Liars And Thieves

Chapter 27

"How are things going, Miss Grimshaw?" Dutch asked, Arthur looking around the house yet sticking close to the group. Susan nodded at Dutch.

"Your room is ready, so is yours Arthur. You both are upstairs," Susan informed. 

"Thank you," Dutch thanked with a grin.

"We've had a malfunction with Grace's tent though. A rip and a peg missing so we have both agreed for her to sleep in here," Susan explained as she motioned to Grace. Grace joined the group as Arthur had come over as Susan had caught his attention.

"In here? This isn't very warm at night with all the windows," Arthur argued, his eyes flickering to the multiple windows in the room. Grace looked at the windows. He had a point but she couldn't think of where else to go. 

"Arthur, we don't have much space, unless you have an idea?" Susan questioned, placing her hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow at him. Arthur nodded slowly before nodding more confidently, motioning to Grace.

"She can share my room, it'll be warmer and at least she'll have someone to talk to," Arthur insisted, more telling Susan that it was happening than suggesting. Grace raised her eyebrows at him. Susan gasped slightly before Arthur shifted his weight from one foot to the other a Dutch grinned. "What? It's no secret that we're a... thing... you all know," Arthur continued. Dutch chuckled as he landed a hand firmly on Arthur's shoulder.

"Oh wait 'till Hosea hears about this," Dutch chuckled. Arthur's mouth gaped open as he called out for Dutch as Dutch walked out of the plantation house to find Hosea and tell him the news. Susan giggled.

"Mr. Morgan, he's just excited to see you move on since Mary. Now," Susan jumped back to the original topic, turning to Grace. "I'll go get your things and take them upstairs for you."

"Thank you," Grace thanked and Susan hurried outside to one of the wagons. Grace turned to face Arthur. "You didn't need to do that, it was fine," Grace explained. Arthur wrapped his arms around Grace's shoulders, looking down at her. Grace could feel her cheeks reddening from Arthur's confidence. 

"I wanted to, it'll be good for us," Arthur explained, a small smirk on his face. Grace cupped the side of his face with a hand, her thumb rubbing small circles on his cheek as she looked into his blue eyes. She felt his arms move down onto her back as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

"That's very kind of you," Grace cooed, grinning as she pulled away. Arthur's arms released Grace, he was also grinning at her. The two were interrupted by Susan bursting in. Grace jumped as she saw Susan struggling to carry a bag while her hands were already full. "Here, let me," Grace offered as she took the bag from Susan. Susan thanked her and the two of them headed up to Arthur's room where she was going to be staying in.

"He was a good kid," Arthur muttered as Grace rested her head on his shoulder, the two of them sitting away from the camp, near the swamp water. The nearby Alligators had been scared off from the movement in the camp which was good because they didn't have to worry about getting eaten. "Didn't deserve to go like that."

"No one deserves to," Grace added, Arthur nodding in agreement. "Sean annoyed me most of the time but I always forgave him, never lost my temper with him. I guess he just had a soft spot in me," Grace sighed, playing with a strand of long, swamp grass in her fingers. 

"The last person he saw was me. The last person he spoke to was me. We shouldn't have gone, I knew it was a mistake," Arthur grunted angrily. Grace removed her head from his shoulder, looking at him as his face tightened with grief. 

"Look at me," Grace instructed softly. Arthur didn't listen, continuing to look out into the swamp ahead of them. Grace raised a hand, placing it on his chin as she turned his head gently to face her. "Please." Arthur's eyes flickered up to her, finally looking at her. "Sean was loyal, he went out strong for the gang. He would be proud that it was him and not one of you, even Micah. That's just who he is. Now, don't you ever blame yourself," Grace reminded. Arthur looked away before nodding, agreeing with her. She cupped the side of his head as she planted a comforting kiss on his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder again. "Anything about Jack?" 

"Dutch and I went to Saint Denis, he wants me to look around so that's what I'll do. When we find out where this Angelo Bronte is, John, Dutch and I will be paying him a friendly visit," Arthur explained. Grace understood that was why Arthur and Dutch had gone for a ride once the gang had arrived at Shady Bell. "How are you with being back here?"

"I'm okay. The place gives me the creeps after my experience. Shame they didn't fix the window," Grace chuckled as she remember the window her body had crashed into, yet the glass had been her murder weapon on Oliver. 

"Well, just know you're safe," Arthur reminded with a nod. Grace snuggled into his shoulder more as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her.