Chapter thirty-five: Snowed in at Wheeler Street


"So," Polly takes her by the arm and hurries her down the stairs. Ada has already packed up Karl and moved somewhere safe. "you want to tell me what's going on your mind right now?"

"So many things."

"I gathered as much. But, there's something bothering you."

"Well, Thomas asked me to marry him last night." Polly stops, hand on the door, her face lighting up. "And, I turned him down."

"What?" Polly yanks the door open and glowers at her. "Why the hell did you do that? You love him."

"I do Polly, but," Katherine explains. "I can't marry him just yet."

"Why not?" Polly states as they walk rapidly down the street, their heels clicking on the street. "He said that you came from a rich family, but I've seen the way you two look at each other. Money shouldn't matter to you."

"It's not that. I'd marry him if he were a penniless beggar."

"Then what's the problem?" Polly inquires. "It must be big if you're refusing to marry a man you love."

She's silent for a moment and everything starts spilling out of her. "My father is a big gangster, drug runner and smuggler. I grew up in a horrible house and once I got away, I just ran here and didn't look back."

"And you're not going to marry into something you ran away from?"

"And if we have children…I don't want them to go through what I did."

"I see." Polly nods understandingly. "After this, the Shelby Company will be legal."

"I know that and he says that after today…that's all over. I want to believe him, but there's a part of me that's telling me that it won't be enough for him." Polly nods her head in silent agreement. "I just can't go through that again. I can't go through each day wondering if he's going to be coming back through that door or not!" Kate inhales sharply. "I survived a war, lost one man at the altar and just when I dare to fall in love again…I fall in love with someone who's on the road to becoming like my father. I can't go into something like this again!"

Polly stops still and turns towards her. "Have you told him this?"

"Yes, but…God, that man makes me so emotional at times."

Polly chuckles. "I saw him hurl many a glass of whiskey at the fire over words exchanged with you." She sobers as she exhales. "This is a dilemma though. I can understand where you're both coming from. I'd love having you as an addition to this family, but not if it's going to torment you. It's a hard life here."

Kate nods. "I know that but," they continue walking towards the pub. "I feel as if…I've got happiness at the palm of my hand, but…something's stopping me from taking it."

"It's because….deep in your heart you know that something's wrong. Something's holding you back." Polly exhales. "As much as it pains me to say this, go pack your things and get out of Birmingham."

"No." Kate shakes her head as a strange sense of panic fills her body. "I can't. I told him that I'd be here when he got back."

"You need to get out of here." Polly turns her to face her outside of the pub. "That man is not going to take no for an answer."

"He'll just come after me."

"Not if you get out of here right now." Polly stated firmly. "All the men are gone, no one's watching you. You can just vanish into thin air."

"But, what if he gets shot or something and I'm not here for him?"

Polly rolls her eyes. "Nothing'll happen to Thomas. I can leave you a personal ad in the newspaper to let you know that he's alright."

"How can you ask me to hurt him like that?" Kate questions. "To just take off without a word to him?"

"How can he ask you to stay and be hurt? You need to leave." Polly sighs. "You're a good woman and I know for fact that you could make him happy, but that man would make you miserable."

Kate exhales deeply. "I-I need to think about this."

"Then you think about it quickly. You only have a matter of time before he comes back here. I'll call you a taxi."

"But I'm not even-

"This is your only chance Kate." Polly places her hand on the door of the pub. "Don't squander it. You can always come back, but you can't always get away."


Kate drops her bags on the ground and exhales deeply. Her heart was breaking in her chest. This hurt; it hurt just as bad as seeing Emmett shot. Emmett was dead and there was nothing she could do about it. Thomas was alive and he loved her. He loved her with a passion that she couldn't understand. God, she could still feel him on her skin and inside her even though it had been more than five hours since they were together last!

She went to pick up her bags again, but something stopped her from doing that again. Kate had never felt so conflicted in her life. She'd picked up and set down her bags at least five times by the restaurant door before just giving up. Her head was screaming at her to get out of there while she had the chance. While her foolish heart was telling her to stay, she had too much to lose if she just left. She could lose him.

Unable to bear it a moment longer, Kate left her bags at the doorway of her restaurant and went next door to the pub. She needs another drink to sort her thoughts. She pushes open the doors to see Polly and Grace talking calmly at a table, drinking whiskey. They both look towards her, their eyes surprised to see her there.

Polly's brow rises as Kate walks in the deserted pub. "What are you doing here Kate?"

She shrugs. "I came to get a drink."

"I called a taxi." Kate shakes her head at Polly's words. "You need to leave; it's really for the best."

"Then why does it feel so wrong?" Kate asks as she grabs a shot glass.

"You're leaving?" Grace asks as she stands up and turns towards her. The hopeful tone in Grace's voice causes Kate to inwardly scowl. "You're breaking your engagement to him?"

Kate's silent for a moment as she reaches for the Irish whiskey. "We weren't really engaged."

"So…all that between the two of you two was a lie?"

"It was real." Kate says as she downs the whiskey. She wasn't sure what it was. The question or the hopeful look in Grace's eye that prompts her to state. "Grace, we should be angry with you, but…right now, you've just shown me a prime example of how a foolish woman can ruin a chance for love. In a way, you've probably saved me from doing something as stupid as you."

"Such as?"

"You love Thomas," Kate says simply as she approaches her. "not that I'm jealous, I can understand. Thomas is a very handsome man, mysterious and there's an intrigue to him. There's also darkness there, that makes you want to dive into and hold onto him. But you don't love him Grace." Grace stands up, her eyes flashing. "Not as you should. If you loved him, nothing in the world would cause you to break your loyalty to him. You did that twice."

"Yet, you're leaving him." Grace points out. "He might very well forgive me, but you, I knew you weren't anywhere near his class the moment I saw you. Then I realized you were Lady Katherine Elaine Kovach, you were even presented at court to the king."

Polly's eyes bulge. "Holy Mary."

"You're also an heir to a 10,000,000 estate."

"Is this true?" Kate nods at Polly. "Then why the hell were you even considering marrying Thomas?"

"Because none of that mattered to me."

"If anything, it reaffirms that you're not suited to a life down here. You're not the right kind of woman for him." Grace points out, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You say I'm bad, my duty was to the king, which is now over. I resigned my commission once I finished my mission. He was a soldier, he understands about orders."

"Possibly. However, Grace, last night… Thomas asked me to be his wife." Grace's eyes turn wide as she takes in Kate's words. "And when he comes back…I'm going to tell him that I'm going to marry him."

"No." Polly shakes her head. "You've got to get out Kate."

Kate shakes her head. "I can't, I can't leave him Polly."

"But you must!" Polly steps towards her. "Kate, you're not right for this life. You met the king of England for Christ's sake!"

"If I walk out that door right now, I know that I am going to regret that decision for the rest of my days." Kate hold's Polly's gaze, unashamed to confess her feelings for him. "I love him, so much. You told me once not to run away from my future just because I'm scared. I am scared Polly, but…it's scarier to imagine a life without him. I've shared everything about me with him."

Polly's brow rises in surprise. "Everything?" Kate blushes, but doesn't say a word. "That bastard!" Polly snaps. "I aim to hit him as soon as he walks through the door!"

Kate laughs in embarrassment. "I know, but…it just happened."

"I told him that until he married you, he wasn't going to go sticking his-

"Alright, Polly." Kate blushes. "No more. We are getting married, after all." Kate turns to Grace, who's standing there solemn as a statue. "You can go back to wherever it was you came from Grace. There's no quarrel anymore with you."

"Kate, you and Thomas will have a wonderful marriage." She turns towards Grace, her mouth set firmly with a wicked dance in her eyes. "You know, had you played your cards right, he might have given you a second chance once Kate left. But you made sure that he'd never give you a second look." those words jar Grace slightly. "But she's staying here with him and she'll be the one he's with every night as they grow into a family together. You can lie alone at night, all alone in the grave you dug yourself." Grace inhales sharply. "It's actually fitting. I don't need to hurt you; you did all of this to yourself."

Grace suddenly reached into her purse and Kate instantly realized that she had a gun in there. Kate raised her purse, aiming for Grace's hand. BANG! Polly jumps as Grace drops her purse. BANG! Grace's gun goes off, shattering the pub mirror. Grace grabs a hold of her lower extremities near her hip.

Kate shakes her head as the blood drains out of her face. "Oh Grace, no. Polly, I need a towel!"

"She just shot at you!" Polly points out. "Just put her in the taxi when it gets her and get her out!"

"Polly please!" Kate kneels beside Grace as she collapses. "I did not intend to shoot you there. I was aiming for you gun."

"Why?" Polly asks as Kate presses a rag to the wound.

"It looks like I hit one of her ovaries." Grace stiffens at those words and looks at her, her face growing whiter by the moment. "I'm sorry Grace, but…they'll most likely have to remove your ovary. Unfortunately, it'll be most unlikely that you'' be able to have any children." At the sound of a car, Kate looks to Polly. "That'll be the taxi."

"You're a f**king monster." Grace croaks out, as tears run down her cheeks. "You say you're not as brutal or him, but you're worse!"

"I am sorry Grace. I wouldn't wish this on any woman…even you." Kate says firmly. "I wouldn't have shot you had you not gone for your gun. Accuse me all you like to make yourself feel better, but this was your fault. You should have simply just walked away."

Those words cause Grace to dissolve into sobs.

The taxi driver comes in and stared at the scene, his eyes wide. Kate reaches into her waistband for a five-pound note. She hands it to the driver as she helps a sobbing Grace to her feet. "She needs to get to the hospital immediately."

The driver takes a hold of Grace and carefully lies her down in the back of his taxi. Polly takes her by the arm. "Come on. Let's go wait over at your place. He'll come get you as soon as it's over. Besides," Polly smiles. "there's obviously a wedding that has to be planned."

Kate lets out a weak laugh as she heads back towards her restaurant. Her stomach has settled and Kate now has the same conviction that Thomas has. All will be well once this is all over and nobody would stand in their way.


Idcam: No punch, but she got delt an awful blow. Sorry about the delay in chapters. I did something to my hand and it swelled up badly. My sister was thinking I had arthritis! But, I think it was excessive typing. Only 4 more chapters left.