Chapter twenty-four: Girl who got away

That evening,

Tap, tap, tap.

"Come in." Kate says cheerfully as she checks her pale lavender dinner dress, with silver beading on it in the mirror, one last time. She loves the way it clings to her. The door opens, shuts and locks. She sighs and turns around, not surprised that it Thomas Shelby in her room. "Thomas, if you get caught in here, my parents are going to have a fit."

"Let them," he steps towards her and places his hands on her waist. "Tonight's the night they find out, right?"

She shakes her head. "No, not tonight. Unfortunately, Emmett's not going to be here and I'd prefer to break things off with him quietly before announcing it to the family. The last thing I need is him setting my mother off and have both of them going for me at the same time."

"Right." He exhales. "When do you think you'll see him?"

"I don't know. I've called him four times to make an appointment to meet up and each time, he hasn't picked up."

He frowns. "Why on earth not? The last time he saw you, you were in your room, crying and I was holding you."

She blinks. "You were holding me?" he nods. "I don't remember, much of it."

"Probably for the best. Rosemary was in the room, so it was mostly proper."

Her brow arches. "What does that mean? Mostly proper?"

"Kate, you were crying and shaking. Once I got you into your bed, I stayed and held onto you."

"You were in…bed with me?" She's not sure what to make of that, but she does appreciate the thought behind it. He wanted to comfort her, make her feel safe and he had. He held onto her in one of the worst moments of her life, without even hesitating to be there for her.

He nods. "Until your father got home."

"I don't remember that, but, thank you." she steps towards him. "I don't remember much, after my mother telling me that I was…a selfish person."

"You're anything but selfish," he moves his hands to her shoulder. "if you were a selfish person, neither of us would be in this mess right now."

"I'm sorry about that, but Polly is right. I owe Emmett that much. As long as this ring is on my finger, I am his."

"Then take it off."

"He doesn't deserve that. I'm going to ask him to meet somewhere and then, I'll give it to him."

"He doesn't deserve your kindness." She notes the harshness in his voice. "Not after the way he treats you."

"Oh, Thomas. I'm really sorry; I don't mean to frustrate you. But just because I'm not in love with him, doesn't mean I should treat him badly."

He exhales with a nod. "Can you take it off for just thirty seconds?"

She hesitates. "Why?"

"You'll see."

She knows what he means. Once that ring is off, she's his for the moment. "I shouldn't." Temptation, she's never felt just fills her, because she loves this man so much.

"But you want to.

She pauses before removing the ring and setting it on the vanity. Thomas instantly pulls her into his arms and presses his lips to hers in a deep embrace. She moans and holds onto him as his hands move from her shoulders to her, waist, her back, God, they're all over her. She knows she shouldn't allow this, but this will be the last time she'll allow such a thing before she gives Emmett his ring back. She parts her lips slightly, allowing his tongue to delve inside her mouth as he grips a hold of her face.

Thomas uses his hips to push her back against her vanity, causing her to grab a hold of the side. "Thomas," she gasps as he slides a hand up under her long, lavender skirt. "my parents are down stairs."

"Then," she arches against his hand, unable to stop herself. "you're going to have to be real quiet. Because, you're too beautiful to keep my hands off of you all night." She moans. "I mean it Kate…be quiet." She arches her brow at him. "Or at least…try to."

"You're blushing." Thomas says as he guides Kate down the stairs. His words cause her to flush more. "It's most becoming."

"I can't believe, I just did that… in my parents' house!" she hisses. She attempts to look angry, but he is not buying it. He'd heard her cry out and felt her body shake as again, she surrendered to him. Most would think her wanton, but he thought her starving for love and affection. He wanted her to always feel loved with him and he had so much love to give her. He'd thought of himself as a romantic type of man before the war. Afterwards, he thought he'd lost that part of himself and he had...until her. "I probably smell like you."

He inhales and shakes his head. "No, you smell like a gardenia garden."

She flushes again. "No more of that, until the ring is off my hand."

He nods. "Understood. But, if you get the urge to take it off around me-

"I won't!" she says primly, causing him to smirk. "God, what have you turned me into?"

"I never turned you into anything." He states. "I just…caused it to surface…tiger."

"Stop calling me that." In spite of the blushing, she cannot help but ask him. "Why are you calling me that, anyway?" he reaches for her hand and holds it up, so she can see her long, perfectly manicured nails. She swallows hard as she instantly understands. "I'll trim them."

"Don't do it on my behalf." They pause at the foot of the stairs, knowing they have to separate. "I love you."

She smiles at him, reaching over to straighten his tie. "I know." she pats the front of his suit before offering him her elbow. "Shall we?"

He nods, noting how she always trembles slightly at the touch of his hand on hers. How he had lived before her, he didn't know. It didn't seem as if he'd started living until he'd met her. All eyes go to him as they enter the parlor. Mr. Kovach and Rosemary offer him a smile. Mr. MacMillan and Mrs. Kovach, naturally, do not.

"Good evening, everyone." Kate says good-naturedly and she drops her hand from his elbow, leaving him feeling less warm than he'd been moments ago. God, he can't wait until he has the right to hold onto her, no matter what, because she'll be his. Well, she's his already, but soon she'll be his wife.

"This is my oldest daughter, Katherine." Kate smoothly steps forward towards Mr. MacMillan, a smile on her face and a hand extended towards Mr. MacMillan. "And, her fiancé, Thomas Shelby." Thomas blinks in surprise, while Kate can only blush in embarrassment at her father's faux pau.

"Gilbert," Mrs. Kovach says with a tight smile. "maybe put down the whiskey?"

"Ah, sorry." Mr. Kovach says with an innocent smile, that Thomas knew wasn't so innocent. Her father was clearly enjoying all of this. "My daughter's engaged to an Emmett Webber, it's just due to the combination of whiskey and Mr. Shelby's close friendship with my daughter, I often lapse into moments of wishful thinking."

"Mr. Shelby and I are…acquaintances from the war." Kate keeps blushing but manages to explain somewhat. "Father, doesn't approve of Mr. Webber, so, please, don't think too badly of us."

"Not at all." Mr. MacMillan says with a smile, which grates on Thomas's nerves. "A father always wants what's best for his daughter."

"Then hopefully," Rosemary adds. "he'll invoke his right to speak now and not hold his peace on Sunday. Ow!" Rosemary glowers at her mother, who's probably pinched her. "I'm not five anymore!"

"Then stop behaving like you are."

Mr. MacMillan smiles. "Ah, and here's my wife." Kate and Thomas turn….just as the room comes to a screeching halt and the floor falls out from under him as the last person he'd ever expected to see again, comes back into his life.

Grace Burgess. Well, she was now Grace MacMillan.

She looks just as lovely as he remembered. Her golden hair was the safe. However, there was a colder countenance to her that he didn't remember. He studied her, watching as her blue eyes flashed with recognition. Not only that, he saw a spark in her eyes and instantly knew her feelings for him hadn't died. She didn't have the same effect on him though. He felt something, almost akin to terror at the sight of her.

She swallowed and approached with a fake, lighthearted smile on her face. "Mr. Shelby. A pleasure to see you again."

He nods his head. "Grace."

He knows that Kate instantly figures out who Grace is. He feels her stiffen by his side and everything in him is dying to tell Kate that she has nothing to worry about. Grace means nothing to him. Kate is the one he loves. He wants to touch her, hold her, but that diamond ring on her finger is a stark reminder to him that he doesn't have that right yet.

Kate pastes on a fake smile on her face, a less bright smile. "You're that Grace?" she actually steps forward to shake Grace's hand. "I've heard about you. Polly mentioned that you saved Mr. Shelby's life."

God, what else had Polly told her? Had she told her that he'd loved her? How much had she told Kate about his past love? Moreover, that's what she was, his past love. She was in his past and Kate was his present.

Polly's name causes Grace to flinch slightly. "You know Polly?"

Kate nods. "Yes. She's a dear friend of mine." he catches the pointed note in Kate's voice, which isn't lost on Grace. "I've met all of the family."

Thomas clears his throat. "Why don't we all sit down?"

Grace and Kate nod. Thomas touches Kate's elbow, but she instantly moves her arm away from him. Rosemary notices instantly and sits up in her seat, analyzing silently what's going on right now. Kate actually moves to sit beside rosemary, who starts staring at her closely. He moves to stand by her father, who is near Kate. Her father, like rosemary, is watching this exchange as well. Grace's husband, fortunately, seems oblivious to this history.

"So," Kate keeps that smile in place. "Mrs. MacMillan, have you been enjoying your return to England?"

The chitchat continues, but it doesn't serve to calm his nerves. Because tonight's dinner with friends had quickly grown into something that was more emotionally complicated than he could have anticipated.

Angeol29: Inserts evil chuckle.

Idcam: You were right to be suspicious. I didn't remember Grace's husband's name, so I had to look him up!

Shariebery: And the drama increases. This story is getting to be like a rollercoaster with so many twists and turns!

daynareynodls1997: Well, we know for sure that it's an interesting dinner!

Thehoodedassasin: Safe to say, this a dinner no one will forget! The other brothers will find out a little bit towards the end. Lol, poor Finn indeed. He and Rosemary would almost be a cute couple, were Thomas and Kate not getting married!