His Saving Grace (Regency Refuge 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

pretending to ignore him all day. With a sigh, Grace climbed into bed. Perhaps a good night's sleep will be enough to fuel my patience on the morrow.
    She would have loved to remove her dress and sleep in nothing more than her chemise, but she could not reach the buttons, and she didn't dare risk tearing it. Thomas had allowed the footman to bring no more than two trunks, and she had no idea what was in those trunks. Heaven help her if she got all the way to Northumberland only to discover she had the dress on her back and two trunks full of household goods her mother had insisted she'd want.
    It might serve him right if I traipsed around the house in nothing more than my chemise and slippers. Or a dress fashioned from candlesticks and embroidered pillows.

Chapter Five

    Grace woke to banging on her bedchamber door. "Who is it?" she croaked, her throat parched.
    "We leave in ten minutes. Be downstairs, or we go without you!"
    So much for hoping he'd wake in a better mood. Grace did the best she could to wash away the night's sleep before rushing down the stairs to meet her husband.
    Rather than Thomas, she found Rupert. "This way, Your Grace," he said, allowing her to precede him to the carriage. He gave her a hand up, then indicated a small basket by her feet. "I took the liberty of having the kitchen prepare something to eat in case we don't stop until night again."
    I think I may have found an ally in the midst of this fiasco.
    "That's so kind, Rupert. Thank you. His Grace and I appreciate it."
    Rupert's brown eyes flitted away before coming back to meet hers. "His Grace decided to ride his horse today. He's already left."
    Oh. The food basket is about pity, not camaraderie.
    "I see." Fighting the feeling of rejection, Grace said, "I didn't realize we had his horse with us."
    "Someone fetched Hero for him yesterday when we passed by Stafford."
    Grace put a smile on her face and hoped Rupert wouldn't be able to see how hurt she was by Thomas's actions. "I suppose I shall have all the food to myself then!"
    Admit it. Pity food is still better than no food.
    ****
    "Blasted woman!" Hero, Thomas's horse, twitched his ears in response. "She is not entitled to make me feel guilty for not providing her with a change of clothes!" He took Hero's snort as agreement. "And how dare my valet make me feel shamed for not seeing to her needs? How was I supposed to know she was hungry?"
    Thomas did not allow the nagging sense of wrongdoing to win. He had gone back below stairs the night before and eaten a wonderful supper. Then he'd ordered a bath to his room, cleaned up, gotten a good night's sleep, and put on fresh clothes that morning before going back down to break his fast. "All she had to do was speak up rather than cower in her room and wait until dark to try sneaking below!"
    Hero sidestepped, and Thomas patted his shiny midnight neck. "Sorry, old boy. I shouldn't take my frustration out on you. Let's enjoy this ride today. I'll try to remember she needs food when I order her room tonight." Knowing she would no doubt appreciate a bath as well, he decided giving in on one point was more than enough. She'd simply get dirty the following day when they traveled again anyway.
    "And for the record," he said to his horse, his voice forceful enough to convince even himself, "I am not being unreasonable."
    ****
    Night again began to close in on them as they pulled into the yard of an inn. Rupert, who had been riding above with the driver, opened the door and briefly told her she needed to remain in the carriage while he checked to make sure Thomas had arrived. Maybe the long ride put him in a better frame of mind. Or he got thrown from his horse and struck mute. A silent Thomas… now that's a thought worth smiling about.
    In another couple of minutes, the coach door opened wide. This time it was Thomas standing there. Startled, she stared for a moment before finding her voice and saying, "I'm so glad to see you arrived safely, Your