Into Chaos Hurled (Book 2)

Fourteen - Walls Coming Down

At first, I thought she was going to try to get around me, or simply say nothing at all. With a start, I noticed the tears gathering in her eyes, and all at once she covered her face and broke down into sobs. I pulled her close, gently rubbing her back.

"Oh, Peter, I..." She took a few ragged breaths, but that didn't seem to help. "I didn't want to...I couldn't betray your trust, not like that..."

"Surely it isn't as bad as all of that," I said, although admittedly it sparked my curiosity. So there was something she wasn't telling me.

"But it is..." She buried her face in my shoulder and clung to me, her whole body shaking. "I couldn't bear to lose you, Peter, not now..."

I said nothing, but secretly I was elated. So she did have feelings for me all along.

"I'm afraid that if I tell you...if I admit what I've done..." She pulled away, turning from me. "You'll despise me...never want anything to do with me again..."

"Grace, there is nothing that would make me despise you. I love you, and I always have, and always will."

Those words had the opposite effect. Her sobs started fresh, and she even pushed my hand away when I caught her arm. I couldn't let her cry, not like this. After a few more minutes, I pulled her back into my arms until they quieted into uneven breaths. She was shaking, and her body against me was tense.

"Grace," I began again. "I said it before and I'll say it again. We've had a few pieces of shocking news in the past weeks. I cannot think of anything else that would possibly change that, unless there are privileges that have been revoked without my knowing."

"No!" She broke away again, managing to sound astonished and a little appalled. "It's nothing like that, not after what we went through to get here."

"Then what is it?" I tried not to sound frustrated, but I was, and fed up with the not knowing.

She just shook her head, her breaths coming fast and hard. She went to the rail and looked out, removing her hat to fan her face with it. But suddenly, she tensed and coughed, pressing a hand to her stomach. Of course, her corset. I'd forgotten all about the bloody thing.

"Grace?" I made my way towards her. "Are you..."

"I can't..." she gasped. "I can't breathe..."

And with that her knees buckled and she fainted. I rushed forward and caught her under the arms before she went down completely, easing her onto the bench nearby. She sagged sideways, and I propped her back up against the post.

I had to take a few moments and think of what to do. This would look bad to anyone who happened to come across us, but for the moment the coast was clear. I glanced around us, spotting a small handbag next to her fallen hat. I reached over and picked it up, prying it open. Inside was a little bottle, and I recognised it from when I'd glimpsed something like it among Lottie's things. They were smelling salts.

I took it out and unscrewed the top, the smell coming to me instantly and making me sneeze. Once I recovered I tipped it forward, gently cupping Grace's cheek to keep her head from falling straight into it. It took three passes, but she came to quickly, coughing delicately and sitting up.

"Hello again," I said, smiling.

"I fainted, didn't I?" She blushed deeply, pressing her knuckles to her lips. "I didn't mean to, I..."

"Grace, you must see that we are not doing anything indelicate. You fainted and I caught you and revived you. That is all." I took her free hand, gently kissing her knuckles. "How are you feeling?"