Beauty detested having Red's hands on her. It felt like a violation. But Red's next words, more than her touch, kept her rooted there under those grasping fingers, even as her stomach churned from the assumed familiarity.
Red talked for a long time, and only at the end did Honor realize that she was talking about Eric.... and then Mssr. de Lioncourt. Had Eric said something to Red about her? Clearly, he had -- but what? Had he... It seemed that Red was under incorrect assumptions. Had Eric lied to her? But Eric had been so firm about honesty before. How could he have lied to someone he seemed to know well? Red had sent him to pick up her book, after all. That wasn't something that someone asked another person to do, unless there was at least a friendship involved.
When Red finally let her go, she sighed in relief. That nasty feelign in the pit of her stomach started to lessen -- lessen, yes, but it didn't fade completely. She swallowed bile.
"Forgive me for saying so," Beauty said gently. "But I fear you are under some false assumptions."
She opened her mouth as if to say more, but then closed it again. Whatever Eric had said to Red, there had to have been a reason. She would ask him again, later. She would ask him, and perhaps he could tell her why Red thought such terrible things about her.
"Excuse me," she said quietly, and then stepped backwards three times, before turning in the direction she'd come. She couldn't bring herself to go home, not now, not when Red might follow her. Escape was first in her mind.