Page 13 of Hearts of Resistance
‘We’re doing something already. To help, I mean.’ He sighed again. ‘I don’t want you to think I’m sitting by and not thinking and feeling the same things you are. We want the same things, you and I, and I want you to know we’re not at odds here.’
She went still, eyes on his. ‘What do you mean?’ Had he been keeping something from her?
‘I thought it was best that you didn’t know, so you could never be questioned about it.’
‘What have you done, Peter? What haven’t you told me?’
‘I’ve been helping the Resistance,’ he said in a low voice, as if he was worried someone could be listening. ‘Financially, I mean. And very handsomely, I might add. They need weapons, and I had the contacts and the money to assist.’ He hesitated and shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was telling her. ‘Some of my business trips, well, they’ve been to arrange funds for them and to assist with organising arms. I didn’t tell you because the less you knew, the better if you were ever questioned.’
Rose stared at him.‘You what?’
‘I thought you’d be happy. I—’
‘Peter! How could you?’ She slapped at him, furious, then grabbed a pillow and beat him with it around the arms.
‘Rose!’ He laughed and fought her off as she laughed back and kept hitting him. ‘Rose, stop!’
She threw the pillow aside and leapt into his arms, wrapping her legs and arms around him. She planted a big, long kiss on his lips. She didn’t care that he knew people who could supply arms and make those kinds of deals in secret. All she cared about was that they were doing something.
‘You should have told me,’ she muttered. ‘You shouldn’t keep things like this from me.’
He kissed her back. ‘Well, now you know.’
Rose blinked away tears as she held on tightly to her husband, her cheek to his chest as she listened to the steady beat of his heart.
‘I’m so scared of losing you,’ she whispered.
‘You’re not going to lose me,’ he said, and kissed the top of her head. ‘I’m very careful.’
She knew that being careful had a loose meaning. They were all in danger, every single one of them, and Peter even more so now.
‘If something was to happen then – to you, I mean – do you expect me to carry on what you’re doing? Should I keep sending them money?’
He shook his head and pushed her back, holding her at arm’s length now and staring straight into her eyes. ‘No, Rose. You mustn’t. I’m not having you put yourself in danger. What I’ve already done for them is enough.’
She nodded. ‘You needn’t be so worried about me, Peter. I can be careful.’
‘Promise me,’ he demanded. ‘Promise me that I won’t have to worry about you doing anything reckless whenever I’m away on business.’
‘I promise,’ she said, the words catching in her throat and making her cough. She hated lying, and the last thing she wanted was for her husband to lose faith in her.
‘What is it?’ he asked.
‘I was just, well, wondering if driving an ambulance would constitute recklessness or not.’
‘An ambulance? Christ, Rose, are you out of your mind? Why can’t you be content helping like you already are? Like we already are?’
‘For the same reason I couldn’t bite my tongue the night you met me,’ she said, standing and smiling down at him. ‘I won’t do anything silly, but I thought the least you could do was pay foran ambulance so I can provide extra assistance if it’s needed. Or we could do something else ...’
Peter had given her a look that told her she might have pushed too far, but she didn’t care. He’d forgive her; he always had and she was certain he always would.
‘Rose?’
Rose turned, wiping away a tear. She found herself standing in the middle of the room, so lost in her own thoughts she hadn’t realised Sebastian had come up behind her. When she turned she saw Charlotte standing there, too, a worried look on her face.
‘Sorry, don’t mind me,’ she said quickly, brushing at her cheeks and forcing a smile. ‘My thoughts, memories, they just sneak up on me sometimes.’
Charlotte closed the space between them and put her arm around her, hugging her. ‘Come on, let’s get that water boiling and make something hot to drink.’
