Greta knew she should move forward. This was the easy part. Simply slip inside and take back the offending forgery. But her toes were roots growing into the carpet. Much like realizing how much wrong she had asked of Oliver, she was struck in the face with the desperation of her actions. All this to protect her uncle, her cousins, their family future. Even knowing the stakes was not enough to quiet the harping voices. Scandal. Jail. Life as she’d hoped it would be…all at an end before the sun rose on a new day. Only Oliver’s whispered command gave her the strength to take a step. Strange, but she exhaled with a renewed sense of calm. Oliver had far more to lose. Yet he was there with her. No matter what happened in the minutes, hours, days to come, they shared these moments. That, coupled with the love they had made, meant Greta’s memories, at least, would never be void of excitement. Selfish, wicked girl. She entered the great hall. Darkness made it impossible to discern the boundaries.
