Jean Blake sat in front of the mirror over the hotel room's vanity, verifying that her hair and makeup were satisfactory and then applying her lipstick. Not that it would stay in place very long. Much of it would be on Lucien within the hour, seeing that the two of them could rarely go that long without kissing. She had heard of so-called "kiss-proof" lipstick that stayed where it was supposed to, but none of the merchants in Ballarat seemed to carry it. She decided she would check for it while they were here. After all, what better place to shop for the latest in cosmetics than Hollywood?
While Lucien finished getting ready (the dear man always let her have first use of the en suite bathroom), Jean wandered out onto the room's balcony. The view couldn't quite compare to the lovely beach they'd had outside their bungalow in Hawaii, but the Hollywood Hills had their own attraction. Seeing the Hollywood sign from their windows seemed almost like a dream.
In fact, her whole life seemed like a dream these days. They were into the second month of their honeymoon now, and it still caught her by surprise. Not only was she seeing the world after all this time, but with the most wonderful man as her companion, and her husband! She supposed it wouldn't seem real until they were back home and into the routine of their daily lives, whatever that might be now.
Her musings were interrupted when a pair of very familiar arms snaked around her waist.
"A penny for them," he whispered in her ear, his beard brushing against the underside of her jaw, making her shiver.
"Oh, just wool-gathering. Wondering when this will all seem real instead of a wonderful dream." She turned to face him and there went her lipstick, not that she minded in the slightest.
When they pulled apart, she used the pad of her thumb to remove it from his lips, causing him to smile.
"My darling wife, I will do everything in my power to make you this happy always," he insisted.
"I know," she assured him. She swept an arm around the room and the view. "This is all quite lovely, but just being married to you, after all we've been through, is what makes me happiest."
She watched the tears well up in his eyes before he pulled her to him and held her tight. She rested her head against his strong shoulder for just a moment before pulling back. "Right, now you said we have reservations for lunch. Hadn't we better get going?"
She watched as he pulled himself together. "You know I would just as soon spend the whole day here with you, just the two of us, but I vowed I would show you the world and we can hardly do that from bed."
She smirked. "Yes, you only take me to the stars in bed. Now, let me fix my lipstick and we'll be off."
They left the hotel with Jean's hand firmly tucked in the crook of Lucien's elbow. She was surprised when he began to walk down the street.
"I thought you said no one walked anywhere in Los Angeles," she teased.
"Yes, well, according to the concierge, the restaurant is only a few blocks away," he explained. "Quicker to walk than to wait for a taxicab."
"Does this restaurant have a name?"
"See for yourself," said Lucien, pointing to a building that looked rather like a Spanish mission.
She squinted to see the name on the awning over the entrance. "The Brown Derby? Really?"
"I thought you might like to see a little Hollywood glamour," he said, smiling.
"Yes, but isn't it supposed to be shaped like, well, a brown derby hat?"
"The original one is, yes," he explained. "This is the second one, right near all of the motion picture studios. Much better chance of seeing someone you recognize from the cinema at this one."
She squeezed his arm in gratitude. He really was determined to make this her dream trip.
He gave his name to the maitre d' and they were quickly seated at a corner table that gave them a good view of the other diners. Jean removed her gloves and looked around. Curiously, there was a telephone on almost every table, including their own.
"Many of the studio executives eat here as well," Lucien explained. "They do business over lunch and dinner."
"Seems rude, doesn't it?" she remarked. She lowered her voice. "Lucien, there's Jack Benny."
"Yes, I see. And over there," he nodded to the left, "Barbara Stanwyck."
"Oh, I love her," said Jean. "She always plays such strong women."
"My favorite kind," murmured Lucien, grinning at her.
She returned his smile just as the waiter arrived to deliver drinks and take their orders. While they waited for the meals to arrive, they saw a number of other lesser celebrities they recognized.
Jean was taking a sip of her drink when a long, slender shadow fell across their table. As she looked up to see its source, her jaw dropped. Gregory Peck was standing right next to her! And if she had any doubts that it was actually him, the deep timbre of his voice confirmed it.
"I thought I recognized that accent," he said, smiling at Lucien. "Major Blake, what are you doing in this neck of the woods?"
Lucien stood and held out a hand to the famous actor. "Greg, a pleasure to see you. No longer a major, I'm afraid. Just a country doctor on his honeymoon."
He turned to Jean. "My dear, this is Gregory Peck. Greg, my bride, Jean."
Gregory took her hand. "Very pleased to meet you, Mrs. Blake. And congratulations to both of you. How long are you in town?"
Lucien answered, seeing that Jean was completely gobsmacked. "Only a few days, I'm afraid. We're off to see Chicago on Thursday."
"Well, then, Veronique and I would love to have you over for dinner one night. How would tomorrow work for you?"
Lucien looked to Jean for her agreement and somehow she managed to nod. "We would love to. Thank you. Veronique is well? And the children?"
"All well, thank you. We'll catch up tomorrow then." He handed Lucien a card. "Give me a call this evening, if you can, and we'll make arrangements. I'm afraid I'm with some business associates for lunch, so I have to get back to them. Good to see you, Lucien."
"And you, Greg. Until tomorrow, then."
"Looking forward to it. A pleasure to meet you, Jean." And he was gone.
Jean was still dazed when Lucien sat down beside her once more.
"You never told me you knew Gregory Peck," she whispered fiercely. "When? How?"
He smiled, rarely having seen his indomitable Jean so off-balance. "One of my last assignments before I left the army was as a military advisor for the film 'On the Beach' when they were shooting in Berwick, near Melbourne."
"But that film is about the navy. Why wouldn't they have used a navy advisor?"
Lucien leaned closer. "They had one, but he was such a drongo the film people hardly spoke with him. When I arrived, anyone would have looked good in comparison, so they tended to ask me when they had questions, especially about Australia."
"Why did you never tell me any of this?"
"You never asked." Lucien shrugged.
"Who else did you meet? Ava Gardner? Fred Astaire?"
He nodded. "Yes, and Tony Perkins."
"What are they like?" Now she lowered her voice. "Are they all stuck up and full of themselves? Mr. Peck seemed very nice."
"Yes, he is. A lovely chap. Ava was a little bit skittish, due mostly to the crowds of people always swarming round for a look at her. Actually they were all quite like ordinary people. Greg, Fred and I spent many an afternoon at the local when they weren't needed on set."
They paused the conversation as the server arrived with their lunch. When he had gone, Jean picked up a fork to begin on her salad, then promptly put it down and looked at her husband. "You still manage to surprise me, Lucien," she told him. "I can hardly believe that tomorrow I'll be having dinner at the home of Gregory Peck!"
He grinned. "I promised you the trip of a lifetime. All part of the service, my dear."
They spent the afternoon doing typical Hollywood tourist activities: picking out their favourite stars along the Walk of Fame, seeing the hand and footprints in front of Graumann's Chinese Theatre, laughing at the bizarre displays in Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, and stopping for a malted milkshake at Schwab's Drugstore when they were tired of walking. Jean managed to find the lipstick she wanted while they were there.
Lucien raised an eyebrow when he saw the display. "Kiss-proof, eh? Does that mean I'm not allowed to kiss you when you're wearing it?"
Jean smiled and stroked his cheek. "On the contrary, it means you can kiss me all you'd like without needing a flannel afterwards."
"Ah, then I approve wholeheartedly," he assured her with a wink.
By the time they arrived back at their hotel they were exhausted. The long flight from Hawaii the day before, coupled with the whole afternoon on their feet meant they were ready for an evening in with room service for dinner.
Lucien called the Peck home, and it was arranged that a car would pick them up at the hotel and take them out to Beverly Hills. Jean began to fuss about what she should wear until Lucien assured her that both Greg and his wife Veronique were down-to-earth people with very little pretension. Greg had suggested a barbecue by their swimming pool, so any of the outfits she had worn in Hawaii would be suitable.
A light dinner, a shared bath, and a sensual round of lovemaking left Jean ready to sleep.
"Only once tonight?" sighed Lucien. "Is the bloom off the rose already?"
She patted his cheek, murmuring, "Silly man."
Ten minutes later they were both sound asleep.
Jean woke first in the morning. She rolled onto her side so she could watch her husband sleep. She couldn't help comparing his current peaceful slumber to what he had suffered when he'd first returned to Ballarat and she would wake him from those horrible nightmares. She knew better than to think the nightmares were gone forever, but she liked to think she'd played some small part in helping him find a measure of serenity.
As she was musing about this, she saw one brilliantly blue eye open and a smile cross his features. A moment later he was reaching out to her. Smiling herself, she moved into his embrace. His kiss began gently, but quickly became more passionate, and Jean responded in kind.
When they were both sated and their breathing had returned to normal, she moved herself higher up against the pillows. "What's on the rota for today?"
"I have some ideas," he said, pushing himself up as well, "but I seem to be running the show. Is there something in particular you'd like to do today, my darling?"
"You haven't heard any complaints so far, have you?" she smiled. "I trust your judgment. What do you suggest?"
"I thought you might like to visit the Huntington Botanical Gardens. Acres of flora. I understand they have sections of plants from all over the world."
"That sounds lovely, but won't you be bored? Not exactly your cup of tea."
"If it makes you happy, it's exactly my cup of tea," he insisted. "And the gardens surround a mansion that contains a small art gallery and a collection of literary manuscripts."
"Well then, it sounds perfect. Thank you." She leaned over for a quick kiss to his cheek. He really was a dear man. "You know, if we're going to be walking quite a bit, I wouldn't mind if we got back here in time to rest for a short while before going to Mr. Peck's home." She saw that gleam in his eye. "And I do mean rest, my darling."
He pretended to pout for just a moment, then grinned happily. "I suppose a nap will give us more energy for activities later tonight…" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Jean chuckled. "One would almost think we're on our honeymoon."
"If I have my way, the rest of our lives together will be one long honeymoon," he growled.
Life with Lucien Blake would never be ordinary, Jean decided.
The Huntington Gardens felt like heaven to Jean, surrounded by so much natural beauty and sharing it with the man she adored. They walked through the acres of landscape hand in hand. She suspected that by the time they arrived at the fifth of the gardens, he was probably bored to tears, but he seemed to be making every effort to show an interest. When they reached the Japanese garden, they shared a smile. They had spent a lovely week in Japan before heading to Hawaii.
Of course, they had to visit the Australian garden. Jean was a little disappointed that it was mostly desert varieties of plants, but Lucien pointed out that much of the native Australian flora was, in fact, of the desert variety. Others, such as her prized begonias, had been imported from other lands.
The Shakespeare garden was memorable to her not necessarily for its variety of plants mentioned in the bard's work, but for the fact that Lucien used the opportunity to recite sonnets to her. "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day…" and one that he seemed to feel most personally, "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes…" If Jean had been the type of woman who swooned, that might have done it for her.
The rose garden was breathtaking. So many beautiful varieties made a riot of colour. She wanted to look everywhere at once. She wandered happily, taking in the sights and smells, and exchanging smiles with Lucien.
In the center of it was the Rose Garden Tea Room, where they stopped for lunch. The tea itself was barely adequate, but it could not diminish the pleasure of the day for her.
"Thank you for this, Lucien," she said, smiling. "It's all so lovely. You are too good to me."
"There is nothing too good for you, my darling Jean. However," he glanced at his watch, "if you want to have a bit of rest, we should think about heading back to the hotel."
"But the gallery," she protested.
He covered her hand with his much larger one. "We can save it for another time. Our next trip perhaps."
Somehow Jean doubted they would ever make such a trip again, but on the other hand, she never thought she would do something like this even once. With Lucien, nothing was out of the question.
"All right, next time," she agreed.
Jean was glad they had returned to the hotel with plenty of time to spare, since she was still struggling over what to wear for the evening. They lay together on the huge bed in their hotel room, Lucien with his arm around her, but she couldn't seem to get comfortable.
He had gotten much more perceptive at reading her since the wedding. "If it really makes you this nervous, I can call them and cancel," he said softly.
"We can't. They're expecting us," she protested.
"Jean, we're on our honeymoon. We don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
Jean sat up to face him. "He's your friend. He's Gregory Peck. Of course, I want to go, Lucien. It's just…"
He took her hands. "My dear, they will love you, I promise. You are kind, smart, funny, and beautiful. And I love you very much."
"I'm just being silly."
"Not at all. You're feeling a little out of your element." He lifted her hands and kissed the back of each of them. "How about this - we go, and if you're feeling uncomfortable, give me a sign and I'll make our excuses? But honestly, love, you will like them. Now, shall we try to rest or maybe…"
"Rest now. You'll need your strength when we get back tonight." She smiled wickedly, kissed him on the cheek and slid back down to recline on the bed.
In the end she decided to wear a lightweight sleeveless sheath in a floral print with a soft aqua cardigan that picked up one of the colors in the flowers. A pair of sandals, matching straw bag, and simple gold studs completed the ensemble. She hoped it was appropriate, and when she stepped from the bathroom, she looked to her husband for approval. "All right?"
"Perfect," he told her, "and so is the outfit. You look beautiful, my dear."
She smiled, not totally reassured since he seemed to think she looked beautiful no matter what she was wearing. Or wasn't wearing, for that matter.
She put the finishing touches on her makeup while waiting for him to finish getting ready. She half-hoped he would opt for the knee-length short trousers he'd worn in Hawaii but supposed that was a touch too casual. Instead he emerged wearing loose linen trousers and a short sleeved cotton shirt. His new Panama hat would top it off.
He smiled broadly at her, then leaned in for a kiss. "Have to test that new lipstick," he insisted.
She returned his smile. "So, just an experiment then."
"Mmm, my favorite kind of experiment. And was it successful?" He turned his face from side to side for her inspection."
"So far, but we may need some more testing, just to be sure."
"Oh, yes. We must be thorough." Just as he leaned in, the telephone rang, causing both of them to laugh.
"Even here," he sighed, stepping over to pick it up. He listened for a moment, then thanked the caller. "Our car has arrived. Shall we, my dear?"
Unlike many of the garish mansions they had passed along the way, the Pecks' house looked like a home rather than a showpiece. Lucien opened the car door and held out a hand to help Jean alight. Almost immediately Greg and his wife appeared to welcome them.
Lucien shook hands with the actor and kissed Veronique on both cheeks. "Lovely to see you again," he said. He turned to take Jean's hand. "Veronique, may I introduce my bride, Jean Blake. My darling, Veronique Peck."
Jean was relieved to see that Veronique's outfit was somewhat similar to her own, so her dress was entirely appropriate. She relaxed, letting out a breath.
The two women shook hands. Despite her French accent, Veronique's English was excellent. "We are so happy that you joined us. I could hardly believe when Greg said he had run into Major Blake. We are very fond of Lucien."
"So am I," Jean said, smiling brightly at her husband.
"Please, come in," said Greg, holding open the front door. "The kids are all out by the pool."
"Ah," said Lucien. "I wondered why we weren't facing an onslaught."
Greg laughed. "The boys are looking forward to seeing you again, Lucien."
Lucien turned to Jean to explain. "The whole Peck family visited Australia during filming. Greg and I took the boys to a cricket match one day."
"If you were staying longer, we could return the favor by taking you to a baseball game at Dodgers Stadium while you're here, but I'm afraid they are playing out of town all week."
"Next visit perhaps," Lucien said.
"It's a date."
They went into the house, with Jean remarking on the lovely furniture and Lucien admiring the paintings and photographs on the walls. Sliding doors in the living room opened to the pool area.
As they emerged from the house onto the patio that surrounded the pool, a veritable horde of children descended on them. Three adolescent boys plus a younger boy and a toddling girl. Shouts of "Major Blake" rang out from the older ones, who lined up in front of Lucien and saluted him.
He laughed and returned the salute. "Sorry, gentlemen, but I'm no longer in the army."
"It's Doctor Blake now," their father informed them.
Lucien extended a hand to shake with each of them. "Jonathan. Stephen. And the star of the family, Carey." He turned to Jean. "Carey had a role in the film."
"Oh, really?" she said, smiling at the youngster. "I'll have to look for you the next time it's on television."
"I'm only on the screen for a minute," Carey pointed out. "Easy to miss me."
"Carey has decided not to become a full-time actor," Greg explained. "He would prefer to be a professional athlete."
"Ah," said Lucien. "Cricket?"
'Umm, no, sorry. Nowhere to play cricket here," the boy apologized. "Tennis, I think."
"We have plenty of tennis tournaments in Australia," Lucien told him. "I'll keep an eye out for you."
Veronique spoke up. "Come, sit down. What would you like to drink?"
They sat and chatted, while Greg fired up the barbecue and put the meat on to grill. Lucien stayed at Jean's side until he felt sure that she was comfortable on her own, then he went to talk with Greg while the two ladies conversed, keeping one eye on the children in the pool. Jean learned that as with their own situation, Greg and Veronique had married as soon as his divorce was finalized.
"It's very difficult to be so in love but not able to marry," Veronique sighed.
Jean hummed her agreement, not really comfortable enough to explain just what she and Lucien had endured to get to where they were now.
As if sensing it, Veronique quickly changed the subject. "What do you plan to do here in Los Angeles?" she asked.
Jean smiled. "I've left it up to Lucien, since he's the experienced world traveler. Up to now, it's all been perfect."
"What have you done so far?"
"We spent most of today at the Huntington Gardens. It was breathtaking."
"Oh, one of my favorite places," Veronique sighed. "And the perfect time of year for it."
"Yes, so it seemed. Everything in bloom. I had to remind myself that it's spring here."
Veronique laughed. "It must be confusing, coming from autumn to spring so quickly."
"Frankly, this whole trip has been like a dream for me. I have never been outside Australia before. Lucien heard me say that I had always wanted to travel, so he's giving me the experience of a lifetime. I didn't realize he would be such a stellar tour guide."
"Our dear Major Blake is a man of many talents. We all grew very fond of him in the few weeks we were in Australia," said Veronique. "We could hardly believe it when Greg said he'd run into him at lunch. The boys were thrilled to hear you were coming. And it's lovely to see him so happy with you."
Jean ducked her head, somewhat embarrassed. "Yes, well, Lucien is a remarkable man."
"And you must be a remarkable woman to be loved by him."
Lucien suddenly appeared at her shoulder, saving Jean from having to respond. "I've been asked to advise you that the steaks will be ready in a few minutes," he announced.
"Thank you," said Veronique. "I will get the rest of the food out."
"How can I help?" asked Jean.
Dinner was a convivial affair, with the children joining in the conversation when appropriate. Lucien asked them about their schools, and the eldest, Jonathan, was telling how much he enjoyed literature.
"We just finished reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Kind of funny," he said, glancing at his father.
"Oh? Why is that?" asked Lucien.
Greg explained, "I've just bought the film rights to the book. We hope to start shooting later this year."
"Oh, we loved that book, didn't we, Lucien?" said Jean. "You'll play Atticus, of course?"
Greg smiled and nodded.
Lucien grinned. "As we were reading it, Jean said you would make a perfect Atticus."
"Oh? Maybe we should hire you for casting, Jean," said Greg. "Would you like to move to Los Angeles?"
Jean glanced at Lucien. "I'm flattered. It's lovely here, but I'm afraid there are a number of things that make Australia more attractive to me." She reached over to squeeze her husband's hand.
The other adults chuckled. Lucien leaned over to kiss her cheek. She shivered as he whispered, "I'll make it worth your while to come home with me."
They finished eating and cleared away the dinnerware. After the children went inside, the little ones to bed and the older ones to do schoolwork, the adults sat with drinks, watching the sun set and the stars emerge.
"I can certainly see the attraction of living here," Jean said softly. "It's so beautiful, and the weather is perfect."
Lucien was ready to tease her again about "going Hollywood" when the sound of the telephone interrupted.
"Not so different after all," Jean noted, smiling at him.
Veronique excused herself to go inside and answer it, but she quickly returned. "That was Chiara. She says someone has broken into the house."
"Ava's housekeeper. Ava Gardner," Greg explained. "She's away filming and I promised to keep an eye on things for her." He turned to his wife. "Has she called the police?"
"Yes, but no one has shown up. Chiara's upstairs and she can hear sounds from down below. She's terrified."
"I'll go over there," said Greg.
Lucien quickly stood. "Could you use a hand?"
Greg nodded, motioning for him to follow.
"Lucien, be careful, please," Jean pleaded.
"I will, I promise," he assured her, with a quick kiss before he disappeared after Greg.
The women sat down, but the quiet of the evening was shattered.
"I'm sure it's nothing," Veronique tried to reassure her.
"Probably," said Jean. "It's just that, well, Lucien has a tendency to rush into dangerous situations without thinking." She twisted her hands around her glass. "I nearly lost him just before Christmas. He was stabbed in the chest. And then another stab wound a few days before the wedding."
She tried to smile but there were tears in her eyes. "We went through so much to finally be together that I don't know if I could bear to have anything happen to him now."
"Well, I can promise you that Greg is much more cautious. He won't let anything happen. Besides, this is Hollywood. We specialize in happy endings here."
Jean couldn't help but laugh at that.
They waited, with Jean getting more anxious the longer Lucien was away. It was the longest they'd been apart since the wedding. She remonstrated against herself that she would have to get used to this when they returned home.
She remembered hearing from Matthew and Charlie how he would deliberately put himself at risk when he was feeling lost - hanging from the bell tower at the fire station, offering a vein to Alice's predecessor Gus. She could only pray that their marriage made him happy enough to value his own life.
Veronique tried to distract her at first, and although Jean appreciated the effort, she could not stop worrying. She kept expecting the telephone to ring with word that something had gone dreadfully wrong. Another stabbing, perhaps a shooting, or maybe being hit over the head, Jean was picturing all of these.
She was so lost in her imaginings that she didn't hear the men return until Lucien was standing over her. She gasped, and uncharacteristically stood up and threw her arms around him. He reciprocated the hug until Jean stepped back and held him at arm's length, looking for any injuries.
"I'm fine, my darling," he insisted. "Not even a bump or bruise."
She laughed at her own nervousness. "Look at you. I won't even have to mend your clothes."
"I've turned over a new leaf," he told her, smiling. "Too much to live for now to take chances."
"What happened?"
Lucien deferred to Greg to relate what had occurred.
"Nothing much. It was an overly-enthusiastic fan of Ava's. He was looking for an autograph. Lucien and I got the drop on him and he confessed. The only reason it took so long was we had to wait for the police to arrive and take him off our hands. And we wanted to make sure Chiara was all right."
"And is she?" asked Veronique.
"It took a while, but she finally calmed down. She's fine now," Greg insisted.
"Yes, all sorted," said Lucien. Still with his hands on Jean's shoulders, he arched an eyebrow toward her, and she replied with a slight nod. She wanted nothing more than to return to their hotel room and have Lucien prove to her just how "fine" he was.
"Greg, Veronique, it's been just lovely seeing you and the children again, but I'm afraid I've put my dear wife through another anxious evening, worrying that I'd do something foolish. Thank you for a wonderful dinner."
Greg glanced at his watch. "The car should be arriving any minute to take you back to the hotel. It was our pleasure to return some of the hospitality you showed us in Australia. And the next time you plan to be in town, give us a call. Maybe you can stay here."
Veronique came forward to give them each a hug and kisses on both cheeks. "It's such a pleasure to meet you, Jean, and to see how happy you're made our dear Lucien."
"And to meet both of you. You have a beautiful home and lovely children."
"Indeed," Lucien agreed. "Greg, we'll be looking forward to seeing you in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'."
When they were back in the car, headed for the hotel, Jean sagged against Lucien's shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her.
"Now, that wasn't too daunting, was it?" he whispered.
"Not at all. You were right about them. Very down-to-earth. I like them very much. And they certainly think highly of you, so good taste as well."
"Good taste, indeed," he chuckled. "Greg told me how much he liked you."
Jean blushed. Praised by Gregory Peck! Who would have imagined? She had a lot to tell Mattie when they reached London in a few weeks.
"So, what else am I going to learn about you on this trip?" she teased him. "I don't suppose you know the new president here, Mr. Kennedy?"
"I'm afraid not. I hope you aren't too disappointed."
With a mock sigh, she said, "I suppose I'll get over it."
"I'll try to make it up to you in about…" He paused to ask the driver how long it would take to reach the hotel. "… twenty minutes."
Jean smiled broadly. "I'll hold you to that." And she leaned in for a kiss.
Author's Note: This is Shakespeare's Sonnet 29, that Lucien feels most personally.
When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.
Author's Note 2: Apparently, the Pecks and Ava Gardner were close friends. When Ms. Gardner passed away, the Pecks took in her housekeeper and her dog.