Grace rose from her chair to greet her sister as she entered the sitting room at Sutherland Hall. “I came as soon as I could,” Helen exclaimed. Behind her Mr. Kingsley, the butler, hovered, waiting to help with the cloak she hadn’t taken the time to remove. “Samuel insisted on driving me over.” “As I would have as well, had Grace been going to visit you to hear news of your brother at last.” Nicholas shot a look of approval at his brother-in-law, who had just entered the room behind Helen. “Thank you, Nicholas,” Samuel said. “I am glad we are in agreement on some subjects these days.” “Many of them, likely,” Nicholas said, concern creasing his brow as he watched Grace. “I think you should sit down, darling. And perhaps I should read the letters first.” “Carrying a child has not altered my eyesight,” Grace said, but she leaned close and rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek, to show that she appreciated his concern. How I love him. And how worried she had been for Christopher.
