Pascale Duguay Read Online Free PDF

have dropped one of my gloves inside.”
    Patience reluctantly stepped away from the inn’s entrance to allow him to re-enter the building. Surely, a man of his “status” would not abandon a helpless female in need of assistance? Hadn’t he proven this to be true already by taking her up in his phaeton when she was limping on the side of the road and again when he’d offered her luncheon? Although the offer had sprung mostly to save himself from embarrassment, he had assisted her nonetheless. She could tell him that she had changed her mind about accepting the post here; that after he had left her, she had gone to get her ticket for the coach, but the sudden appearance of her acquaintance had distracted her so much that she had missed her chance to get on it. If he would just help her one more time, he would have her promise that he would never have to do so again. Yes, that was exactly what she would tell him. All that was left to do now was wait for his return.
    The minutes ticked away while the dust the stagecoach had left in its wake slowly settled down. Patience paced the length of the building. What was the man doing? Maybe she should go in and help him look for his missing glove. Just as she was about to act on the thought, she saw him stroll toward her, pulling on his gloves in a leisurely manner. She did not wait for him to reach her side however. Ignoring her blistered foot, she ran to meet him.
    “Please my lord, will you not reconsider? It is imperative that I get on that coach!”
    “Why is that?”
    When Patience opened her mouth to speak he held up a hand, “No, do not bother answering. I am sure you will tell me another very entertaining story with not a grain of truth to it. First, you have a mother who dies twice in very different circumstances. Next, you are planning to travel by coach when before you were simply going on a shopping expedition before applying for a new post. I daresay you will now disclose that you are running away from an unwanted suitor!”
    The cynical tone of his voice and the hard look in his stormy grey eyes told Patience all she needed to know. In fact, she could not blame him. She had told him so many lies that the truth would only sound like another fairy tale. Nothing would be gained by continuing this conversation, she decided. It was a pity they had to part on such unfriendly terms. But they were strangers, after all, and would have to remain so even should she chance to see him once she was in London. Giving him a slight curtsy, she spun around and, head held high, limped inside the inn where she went to inquire about the next coach.
    As she had suspected, it would not arrive until the following day. The next obvious step was to approach the innkeeper. That worthy man had been all amiability before. Perhaps he would let her work for her keep, just for this one night. Delaying her arrival at Hawkridge Manor by one more day would not make much of a difference. If all went well at home, her father would not know about her disappearance for yet another day maybe even more. He would probably think she was closeted in her room out of spite.
    The only thing that could possibly foil her plans was if her father happened to talk to Sir Rupert. His crony would be sure to tell him he had seen her here today. But there was no point worrying about that. She had not come this far to give up now. The alternative was unthinkable. She really had no choice but to continue. If it were not for her blistered foot, she would not have hesitated to walk all the way to Lady Rutherford’s home, even if it took her all night to get there.
    Patience caught sight of the innkeeper entering a room at the end of the hallway. She followed him and found herself in a private parlour. Its previous occupants had gone and the innkeeper, standing next to a long table at the other end of the room, was stacking dirty dishes onto a tray. As his back was to the door, she walked up to the man to make her presence