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

there something I can help you with? Do you need anything from below?"
    Thank heaven! I'd have succumbed to a fit of the vapors if Thomas had told Rupert to…
    Mortified, Grace said, "No. I need nothing from below. Are you sure Thomas is unable to lend me a hand?"
    "I'm afraid he is not available," the valet answered.
    Pulling that official smile back out and pasting it on her face, Grace said, "I see. Thank you for checking to see if I needed anything."
    "Are you sure everything is all right?"
    Of course it's not all right!
    "Everything is about as grand as it shall get, I imagine," she said before closing the door.
    Maybe the bath isn't even for me. Would Thomas have ordered himself a bath while ignoring my needs? I wish I thought the answer was no.
    Grace longingly admired the tub of water before throwing herself on the bed and crying herself to sleep, a pillow hugged tightly against her chest. Even she couldn't tell if her tears were from self-pity, sadness, or anger.
    ****
    Thomas had allowed Grace enough time to bathe. He was bringing a tray of food for her as well. When he opened the door to their room, he found the room quite dark. Giving his eyes a moment to adjust, he finally saw Grace lying on the bed, presumably asleep. Locating the table, he set the tray down. Then he lit some candles and stoked the waning fire so he could see his way around. The truth was, he'd ordered a bath for her only because he'd also wanted one and couldn't very well force her to skip it if the tub and water were right there in the room.
    Looking more closely, he saw the cake of soap appeared untouched. The water was crisp and fresh as if the tub had scarcely been filled. Dipping his finger in, he felt how cool it was and knew it must have been sitting there for a time. The towels were also untouched. Had Grace fallen asleep before she could bathe? Rupert had said something about her needing assistance, but he'd been too busy ignoring his wife's existence to pay any attention.
    Thomas marched over to the bed and shook Grace's shoulder. "Wh-at is it? Is it time to l-eave already?" Grace was hiccupping, which meant she'd more than likely been crying. Despite her theatrics that day in her father's library, she was not the type of girl to waste a lot of time on tears, at least not in Thomas's experience prior to that fateful house party.
    Fighting the urge to feel like a cur for every unkind word he'd said to her over the past days, Thomas kept his words brief, saying, "I brought something to eat. I thought you would have taken your bath by now."
    "I asked the lady to f-etch you, but Rupert c-ame instead."
    "What did you need that Rupert couldn't assist you?" The last thing he needed was a clingy and demanding wife.
    Looking at Grace closely for the first time since they'd said their vows, he saw a drawn face. Her black hair served only to emphasize the shadows under her eyes, as well as in them. She was wearing the same dress she'd worn to their wedding. Blast it all, now what's wrong? In less time than it would have taken him to ring a bell for tea, she'd gone from an ashen complexion to a flaming one.
    "I asked the lady who br-ought the bath for help, but she said she c-ouldn't and that she'd get you, but then your va-let came instead, and I couldn't as-k him."
    "Grace, if you don't tell me what you need, I can't do anything about it." Frustrated, Thomas ran a hand through his mocha hair. He'd secretly hoped she'd be asleep when he arrived, but he hadn't expected the unused tub. If it weren't for that, he'd have left her to her slumber.
    The words tripped out of her mouth as if she wasn't quite sure how to say them. Her voice wavered between chagrin and bravado as she said, "I can't get out o-f my dress."
    Understanding dawned as he gazed from Grace to the bathwater and back to Grace again. Sighing, he stood up. "Hold on a moment," he said.
    Thomas tugged the filled tub over to a corner of the room and moved the screen to afford a measure