Joshua's Grace

Chapter 11 (2)

His tone convinced Grace to change tack. Grace tilted her head to look up at him. "It's o.k.," She tried to appease him, resorting to a conciliatory tone of voice " I'm staying with Amy until term ends."

"No Grace. It isn't o.k." He pushed his hair off his forehead in a gesture that reflected his frustration. "Damn it. I'm not leaving you here."

"It will be settled soon," She placated, lying blatantly, she hadn't a clue how long it would take to settle this, let alone track the jerk. Just how long would it take to identify him, if that was even possible? "and anyway, I'm off with Sash on Monday. She's flying into Auckland and we're going to Bali for a week. They'll have got whoever it is by then, or it may all stop anyway. It could just be some idiot kid who thinks it's a great laugh to send a feminist some sex mad letters." She was trying to sound calm and rational. Joshua wasn't buying any of it. She could see it in the way his jaw clenched. He was ready to carry her off, if the signals she read in his eyes were anything to go by, he was about to pick her up. Grace launched into speech quickly, "And when I get back, we all go to Whangamata. Sash, mum, dad and me. We are going to the Bach, for Christmas." She sounded nonchalant, "So you see I won't be at the cottage for much time anyway. "

"You won't be at that cottage at all. You won't be alone at all." He began his list of demands as frustration snapped to life within him and he began to scowl at her with barely contained anxiety. Looking after Mariah and Zac in the heyday of their teenage years hadn't been as hard as this.

Casually Grace interrupted him, "I'm staying with Amy, so I won't be alone or at the cottage except for the weekend and then on Monday..."

Joshua didn't let her complete her sentence, "You aren't staying at that cottage, for one second let alone one weekend, and that's final." 

"You're over reacting. I knew you would." She accused and her eyebrows drew together as she frowned at him.

"You haven't even begun to see me overreact." "Get a grip Josh, this is..."

"Damn it. Grace, some idiot out there has got you scared witless and you are being stubborn about it."

Grace pursed her lips, counted to ten and then said with deliberate coolness "I am not being stubborn. I have arranged to stay with a friend."

This was too important to give way on. Joshua continued to hold her glare as he said equally firmly, "Fine. Stay with Amy, but you will not return to that cottage until they get that maniac. I'll pick you up Friday night." He stated implacably, totally oblivious to his peremptory manner. He'd spent many years taking responsibility for Zac and Mariah, years of weighing up options, the final responsibility lying with him, now his response was just an automatic behaviour. "We'll go to Raglan."

"Have you heard yourself?" Grace's chin rose a fraction and her eyes narrowed with contained resentment. "Joshua, I'm not going into hiding just because of some idiot out there. I can't hide forever. If the police don't get him, I'll have to take my chances. I can stay at the cottage."

"Like hell." He stormed as his annoyance at her inability to see sense overrode his control of the situation. He noticed the defiant look she had perfected was back in her eyes. Things were never this difficult with Riah and Zac. They did what he suggested when he suggested. Well eventually they did. He'd have to try a different tack. "Look, I was planning on spending time at the bach this weekend, get it aired for Christmas, that sort of thing. Come with me, you can help me. We could spend some time together. I'll even take you up to Auckland on Sunday night." 

"There's no need for all this. Amy doesn't mind me being with her and if I wanted to I could drive up to Auckland on Friday."

He released a long pent up sigh, now that he had persuaded her not to stay at the cottage, she was going to her parents, and he would rather she stayed with him. "The bach at Raglan is right on the Point, you'd love it." He really couldn't stand the thought of her being in any danger. And he wanted to be with her. "Grace?" He could see that she was tempted, but fighting it. "No strings Grace." He promised rashly, "It's a great spot. You'll love the place."