A Love All Her Own Read Online Free PDF Page A

that she wouldn’t feel out of place eating alone, yet she could see other diners plainly so that she didn’t feel quite so alone. The waiter handed her a menu, and she was impressed with the selection the hotel offered.
    She chose the veal cutlets with brown sauce and riced potatoes. For dessert, she chose lemon pie. As she waited for her meal, she took in the luxurious decor and was quite happy with her selection of hotels. She didn’t think any of the others in town could be any nicer.
    From the soft murmur of voices and the gentle clink of silverware, the hotel’s clientele seemed quite sophisticated and genteel. Abigail was not made to feel uncomfortable at all for being by herself, and for that, she was quite thankful. She did see a man across the way keep looking at her, but she had a feeling he was the agent hired to watch over her. She had the impression from meeting Marcus Wellington that he didn’t do anything by half measure, and she was certain that he would have her watched no matter where she went outside her room. She was a little surprised by the comfort that thought gave her.
    Abigail actually enjoyed her dinner. The meal was delicious and the service outstanding. Best of all, she was able to watch the other diners without worrying that they might be discussing her broken engagement. If they were discussing her at all, they might be wondering who she was, but as she was at a hotel and the other guests weren’t from Hot Springs, they probably weren’t thinking of her at all. There was something very freeing about that thought.
    That the wealthy frequented Hot Springs was evident in the way the guests were dressed, and Abigail would be certain to dress in a like manner while she was at the hotel. But as no one knew her, she wasn’t going to worry about wearing her traveling clothes this evening. Instead, she just let herself enjoy the meal and the comings and goings of the other guests.
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    Marcus had supper at one of the restaurants down the street from the Arlington Hotel. He hadn’t been able to get Abigail Connors off his mind all evening, and it bothered him a great deal that he was still thinking about her. At first, he told himself it was because she was a new client and he just wanted to make sure everything went well—as he would any other client.
    But from the moment he’d first seen Abigail, he knew she would be no ordinary client. Maybe it was because she was Jacob’s daughter, or maybe it was because she was alone here in Hot Springs and he felt even more responsibility for her. He didn’t know. All he was certain of was that he’d been thinking of her ever since he left the hotel. In the back of his mind were all the questions he’d like answered. He wanted to know why her wedding had been called off and why she was traveling alone. Why did she feel the need to leave Eureka Springs? And why was he so interested in her?
    Marcus chided himself. Probably his investigative personality had his mind working overtime—that was all. But when he left the restaurant in time to meet his agents as they switched shifts at eight o’clock, he had a feeling it was more than that.
    Benson was in the lobby, waiting for Nelson, when Marcus arrived. He put down the paper he was reading when Marcus took a seat beside him. “How’s it going?”
    “It’s been quiet. Miss Connors came down for dinner and just went back up about ten minutes ago.”
    “Hmm. I would have thought she might eat in her room tonight.”
    “No, sir. She came down and had a leisurely meal. She seemed interested in watching the people around her and appeared quite at ease at a table by herself.”
    Perhaps she was more confident and independent than her father thought she was. “Well, I’m glad she had a good evening and is safe and sound back in her room,” Marcus said. “I’m not sure everything will be quite so calm in the days to come.”
    “Most likely not,” Benson said. “In this line of work, it usually