Changing Grace Read Online Free PDF Page A

don’t mind. Those boards have been down for four hundred years and I don’t think it will take you just five minutes to shift them.”
    “Right you are, girl,” he said moving to hug her. “You take care of yourself, now. Do you hear me?”
    Grace nodded and hugged the greying man back. “I’ll pop in after work tomorrow and see what you found. It’s all very exciting.”
     
    When Grace emerged onto Stonegate she was shocked to find that the gentle snowfall of earlier had turned into quite a blizzard. She shivered and pulled the collar of her coat up around her neck. It was ten days before Christmas and the city heaved with the traditional bustle of the season. She looked up at the string of lights that adorned the street. They looked so beautiful when they came on. Christmas always took her mind back to her childhood. She supposed it must do the same for everyone. There was nothing in this world as exciting as the fantasy of Father Christmas. She sighed at the memory of how simple life had seemed back then. Children don’t question, they just blindly accepted, she thought, watching a young mother hurrying down Stonegate with her little boy’s hand tightly clutched in hers.
     
    The snow fell heavier as she made her way through the city, purchasing the items listed on the back of the portrait. She wondered dimly what they were for; but her mind was so far past the point of reason that she lost the thought almost as fast as she had it.
    The oversized back pack grew heavier until its weight on her back became a burden. She slung both straps over her shoulders and proceeded through the city.
    Night was falling fast and the pavements had become almost impassable with snow. Her shoes were totally unsuitable for the conditions and her feet burned with the cold. She headed away from the city and towards Kate’s house.
    Everything looked so different with a thick covering of snow on the ground. The house came into view. Grace made her way towards the door and knocked. A few moments later, Kate answered.
    “Grace! Are you ok?”
    “I’m fine. Do you mind if I come in?”
    “No, of course I don’t mind. Sorry, come in Grace. You look soaked to the skin.”
    Kate took Grace’s hand and pulled her through the door into the warmth of the hallway.
    “What on earth are you doing? No one should be out in this. Why didn’t you get a taxi? Do you want a glass of wine?”
    Grace nodded, wrapping her arms around herself trying to warm up. She moved to stand in front of the radiator, lifting her hands over the gentle heat that radiated from it. Her fingers burnt and she knew there was a reason she shouldn’t keep her hands in the heat. But her mind had forgotten that reason and the only coherent thought she could manage was that she needed to get warm.
    “Here you go, hun. Get this down you, it’s mulled wine. It’ll warm you up nicely,” she said, handing Grace a large warm glass of red wine. “I haven’t boiled it, just heated it a bit.”
    “Thanks, Kate. This is lovely,” she said, taking a sip of the warm liquid and enjoying the heat it brought to her as it slid down the back of her throat.
    “You know, Grace, don’t take this the wrong way hun, but you look dreadful. Are you still feeling rattled by that silly old bat from Monday night?”
    Grace shook her head and took another sip of the warm wine.
    “No, I’m fine, honestly. Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix.”
    “Are you still having trouble sleeping in that room?”
    “No. Honest Kate, I’m absolutely fine. As I said, just need a good night’s sleep and I’ll be good as new.”
    Grace emptied the last of the liquid from the glass.
    “Want some more?”
    “That would be nice, thanks.”
    “Fancy watching a film?” Kate asked, returning with two filled glasses.
    “I can’t. It’s getting late and the weather is dreadful. I only came for a quick chat.”
    “No worries, Grace. Anything in particular you wanted to chat