Page 58 of The Miracle of Love
Chapter Nine
Deklan knew hewas in trouble.
He had never lost his heart to anyone before.
But Grace had tumbled into his life and changed all that from the moment he’d almost crushed her when falling into bed that first night. Ever since then, his nuisance of a heart would not stop calling out her name. Not merely calling it out, but screaming it and declaring him an idiot if he ever let her go.
“Shut up,” he muttered to himself, knowing he could not afford to be distracted from his assignment or the danger constantly nipping at their heels.
Grace looked angelic standing beside the window, circled in light while watching snowflakes fall and lost in her thoughts. She turned to him with a shake of her head. “Sorry, were you talking to me? I missed what you said.”
“Just muttering to myself.”
Since they were finished with breakfast, he gathered the plates, cups, and jam pots, then left her a moment to bring the tray downstairs because he was going to do something stupid if he stayed closed in that room with her a moment longer.
“Captain Driscoll,” the innkeeper called out, rushing toward him with arms waving. “Ye needn’t have gone to the trouble. One of the boys would have picked up the tray. Ye should have left it by yer door.”
“I didn’t mind. I was hoping one of your maids might assist my wife.”
“Of course.” He turned to a young girl who was toting fresh table linens in her arms. “Suzie, set those aside and go help Mrs. Driscoll.”
“Yes’um, Mr. Harcourt.” She handed the linens to another maid and scurried off.
Deklan remained in the common room to chat with the innkeeper and his wife. It was not in his nature to be amiable, but he wanted to give Grace time alone to dress and attend to whatever else women attended to in their morning routine.
As for him, he considered it a waste of time for Grace to dress since they had nowhere to go and he did not want her leaving their room. But she needed to pile on the layers, needed to lace herself up and button herself up from throat to toes in order to put a protective wall between his big hands and her delectable body.
Not that he would ever take Grace against her will.
His years of training and solid discipline would never allow it.
But Grace was not averse to his advances. She was sweet, innocent, and completely vulnerable at the moment. It would take nothing to have her surrender willingly.
But what then?
Best to avoid any complications.
Concentrate on protecting her.
He noted a surly-looking couple in their mid-thirties lingering over their coffee in a corner of the common room. Neither of them looked happy. The woman was rather sharp-eyed and looked familiar but he could not quite place her. He made a silent note to keep Grace away from that one. She’d sniff out their lie within a minute of talking to her.
The only other occupants of the common room were two gentlemen who appeared to be father and son by the look of them.
They seemed cheerful and rather easygoing.
Still, it was safest to keep Grace away from all of them.
Inns of this quality often had libraries filled with books, decks of cards, and other games available for their guests to borrow. He took his time and browsed through the shelves to select a few books. He also selected a pack of cards and several games he thought might interest Grace.
The sharp-eyed woman still had her gaze on him.
Did she know his family?
Had she recognized him?
He returned to his guest quarters before she could approach him. The maid was just coming out of his chamber with an empty ewer in hand when he arrived. He dug into his pocket and withdrew a few coins for her. “Here, Suzie. Thank you for assisting my wife.”
She bobbed a curtsy. “Yer welcome, Captain Driscoll. Mighty generous of ye.”
