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She would leave today.
I could feel it.
I huffed as I walked into the kitchen. It was mercifully empty, and I let myself wallow in my bad mood while the kettle boiled. I needed to shake this off before I went back to the room because I was going to have to drive her to the airport sooner rather than later. Judging by the frown on her face when I’d left a few minutes ago, she was already stressed.
I didn’t blame her. Her entire plan had been messed up.
And here I was, grumping and grumbling away like it was me who’d had their travel plans disrupted.
Granted, I didn’twantto drive all the way to the airport and back today, but I would. It was more of an inconvenience for Grace than me.
I stirred in her sugar with a sigh and put the spoon in the sink, then carried both mugs out of the kitchen and towards our room. Thankfully most of my family were staying on the other side of the castle, with the younger cousins the closest to my rooms. Judging by how quiet it was, they’d taken the party much later than Grace and I had and were still sleeping.
Which made us quite lazy, really.
I moved both mugs to one hand so I could open the main door, and Grace’s voice filtered through to the living room.
“There’s nothing later?”
I paused.
She sighed. “I don’t understand how you can put me on a flight almost twenty-four hours earlier… I understand that, but I have an appointment on Tuesday that I can’t miss, so that doesn’t work for me… No, I know you’ve done this so you don’t have to deal with the legal issues that come from a huge delay, but this really is unacceptable. Can you not put me on another airline tomorrow?... What do you mean you don’t do that? You can’t provide the service and I’m sure somebody can, and I’m certainly not paying for it… No, absolutely not… Fine, but as soon as I’m home, I’m throwing my frequent flier card in the bin because I’m never using your airline again.” She pulled the phone from her ear, hit the screen, and slammed it on the bed.
“Now what did the poor customer service person do to you?”
Grace pouted. “They can’t change my flight. Apparently, the weather caused a load of them to be delayed and those passengers took priority.”
“If it’s so important, why is your flight being cancelled?”
“She couldn’t give me an answer, just that the flight isn’t going ahead, and they’re scrambling to put people on whatever flights they can. For me, that’s either at four-thirty this afternoon or eleven on Tuesday morning. Obviously, I’d prefer Tuesday, but I have a meeting at university and can’t reschedule it, so I have no choice.”
I held her tea out for her. “What time do we need to leave?”
She took the mug, looking at me with more than a hint of sadness in her eyes. “You don’t have to drive me there, William. I can get the train from Duncree.”
“Don’t be daft.” I sat on the bed next to her and reached over to her face, brushing some of her flaming hair away from her eyes. “Of course I’m taking you.”
“It’s two hours there, which means you have to drive two hours back. I’m not going to ask you to do that when you didn’t plan to today.”
“You’re not asking me. I’m offering, and I’m not taking no for an answer.” I tucked the hair behind her ear and let my fingers trail along the curve of her jaw, smiling softly. “It might be two hours there, Cinderella, but it’s two hours I get to spend with you.”
Her lips curved into a tiny smile. “And on the way back?”
“I’ll probably spend the entire time berating myself for things I should have said but didn’t.”
“That’s the most relatable thing you’ve ever said.”
With a chuckle, I said, “I know.”
Grace sighed and looked out of the window. “I was hoping I had time to pick your grandpa’s brain one last time, but I suppose I don’t now. I should shower.”
“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Oh, no, thank you.” She cradled her mug, drawing it closer to her. “I don’t have much packing to do. Most of it I’ve done along the way.”
“Except the clothing you left on the floor last night.”
“I believe you’re the one responsible for that mess, not me.” She sipped her tea. “I’d like to get to the airport by two-thirty. How long does that give me?”
