February 7, 1901

Cora sighed contentedly as Robert's warm hand caressed over her side and hip. His lips made contact with the sensitive skin just below her ear and worked their way down her neck and onto her shoulder. She hummed in delight, relishing the feeling of his lips upon her skin. Smiling, she rolled over to drape her arm across his waist…

And was met with an empty space. It had all been a dream. Heartbroken, she clutched his pillow to her chest and buried her face in it. Every night before going to bed she dabbed a bit of Robert's cologne onto his pillow, hoping that it would make it seem as if he were there with her. It didn't. She felt his absence more acutely with each passing day. The Second Boer War had stretched on for almost two years, and it had been months since her husband was last home on leave. She did her best to make it through the day. She had three young daughters to care for and a household to run. Most of the time, the day-to-day routines were enough to distract her from the plaguing emptiness that filled her.

But at night, as she lay alone in their bed, thoughts of Robert filled her brain. She missed their late night talks, their intimate encounters, the nights when she was unable to sleep and Robert would read to her. She would often lie awake until the wee hours of the morning as she tried desperately to become accustomed to sleeping alone. But, it was no use. Until Robert came home for good, a part of her was missing; a vital part.

This particular night had been harder than most. At dinner, the girls had talked of how much they missed their Papa, wondering when he might come home. They asked their mother that question every day, and every day her answer was the same. She didn't know. Oh, how she wished that she did. But, she didn't. She knew that the girls missed him terribly, and seeing how his absence affected them made her heart ache even more.

She continued to cling to Robert's pillow, her tears soaking through the fabric of the sham when she heard a soft knock at the door. She looked at the clock on the mantle; it was three o'clock in the morning.

"Come in," she called as she wiped at her eyes, knowing that it had to be one of the girls. Sure enough, the door opened to reveal seven-year-old Edith. Her eyes were red and her face tear-stained from crying.

"Mama," the little girl hiccupped, "may I stay in here with you for a bit?"

"Of course, darling," Cora replied as she opened her arms to her daughter. "What's brought this on? Was it another bad dream?" Each of her girls had been plagued with them since their father had been away at war. Cora herself had had more than her share of them as well.

Edith nodded as she sidled over to the bed and into her mother's embrace, her arms wrapping around Cora and clinging as if for dear life, her head buried in her chest. Cora felt the bodice of her nightgown begin to grow wet as a fresh batch of tears overflowed from Edith's eyes. She wrapped her arms tightly around Edith, drawing her closer as she dropped soft kisses onto her daughter's tousled hair. She rocked her gently from side to side, and eventually felt Edith's relax against her. For a moment, Cora thought that she had finally fallen asleep. As she began to remove Edith's arms from around her, she heard the little girl whisper.

"Mama?"

"Yes, my darling?" Cora answered, softly.

"Do you miss Papa?"

She struggled to speak around the lump that had formed in her throat. "Of course I do, little love. I miss him very much." Cora couldn't stop the tears that began to fall into her daughter's hair. She prayed that Edith wouldn't notice. She would hate to upset her anymore that she was already.

"Me, too," Edith intoned. "Mama?"

"Yes?"

"May I write him a letter tomorrow? To tell him how much I love him?"

Cora's heart swelled at Edith's words. "I think that's a lovely idea, darling. Perhaps Mary can write one as well, and Sybil can draw a picture for him. I'm sure he would love to hear from his darling girls."

Edith smiled at the thought of her Papa reading her letter. "Will you write him a letter, too, Mama?"

Cora smiled. "I will. I think he enjoys getting letters from us as much as we enjoy getting letters from him."

"I hope so," Edith responded with a yawn.

"I think someone is getting sleepy," Cora teased. "It's time for you to get back to your room, little one."

"Can't I stay with you, Mama? Just this once? I'll be on my best behavior, I promise." Robert and Cora did not often allow their daughters to sleep with them. They were becoming young ladies, after all. However, as Cora looked into her daughter's brown eyes, she found herself unable to say 'no' to such an innocent request. More than that, she felt that perhaps having her daughter there would help to sleep a little better.

"Just this once, Edith. Let's not make it a habit, though, hm?"

Edith smiled happily. "I won't, Mama."

Cora drew back the covers to allow Edith to slip underneath them. Edith slid over and wrapped her arm around her mother's neck and placed a kiss to her cheek. "Goodnight, Mama. I love you."

"I love you, too, my darling girl," Cora said, drawing Edith a bit closer.

The two lay in bed quietly until Edith's tiny voice once again broke the silence.

"Mama, can I tell you something?"

"Of course, my dear. What is it?"

"I wish Papa were here."

Cora gave into her own tears once again. "Me, too, my darling," she whispered. "Me, too."