"The greatest gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy,"
-Meryl Streep
Grace had been swept away to her father. I knew all about it, she told me the night before. And in turn, I told her how the maid had discovered my pregnancy and I was sure it was only a matter of time she told Benton. We came up with a ruse that my husband had been named Jacob McMullan as to not alert the Lord of my family's name. And that it was his death that made me leave the family that adopted me. We had the same storyline as Declan and I so in a way, we weren't lying.
He died and I discovered I was pregnant only after it. Yes, that was our plan. I was bathed and given new clothes but I had a limp from the bullet wound. I was given free reign of the castle, Benton insisting on it so I could regain my strength. I didn't argue, spending every possible minute lurking around.
And thank God for that otherwise I might not have known Chaulk had been captured and was being interrogated by Benton now. CHAULK! That meant Declan was here already- he was here and coming for us. I turned and bolted to my room as quick as possible, throwing the doors open and approaching the desk.
Using the pieces of parchment provided and the ink, I scribbled a note to Declan with the hopes of smuggling it out with Chaulk.
My love- I am alright for now. The bullet wound has not healed but the babe is fine. They grow daily. I fear for my days here- they are numbered. I miss you and dream of your face nightly. I love you, please save us. I do not know for how much longer I'll be of any use to Benton.
I tore it from the larger sheet and folded it carefully. I turned and rushed from my room once more, searching high and low for where Chaulk possibly was. I waited around the corner, lurking and listening. First, Benton emerged from the hidden room. He turned in the direction of me, Chaulk being lead out after him.
I took a few steps back and took a deep breath. With the note flat in my palm, I turned on a mask of innocence and moved to round the corner. I gasped some for dramatic effect, nearly running into the Lord himself.
"Miss Meera," he soothed, not looking too fazed by my appearance.
"Oh, Lord Benton... Captain," I nodded to the solider. "Uh, Chaulk?"
The Captain nodded back, Chaulk looking at me with wide, wild eyes. "What are you doing about?" Benton asked.
"Oh, you said I could walk around? Explore a bit, remember?"
"Oh, yes, how silly of me," he nodded, shaking his head. "Of course. Find anything of interest?"
He was fishing to see if I had overheard any of their conversation. I feigned excitement to throw him off a bit. "Oh yes. It's my first time in a castle. It's quite amazing. I do think I'd like to live in one some day, this is quite grand."
"Ah, glad to hear you're enjoying yourself," Benton nodded.
"Can you point me in the direction of your library? I heard the maid speaking of it and am curious."
"Ah, yes. First off, allow me to offer my congratulations and sympathies. You glow with pregnancy bliss but to raise a child without it's father?" He tisked his teeth. "Terrible, truly. The library is down that hall, there. Second door on the right," he directed me. "We must be off."
"Well, glad to see Miss Chaulk is back," I smiled some. "Glad you changed your mind and showed yup here. Well, it's nice to see you, Chaulk," I grabbed for her hand to 'shake', slapping the paper into her palm and eyeing her. "If you'll excuse me, however, I'm going to utilize the library and limited freedom I have. Captain," I nodded, sliding my hand from Chaulk's and breathing a small sigh of relief when she concealed the note well. "Lord Benton," I nodded as well before turning and walking away in the pointed direction.
I rounded the corner and paused, sighing deeply as there was no commotion. Meaning they didn't suspect my exchange with Chaulk. Thank God; if the girl had any sense in her, she'll know what to do with that note. And if she didn't, I'd kill her myself.
I found the library eventually, moving to gaze before selecting a novel. I turned and grabbed 2 more before departing the large room. I wondered around, finding a sitting room with Grace's father. I went to turn but he spotted me. "Oh, excuse me, I didn't mean to intrude."
"No, you're not," he waved me in. "It'd be nice to have some company."
I nodded, entering and noting the gaggle of soldiers approaching the room. I thought nothing too much of it, sitting at the table with her father. "I'm Meera," I introduced.
"Ah, yes! Grace's companion? You came with her from the New World?"
"I did," I nodded, turning when the soldiers entered the room and blocked the exit. I furrowed my brow. "Uh, it's nice to meet you."
"You as well, I love meeting anyone of Grace's past and present," he grinned, seemingly eager about his daughter's companion. "Oh, congratulations by the way!"
"Thank you," I nodded, smiling as I smoothed my hand over my belly. I jumped when the door burst open, the soldiers moving to make room for the Captain.
"She chose," he gritted, approaching with a knife.
"No!" Edward gasped, standing and moving somewhat in front of me. He was protecting me? "NO! GRACE! MEERAS HERE!" The Captain pushed Edward aside, snatching his hand around my throat and squeezing. I gasped, hands moving to try and pry his own from my neck. "I want to speak to his Lordship! Grace!" I was losing air, my mouth flopping open as I tried to fight off the captain that still had the knife. Her father approached and tried to fight off the captain. He turned and swung at the man, his calling, "forgive me!" The captain let me go, my body dropping to the floor in a heap as he turned and swiped at her father. The knife sliced his arms, "ah! Ah!"
The Captain got her father from me before he was turning back to me. I was unprepared when one hand gripped my throat again as his knife met the same path as my bullet wound. He was slow, purposefully reopening the wound and moving to deepen it when I shrieked out, her father crying out in the background. God- the pain!
"Ah!" I cried out repeatedly. "Grace! Forgive him!" I cried out, tears leaking from my eyes as the Captain's knife went deeper and deeper into my side.
"She's pregnant, for God's sake! Please!" Her father cried still, being held back by a different soldier. The knife was shucked from my flesh, the sharp edge brought up and pressed into my cheek. A solid swipe pulled from my nose to ear was then scraped into my flesh. I screamed more, face screwed up.
"Captain Winston, stand down!" Benton called from outside the room. But his command was heard. Immediately, my throat was released again and I was left to fall to the floor. I gasped out, her father being released as the Captain turned and left like nothing had happened. I cried, holding one hand to my belly and the other to my bleeding cheek.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" I screamed, sobbing as I tried to sit up but found the pain so unbearable. Grace raced in then, pushing past all the soldiers and dropping to her knees beside me. "What the fuck?!" I asked again.
"I am so sorry. I am so sorry, I am so sorry," she repeated, turning to her father. "Go get the maids! She needs to be helped immediately. GO!" He nodded and turned towards the door and darted out of there. She turned to me, "Benton said if I didn't help him, he'd hurt my father and you. I-I didn't know you were in here- he said he'd kill my father just then! I didn't know- I tried to stop him!"
"Just-" I panted. "Just help me!" She nodded, helping me sit up before one of the other soldiers were entering. He approached and took me in arms, looking to Grace. It was then I realized it was that same soldier who I had when we were caught with Chaulk. My soldier! Oh, thank God. "Please," I whimpered.
"Where's her room?" He asked.
"This way," Grace lead the way. We ran into a gaggle of maids in the hall, them all following us inside my room. My comforter was stripped and I was laid on the sheets. I was panting, crying, and so fucking confused.
Grace took hold of my dress and help cut it away to reveal the bleeding stab wound. "Thank you, solider."
"I'll be outside the door," he nodded, taking his leave when he saw they were stripping me. I sniffled, one maid dapping away a wet cloth on my cheek cut. The others were gathering supplies as the fleshy and bleeding would was exposed then. Grace hissed, wincing.
"How bad?" I asked.
"Bad but not totally detrimental. But it's going to hurt."
"Just help me," I begged, crying and making my cheek wound sting a bit from the salty tears. She nodded, moving out of the maid's way as they were helping disinfect and patch me up. I cried the entire time, crying out when the pain was all too much.
The maids were wonderful, cleaning both wounds before my side was finally properly stitched and closed! They couldn't stitch the one on my face as it was so thin but they left it wrapped in gauze. I was helped into a light but clean dressing robe. I was also shifted onto the other side of the bed, out of the bloody parts of my sheets. I couldn't be lifted or moved yet so my sheets would be changed tomorrow.
Grace bade me a goodnight, saying she needed to do her bidding for Benton now. I nodded, waving her out as the maids were still teetering around. But now, I just wanted to sleep. "Miss?" I stopped one of the maids. "My babe. Please, are they okay?"
"Yes," she smiled soothingly. "The knife was no where near them. It's okay, rest now. All the stress isn't good for them either. Sleep if you can, yes?"
I nodded, letting my eyes flutter as the sleepless nights on the ocean all slammed into me at once. I sighed, allowing the darkness to claim me. But even in a seemingly peaceful sleep, I was plagued with scenarios and memories of Declan and his fate here. I was reminded of the nights I fell in love with him over and over before potential scenarios played out in my mind of what he could meet if he came to rescue us.
I hoped my note made it to him and he was on his way. But I knew the odds of him rescuing us on Benton's home field was slim to none. And I had to be at peace with that. At least Benton had shown his intentions for me; I was a pawn to make Grace do as he wanted. Christ, I was really fucked now.