Nods to Fefe. "Ok, I will do that." Checks on Grace.

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Half of a set :halo:

As Fefe is about to open the door to leave, she turns to Dan. "Look, Grace doesn't know everything about my past. She thinks I was just a barmaid. I know you don't owe me anything, but if you could just wait until she's better before you tell her. I don't know what's happened to her, but at least wait and let me tend her back to health before you tell her anything. At least she will have me to look after her for awhile yet. I'm sure she'll no longer need me once she learns of my past." Before Dan can answer, she leaves the cabin in search of Joey. She heads for the diningroom, the only place she knows to begin to look for him. She hurries along the hallways and makes another decision. Before things go any further with Joey, she has to tell him of her past. He was the first man to ever be a gentleman with her and she can't repay that with lies and secrets.

Dan Nods towards Fefe as she speaks and says nothing. He watches her as she goes off down the hallway. He then feels around his clothing for a smoke. "Fuck it! In the other jacket." He then pours himself a drink and goes and fixes up another towel for use on Grace till the doctor gets there.

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Half of a set :halo:

Grace slowly opens her eyes, blinks several times to focus and stares at the cabin ceiling. She wonders where she is. The last thing she remembers is being in the stairwell with Jonathan. Is this his cabin? Has he brought her here for more "games". She hopes not. When Dan leans to put the towel on her forhead, she stares into his eyes.

Fefe rushes into the diningroom and quickly finds someone who knows where the steward's living quarters are and leads her to Joey's. He answers her knock on the door and listens to her fearful words about Grace. He tells her that it might be best to go get Grace and take her to the ship's doctor. Joey says that he knows the doc is busy stitching up some huge gash on a crew member's leg and it might be awhile before he could get to Grace's cabin. Fefe agrees. As Joey is about to head out the door, Fefe places her hand on his arm and tells him to wait.

"Look Joey, there's something I have to tell you. I feel like I owe it to you."
Joey looks confused. "I don't know any other way to say this. I didn't exactly tell you the whole truth about my past. And with this sudden turn of events, it's going to come out, I'm sure. I wasn't just a barmaid in Paris during the war. I.....well, I was...." She averts her eyes, unable to look him in the face and see his reaction. She takes a deep breath and blurts out "Joey, I was a part-time prostitute. Money was tight. I had to live. I was only a child when my parents were killed during the war. I was sent to this awful orphanage.It was terrible being there. When I was 16, I ran away and made my way the best I could. " Tears roll down her cheeks as she waits for his scathing onslaught. When she hears nothing, she finally looks at him.

"Is all that in the past?", he asks.

"Oh yes! For the past two years, I have been in Grace's employee." She looks down at the floor.

Joey steps close to Fefe. He lifts her chin with one finger and looks deep into her eyes. He leans close and gently kisses the spots where her tears cling to her face. "Then that settles the matter. The past is the past. Can't change it."

"What are you saying?" she asks leaning into him.

"That it doesn't mean a damn thing to me what you used to do. I know who I see standing before me and quite frankly, I like her. I like her alot" With that, he tenderly kisses her lips. "Now, we need to go see about Grace."

Dan is changing the towel on her head when he sees Grace open her eyes. Looking down at her face. "Hello, We meet again. Your back with us then? Your maid has gone to find some help and shouldn't be long. Would you like a drink of water or brandy?"

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Half of a set :halo:

Sitting up, her torn clothes falling open, Grace takes the wet towel and wipes her face. "Some brandy would be just what I need, right now"

Dan nods and goes over to the drinks cabinet and pours Grace a brandy. "Here you go." Hands grace the drink.

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Half of a set :halo:

Grace gratefully takes the brandy and takes a huge gulp. Her eyes water over as she starts to cough. "Oh my...*cough*.....I'm....*cough*....not much.....*cough cough* of a drinker."

Smiles at grace. "So I see." Gets a blanket and wraps it around Grace's shoulders. "So what happened?"

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Half of a set :halo:

Grace pulls the blanket tightly around herself. The cold of the cabin seems to sink to her bones. She looks into the empty glass and thinks for a moment. She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. Finally she looks up at Dan and gives what she hopes sounds like a nervous little giggle. "It's nothing really. I was just clumsy is all. A friend and I were in the stairwells. We were just playing. He was chasing me and I wasn't looking where I was going. I was about to fall and when he reached out to grab me, all he got ahold of was my dress. But, thank goodness he caught me before I fell down down the stairs. We were in the stairway between decks and it could have been much worse. I'm just such a clumsy oaf at times. He walked me back to the cabin and as I was about to come in after he and I said our good-nights, I guess the fright of what almost happened caught up to me and I passed out"
I'm just so sorry to have scared you and Fefe like that. Again she gives what she hopes sounds like a silly giggle, although she's never silly giggled in her life.

Dan listens to what grace has to say. He doesn't believe a word of it. Playing he thinks to himself. Hmm. "More brandy? I hope your maid will not be too long. This playing was with that guy from dinner?"

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Half of a set :halo:

Grace holds her glass out to Dan. "Yes, just a bit more, please. I find that I quite like that pleasant burn as it goes down." After Dan pours more brandy in her glass, she takes just a small sip to keep from coughing with this drink. "Umm, why yes it was. His name is Jonathan and he is a diplomat from the states. He's finally going home now that the war is over. A very nice fellow, he is, and such a gentleman, too." She doesn't want to discuss Jonathan any longer, so to change the subject, she asks, "So how did your evening go. You seem to have been getting along quite well with...umm, I'm sorry I don't think I caught her name at dinner. Did you and she have a nice time after dinner?" She stares at the handsome man standing there and wants so much for him to sit next to her and put his arms around her but she knows that if Jonathan were to find out, she would be punished.

Dan smiles at Grace. "That was Olga, and yes we had a good night." Looks down at Grace as she sips her brandy. "You are feeling better now? I hope they are not long getting back."

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Half of a set :halo:

Fefe and Joey hurry along the hallways back to cabin 10. At the door Fefe stops Joey and tells him that she's sure Grace knows by now. And for him to not say anything, no matter what he hears. She pleads with him to wait till later before asking any question. Joey assures her that nothing he hears will change how he feels. He wraps his arms around her, pulls her close and kisses her lips softly. After a long and tender kiss, they pull away from each other, and enter the cabin. They walk in to find Grace and Dan just staring at each other. "Grace!!!", Fefe squeals as she rushes to her mistress' side. "Are you ok? What happened? This is my friend Joey, and he will take you to see the ships's doctor." All the words tumble from her as she hugs Grace tightly.

"Ohhhh my dear Fefe, I'm quite fine. I assure you. We'll talk later and I'll explain it all. And no, I dont need a doctor." Grace smiles up at Joey as she hugs Fefe just as tightly.