Free A Gentle Grace (Wedded Women Quartet) by Jillian Eaton Page B

love.
    Fortunately Stephen did not seem put off by the question. If anything, he appeared humored by it. “I own a property not far from here. A two hundred acre estate that is quite prosperous, I can assure you. I also possess two properties in Scotland, one in France, and a large townhouse of the first tier in London. I inherited all of the homes, but my personal wealth – of which there is an embarrassing amount – has been made entirely on my own merit. Does that satisfy your curiosity, Lady Deringer, or shall I continue?”
    “I… I do not… That is to say… Well,” Henrietta said finally. “Yes, yes Lord Melbourne. I am quite satisfied. You… You may have afternoon tea on the back veranda with my daughter if you wish.”
    Grace, who had never heard her mother at a loss for words in her entire life, was forced to clap a hand over her mouth to hold back the peal of laughter that threatened to burst out. Oh, but that had been marvelous! She glanced at Stephen with new appreciation and caught him looking at her as well. Their eyes met. His mouth curved into the barest hint of a smile, and Grace – never well coordinated at her best, positively hopeless at her worst – stumbled over the edge of the rug when she tried to turn around.
    The floor rushed up towards her at an alarming rate and she cringed, throwing her hands out in front of her face in an attempt to brace for an impact… that never came. Instead two strong arms caught around her middle and she was plucked upright as if she weighed no more than a feather.
    “Are you all right?” Stephen murmured against her ear.
    How , Grace wondered dazedly, had he moved so fast ? And why did it feel so divine to be in his arms when he was no more than a stranger ?
    “Quite… quite all right,” she squeaked. And then, because she knew her mother was watching them like a hawk, she hastily added, “You can let me go now.”
    The Earl stepped away at once, and with a cluck of her tongue Henrietta led them both out onto the veranda. It was quite warm for late August, but the back of the estate boasted numerous trees and shade was plentiful. A light breeze played across Grace’s face as she seated herself at one end of the wrought iron table that occupied the majority of the veranda’s limited space while Stephen took to the other.
    “I will send someone out with fresh lemonade and pastries,” Henrietta said, although she made no move to go back inside as promised. Instead she stood looking at both of them expectantly, as if waiting for something to happen.
    “Mother, we are quite fine,” Grace hissed. She glanced quickly at Stephen to see if he was watching, but he was staring off across the back field, his expression one of polite detachment.
    Henrietta’s shoulders drooped in ill disguised disappointment. “Are you certain? Is there anything else you need—”
    “Lemonade and pastries would be lovely.” Grace forced a tight smile that was quite at odds with the butterflies dancing in her belly. Part of her wanted her mother to leave at once, of course… But the other part wanted her to stay forever so she would not have to be alone with Lord Melbourne. What in heavens name was she going to say to him? What was she going to do ? What if he found her boring? What if he wanted to go on a walk? What if she fell flat on her face? The possibilities were endless, each one more hopeless than the last. Panic stricken, Grace opened her mouth to ask Henrietta to stay and have afternoon refreshments with them, but her mother swept through the door and closed it smartly behind her before she could speak a word.
    Grace clasped her hands in her lap and reminded herself to sit up straight. She waited for Stephen to say something – anything, really – but he continued to stare off over the fields as if they were the most fascinating sight he had ever beheld.
    Every second that ticked by only served to heighten Grace’s nerves, until she simply could not take it