Grace felt a jolt through her. Excitement, maybe—no, panic. Maybe both. Grace thought debutantes were supposed to be agreeable, and yet Mr. Echelon-Arnost had suggested otherwise. She tried to reassure herself. Maybe it was just another one of his opinions that were contrary to society. Maybe he preferred the company of more combative debutantes (but why, then, would he agree to her company?). Or maybe he was teasing her, an option that she would have preferred to assume but didn't have enough self-confidence to think that any man would be teasing her.
Or maybe, just maybe, he was alluding to some shortcoming of his, but Grace thought him too friendly and kind to think there could be anything wrong with him.
But she pushed all contemplative thoughts from her mind. Another thought was just another second of silence on her end, and debutantes were supposed to be able to carry a conversation. Merlin help her.
"That is a relief to hear," she finally responded, peeking up at him shyly, unsure of what else she could say to him. She had thought too hard to come up with anything light and witty, and now she was second-guessing herself.
She nearly tripped over one of the exhibit's decorations that lined the walkway, and she gave a nervous giggle as she caught herself.
Or maybe, just maybe, he was alluding to some shortcoming of his, but Grace thought him too friendly and kind to think there could be anything wrong with him.
But she pushed all contemplative thoughts from her mind. Another thought was just another second of silence on her end, and debutantes were supposed to be able to carry a conversation. Merlin help her.
"That is a relief to hear," she finally responded, peeking up at him shyly, unsure of what else she could say to him. She had thought too hard to come up with anything light and witty, and now she was second-guessing herself.
She nearly tripped over one of the exhibit's decorations that lined the walkway, and she gave a nervous giggle as she caught herself.
