Saving Grace (The Grace Series Book 2) by Elizabeth Courtright Read Free Book Online Page B

never.”
    “Do you know Nash calls her ‘honey’?” Hughes went on. “I’ve heard him myself. So have you, Luther. You can deny it all you want, but mark my words, something’s going on that shouldn’t be.”
    “Is this true?” Jon spouted. His pulse was beginning to race. “Why didn’t anybody tell me? You know I’m not home during the day. My horses… I’m busy…” He looked from Luther to Whistler to Trent. Luther looked appalled. Whistler nodded knowingly. Trent merely smirked.
    “Perhaps you don’t know this either, Jon,” Hughes said, “but your wife doesn’t sit with us in our pew. She sits in the back of the church with that nigger of yours. I think his name is Herlin.”
    “God damn it!” Jon hissed. “He knows better. I’m gonna beat him within an inch of his life!”
    “If I were you, I would be more worried about your wife and that Yankee, than I would about your driver,” Whistler chimed in. “From all I’ve heard about your wife—sorry Luther, but your girl is trouble—she could use a good beating.”
    “No, Jon, you won’t do that, will you?” Luther said anxiously. “You won’t hurt Jessica? There has to be a reasonable explanation.”
    “You dare lay one hand on my sister, and you will be sorry, Kinsley!” Trent glowered. Again his fist on the table was clenched.
    “What are you going to do, Jon?” Hughes asked casually.
    Jon grabbed the bottle and poured. In his haste, he spilled more than he got in his glass. Even so, he downed the shot and slammed the glass down on the table so hard it dented the plank. “What am I gonna do? I’m gonna lynch that son of a bitch!”
    “Jon, calm down,” Luther murmured. “Like I said, I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation. You’ve had a lot to drink tonight. Wouldn’t it be better to take some time and consider all of this again when you’re sober?”
    “What do you care, Luther?” Jon hissed. “You can’t stand Nash either. Look at it this way, if he is the spook and I kill him, you won’t have to figure out who he is. Your problem will be solved!”

THREE
    February was not a good month for the servants at Bent Oak Manor. The illness Ditter had at Christmastime returned with a vengeance, and it was making its way through the entire household. Ruth was very sick with it, and Jessica refused to allow her to work for an entire week. Jacob and Chelsea came down with it next, and so did several of the other children. By then, Ruth was better, but Jessica insisted she remain at the cabins to take care of the little ones. In Ruth’s absence, in addition to her regular housekeeping duties, Martha had to take on the kitchen work. There was, however, entirely too much for one person. This was why Jessica was with Martha daily, prepping meals, doing dishes and laundry and anything else she could to help.
    While she didn’t mind the work, it did infringe somewhat upon her afternoons with Sebastian. She still went to assist him with his school, but afterwards, instead of staying into the evening hours, more often than not, she returned to the manor. It was just as well.
    Sebastian had told her he was neglecting his parishioners. Before he started his school he’d spent most of his days visiting with members of the congregation in their homes. Since the beginning of the year, the only home visits he’d made were to the infirm. He simply didn’t have time to do more. His work and his responsibilities to those who depended upon him had to come first, just as Jessica’s did.
    To say that she missed him would be putting it mildly. The good thing, of course, was the mundane routine of housework allowed for plenty of time to daydream. While she scrubbed dishes she replayed the many stories he told her, of his childhood, of his years as a boxer and of his experiences in the war.
    While she peeled potatoes, she thought of his sense of humor, the way he could change his accent to mimic people, his somewhat off-color jokes and