Grace in Wonderland - Chapter 94

94. The Importance of Coaching

The next day, after hastily arranging permission to visit, Richard and Sebastian drove their carriage to Charles Dodgson’s house. From the moment Becky handed over the letter, Richard had been meticulously preparing his words, just like a novice Member of Parliament rehearsing for his first address, as he anticipated meeting Grace Gurton.

Charles Dodgson had no intention of leaving Grace Gurton and Richard Spencer alone in the same room. When Richard insisted on having a private meeting, Dodgson glared at him before settling on a compromise: leaving the drawing room door slightly ajar.

Thus, a private meeting that wasn’t quite private came to pass. From beyond the half-open door, Sebastian and Professor Dodgson listened intently to the conversation unfolding inside.

“I apologize.”

Richard’s succinct statement startled Sebastian. Hearing his master utter such a concise and proper apology—complete with an explanation of remorse and a promise to improve—Sebastian’s face lit up like a blossoming flower.

To think I would live to hear Richard Spencer sincerely apologize!

Sebastian was relieved that Richard hadn’t resorted to his usual phrase, “I express my regret,” which he typically used when forced to apologize without genuine remorse. At least this time, his apology sounded heartfelt. Truly, love was a remarkable force.

In stark contrast, Charles Dodgson’s face contorted as if he were staring at a demon from the depths of hell. He glared daggers at Sebastian as if to say, “What exactly did that scoundrel do to Grace to warrant such an apology?” Sebastian, sensing the silent accusation, shifted his gaze to the distant air.

As a seasoned attendant, one of Sebastian’s duties was to cover for his master’s shortcomings. Since the Young Earl had described it as a “minor mistake,” surely it couldn’t have been that serious… right? Even if it wasn’t trivial, it had to be minor. Or so he convinced himself.

“It’s… it’s okay.”

Grace hesitated before replying. In truth, she couldn’t quite process the situation and didn’t know what to say.

To think Richard Spencer had traveled all the way from Lydon to Grentabridge just to apologize. Such an act seemed impossibly grand, the mark of a noble who embodied sophistication and grace. A person like that had no need to improve his character.

After all, how many people who wronged her had ever apologized? Not even Theresius Wilford had sought her forgiveness. While he had reportedly begged Lord Montague’s pardon and paid a hefty sum as compensation, he hadn’t said a word to Grace, the one most affected.

By comparison, Richard Spencer’s aristocratic manners and dignity were…

Get a grip, Grace Gurton.

Grace nearly slapped her own cheek in front of Richard Spencer. She had only recently resolved to sort through her jumbled emotions, and here she was, losing herself again. She straightened her posture to regain composure.

“First, I’d like to give you this.”

Richard placed a small box on the table and slid it toward Grace. The sound caught Sebastian’s attention from outside, his ears practically perking up.

Could it be the object he’s been carrying around for days? He wouldn’t tell me what it was… now I’ll finally know!

“W-what is this?”

“It’s my aunt’s ring. I thought you might be looking for it, so I brought it.”

“…Yes?”

Grace pulled the box toward her and opened the lid. It was indeed the ring she had lost in front of the Montague mansion.

She hadn’t reported Viscount Lovelace to the authorities, even though she suspected he might have taken it. She hadn’t been certain, and even if she had been, the idea of accusing a relative felt wrong. Instead, she had enlisted the help of some attendants to search the area, only to give up in the end.

“H-how did you find this?”

“Viscount Lovelace put it up for auction. I retrieved it through Edmund Beaufort.”

Technically, Richard had confiscated it from Edmund Beaufort, but he saw no need to share such details. Sticking to the essentials seemed more impressive.

“Th-thank you.”

Grace stared intently at the ring that had been returned to her. It was both a keepsake of Lady Montague and a tangible connection to her mother, Annabel Gurton.

For returning such a precious item, Richard Spencer had earned Grace’s eternal gratitude. Without realizing it, she smiled warmly and met his eyes.

Ah! Meeting her gaze, Richard’s face flushed. Before his cheeks could burn any further, he hastily pulled out the meticulously prepared documents he had brought. One by one, he stacked the papers on the table.

“The reason I’m here today is to show you this,” Richard began, his tone serious as he addressed the wide-eyed Grace Gurton.

***

Richard suffered a crushing defeat in this round as well. A record of consecutive losses. And it was all Sebastian’s fault for giving terrible advice.

No matter how talented the player, it’s useless if the coach’s strategy is a mess.

“Sebastian, didn’t you say that when apologizing, one grand gesture speaks louder than a hundred words?”

Richard glared at Sebastian, his face full of rage. The sound of his teeth grinding—damning his dental health—made Sebastian shrink in fear. The fire blazing in Richard’s eyes felt as though it could burn him alive.

“Young Master, I didn’t know that’s what you’d consider a grand gesture!”

But Sebastian had plenty to say for himself. What had Richard Spencer offered during his apology?

It was none other than himself. He had proposed while apologizing.

An apology is an apology, and a proposal is a proposal. How could he recklessly combine the two?

As if the sudden proposal weren’t ridiculous enough, he didn’t even try to set a romantic mood. Instead, he listed the Spencer family’s assets as if he were submitting a financial report. What kind of absurd madness was that?

“I was referring to bracelets, necklaces, or rings. That’s what I meant.”

This was the stark reality of class disparity. In Sebastian’s humble lexicon, a “grand gesture” for apologizing to a woman involved intricately crafted jewelry adorned with colorful gemstones. A bouquet would also be a nice touch.

The box Richard had been carrying around for days—Sebastian had assumed it was meant to express his sincerity. If he’d known this would happen, he would have secretly checked its contents.

For the Spencer heir, a “grand gesture” apparently involved offering land, buildings, mines, and businesses. As a mere servant surviving on wages, how was Sebastian supposed to know that?

Still, it was infuriating. If Graham Harold, a man of similar wealth and status, were in the same position, he would never have acted like this. At least the Young Marquess of Winchester was a man with common sense.

Richard’s twenty years of life experience seemed utterly worthless. Having lived as if detached from the world, he lacked even a shred of understanding about proper behavior. In short, he was a clueless bumpkin.

“What kind of man proposes like that? Even Theresius Wilford got down on one knee.”

“Why are you bringing him up now?”

“Boasting about your wealth… Honestly, Professor Dodgson looked so mortified.”

Meanwhile, Richard was equally frustrated. His envisioned future did not include a “rejection from the woman he proposed to.” The idea of the rainbow disappearing just before reaching its end was unthinkable.

To Richard, marriage was a contract. And a contract required terms and conditions.

Revealing one’s hand and reviewing the other’s cards had been part of his engagement with Eleanor d’Estrée. It would likely apply to Lancelot and Eleanor’s eventual marriage as well.

The Spencer family’s wealth was immeasurable, growing by the second. Richard had compiled a list of its most symbolic assets—land, buildings, mines, and businesses—adding brief explanations to each. He presented this to Grace Gurton and proposed.

The flaws in Grace Gurton that worried Lady Mary Montague were meaningless to Richard Spencer. With the Countess, who had once wielded control over his inheritance, no longer present, there was no one to nitpick about Grace’s status.

And if anyone dared to disrespect the future Countess Spencer, Richard was ready to crush them. In his mind, he was already dismantling hypothetical enemies, strengthening his resolve.

Her stutter? If he liked it, that was all that mattered. The voice of the woman he loved, with its staccato and legato rhythm, was more precious to him than the most renowned prima donna’s performance. He remembered the sound of her voice echoing gently through the cracks of the charity school’s windows—a melody worth more than any famous opera.

And so, he proposed. Because Richard Spencer himself was the ultimate grand gesture!

“You should’ve seen Professor Charles Dodgson’s expression at that moment.”

“What was it like?”

“So fierce, I wanted to run away. If Miss Gurton had accepted your proposal, I think he’d have kicked down the drawing room door and dragged her out immediately. Thankfully or not, she refused, so…”

Sebastian trailed off, pressing his lips together. At his words, Richard ground his teeth again.

A rejection. That’s right. He was now a rejected suitor, a dangerous beast scorned by Grace Gurton.