Chapter 4

I am so sorry about the late update, but I have been so busy with work and I had to put the last finishing touches on my novel (which the deadline is this Monday). Anyway, thank you all for reviewing, those made my day! And of course 'Ani', thank you.

This is the last chapter of this story. I have some other ideas, so give me a few days to start writing. Don't expect anything soon, I have a busy week ahead!

The sun was setting when they were on their way back to the hospital. Tom was driving the car, steering it across the badly paved road. In the corner of her eyes she saw that he was glancing at her, but only for a few seconds, probably because he didn't want her to notice. If it wasn't for this man things could have ended very different today.

The soft wind made it inside the car, playing with the hem of her skirt and his uniform trousers. After the food Tom ordered arrived in the hotel room she really relaxed. Tom never asked anything else about the incident in the hall way. He just made small talk, even cracking a few jokes. He showed her a side she never thought he had, a fun side. He probably wanted her to forget everything and have a good time.

Never in her life had a man treated her like he did. Well, apart from… She breathed out. She couldn't think about the man that she had an affair with while being married to Elliot. He didn't stand up for her when she needed him to be, so unlike Thomas. The way he defended her, she couldn't thank him enough for what he did.

She breathed in the fresh air provided by the French countryside and swallowed. She was trying to find the words to explain everything. He deserved an explanation, she thought. "You know, Tom…", she started slowly.

"Kitty", he said softly, interrupting her thoughts. "You don't need to tell me. You don't own me an explanation."

She looked at him and asked: "Don't you want to know?"

"You don't have to tell me everything now." He looked away from the road that laid before him and looked at her, followed by an encouraging smile. "Tell me when you are ready. I can wait."

"I want to tell you. I want you to know." She looked away from his ocean filled eyes and back to her hands, folded together like she was saying a prayer. "Being a member of the Trevelyan household meant that people had big expectations of you. My dad is a member of parliament, House of Lords."

She paused, trying to gauge his reaction. He pulled over, stopping from driving the car, focusing mainly on her. He didn't respond, which she took as a sign for her to tell him more. "My father expected me to marry a amazing man with great connections and Elliot lived up to his expectations. My mother tried to smooth it over, telling me that the love would grow once we were married. Only this time that wasn't true. Love never came."

She felt the tears filling her eyes, with even one daring to show himself, running down her cheek. She closed her eyes shortly to compose herself, when she felt a warm hand on top of hers. She opened her eyes again and found the ocean again, the calming ocean. The ocean she come to rely on, especially since this afternoon. "I really am sorry that you had to go through that", he said, squeezing her hand lightly, probably trying to encourage her. "He is not going to come back, Kitty. He can't hurt you here in the hospital. Not as long as I'm around."

The tears that dried up in the sunlight were met with another flood of tears. "Are you still married to him?", he asked after a couple of minutes. The minutes she needed to calm herself down again, trying to control her emotions.

She shook her head. "No", she said, swallowing hard. "He wanted me to sign some papers so that he could marry again. That is why he wanted me to meet him in town today."

"So you never have to see him again after this." When these words left Tom's mouth she bit her lip. Oh, if he only knew about her beautiful Sylvie. But she couldn't tell him about the affair and about her daughter. He would run as hard as his legs could carry him, away from her. She couldn't handle being left on her own. Not now, not now when she found someone as Tom supporting her.

"Look", he said, after she didn't reply to his last words. "I am really not going to say anything about today. I promise." She looked into his eyes, noticing the sincerity.

"I know", she said, a small smile appearing across her face "I know." She wasn't a person, who talked much but the words she did use meant a lot, for her at least.

He tried to let go of her hand, but she caught it just in time. The warmth that it had been representing was to comforting to let go. Their hands entangled, their warmth exchanged. He started the engine of the car and drove back to the hospital. She would tell him about Sylvie, when she was ready. In time.