Hey all! It has been a while since I published, but this wouldn't leave me alone, so let me know what you think, or even if I should continue it!

She looked down at the martini in her hand. She was bored, had never been interested in networking. People either liked her or they didn't. It was no real skin off her nose. She smiled as she saw Isobel come over.

"I know I should be better at this, but I can't bring myself to care all that much."

Isobel laughed out loud. "Well when you're as good a publisher as you are, people should be networking to you, not other way around!"

Elsie shrugged half heartedly, knowing Isobel was right. She was the top publisher in London, and frankly a lot of Europe. Several authors were here and trying to schmooze up to her, hoping that she would read her book. She rolled her eyes, noticing Joseph Mosley making his way over to her only to be distracted by her assistant Phyllis. She looked around the room and noticed her daughter had just slipped into the ballroom. She smiled, happy that Isla had been able to make it.

Isla Hughes looked exactly like her mother except the green eyes she sported and being three inches taller. Her mane of auburn hair was up in a ballet bun and she had a midnight blue cocktail dress on, and heels that made her tower over the person she had been cornered by.

She excused herself and made her way over to her daughter. Smiling with maternal pride that this beautiful creature was a part of her.

"Mum!" Isla exclaimed and hugged her mother tightly.

"Isla, I didn't think you were going to make it." Elsie said with a raised eyebrow.

"Professor Carson's lecture ran a little longer than it should have."

"Professor who?" Elsie said as her face paled.

"Charles Carson. He's teaching the British Class Structure lecture I'm taking this semester. It's fascinating! He's amazing, and he's writing a book and has offered me to be a research assistant! He has to meet with me, and then he would like to meet with you to make sure this wouldn't be a conflict of interest because you won't be publishing the book..." she trailed off, noticing her mothers blank stare.

Elsie shook her head, before congratulating her daughter on her success. While her daughter didn't have the head for numbers that she did, she had a passion for history and preserving tradition. This would be an amazing opportunity and she guessed it would be a good opportunity for her to reconnect with Charlie.

They got home late that night, Isla retiring to her room, in their posh London townhouse. Elsie carefully steeped out of her heels and into her slippers as she sat down at her vanity to take off her makeup. Her mind tumbling down the corridors of her memory stopping at when she had last seen Charlie.

"Elsie, we can't keep doing this. I can't keep doing this!" Charles said in a harsh whisper among the shelves in the university library.

"What do you mean? You broke it off with Alice months ago! You told me we were free to be together! What happened that made you change your mind?" Elsie whispered pleadingly.

"Alice is pregnant, and I have to do the right thing." He said stoically, his voice chilled her.

"How do you even know it's yours!"

"She told me, and unlike you I don't look for reasons to distrust people."

She turned from him as if she had been slapped. He knew why she didn't trust people, he knew and now he was throwing it in her face. Tears welled in her eyes as she stood there.

"I'm sorry, Elsie. But I have to do the right thing." He turned to leave tossing a goodbye over his shoulder as he walked away.

She started out of her memory and noticed her daughter in the reflection of the mirror. Her eyes softened as she smiled at the girl.

"You didn't answer when I knocked, so I came in." Isla said hesitantly.

"It's fine, lass. What did you need?"

"I haven't been home in two months, I missed you...and wondered if you'd braid my hair." Isla finished with a grin.

Elsie waved her over, motioning for her daughter to sit in front of her before gently brushing the girl's auburn locks. She set to braid while Isla chatted about this and that and exclaiming that her mother had to hear this cover of one of her favorite songs.

They ended the night cuddled up on Elsie's bed, Isla asleep in her mother's embrace. Elsie smiled thinking to when she first held her daughter.

"I can't. I just can't," she panted. Sweat had plastered her hair to her forehead, her body felt weak.

"You can and you will, Els." Her mother, Margaret, had said as she gripped Elsie's hand.

"Just one more push and your little girl will be here, Elsie," Isobel had said preparing herself to guide the child into the world.

Elsie bore down as the contraction hit her and cried out with relief was the pressure seemed to disappear. She laughed with joy as she heard the baby's wails echo through the room. Isobel cleaned the baby while the doctor instructed Elsie through the after birth.

Isobel came over and reverently laid the little one into Elsie's waiting arms, marveling at just how alike Elsie and her mother looked.

"What's her name, lass." The new grandmother whispered.

"Mother, meet Isla Carolyn Hughes." Elsie smiled as she looked up at her mother revelling in the smile emanating from Margaret at the use of her own mother's name, Isla.

Elsie tightened her grip on her daughter as she drifted off the sleep with these happy thoughts in her head, promising herself she would call her mother tomorrow as well.