Free Fade to Grey by Ilena Holder Page B

have to get them back to the stable and my chores wait also. Come see me later…in the early evening if you can.”
    She grasped his arm. “Why are you helping me? You don’t even know me.”
    “I can’t explain it. Something inside told me to get the trunks today. The timing was right and you certainly needed clothing to carry out your charade of normalcy while here at Fallow Field. I figured we could create other things to make your past believable. We’ll work together.”
    Impulsively, Donna reached out and clasped her arms around his neck. Royce’s face was but a hairsbreadth from hers. Her heart began pounding and other household sounds faded away. She pressed her lips to his with urgency, as if she might never see him again. It felt silly, but she could hardly breathe when she felt the heady pressure of his mouth against her. She wanted him to know how much this kindness meant to her. He, in turn, slid his arms around her waist and returned her kiss with ardor. She tingled inside and felt suddenly feverish. Without another word, he turned and left. Donna finally relaxed.

Chapter Seven

    The early morning doctor visit threw off everyone’s schedules. The maids resumed their routine, Mrs. Bradenton rested in her room and her husband requested a tray of cold cuts and cheeses to eat in private. It appeared not so much that the hosts were rude, but perhaps just exhausted. Donna figured that she would be entertaining herself for a while longer and that was fine with her. She wanted to visit Royce anyway. She asked the maids to make her a sandwich of some cold meat and mustard and said she would eat it in the library while she read. When the rest of the household was busy cooking or napping, she thought it an opportune time to slip out to the stable.
    Entering the front door, she saw Royce with his back to her, grooming one of the mares. This was the first time she had seen him without his coat and it was difficult not stare at the sheer masculine beauty of his broad back.
    “Hello!” She tried to speak before she startled the horses.
    “Hello, yourself!” Royce replied, turning around. “What might I do for you this fine morning?”
    “I’ve got another problem. Maybe you can help me.”
    “Of course you have.” In a lower voice, he said, “At least we solved the issue of missing clothing today.”
    He walked closer and placed his curry comb and brush on a bucket. When he walked up to Donna she detected a distinctively male scent to him. It was musky and appealing. She untied her white cap and let her hair tumble from under it.
    “It’s my hair. I need it dyed.” With the backwash of afternoon light, her highlighted hair glinted tantalizingly.
    “How on earth…what do you mean, dye it?” Royce asked incredulously. He walked closer to finger the gold strands. Being so close to him again took her breath away. She remembered how his mouth felt against hers.
    “Dye it, stain it. Do you have something around here? Perhaps there’s an item in the stable that you could use?” Donna’s voice was strained. She knew when she was a girl she read about pioneer girls staining their lips and cheeks red with crushed berries. Colonists dyed fabrics and yarns with nut husks and clay and other natural things.
    “I can help you, aye,” Royce replied. “But you’ll have to tell me the reason why. Are you on the run from someone in the city?” He looked Donna straight in the eye. “I’m a pretty good judge of character, too, so don’t think you can fool me.”
    “I wish it was that simple.” Donna replaced her cap, and walked farther into the stable in case anyone should chance by. “I’m a pretty good judge myself. And from the looks of you, Royce, you’re a trustworthy man. Sooner or later I’ll have to tell you the truth.” She walked to what looked to be a portable mounting block and took a seat on it. “Would you like to talk while you groom?”
    “Yes, that would look appropriate in case we had