Grace was in her element over the next few weeks. They spent long days walking the grounds and mapping them in an attempt to see any irregularities that might make a good dig site. At the end of the second week they had found a few likely places, and she and Tom had contacted Bryce for permission to dig.

Now, a week later, the team had taken a day off from digging, and Grace had settled down early in Bryce's study to try and put her weeks of notes in some semblance of order. She was stretched out in an armchair with her back against one arm and her legs over the other, her bare feet keeping beat to one of Billie Holiday's songs that were playing in the background. Her long dark hair was hanging down her back and her yellow sundress was keeping her cool.

Mrs. Walbert, who had insisted that Grace call her Gertrude, had opened the windows, and she could hear the birds chirping in the distance.

Grace was so caught up in what she was doing that she didn't hear the two men enter the room, and she was unaware of their presence for a minute. Then she felt the hair on her arms stand up, and she knew who it was. Bryce was back, and he had entered the room, filling all the empty spaces with his energy.

She swung around, placed her feet on the ground, put her computer on the table next to her, and took her glasses, which were perched on the top of her head, and put them on as if they would offer her a little protection.

Her gaze zeroed in on Bryce first. He was wearing the classic suit and tie; she noticed that he had gotten his hair trimmed and that he looked tired.

She looked past him and couldn't believe her eyes, Rainer Stevens. She looked at Bryce then back at Rainer again.

"Rainer?" she stood up with a surprised smile on her face.

"Grace?" He returned her grin. "My licentious raven-haired beauty." Rainer moved towards her and picked her up in a bear hug. "You look good enough to eat."

Grace laughed, hugging him back. She looked at Bryce with a question in her eyes.

"I see you have already met my brother," Bryce said moving towards his desk.

"Your bother, no way, you're the son of an Earl?" Grace looked back at Rainer.

"Guilty as charged, but I'm only the second son, so I hardly count."

"Bryce, you neglected to tell me that it was Grace who was digging up our backyard." Rainer looked at Bryce disapprovingly.

Grace was thrilled to see Rainer. They had met when she was on a dig in South America three years earlier. She had been trying to determine what era and culture interested her the most for her more focused studies. Rainer, a journalist, had been writing a story on the dig. She suddenly remembered that he had been with a beautiful photographer and the two of them had seemed so happy together. Grace wondered where she was now. 

"I believe that I mentioned Dr. Winston," Bryce said dryly. Pulling his laptop out of his satchel and placing it on the desk.

"Dr. Winston." Rainer held her away from him looking her over. "Yep, you look smarter." He pulled her in for another hug.

She and Rainer talked for a few minutes, and as usual, she found herself having to guard her tongue. He still had his reporter's way of making someone want to share more than they should, but eventually, he excused himself saying that he had to help with the dinner, leaving her alone with Bryce and an uncomfortable silence fell between them.

"Brother, uh?" Grace looked at Bryce questioningly. "I always thought Rainer was an American." In fact, Grace had often thought there was no one more American than Rainer, not only in attitude but in looks.

Rainer was a large man just like Bryce, and he had the same sky blue eyes and well-defined chin, but where Bryce was dark Rainer was fair. Sure, the sun had bronzed Rainer's skin, but he had reddish blond hair that was easy to spot in any crowd.

"Yes, we all have dual citizenship. My mother is American my father is British," Bryce explained with a bored expression in his voice, as if he had told it the same way too many times to count.

Grace took the hint that he had little interest in explaining his family history to her and decided not to continue with the many questions that had arisen at his explanation, but she did continue to watch him as he settled himself at the large desk, unaware that she was staring and unable to stop. He was so heartbreakingly handsome. Had he really kissed her and held her in those strong arms against that strong broad chest?

He looked up and caught her watching him, raising an eyebrow in question, watching her blush.

Startled out of her reverie she said the first thing that came into her mind. "I hope you don't mind me using your space." She walked back over to her work and started to gather everything together in hopes of covering her embarrassment.

"Don't leave on my account. I believe that I offered the space for you to use."

Grace stopped and looked at him, trying to determine if he was sincere, but he had already started typing on his computer.

She really didn't want to leave. She realized that she wanted to be near Bryce, even if it was across the room. To know she could look up and see him anytime that she wanted. It seemed positively decadent.

The reason was that he was so handsome, that was all, she assured herself. If a beautiful painting that you enjoyed looking at was in a room, would you not want to sit and be near it so that you could take in its beauty whenever you felt inclined?

Bryce Stevens was too cold of a man to inspire anything other than lust in a woman. Grace remembered the kiss and shivered a little before pushing the flaw in her reasoning out of her mind.

She swallowed, and her voice came out a little shaky. "If you're sure you don't mind?" Then she sat her stuff back down on the table.

Bryce just waved his hand at her, no longer concerned whether she stayed or not, so Grace sat back down and settled herself into her work.

She and Bryce continued to work. Bryce took a few phone calls, some of which must have been important because he would take them out into the garden, but she was aware of every move he made for the next hour. She found just being in the same room with his energy made her more alert, and she was able to get a vast amount of work done. It was as if she was feeding off of him, but eventually, Bryce threw down his pen and stood up stretching.

"Why don't you catch me up on what you have so far?" He suggested, sitting in the chair next to her, motioning to her laptop.

"Sure." Grace closed her notes and pulled up a detailed drawing of his property. She spent the next half hour telling him why they had chosen the five sites they had for preliminary digs. They had dug at one site already and had been unsuccessful. They would start on the second location the following day.

She and Bryce were both leaning in to look at the computer screen when they heard a shrill voice from behind them.

"Well isn't this cozy?" The voice belonged to a beautiful brunette with startling green eyes, who brought a strong smell of Chanel No.5 with her.

"Hello Crystal." Bryce rose and kissed her on the cheek. "May I introduce you to Grace Winston? Grace this is Crystal Shaw, an old family friend."

Grace noted Bryce's kiss on her cheek and wondered for a split seconded if he had kissed this woman as he had kissed her. The thought made her a little sick to her stomach, so she pushed it out of her mind, telling herself it was none of her business.

Crystal made no move towards Grace; she just cast a glance over her that told her she was not worth the time. Grace, realizing that the woman was jealous of her, tried her best not to take it personally.

"I hope you don't mind darling, but I had your parents bring me down. I just couldn't wait to see you again." Crystal must have decided that a kiss on the cheek was a little too chaste because she finished her statement with a kiss on Bryce's full lips.

Bryce was his usual cold, polite self, making it hard for Grace to read if he was happy or not at Crystal's sudden appearance. Unable to read Bryce one way or the other, she decided that if Crystal felt confident enough to travel from London to see him, he must be happy to see her.

Determining that the polite thing to do at that point was to excuse herself, she started to gather her stuff together. She doubted that she would be able to get anything else finished with her stomach churning anyway.

She was on her way out of the study when Rainer entered the room with his arms around an older couple. He stopped her with one of his charming smiles and brought the couple forward. "Mom and Dad, please meet Grace Winston. She's the one who is digging up our backyard."

"Hello Grace, I am so pleased to meet you. I'm Elizabeth, and this is my husband, Douglas." The beautiful older woman said cutting Rainer off entirely and stepping towards her with her hand outstretched.

Grace took the woman's proffered hand, liking her instantly. She had a warmth in her eyes that was sincere, and Grace felt welcomed into their circle.

Her snow white hair was cut short, and she recognized the sky blue eyes instantly.

Rainer and Bryce's father, Douglas, gave her a warm handshake but didn't say much, he was content to let the others do the talking.

"I hear that you have some friends staying here with you?" Elizabeth asked looking around.

"They've gone into town. It is the first day we've taken off in a few weeks, and they were itching to get out and explore." Grace adjusted her stack of work that she was holding to her side.

"Oh my dear, that looks heavy. Why don't you come with me and I'll show you a nice quiet place to work, away from my too loud sons."

"No..." Grace just wanted to be alone to figure out why she was suddenly so upset. It couldn't be seeing Crystal kiss Bryce, even though it was what she had wanted to do the moment she had seen him.

Elizabeth, unaware of her distressing thoughts, asked her to follow, leading Grace out of the room. Grace looked over her shoulder first at Rainer and then at Bryce, but neither one of them proved to be helpful in stopping the whirlwind that was their mother.

She followed the older woman through the main hall and towards the back of the house.

"This is my sanctuary, but please feel free to make use of it while you're here."

Grace was led into a very sunny and cheerful room. The walls were painted a pale blue, and the woodwork was all white. There were a large over-sized plush couch and two matching chairs. A large ottoman held two fluffy throws, and there was a small writing desk in the corner. The windows were open, and long sheer white curtains were blowing in the breeze.

"This is beautiful!" Grace exclaimed, delighted with the very feminine room. Elizabeth took her work from her and sat it on the ottoman.

"Thank you, my daughter, Lizzy, designed it for me when she was here last summer."

Grace was automatically drawn to the pictures that covered every available tabletop and wall space, the mantel included. She slowly did a walk around the room, looking at all of the people in the photographs. Most of them were young kids of all different ages. She thought she spied a few of Bryce, but she wasn't sure.

"One of my sons is a photographer," Elizabeth explained.

Grace looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Who are all of these children?"

"They are mine and Douglas's, I better not forget to include him since they're all half his fault. We have seven. Here you see all of them at different ages."

"Seven." Grace was astounded. She had lived in foster homes with as many as four other children, but she couldn't imagine seven. It must have been a wonderful childhood.

"Well, two are twins, if that helps you wrap you head around it."

"You mean Bryce has six siblings?"

Grace had no clue that Elizabeth had noted her comment about Bryce having six siblings and not Rainer or Rainer and Bryce.

"Eight if you count in-laws, which we do, he has five brothers, one sister, and two sisters-in-law."

"You raised six boys!"

"Yes, now you know why my husband doesn't speak much. I think he secretly hopes we all forget he is there and will leave him alone." Elizabeth gave a warm laugh.

"Your children are beautiful." Grace looked at the pictures again. They were a remarkably handsome family. They all shared the same startling blue eyes.

"That's Mason and Cassandra Stevens," Grace said, awed by one of the pictures. She looked over her shoulder at Elizabeth for confirmation. Bryce was not only an Earl he was related to a world-renowned journalist, Rainer Stevens, as well as a very famous Hollywood actor Mason Stevens, and his beautiful and equally famous singing wife Cassandra Stevens.

"Yes, Mason is Lizzy's twin." Elizabeth pointed to a beautiful blond woman who had her arms around Bryce.

Grace kept walking around the room and stopped at a picture in the center of the mantle. It was of a man on horseback in profile with his cowboy hat pulled low and the setting sun was staining the sky red and orange behind him. His body had melded with the horse, and you could barely tell where one began and the other ended. There was a weariness to the cowboy's pose.

It was a startling picture; it was pure Americana at its best. Grace picked it up and studied it. There was something so lonely about the solitary figure she felt drawn to it as if he was a kindred spirit. "It as if he alone has the world on his shoulders," Grace said not realizing that she had spoken aloud, so deep were her thoughts. Grace had felt that way many times in her life, although she rarely allowed herself to dwell on her loneliness for long.

Elizabeth walked over and studied the picture with Grace. "That is one of only a few candid shots of Bryce."

"This is Bryce?" Grace's glance shot to Elizabeth to make sure that she wasn't joking. Bryce was the lonely cowboy.

"Yes, when he isn't here or in New York, he's at home on our family's ranch in Texas. That's where most of my children call home."

Grace gently set the picture back in its place, her hand trembling slightly.

The calluses on Bryce's hand suddenly made sense. It was evident by the picture that he was used to putting in a day of physical labor, not just sitting behind a desk as she had assumed.

"This is a lovely room, and I couldn't intrude. It feels too private." Grace objected, disturbed not only by what she had learned about Bryce but also by the fact that she had never had a family of her own and never would. Using this room would remind her of that and her loneliness.

"Please Grace, I enjoy sharing it. Leave your things here for now and if, after you have thought about it for a while, you still feel the same way you can always come and take them away."

Elizabeth linked her arm through Grace's and led her from the room. "Let's go and see if Gertrude needs our help. I don't doubt that Rainer is underfoot. He adores his Gertie, and she adores him. He is the only one she allows to call her Gertie." She chuckled warmly at the thought of her son.

They crossed the hall entering the kitchen, and sure enough, Rainer was getting his hand swatted as he tried to taste a sample of whatever was in the pot.

"Rainer Douglas Stevens you get out of this kitchen right now!" Elizabeth stated in her strictest mom voice.

Rainer looked over his shoulder at her debating her seriousness. He must have decided that she was serious because he backed away from the stove with a sweet grin.

Grace couldn't help but be amused. Rainer was a man used to living in war zones and interviewing warlords and criminals, and here he was being taken to task by his mother.

"Sure Mom. Hey, Grace would you like to see my room?" His grin turned from sweet to devilish in an instant. "Crystal insisted on being left alone with Bryce, so she chased Dad and me out, but there's no reason you and I can't-"

"Rainer!" Elizabeth picked up a spoon a swatted him with it. "Grace stays here, and if I catch anyone taking her to their room, I'll skin them alive."

"You should probably tell Bryce that too," Rainer said, jumping out of his mother's reach and making a clean getaway.

Grace blushed at the comment. Rainer had always been very perceptive. Had Bryce told Rainer about the kiss? As soon as she had the thought, she dismissed it. She knew deep down that Bryce was not a kiss and tell kind of man. He played his cards very close to his chest.

"What about Crystal? You didn't give the same warning about her." Gertrude sniffed, breaking into Grace's thoughts and giving Grace the impression that Gertrude did not like Crystal.

"I think it is a little late for that warning," Elizabeth said with a sigh.

At Grace's shocked expression Elizabeth laughed. "Dear, I'm from Texas, and one thing we do in Texas is tell it like it is. Now, I don't know for sure that she has been to their rooms, but if she hasn't by now, I doubt she will at this point. "

Gertrude agreed with this thought with a nod as she stirred her pot.

Before Grace knew it, she was up to her elbows in potato salad as she listened to Gertrude and Elizabeth reminisce about raising seven children, but she listened with only half an ear. She couldn't stop thinking about that picture of Bryce in Elizabeth's room, how lonely he had looked, and how she had ached to ease that loneliness.

She got the impression that Bryce wasn't constant in his loneliness like she was, but she hated that he had to experience it at all. Maybe she should have let him stay that night in her room. Maybe it would have eased the loneliness for both of them, if only for a while.

Grace mentally shook herself. No, she had seen several young girls in the system land in that trap. It had never ended well for them and it wouldn't for her either.

But she was twenty-eight not sixteen her heart cried, she was an adult who could handle adult situations.

If only that were true, her head replied to her heart.