My Guardian Knight Read Free Page B

the fear she felt.  In fact, the thought buoyed her spirits and she found herself smiling at him across the table.
    “Mama, can we find a place to play?  On the train you said we could and now we have lots of time before the next train.  Can I play?”
    She couldn’t help smiling at the excitement in his voice, and her eyes twinkled into his.  “I suppose we could find somewhere for you to play after we’ve found a room for the night.”
                  Matthew bounced up and down in his chair, his happy gaze straying to the door impatiently as the adults talked.
    “If you’d like, I can take care of the rooms while you take Matthew outside.  He does seem to be a bit anxious to be going.”
    “Thank you, but you’ve certainly done quite enough for us already.”
    Sebastian grinned.  “Suit yourself.  I think I’ll give my legs a good stretch, I’m feeling as cooped up as Matthew. 
    Would you like to join me?”
                  “No, thank you.  I saw a little church across the road
    and thought I’d take him there to play a while.”
    With a smile and a nod, he strode across the room to book his accommodations for the night.  Amanda noticed, begrudgingly, that he seemed to take a certain brightness away with him.  A happy light, like the warm rays of the sunshine, that she hadn’t really noticed until she felt its absence.     Sighing, she rolled her eyes at her own silliness and motioned the waitress over.  “I’d like to pay my bill,” she said, reaching for her reticule.
    “Don’t worry, ma’am, the gentleman has already taken care of it.”
                  Amanda glanced across the room in surprise but
    Sebastian was nowhere to be found.  “That man is really good at escaping sticky situations,” she muttered under her breath. 
    “But just wait until I run into him again.”  
    But her irritated mumbling lacked conviction, and a soft smile creased her pretty pink lips.  Taking Matthew by the hand, she hurried over to the reception desk.  Amanda smiled at the woman sitting behind the desk.  “Hello.  I need a room for the night, please.”
                  The plump woman shook her head, smiling
    regretfully.  “I’m sorry but I just gave out the last room.”  Amanda sighed.  Well, she shouldn’t have expected to have a pretty room in this nice little hotel.  “Can you tell me where else I might find a room to rent?”
                  Again, her response was negative.  “There is a
    festival in town tomorrow and all the rooms are booked solid.  Have been for weeks.  The gentleman was only able to get a room because we had a cancellation.  Miss Mabel decided to stay with her daughter this year.  If you ask me, she’s better off here, what with her daughter havin’ all them kids.  Seven children and another one due any time now.  I told Miss Mabel she’d have much more peace here, but she insisted on helping her family.  I only had the one boy, you know, so I don’t know what it’s like to be around so many at one time, but I think they’d drive me plumb crazy!  My son owns this business and, since I get lonely at home, he lets me help out here while my husband is at work.  He’s such a good boy!”
    Amanda listened to the woman’s monologue with a mixture of amusement and depression.  Where would they spend the night?  She tried to smile.  “Thank you for your time.”
    As she turned to go, the woman called, “Oh, wait a minute, dear.  I just had an idea!  Our regular housekeeper is out of town this week.  She went to visit her children back east.  Sometimes she has to work late, and we keep a place for her so she doesn’t have to walk home after dark.  She lives about
    three miles out of town.  You can use her room, if you like.”
                  “Are you sure she wouldn’t mind?”
                  “Of course not.  She doesn’t keep any belongings