Free Unbound (The Braille Club #2) by J. A. Kerr Page A

side. “It’s going to be all right,” he soothed. Siena saw Philippa approach and tensed at her grave expression.
    “Siena, Benedict, I’m so sorry you were subjected to that. I left instructions last night with my office to contact the company handling the tests. I’ll call them for an update. Let’s grab a coffee.”
    “Can’t I contact the firm directly and force them to tell me?” said Benedict, losing patience.
    Philippa shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that. Please let my office handle this.” Benedict looked mutinous but had no choice but to accept what she said. Siena offered to get the coffee from a shop nearby and Philippa flashed her a grateful smile. They arrived and took a seat in Philippa’s office. The waiting was torturous as they sipped their coffee; all attempts at small talk abandoned when at last Philippa’s mobile rang. She took the call, turning her back and walking just out of earshot. Siena could see the strain on Benedict’s face as his grip on her hand tightened.
    Philippa ended the call. “They’re faxing the results now.”
    A knock and the tension in the room tightened. A young boy appeared with a sheet of paper in his hand.
    “Josh, could you please give it to my clients?” Josh handed Benedict the fax. “I’ll give you some privacy,” said Philippa.
    Siena began to cry again as Benedict gripped the piece of paper. A subdued Philippa re-entered the room with a copy of the same results.
    “This does change things, I’m afraid.” She looked at the shocked faces in front of her. “Go home, I’ll brief you in the morning,” she said kindly.
     
    ***
     
    Benedict
     
    They were silent on the journey home, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. As soon as the lawyers had called saying there was a complication with the DNA results, he’d felt uneasy. Siena’s panic attack…had she received the paperwork that day? Is that what she was hiding? The company confirmed they had posted the results. He felt Philippa was embarrassed he didn’t know already. She assured him again a copy had been posted to his address and then everything clicked into place. It would explain her behaviour…but the company had made a mess of getting the results out to Philippa. His heart thudded painfully; he now knew what a complication with the DNA results actually meant.
    Siena’s parents had handed over care of the twins to Grace for the afternoon. She was surprised to see them back so early, but one look at their faces had her hastily exiting their home. There had always been a chance Nick Waters could be the twins’ father, but he had dismissed it, the thought repellent. He felt his whole world had stopped spinning as he hurried to his front door to see Grace out. He moved quickly through the house to the kitchen and stopped when he saw Siena.
    She looked utterly broken as she sat slumped on the chair, her shocked eyes staring into space. He stood behind her, his hand touching her face as she turned to look at him, eyes filled with anguish as she handed him a crumpled piece of paper. Benedict took it and began to read, his mind and heart racing. Then there was a loud roar in his ears as a devastating array of emotions passed through him until it was Siena holding him.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 13
     
     
    The Braille Club, London, One Year On: The Braille chair now came in many guises…depending on zone choices. For example, there was the saddle chair for the most advanced assignees. With no support for their upper body, while their lower body was so intimately challenged, keeping their bell silent was the ultimate test.
     
    London 2014
    Ford
     
    Ford sat opposite Benedict and Guy as he looked at the objects in front of him. He filled the room with his presence, his 6’4” frame barely accommodated by the chair he sat on. Studying the men in front of him, he could detect nothing from their demeanours. He was happy to sign a number of confidentiality