Win balanced her carefully in his lap and tucked the blanket more carefully around her. "I came because your maid was worried when you would not eat and did answer her knocks. It has been cold and she wasn't allowed in to tend the fireplace and you never ate what was brought up to you. It has been over three days since she saw you. She sent a note because she was so distraught."
"I see. I guess I am allowed no secrets and no collapses. I am the dowager countess. I cannot fall apart. Whatever would the servants think?" It felt good to feel the resentment coursing through her veins. It felt good to feel something.
"That is unfair and unworthy of you, Rosey. You know their livelihood depends on your and on Stephen's goodwill. What do you think Stephen would do if they failed to care for you in this way?"
"Oh I know that, Win. It is just so hard to come back, to behave normally, to not give in to the grief of killing Geoff, that dear kind man, only because I had to solve a puzzle because I was bored."
Ah, here was the crux of the problem. She blamed herself. Well, that was something he should have foreseen. "Hal had to have seen eventually who Elle's contact was. If you had not betrayed your interest in the code, he would have found another way. That was why he was here, to uncover your secret. Eventually he would either have killed you or someone in your family would die protecting you."
"But Geoff died defending me. I never wanted anyone else to be hurt. This was my burden and my responsibility, not his."
"You were Geoff's responsibility. He knew what he had in you. He always knew. Of course he defended you. It was his place and his right." Win heard the bitterness undercoating his words. For over thirty years, Geoff had held his proper place at Rosey's side and had died by accepting an assassin's bullet meant for her. Now Win could only hold together the fragile pieces he had left behind.
"I have had your maid provide with you with some simple food and a hot bath. Do you think you can sit up now? I need to clean the fireplace and reset the fire."
Ammie stood a little shakily grasping the blanket with a small coal streaked hand. She felt the loss of warmth and support but she was used to marching on like a good soldier. She moved to the other fireside chair and positioned herself carefully to avoid dirtying the satin cushions. Win rose, took off his coats, rolled up his sleeves, pulled the bell to summons the maid, gathered the brush and pan from the fire irons, and setting about to clean up the ashes Rosey had scattered in her despair.
"I see. I guess I am allowed no secrets and no collapses. I am the dowager countess. I cannot fall apart. Whatever would the servants think?" It felt good to feel the resentment coursing through her veins. It felt good to feel something.
"That is unfair and unworthy of you, Rosey. You know their livelihood depends on your and on Stephen's goodwill. What do you think Stephen would do if they failed to care for you in this way?"
"Oh I know that, Win. It is just so hard to come back, to behave normally, to not give in to the grief of killing Geoff, that dear kind man, only because I had to solve a puzzle because I was bored."
Ah, here was the crux of the problem. She blamed herself. Well, that was something he should have foreseen. "Hal had to have seen eventually who Elle's contact was. If you had not betrayed your interest in the code, he would have found another way. That was why he was here, to uncover your secret. Eventually he would either have killed you or someone in your family would die protecting you."
"But Geoff died defending me. I never wanted anyone else to be hurt. This was my burden and my responsibility, not his."
"You were Geoff's responsibility. He knew what he had in you. He always knew. Of course he defended you. It was his place and his right." Win heard the bitterness undercoating his words. For over thirty years, Geoff had held his proper place at Rosey's side and had died by accepting an assassin's bullet meant for her. Now Win could only hold together the fragile pieces he had left behind.
"I have had your maid provide with you with some simple food and a hot bath. Do you think you can sit up now? I need to clean the fireplace and reset the fire."
Ammie stood a little shakily grasping the blanket with a small coal streaked hand. She felt the loss of warmth and support but she was used to marching on like a good soldier. She moved to the other fireside chair and positioned herself carefully to avoid dirtying the satin cushions. Win rose, took off his coats, rolled up his sleeves, pulled the bell to summons the maid, gathered the brush and pan from the fire irons, and setting about to clean up the ashes Rosey had scattered in her despair.
