Days and months continued to pass, and Colin was a toddler.
Lilias lay on her side in her grand bed. She heard the clinking of the chain of the tapestry at the entrance to her bedchamber.
"Milady, Colin is crying for his dear Mama." The Nanny entered with a tear-stained Colin on her hip.
"My angel boy! Come to me." Lilias experienced a sparkle of a sweet moment in gloom.
She sat up gently and held her arms out. "Come. Come here. Sleep next to your Mama."
The Nanny brought the toddler to her and sat him down upon the bed. He crawled across the bed to his Mother's arms.
Lilias kissed him and kept her arms around him as he lay by her side.
In the morning, she carried Colin as she walked to her wardrobe. There was a secret compartment inside from which she withdrew a large, ornate photo album. She then returned to her bed and lay with her back propped against the headboard holding Colin as she opened it.
"Colin, I want to tell you a story. Once upon a time...Mama fell in love with Papa. She pointed at a photograph of Archie. This is Papa. See. He gave Mama a beautiful garden as a present! See the flowers." She turned the pages of the album.
"Oh, look. There's Papa being silly. Papa liked to make Mama smile." Lilias continued to turn the pages becoming teary-eyed. "Papa's dancing with Mama in the garden...oh, the animals are following Papa back to the house, a lamb, a squirrel, a rabbit...even a goose." Lilias giggled.
"Milady? Excuse me, Milady. It's time for breakfast."
"Oh, yes." Lilias responded.
Medlock carried a tray with food for Colin and Lilias.
"Allow me to..." Medlock paused to glance at the album as she took it from Lilias, " put this away for a moment, so you can eat."
Lilias concentrated on feeding Colin. The little boy was indeed hungry. He gobbled up the food.
"Will you not eat anything, Milady?" Medlock asked.
"In a moment, I shall. Thank you, Medlock."
"Nanny will be taking Colin to see the ducks at the pond on the outside of the house a bit later. Shall you be joining them?"
"Why, yes, of course. What does the duck say, Colin?" She asked her son in a playful manner.
Colin answered, "Quack, quack..."
Lilias's face lit up with a bit of joy, and she giggled joyfully at her son's response.