Never for a moment had Edith thought that she deserved Bertie's love. Never for a moment had she thought he would want her any longer after she had told him about Marigold.
She knew from the beginning that it would soon end in disaster. As it always did for her as far as men where concerned. All she could hope for now was to be able to drag out the time before the inevitable break up would happen.
She was sure that this was the last time that she would ever be courted by a man. She would probably not want anyone else after Bertie anyhow - no one could ever compare to him and the way she felt for him.
Every time Bertie kissed her she was fearing that it was for the last time. How would she ever be able to do without him, now that she had had him so close?
She was more happy and more unhappy than she had ever been, all at the same time.
She had really tried not to fall in love with Bertie, but that had only made her fall deeper. She was sure she had never met any man that was remotely like Bertie. He was just perfect. Kind, capable, strong enough to dare to show his own vulnerability. Polite, intelligent and handsome. Friendly, helpful and willing to see the good in every human being he met.
It was impossible to understand how a man like him had happened to fall in love with her. Perhaps she was too in love with him to be able to see his faults, but she really hadn't found any.
When he looked at her she felt all yummy inside. When he kissed her her heart started shivering.
Bertie was like a man made up by her own imagination. She sometimes wondered if this was just a dream that she would very soon wake up from.
...
At the breakfast table Mary had provoked Edith to tell Bertie that Marigold was her own daughter.
Edith knew this was the end. She also knew that she only had herself to blame. For not telling him earlier. For accepting his proposal.
For rubbing Mary in the wrong direction.
Bertie had looked so happy after he kissed her in the evening. Edith just couldn't get herself to tell him. He had been so sad earlier in the day, and now she didn't dare to tell him and make him sad again.
So she just played along, hoping to be able to tell him later on.
She loved him so much. She was sure that she had never made anyone so happy before.
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