Red Haired Beauty (wattys2016)

Chapter 19: She stays

*Edited*

Grace held onto a tree as she vomited her breakfast onto the forest floor. When she had rushed out of John's office she took Inira and left the manor grounds. John was no doubt close behind her, so instead of saddling her horse; she rode bare back. Using Inira's mane to keep herself steady she rushed through the town and to the forest. She ended up launching herself off the horse to vomit.

" Grace!" John called behind her as his horse's feet smashed the ground with deep thuds. He pulled his horse to a stop and threw himself off. John then rushed to Grace rubbing her back as she released more of her stomach contents.

" Hey, hey, hey. Its alright." John whispered to her as she sobbed between her gags.

" I can't... I'm scared, John. There is no way of getting out of this. Unfortunately, that man is right. He can take me and wed me off to whom he pleases." Grace cried as she turned and grabbed onto John's shirt covered chest as he wrapped his strong arms around her; holding her close to him. "I cannot marry him, John. I can't leave you."

" I am here. You are not going anywhere. We are going to marry in a week and nothing will stop us. Not even your uncle." John whispered in her ear as she broke in his arms, her knees disappeared from underneath her and they fell down. Her body shook violently in his arms from her crying, that fact she had just vomited and the fear from even just the thought of marrying James. John kissed the top of her head sighed softly.

" Come on, we need to get back to my manor so we can sort this all out." John whispered pulled her back up to her feet and lead her over to his horse.

" I can ride." She whispered to him; only to have John shake his head.

" Not in the state you are in." He told her as he grabbed her waist and lifted her onto the saddle. He reached for a rope that was in a bag; attached to the saddle. He tied it around Inira's neck and held it tightly as he jumped up behind Grace. John tied the rope to the saddle tightly and wrapped an arm around Grace's waist pulling her closer to him. Grace lifted her hand and interlocked her fingers into his.

" Thank you." Grace whispered to him as she let her head fall backwards onto his shoulder; closing her eyes she smiled as John pushed Orchil into a trot back to the manor.

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Grace had fallen asleep on the way back so John helped her off the horse and carried her to her room. He made sure she was in her bed before making his way back to his study. Once inside he took his seat and pulled out his paper work he had to finished. He started to read and sign them, but could not concentrate on it with the thought of Grace marrying James itched and clawing at him. He smashed the paper down and stood up with his hands on the desk.

"Ross! Bring George here immediately!" John yelled with a low rumble.

" Yes sir." He heard faintly as feet sounded. It only took a few minutes before the door opened and George walked in with a smug look on his face.

" So you made your mind up. Good, Grace and I will leave tonight." George smirked happily to John.

" You will be leaving. But Grace is staying here and in a week we will be married; you are no longer welcome in my home. I do not want you anywhere in my town, nor anywhere Grace." John told him sending him a glare telling him not to argue.

" She is my family. She will be coming with me and I do not care wither you like that or not." George argued with John; who just shook his head and walked around the table and to his office door.

" You lost her as family when you abandoned her and her mother in the forests. She lived in my town, therefore she falls under my responsibility. " John told him as he looked to Ross.

" Stand outside Grace's room. Keep a close eye and ear to her. Do not let anyone expect yourself and I inside." John ordered Ross who nodded and walked away.

" You have half an hour to leave my manor before I call for the police to escort you." John instructed George as he stood at his office door waiting for him to leave.

" Grace is coming with me. There is nothing you can do about it." George spoke but was cut off by John.

" She is staying here. You cannot take her away from this manor." John growled to him. George raised his eyebrow in wonder.

" Oh really? And pray tell me, why not?" George asked him. John's breath caught in his throat. He had to think of an excuse to why he cannot take her away from him. His mind went through many reasons as to why, no of them seemed reasonable. Until it hit him; there was one way she could stay with him.

" Because she is with child." John said to George who seemed to choke on nothing. "My child." John finished off as George's mouth hung open.

" Leave. Now." John growled threateningly at him. His jaw clenched in anger as his grip on the door handle tightened causing his knuckles to whiten. George coughed at the intense glare, feeling slightly threatened, he walked out the room. Only to have the door slammed shut behind him. John stomped over and yanked open his draw pulling out the glass and whisky. He opened the whisky bottle and went to pour it into his glass but stopped. He sighed and lifted the bottle to his lips drinking it quickly in large gulps. After four gulps he placed the bottle back down and sighed.

" What have I done?" John asked himself as he thought of a way through this. He could only think of one option. He had to move the wedding forward. He took another few swings of the amber liquid and rushed out of his room.

"Elsa!" John called loudly trying to find the head maid.

"Yes master? How may I be of service?" She asked rushing around the corner.

" Contact everyone. The wedding is moving to this Friday." John informed her as she stared stunned at him.

" But sir." She answered only to be stopped by John lifting his hand.

" Do it, It's that or we lose Grace." John told him as he turned and made his way to Grace's room. When he got there Ross was standing outside the door.

" You can go now Ross." John told him as he nodded and left; John opened the door and walked into her room. She was laying in her bed with silent cries drifting from her. He walked over to her as pulled off his boots and lifted the covers, slipping over and pulling Grace into his arms.

"George is leaving. You are staying here with me." John whispered to her.

" How did you mange that?" Grace whispered quietly. John chuckled lowly as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

" I told him a little white lie." John spoke softly.

" And what was the lie?" Grace asked him suspiciously.

" That you were with child and I moved the wedding forward to Friday." John said as Grace pushed herself up and looked at him.

" You moved the wedding forward?" She asked her nerves picking up. John chuckled lowly and looked at her.

" You worry about the wedding when I just told your Uncle you were with child?" John asked her surprised. Grace shrugged and blushed as she looked away from him. She put her face into his chest to hid from him.

" It will happen at some point hopefully." She whispered as John then released she was right. On there wedding night they would make their marriage official and most likely conceive a child together. They would show their love by bring a new life into this world. The concept of being a father scared him, his father died from alcohol abuse a few years back. He would beat John and never treated him right.

It was then and there he promise, he made a vow that his child would grow up in complete comfort. And he would be the best father he could possible be.