The Trouble with Honor

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

GRACE WORE A plain blue gown with a collar, as instructed by Cousin Beatrice. She’d been sitting on a wooden bench for more than an hour, waiting. Her limbs ached, her head ached more. It was a small, dark office, and she wished someone would open the blinds. The only light was that of a single candle, making the room as bleak and as dark as her mood, even though it was only midday.

She stared at the crumpled vellum in her hand. She’d received it this morning, Cousin Beatrice pressing it into her hand when the carriage had come for her. Grace had read it three times, maybe four, and each time tears had streamed down her face.

Oh, Honor.

The door opened; a dark-haired man with fierce green eyes strode inside. He stood just at the door, one fist clenched at his side, lightly tapping against the jamb. One two three four five six seven eight. He dropped his hand. “It is time, Miss Cabot,” he said simply.

“Shouldn’t you call me Grace?”

He did not respond, but tapped the jamb again. One two three four five six seven eight.

Grace shoved the letter into her reticule and stood slowly. She looked at the man with the fierce green eyes and swallowed down a small lump of trepidation.

His jaw was clenched, his expression distant, cold and angry. When she did not move, he glanced at a small mantel clock. “Please, do come. It is time,” he said again.

She cast down her gaze as she moved past him, and winced when she heard the door shut resoundingly behind her.

How in heaven had she managed to create such a prodigiously complicated shambles of her life in such a short amount of time? She didn’t really know, but it looked as if she would have quite a lot of time to contemplate it and sort it all out before she wrote to Honor to tell her what had happened.

If she was allowed letters, that was. Grace wasn’t entirely certain what to expect any longer.

Fierce green eyes paused at the next door and knocked. As they waited for it to open, he tapped the jamb with his fist.

One two three four five six seven eight.

Grace glanced heavenward and sent up a silent prayer for courage.

* * * * *

Be sure to watch for Grace’s romance in

THE FALL OF GRACE,

coming only to Harlequin HQN in August.