"Mr. Feeney! I, uh… I didn't see you?" Grace's gaze darted between her friends and her father's coworker, clearly starting to panic.
"Your father asked me to check on you today, to make sure you were all right by yourself-"
Grace cut him off. "I'm not by myself when Father leaves, Bessie stays at the house with me."
"All the same," he continued, "I was a bit shocked when I saw you climbing out your bedroom window."
Grace winced. "I didn't see anyone on the street…"
"My car was off and parked across the road from your house. Clearly, you are not very observant."
"Oh…"
"At any rate, I decided I probably should follow you, as a girl sneaking out of her house can hardly be anything proper." He gazed down his nose at the boys and Sarah, his eyebrows raised in disapproval. "I was right. Now, Miss Anderson, you may either accompany me back to your house and I will not mention this to your father, or you can continue on whatever little adventure you seem intent on partaking in and I will most certainly mention to your father where you went and who you were with." His eyes roamed over the four teenagers. "Your call, Miss Anderson. I will be at the counter when you've made your decision."
As he turned and left, Grace shuddered as she turned to face the others. Quietly, she muttered, "I hate him. He's so creepy…." Slightly louder, she asked, "So… What do I do?"
Sarah shrugged, gently patting her friend's shoulder. "It's your call, dear. I won't think any less of you for wanting to avoid angering your father."
David nodded, quietly adding, "I don't want him to send you to a convent…" which made Grace giggle nervously.
Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "I say you should stand up to him. You keep hiding from your pa and nothing's ever gonna change."
"But if her father finds out and keeps even closer tabs on her, we're never going to be able to see her again!" Sarah practically exploded, making Grace hastily pat her arm and shush her.
David ignored Jack and Sarah and reached across the table to grab Grace's hands, gently stroking them with his thumb. "Look, it's your decision. Do what you need to."
Grace nodded, taking a deep breath. "I think… I guess if Mr. Feeney won't tell my father, I should go with him. Because I don't know what my father is going to do when he finds out, and I don't want to risk it."
Sarah nodded, rubbing Grace's shoulder. "All right. Go on, we'll figure out when we can see each other again." Grace nodded, then leaned across the table to lightly kiss David's cheek. He quickly kissed her lips, trying to be subtle about it.
Setting her chin, Grace grabbed her coat and headed across the restaurant to Mr. Feeney. "I've made my decision. I'll accompany you back to my house."
"Smart decision, Miss Anderson. Come along."
"Miss Anderson?"
"What? I really don't want to talk to you, as you basically ruined my evening with my friends." Grace glared out the window, angrily chewing her lip.
"Your friends? That's amusing." Mr. Feeney chuckled under his breath.
"Why, exactly?" She managed to tear her gaze away from the window to frown at him, confused.
"Miss Anderson, you're the heiress to a rather sizable fortune. They are guttersnipes and of the working class. There can never be a real friendship between you and them."
Grace froze for a moment, then swallowed nervously. "You're wrong. Sarah is my friend, she likes me for who I am."
"She likes you for your money."
"No, she doesn't! You don't even know her!" Grace turned away from him, to return to glaring out the window.
"Look, Miss Anderson. You may not realize it now, but there can never be a true friendship between such unequal classes."
Grace turned to him and opened her mouth to protest, but Mr. Feeney cut her off.
"Besides, we've arrived back at your home. And it appears someone's business trip has been cut short."
Grace slowly looked over to her home and, sure enough, her father's car was parked in the driveway. "Shit…" she muttered, and Mr. Feeney didn't even bother to chastise her for such crude language.
"Come along, Miss Anderson. I'm sure your father is expecting us."