The Lady Who Lived Again by Thomasine Rappold Read Free Book Online

be?”
    He sought to rip away her last shred of dignity, but she refused to let go. Consequences be damned, she simply could not resist.
    “Doctor Jace Merrick.”
     
     

Chapter 4
     
    Oh Lord, what had she done? Maddie held her breath until Daniel and his fiancée departed the shop. She exhaled an audible sigh, heart pounding.
    She estimated she had all of an hour, perhaps less, before the shocking news of her engagement spread through town. She shot to her feet, trying to stay calm. Once the drumming pulse at her temples receded to a level where she could actually hear her own thoughts, she contemplated her next move.
    She had to get to Jace before anyone else did.
    Smoothing her skirts, she glanced into the mirror by the wall. The beige day dress and ancient straw hat she’d chosen that morning made her look mousy and plain. Inconspicuous. Since the accident, she had preferred to fade discreetly into the background of things for obvious reasons. But today she could not afford subtlety.
    “Mrs. March,” she called. “Mrs. March!”
    The sound of the woman’s footsteps grew louder. The measuring tape draped around her neck dangled from her hefty bosom as she halted in front of Maddie, hands on hips.
    “What is it? Have you finally decided on something?”
    Maddie glanced to the forgotten book of patterns on the bench. “No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “But I wish to purchase the blue hat in the window.”
    Mrs. March huffed. “I’ll have it wrapped, and you may stop back for it tomorrow.” She started away.
    “I shall need it immediately.”
    The woman stopped, her furrowed face resembling a month-old potato.
    “If you could please just get it down from the window. I wish to wear it home.”
    Mrs. March drummed her fingers on her ample hips, contemplating the request.
    “Very well.” The inconvenience of undressing the window display was apparently worth the sale. Money was money, after all, even if it came from Madeline Sutter’s pocket.
    Maddie followed on the woman’s clipped heels to the front of the shop. Mrs. March climbed onto a stool to retrieve the hat, thrust it toward Maddie, and then stepped aside. Maddie placed the hat on her head, quite pleased by her reflection in the mirror. The color suited her nicely. She adjusted the flouncy brim, admiring the weave and the cluster of silk flowers.
    It had been ages since she’d purchased anything so fashionable. She’d abandoned her frivolous pursuit of the latest styles long ago, along with so many of her other favorite amusements.
    “Thank you, Mrs. March.” Maddie paid for the hat. “I’ll return later for the old straw,” she said as she hurried from the shop.
    She walked toward the doctor’s house, playing in her mind how she’d approach the matter. There was no sense trying to guess how Jace would react to hearing the news of his sudden engagement, so she pushed all such distressing speculation from her head. She’d no choice but to proceed.
    The only way she could stroll into Amelia’s wedding and face Daniel and the others was on the arm of her fiancé. She would simply have to charm Doctor Merrick into playing along. True, winning him over would entail offering to answer his dreaded questions about her recovery, but compared to the humiliation she’d suffer if he failed to escort her, the invasion of her privacy seemed minor.
    Fear tightened her chest. Jace’s refusal to help would prove disastrous. She was already a pariah, an abomination. Why on earth had she risked adding pathetic liar to the list?
    She inhaled a deep breath to summon her courage. As Jace had mentioned, she wasn’t a coward. If she had learned anything about herself during her recovery, it was that she possessed real strength. Which meant she’d find some way to turn these unfortunate events to her favor—even if it killed her. First, she’d appeal to Jace’s thirst for knowledge. Her case was astounding, hadn’t he said so himself? He would not