Chain of Iron

Chapter Eight

*Earlier That Day*

James sat with his father in their family room, reading a book. His mother and Lucie had left to go shopping for some new dresses and Matthew had told him that he was headed to Anna's for tea. He had invited James along but he had declined; he did not want to interfere in Matthew and Anna's time together. They had a close relationship, James knew, and he had always admired how Anna always took Matthew seriously. Not many people did and it angered James just to even think about it. They viewed Matthew as someone who cared about and for nothing; in reality, James knew, he cared much more than they would ever know.

"How do you feel about your engagement to Cordelia?" Will suddenly asked, snapping James out of his reverie.

James looked up from his book to where his father sat. His blue eyes were regarding James softly and his black hair was sitting neatly atop his head. James had noticed, lately, that his father was getting a bit more grey in his hair and it was odd for him to think about it. His mother still looked as if she was only a few years older than James himself and it hurt in a way James could not explain to see his father getting older. One day he, his father and Lucie would all die and leave his mother alone and the thought sometimes kept him up at night.

"I feel good about it." James replied. "Cordelia is a perfect match."

In a sense, James knew that she was. She was to be his sister's Parabatai and all of his friends and family adored her, not to mention that she was beautiful. But she is not Grace, a voice seemed to say in his mind and James had to push away Grace's delicate face from his mind.

"That she is." His father smiled. "I am very happy that you chose her, Jamie. I had secretly hoped for all of these years that you and Cordelia may one day be together. It seemed my hopes came true."

James felt a wave of guilt course through him. He did not like lying to his father, especially now when he seemed so happy for James. He did not want to imagine his father's disappointment in a year when he would have to tell him that he and Cordelia were to be divorced.

"You are just partial to everything Carstairs, Dad." James commented amused.

Will grinned. "That may be true but I also do truly believe Cordelia is the best possible person you could have proposed to."

James only looked away from his father as thoughts of Grace flooded his mind. What would his parents say when he eventually told them that he wanted to marry her? He knew that his parents would support him no matter what but he also knew that they would a bit disappointed in his choice of a woman after Cordelia.

"Father," James found himself saying. "How did you know that you wanted to marry Mam?"

His father's eyes widened a bit in surprise and James knew why. It was unlike him to ask his father about him and his mother's relationship as James had always found the subject of love to be an awkward one.

"From the moment she hit me with the water jug when I saved her from the Dark House." His father smiled lovingly, looking down at his shoes seeming a million miles away. "But even more so when I showed her around this very Institute the night she came here. Your mother seemed to see me -- really see me and no one ever had besides Jem."

James considered this. Did Grace really see him? Did she really know and love James for who he was? He was unsure. Although he had known Grace for many years, he realized that they did not know each other as well as he hoped. James was about to reply when Bridget came into the room, a piece of paper in her hand. James knew who it was from even before she placed it in his hand and he felt his heart rate pick up. He opened the note and proceeded to read it.