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got.
She walked down the stairs and into the dining room. The smell of coffee invaded her senses and made her mouth water. Eggs, ham, potatoes, bread, and, of course, coffee all decorated the large table.
Raven stood behind the table and gave her a curt nod. “Your breakfast, Mrs. Steele.”
Mrs. Steele. That sounded so foreign to her. She took a seat and inhaled deeply. “This looks absolutely delightful, Raven. Did you make all of this?”
He laughed gently. The sound drilled through her senses and settled into her heart, warming it. “Unlike me, Mrs. Chang is a wonderful cook. You may thank her for this meal.”
“You don’t cook?”
“That is one skill I’ve never mastered.”
She picked up a piece of bread and generously slathered butter on it. “I should think, as a manservant, you would need to know how to cook.”
“Mrs. Steele, I have many talents, but alas, cooking isn’t one of them.” That gleam in his eye, triggered by the hunger behind his words, had her feeling the heat.
They fell silent as Patience consumed the rest of her meal. Now full, she thanked Raven for the food and went to the foyer to slip her boots on. A mix of excitement and careful hesitation coursed through her. The thought of new material had her hurrying to leave, but leaving the house, facing the rest of the town now that she’d married the mayor—under duress—kept her movements deliberate and thoughtful.
Should she tell Raven that she’d never learned to sew? Would he help her? Would he care? How hard could it be? She knew how to handle a needle and thread, as the several patches on her skirts demonstrated. But making an entire dress? The thought had her nervous and on the verge of a breakdown.
“Do hurry back. I plan to introduce you to the town council this afternoon when we meet.” Adam’s voice caught her off guard, and she nearly fell back. Straightening up, she then faced him. “I’ll need Raven here with me. We have to go over a few things before the meeting. Will you be all right on your own, or should I have you accompanied?”
“I’ll make do,” she answered.
He nodded, and the impersonal look on his handsome face tore into her heart. This was not the same man who’d made love to her last night, who’d pulled climax after climax from her. This was the man who’d left her side last night after he’d had his fill of her body, the man who left her to wake up alone and hurt and scared.
“I’ll expect you back in time for lunch. We will dine together before the meeting. There are a few things I’ll need to go over with you before you are presented to the council as the wife of the mayor.” He gave her appearance a slow and steady glance. “Please find something suitable for the meeting. I can’t have you introduced in that.”
With that, he left her standing there, once again bruised by his dismissal. Wiping at her nose to ward off the burning in her eyes, she turned and grabbed her heavy cover. The rain had once again settled across the land and chilled the air.
Then again, that chill could very well be from her husband’s obvious disapproval of her.
By the time she made it to the mercantile, she didn’t have a dry inch on her. She stepped inside the store and hung her cover on one of the hooks next to the door.
“You’re dripping on my floor.”
Patience whipped around and slammed her hand to her chest. A giant of a man with hazy blue eyes and a handsome face stood before her. “You gave me a fright.”
The man frowned and glanced at his floor. “I own the store as well as the floor you’re now leaving a puddle on. And mud.”
As if she didn’t feel bad enough about her appearance, the burden of Mr. Bartlett’s look of obvious condemnation weighed on her. “The streets are swimming in mud due to this incessant rain.”
“That is not my concern.” He walked around to the other side of the counter and lifted his brow. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Steele?”
She stilled.
She walked down the stairs and into the dining room. The smell of coffee invaded her senses and made her mouth water. Eggs, ham, potatoes, bread, and, of course, coffee all decorated the large table.
Raven stood behind the table and gave her a curt nod. “Your breakfast, Mrs. Steele.”
Mrs. Steele. That sounded so foreign to her. She took a seat and inhaled deeply. “This looks absolutely delightful, Raven. Did you make all of this?”
He laughed gently. The sound drilled through her senses and settled into her heart, warming it. “Unlike me, Mrs. Chang is a wonderful cook. You may thank her for this meal.”
“You don’t cook?”
“That is one skill I’ve never mastered.”
She picked up a piece of bread and generously slathered butter on it. “I should think, as a manservant, you would need to know how to cook.”
“Mrs. Steele, I have many talents, but alas, cooking isn’t one of them.” That gleam in his eye, triggered by the hunger behind his words, had her feeling the heat.
They fell silent as Patience consumed the rest of her meal. Now full, she thanked Raven for the food and went to the foyer to slip her boots on. A mix of excitement and careful hesitation coursed through her. The thought of new material had her hurrying to leave, but leaving the house, facing the rest of the town now that she’d married the mayor—under duress—kept her movements deliberate and thoughtful.
Should she tell Raven that she’d never learned to sew? Would he help her? Would he care? How hard could it be? She knew how to handle a needle and thread, as the several patches on her skirts demonstrated. But making an entire dress? The thought had her nervous and on the verge of a breakdown.
“Do hurry back. I plan to introduce you to the town council this afternoon when we meet.” Adam’s voice caught her off guard, and she nearly fell back. Straightening up, she then faced him. “I’ll need Raven here with me. We have to go over a few things before the meeting. Will you be all right on your own, or should I have you accompanied?”
“I’ll make do,” she answered.
He nodded, and the impersonal look on his handsome face tore into her heart. This was not the same man who’d made love to her last night, who’d pulled climax after climax from her. This was the man who’d left her side last night after he’d had his fill of her body, the man who left her to wake up alone and hurt and scared.
“I’ll expect you back in time for lunch. We will dine together before the meeting. There are a few things I’ll need to go over with you before you are presented to the council as the wife of the mayor.” He gave her appearance a slow and steady glance. “Please find something suitable for the meeting. I can’t have you introduced in that.”
With that, he left her standing there, once again bruised by his dismissal. Wiping at her nose to ward off the burning in her eyes, she turned and grabbed her heavy cover. The rain had once again settled across the land and chilled the air.
Then again, that chill could very well be from her husband’s obvious disapproval of her.
By the time she made it to the mercantile, she didn’t have a dry inch on her. She stepped inside the store and hung her cover on one of the hooks next to the door.
“You’re dripping on my floor.”
Patience whipped around and slammed her hand to her chest. A giant of a man with hazy blue eyes and a handsome face stood before her. “You gave me a fright.”
The man frowned and glanced at his floor. “I own the store as well as the floor you’re now leaving a puddle on. And mud.”
As if she didn’t feel bad enough about her appearance, the burden of Mr. Bartlett’s look of obvious condemnation weighed on her. “The streets are swimming in mud due to this incessant rain.”
“That is not my concern.” He walked around to the other side of the counter and lifted his brow. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Steele?”
She stilled.
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