Claiming His Wife by Golden Angel Read Free Book Online Page B

with him was over.  There would be no more
falling asleep and waking up in his arms, no more being forced into
a tiny space with him, and no more temptation to ask him what the
hell he thought he was doing. 
    "Grace?"
    Eleanor's familiar voice, filled with
shock, was all Grace needed to push her over the edge.  She
looked up, into the face of her best friend, who was gorgeously
attired in a blue dress and bonnet, obviously out shopping, and
burst into tears.  Immediately, slim arms surrounded her
shoulders, even as strong fingers pressed against her back.
 The rush of emotions was overwhelming, and she clung to
Eleanor, burying her face in the other woman's shoulder as she
sobbed. 
    "Come here, Gracie," Alex
said, his voice low and almost tender.  She obediently let go
of Eleanor, too overcome to even try and fight him, and let him
sweep her up into his arms.  Part of her knew she should be
protesting his high-handedness, but another part felt comforted
being held by him, letting him take over and get her off of the
street before she utterly humiliated herself.  Besides, her
legs felt weak, and he was obviously feeling strong.  "If you
wouldn't mind coming in with us, Lady Hyde, I think Grace could use
your company while I see to opening up the house for
us."
    "Of course," Eleanor said,
her voice filled with worry and confusion. “I was just out
shopping… I didn’t realize you were here… I… just a moment.”
 Grace heard Eleanor giving her maid directions to return to
her own house and inform Lord Hyde of where she was.  Relief
that her friend wasn't abandoning her made Grace go even limper in
Alex's arms, she even felt grateful to the brute for asking Eleanor
to come in with them.
    How could he be so considerate and
simultaneously so uncaring?  Yet, she'd had proof in the past
that he was.  He'd fooled her for their entire honeymoon into
thinking that there could be more to their marriage than just
convenience.  Right now, she found strange comfort in the
illusion.
    A few minutes later, Grace
and Eleanor were deposited into the main drawing room, and Grace's
tears had subsided to small sniffles.  Alex asked a maid to
bring them tea before retreating from the room, leaving the ladies
blissfully alone. For the first time in days, Grace felt like she
could breathe.  Unfortunately, some tiny part of her also felt
a bit forlorn at the loss of his presence, but it was only a very
small, very foolish part of her.
    "Grace..."  Eleanor's
voice trailed off and she shook her head, tugging off the blue
bonnet and placing it on the couch beside her as she searched for
words.  Or, more likely, searched for what question she wanted
to begin with.  "What are you doing here?  With him ?"
    "I wasn't given a choice,"
Grace said, sniffling again.  She knew she must look a fright,
but neither Alex nor Eleanor had commented on it.  Eleanor
just reached into her reticule and retrieved a handkerchief,
silently passing it over to Grace to wipe her tear-stained face
with.  "Peters betrayed me... he was working for Alex all
along.   All  of my servants were."  Tears started to flow again
as she told Eleanor everything.
    About riding in the
carriage with Alex, his insistence on sleeping in the same room,
his behavior towards her every time she fell asleep, and his
determination to reconcile.  Her confusion.  Eleanor was
the only person in the entire world that knew everything; all of
Grace's humiliation, her bitterness, and her loss when she'd
discovered that Alex saw her as nothing more than a bargaining
chip.  Although Grace had been determined to keep the hurtful
words to herself, this past Season she hadn't been able to hold her
tumultuous emotions inside any longer when she and Alex had been in
the city at the same time for the first time in years.  She'd
needed her friend, and Eleanor had been there for
her. 
    So Eleanor completely understood
Grace's confusion over Alex's current behavior.  Indeed,
Eleanor