Free Marcello & Grace (Royals of Valleria #2) by Marianne Knightly

glancing between them. “I’m not that person.”
     
    “Of course you’re not,” Marcello agreed, and she could tell he meant it.
     
    Grace sat still, her hands wringing the napkin in her lap again, her face scrunched with worry, fear, tension, and more.
     
    “Grace,” Marcello said softly and she lifted her eyes to his. “This is your decision. We’ll both do whatever you think is best.”
     
    Grace sighed. “I hate politics,” she said and broke the tension in the room as Marcello and Cat laughed.
     
    “I can’t stand them myself,” Cat said. “Thank God Alex was born before me, otherwise we’d all be in trouble.”
     
    “If I didn’t need Lord Picford’s support, I would just decline and never have to see him again.”
     
    “You really dislike him, don’t you?” Cat asked.
     
    “He’s just not a very nice man, that’s all.” As she pushed back from the table, she missed the narrowed look on Marcello’s face. “If I’m going to host a dinner tonight, I’ve got a million things to do.”
     
    Cat jumped up from the table. “I’ll help you.”
     
    “So will I,” Marcello said, whose face had evened out again. “Just let us know what you need help with.”
     
    Grace was staggered. It had been so long since anyone had sincerely offered to help her. “Thank you,” she said in a low voice, and swallowed. “Thank you,” she said with a stronger voice. “Cat, why don’t you come with me? Perhaps we can all regroup in an hour?”
     
    “Of course,” Marcello said. “I hope we haven’t made your life difficult. Neither of us intended that when we came here.”
     
    “No, not at all,” Cat said. “Would it be easier for you if we left altogether?”
     
    “Catharine,” Marcello said in a firm voice. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
     
    “Of course not. You can’t leave,” Grace said, surprising herself. She did not want either of them to go. “Neither of you.”
     
    “Then we’ll stay,” Marcello said, and Grace thought he may have wanted to hold her hand again. She suddenly realized she would not have minded if he did.
     
    “Good,” Grace said nodding. “Good. Then let’s get to work.”
     
    As Grace called for the butler and housekeeper and left the room, she put thoughts of Marcello aside.
     
    ***
     
    While Grace and Cat had begun dealing with the arrangements, Marcello had escaped to his room. He pulled out his laptop, which contained a secure connection wherever he went, and began to do some digging on the Picfords.
     
    Grace’s comment about Lord Picford had the hair on the back of his neck standing at attention. Marcello had done a cursory sweep of Grace’s neighbors before he and Cat arrived, but clearly a more in-depth study was needed.
     
    After thirty minutes, he had gotten enough information to realize that Lord Picford had been close to Grace’s husband. If their mindsets were the same, well, Marcello could easily see why Grace wanted to avoid him. He would have to watch over Grace that evening, and ensure they were never left alone. A word with the butler could also help, he decided, and left his room in search of him.
     
    As Marcello walked past Grace’s room towards the stairs, a light smile lit his face. He had very much enjoyed the look on Grace’s face that morning when she had realized they were in adjacent rooms. He had even heard her lock the door that joined their rooms together, as if that would keep a man of his background out. Marcello had spent a great deal of time in the past picking locks and safes, but Grace didn't need to know that.
     
    At the bottom of the stairs, Marcello found the butler directing the servants and, with just a few minutes of conversation, had ensured his help in keeping Grace safe. If it was one thing Marcello had learned, it was always good to have some backup.
     
    As he rounded a corner and made his way back into the dining room, he saw that the room had been cleared of breakfast and