Although he was sure Stephen and Katherine had no idea of the greed that had filled him for so long and that now threatened to overcome his hard fought serenity, Ammie knew and a flush of color rose from her pale cheeks. Her swollen eyelids swept a glorious fringe of lashes down over her eyes. She closed her eyes to him as she had from the day she married Geoff. He must allow it now. Grief for Geoff must be allowed to run its course. But he would not allow it forever.
*****
She vaguely heard the pounding at the door. It must have been going on for a long time but she could not understand why. She could not wade her way past the dense fog that made each thought float away before she could grasp it. Could it be Stephen or Katherine? No, no, they had left hadn't they?
Why was she lying on the hearth? She looked at the cold ashes and realized that the floor was freezing. Her heart had not recovered its rhythm and still raced unsteadily. She looked at her hand as she put it down to push herself up and ashes and soot covered it all the way up the sleeve of her nightgown. The pounding in the hallway increased until the wood of the door gave way. Strong arms picked her up and carried her to the armchair.
"Oh, Rosy, oh my darling girl, what have we done to you?" Win's voice rasped above her head. He reached for a quilt that lay across the chest at the end of the bed and disregarding the ashes and soot draped it around her hugging her close to his chest as though he would impart his warmth to her icy coldness.
Win inspected the wreck of a figure in his arms. When her maid had finally panicked and sent for him, he had thundered over the paths and fields that separated their homes with his heart thumping. The body that shivered against him was too frail. He had seen the uneaten meal on the tray outside the door and her maid said the meals had remained untouched for several days. But the worst was the ashes that were strewn from the crown of her head to her feet. Such a wild grieving was beyond what Win had expected and he was taken aback at its strength. He laid his hand at her pulse and was frightened by the unsteady racing of her heartbeat. "Send for Dr. Lenton!" he ordered. "Bring hot tea and brandy immediately."
"Hang on, Rosy. I am here now and I won't let anything else happen to you."
"Win, Ammie said as she struggled up from the stupor that black depression had sucked her into, "What are you doing here?"
*****
She vaguely heard the pounding at the door. It must have been going on for a long time but she could not understand why. She could not wade her way past the dense fog that made each thought float away before she could grasp it. Could it be Stephen or Katherine? No, no, they had left hadn't they?
Why was she lying on the hearth? She looked at the cold ashes and realized that the floor was freezing. Her heart had not recovered its rhythm and still raced unsteadily. She looked at her hand as she put it down to push herself up and ashes and soot covered it all the way up the sleeve of her nightgown. The pounding in the hallway increased until the wood of the door gave way. Strong arms picked her up and carried her to the armchair.
"Oh, Rosy, oh my darling girl, what have we done to you?" Win's voice rasped above her head. He reached for a quilt that lay across the chest at the end of the bed and disregarding the ashes and soot draped it around her hugging her close to his chest as though he would impart his warmth to her icy coldness.
Win inspected the wreck of a figure in his arms. When her maid had finally panicked and sent for him, he had thundered over the paths and fields that separated their homes with his heart thumping. The body that shivered against him was too frail. He had seen the uneaten meal on the tray outside the door and her maid said the meals had remained untouched for several days. But the worst was the ashes that were strewn from the crown of her head to her feet. Such a wild grieving was beyond what Win had expected and he was taken aback at its strength. He laid his hand at her pulse and was frightened by the unsteady racing of her heartbeat. "Send for Dr. Lenton!" he ordered. "Bring hot tea and brandy immediately."
"Hang on, Rosy. I am here now and I won't let anything else happen to you."
"Win, Ammie said as she struggled up from the stupor that black depression had sucked her into, "What are you doing here?"
