

Strong arms picked me up, and this time I didn't argue. I allowed myself to be lifted off the ground and out of the room. When I looked up, I was in the arms of my Uncle Sylvester, who carried me bridegroom style to my room. When he had dropped me on the bed, he soothed me gently.

"My Dad is dead," I sobbed.

"He has gone to be in a better place Grace, be strong for the sake of your mother and your other siblings." he caressed my chin lightly.

"Dad promised to walk with me in the garden tomorrow and join me to pick flowers. He knew how much I hated my piano lessons, so he volunteered to keep me with him so I can skip classes," I continued sobbing.

Uncle Sylvester leaned in and place his forehead on mine. I could feel his breath on my face.

"I wish I could draw away your pain," he murmured, as teardrops from his eyes dropped onto my face.

"I am sorry," I whispered, drawing him into my arms...

We cried ourselves to sleep.