Read Regency Christmas Pact 02 - A Gentlemen's Pact for Free Online Page B

for him to not know how to ride. “Certainly. We’ll think of something else to do together, then.”
    “Well…good day, Mr. Findley.” Olivia gave him a half smile, which he returned with a half smile of his own.
    “Good day to both of you.”

    By Sunday morning, Olivia was going positively out of her mind. She still couldn’t put much weight on her foot, and despite her declaration that she would be back up and working by Friday, here she sat in her tiny little cottage for the fourth day in a row. It was torture, simply put. Especially with Marcus, who was so full of energy he was quite literally bouncing off the walls.
    “Mama, can we please go out today?”
    Olivia stared into the sweet face of her little boy, wishing so badly that she could take him to church as she always did on Sunday mornings. But she’d already tested her ankle this morning with painful results. She’d never make it all the way to the parish.
    “Why not ask Mrs. Stilton if you can join her for service, darling?”
    Marcus leapt at the idea. Clearly he didn’t care who took him out, as long as he got to go out.
    “All right, Mama!”
    He raced out the door before Olivia had a chance to tell him to put on his coat. At least he remembered to shut the door behind him. Even at that, the cold wind snaked its way to her, sending a shiver up her spine.
    Within moments, Marcus was barreling through the front door again exclaiming that Mrs. Stilton was taking him to church. Olivia had never seen him so excited to go to Sunday service.
    Olivia should have been relieved when Marcus left, but after a few minutes alone, she missed him. They were rarely apart except when she was at the sweet shop, but even then she was surrounded by people or had work to attend to. But sitting here alone, confined to this blasted chair, the loneliness started to sink in.
    Perhaps it wasn’t just loneliness in this quiet moment, but a longing for companionship that went much deeper. It had been four years since Jack died. In some ways it felt far longer than that, and in other ways, it felt like yesterday.
    She shook her head. Goodness, she was being maudlin these days. She had no one to blame except Rowan Findley. None of these thoughts had ever occurred to her before he sauntered back into her life. Blasted man. And now he thought to take Marcus riding with him. On a horse !
    Olivia tsked and picked up the Bible that sat on the small table beside her chair. If she wasn’t going to attend service that morning, she could at least read the scripture. Anything to get Rowan Findley out of her head.

    Rowan wasn’t typically a church-going man, but he’d promised his cousin he would accompany them while he stayed at Hamlin Abbey. So here he was, sitting in a bloody hard pew, waiting for the minister to begin. He wondered what message he’d hear today. Would it be all Hellfire and brimstone? Or would it be a gentle message about loving one’s neighbor? Part of him was hoping for fire and brimstone—it would be far more entertaining.
    The door at the back opened and Rowan turned to see who was coming through this time. Much to his surprise, it was Marcus. But where was his mother? And who was that elderly woman with him? His grandmother, perhaps? Not that it mattered; Rowan was simply curious.
    He faced front again and his thoughts shifted to Olivia. Why wasn’t she here? Was it her ankle?
    The minister started speaking finally. No fire and brimstone, much to Rowan’s disappointment. Try as he might, he couldn’t keep his focus on the sermon. He bounced his knee up and down, drummed his fingers on the wooden pew and shifted his position about a hundred times in the course of a couple minutes. It wasn’t until Patience pinched his leg rather hard that he realized there was no point staying and disturbing everyone else.
    As quietly as he could, Rowan edged out of the pew and scurried down the side aisle, hunched over in hopes he’d be less noticeable. Unfortunately,