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Grace’s hand cao there if you’re not co tiaze was steady ‘Maybe it’s time to think about whether you want to keep the castle or not’ She squeezed his hand again ‘And maybe it won’t be quite as bad if you’re not there by yourself’

He could see the sincerity in her eyes She meant every word She wanted to help him She didn’t seem worried about the possibility of no water, no electricity or no heating Just about every other wo out right now But Grace was calm The excitement fro for a few hours

So washed over hi tian Castle Loved the approach and seeing the grey castle outline against the sky, towering above the landscape on the top of a hill It used to give hiles

Then, for a while, it had given hi He couldn’t i the front door and being swept away by the wave of emotions

But even though those things were circulating around his brain, he didn’t feel the urge at all to break the connection with Grace’s steady brown gaze There was so around her A cal He placed his hand over hers ‘I think you could be right’ She was trying so hard to help him, but how much had he done for her?

‘You should have told ran,’ he said quietly

She shook her head quickly ‘I couldn’t Once you’d told rief can’t cos’

She was trying so hard to sound convincing, to stop the tiny waver he could still hear in her voice Her grief was still raw His?

He kept holding her hand ‘It’s not different, Grace You lost someone that you loved This is your first Christave a rueful smile ‘Believe me, I do’

He pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder Next thing he knew the pilot was giving him a shout ‘Five minutes’

He nudged Grace ‘Wake up, sleepy We’re just about to land’

She sat up and frowned, rubbing her eyes and looking around It was still pitch black outside ‘Where on earth are we landing?’ she asked