**********
Win gripped the hand that held his handkerchief. "Rosey, I need to speak with you. I had hoped we would not meet again in this way, because so many memories keep intruding, but I must . . ."
"Yes, Win, I agree. We must speak, and I think it must be soon. In fact, if you have the time now . . . ."
Win moved her hand to his arm and turned toward the door and moved on to his study. The reflection of the fire in the fireplace danced in the shadows and two old leather chairs which Ammie remembered so well sat before the fire screen. Win settled her carefully, warmly clasping her hand and releasing it to move to the adjoining chair.
Rosey leaned toward him with that wide-eyed earnest look on her face that never changed throughout the years. His eyes traveled her face as the gentle sound of her voice soothed his aching heart. It took a moment for her words to penetrate the headache that fogged his mind. . . . "and when the soliciter reads your father's will, I do not want there to be a surprise." He tried to pick the threads of her thought.
"Rosey, why would there be a surprise? Stephen is still my heir, just as Geoff was."
"Win, your father was never sure if you would remarry. He spoke to me of this and other things when we worked together. He wanted to make sure that Stephen, that his grandson would be provided for even if you fathered another son." Rosey straightened in her chair and met his gaze steadily. Win felt a heavy weight sitting on his chest. He could not breathe. His headache crashed in on him and a white light seared his eyes.
"Win, Win, oh my darling, please don't be hurt, please don't be hurt." He felt Rosey's hands as they loosened his cravat. His head was one smashing, hammering ache as he raised his hands to cover hers.
"Stop that! I am fine. Just a bad headache. I have them all the time. What I don't have, what I have never had, is a son."
"We never told you. There was no point. Geoff knew of course. Your father and mother knew. But you were not here and Geoff was."
So there it was. There was no betrayal. Just a conspiracy to protect and to keep. Geoff had provided protection so the heir could be kept in the family.
"How convenient for you all when I only fathered a daughter with Emily. Why the secrecy, Rosey? Why did my whole family let me wander in the wilderness for years?"
Win gripped the hand that held his handkerchief. "Rosey, I need to speak with you. I had hoped we would not meet again in this way, because so many memories keep intruding, but I must . . ."
"Yes, Win, I agree. We must speak, and I think it must be soon. In fact, if you have the time now . . . ."
Win moved her hand to his arm and turned toward the door and moved on to his study. The reflection of the fire in the fireplace danced in the shadows and two old leather chairs which Ammie remembered so well sat before the fire screen. Win settled her carefully, warmly clasping her hand and releasing it to move to the adjoining chair.
Rosey leaned toward him with that wide-eyed earnest look on her face that never changed throughout the years. His eyes traveled her face as the gentle sound of her voice soothed his aching heart. It took a moment for her words to penetrate the headache that fogged his mind. . . . "and when the soliciter reads your father's will, I do not want there to be a surprise." He tried to pick the threads of her thought.
"Rosey, why would there be a surprise? Stephen is still my heir, just as Geoff was."
"Win, your father was never sure if you would remarry. He spoke to me of this and other things when we worked together. He wanted to make sure that Stephen, that his grandson would be provided for even if you fathered another son." Rosey straightened in her chair and met his gaze steadily. Win felt a heavy weight sitting on his chest. He could not breathe. His headache crashed in on him and a white light seared his eyes.
"Win, Win, oh my darling, please don't be hurt, please don't be hurt." He felt Rosey's hands as they loosened his cravat. His head was one smashing, hammering ache as he raised his hands to cover hers.
"Stop that! I am fine. Just a bad headache. I have them all the time. What I don't have, what I have never had, is a son."
"We never told you. There was no point. Geoff knew of course. Your father and mother knew. But you were not here and Geoff was."
So there it was. There was no betrayal. Just a conspiracy to protect and to keep. Geoff had provided protection so the heir could be kept in the family.
"How convenient for you all when I only fathered a daughter with Emily. Why the secrecy, Rosey? Why did my whole family let me wander in the wilderness for years?"
