"There was an innocent life to consider. If Geoff could claim Stephen as his own, our mistake would not affect him. You know there was no way to reach you at the crucial time and I had to think for both of us. When I told your father I saw him weep for the first and only time in my life. He loved both of us dearly and had always hoped that the love between us would mature into marriage. I think if you had approached them, Grandmere and the Marquess would have blessed our love."
"I see." His head was throbbing. If he could just get up, if he could just climb the stairs, if he could just make it to his room . . . . In the distance Win heard her sobs as she caught him in her arms holding him as . . . .
*********************
"Well, my darling Rosey, what do we do now? The doctor said he is better now and resting comfortably, but you, oh my dear, you do not look well at all. I haven't seen you look so for over a year."
" Allie, you haven't seen me in over a year."
"And whose fault is that? You bury your precious self in the country and me I must stay in London with this little ear to the ground." Allie pulled her ear as she reached to take Ammie's hand. "What have you done with my fearless Rosey? Where is she hiding?"
"She learned what mortality is. . . a lesson you learned long, long ago, she thinks. How could you do it, Allie. How could you go on? How could you live all on your own so unexpectedly. And we, none of us knew, even with all that happened to our families, we never thought death could touch us. But here we are, you, me, Elle, and we don't even know if Clary is still with us. . . . And if Win were gone, I could not bear it. I just could not bear it." Tears were leaking again and that panicky feeling was affecting her breathing and her heart.
"Buck up, Rosey!" Elle handed her a lovely embroidered handkerchief as she hugged her from behind. "He is still with us and does not look mortally ill. I see you finally told him. Why does the truth have to wait until it slaps us around?" She poured herself a cup of tea and poked at the plate of dainties before choosing one delicate madeleine. "Have not we all suffered enough at the hands of secrecy? I have vowed not to allow Estella to live with secrets and I wonder if you should think of Stephen in the same way."
"I see." His head was throbbing. If he could just get up, if he could just climb the stairs, if he could just make it to his room . . . . In the distance Win heard her sobs as she caught him in her arms holding him as . . . .
*********************
"Well, my darling Rosey, what do we do now? The doctor said he is better now and resting comfortably, but you, oh my dear, you do not look well at all. I haven't seen you look so for over a year."
" Allie, you haven't seen me in over a year."
"And whose fault is that? You bury your precious self in the country and me I must stay in London with this little ear to the ground." Allie pulled her ear as she reached to take Ammie's hand. "What have you done with my fearless Rosey? Where is she hiding?"
"She learned what mortality is. . . a lesson you learned long, long ago, she thinks. How could you do it, Allie. How could you go on? How could you live all on your own so unexpectedly. And we, none of us knew, even with all that happened to our families, we never thought death could touch us. But here we are, you, me, Elle, and we don't even know if Clary is still with us. . . . And if Win were gone, I could not bear it. I just could not bear it." Tears were leaking again and that panicky feeling was affecting her breathing and her heart.
"Buck up, Rosey!" Elle handed her a lovely embroidered handkerchief as she hugged her from behind. "He is still with us and does not look mortally ill. I see you finally told him. Why does the truth have to wait until it slaps us around?" She poured herself a cup of tea and poked at the plate of dainties before choosing one delicate madeleine. "Have not we all suffered enough at the hands of secrecy? I have vowed not to allow Estella to live with secrets and I wonder if you should think of Stephen in the same way."
