It's that admission that causes James' gaze to jerk up suddenly, almost curiously, his brows knitting together at the idea that this woman in front of him might have her own secrets too, that maybe she's been hurt by Mr. Sawyer, or some other bad man, or just someone who doesn't have, as gran's been saying, a feeling heart in him. There's a sudden temptation to tell her everything, to see if their secrets are one and the same, but James doesn't dare to hope, and so he stays silent on the subject.

"What kinda secrets?" he asks instead, his voice low and quiet, the gravelly quality one that has been present every since those tears started flowing weeks ago.