Temptation by Jude Deveraux

Author:Jude Deveraux [Deveraux, Jude]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

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"We did it!" Temperance said as she leaned back against the hard seat of the old wagon.

"You did," Grace said softly as she held the reins of the horses. "I had nothing at all to do with it."

Temperance ignored her words. "Remember the smug look on that awful woman's face when she said good-bye to us? She thought she'd pulled something off, didn't she? The House of Grace. By tomorrow all of Edinburgh will have heard of you."

"Not me, you," Grace said insistently. "I did nothing."

"Only made the most beautiful hat I've ever seen, that's all."

"But what does that matter? Many people have talent. Brenda tells wonderful stories and Lilias makes liqueur from seaweed, but they aren't selling their talents in Edinburgh. They aren't making money from what they can do."

"Oh, well, it just takes a bit of conniving."

"No," Grace said solemnly. "It takes a belief that you can do anything in the entire world, something that we don't have here in McCairn." Her voice lowered. "And something I don't know how we're going to do without once you leave."

"Pish posh," Temperance said, embarrassed by Grace's praise. She just wanted to think of the triumph of the day and nothing else. "Right now we both need to think about how we're going to hide your business from the people of McCairn. Somehow, I can't see Hamish condoning a woman earning money, especially not the kind of money that I think you're going to make. I've seen it in New York a hundred times. I'll help a destitute woman with a do-nothing husband and kids to support find a way to earn a living; then, when she's on her feet, the man's ego will be crushed, so he'll stop her from earning. Hundreds of times I've seen it."

"Do you think James will want to stop me?" Grace asked as she held on to the reins. Even though it was dark, with only the moonlight to guide them, the horses certainly knew the way back to the stables.

"You know him better than I do," Temperance said, then frowned at herself because she didn't like the little pang that went through her when she said that. So she was attracted to the man. It wasn't the end of the world, was it?

"Not really," Grace said. "I know I've shared his bed, but I've never seen him talk to anyone the way he does to you."

"Really?" Temperance said, then turned away so Grace couldn't see the broadness of her smile. "He's a nice man. I mean, there are things he shouldn't do, like toss women out of windows and threaten to murder them, but, all in all, he takes care of a lot of people."

Grace was looking at her with her head cocked to one side. "Murder?"

"Oh, it was nothing, just something he said. You had to be there to understand. Look, are you sure you want to try to conduct your business here in McCairn? I know my mother could find you a nice little shop in Edinburgh.

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