Gaston watched uncomprehendingly as the carriage drew to a stop in front of his house and Grace climbed down from it. She smiled sadly as she handed him the bouquet of flowers.

"Merci," he said as he accepted them. "It's lovely to see you again, Grace, but to what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"My Henry is now in the presence of God," she said quietly. "He was slain on the slopes of Glenmalure during the battle there."

"Oh, no! I am so sorry, Grace. Please, come in and sit down."

Grace followed Gaston into his small cottage and sat beside him on the sofa.

"It's been a sad year for me as well, as I lost my dear mother barely six months ago. She fell ill and was gone very quickly. At least her suffering was not long, and she now dwells in bliss with our Lord."

"Oh, Gaston, I am so sorry. She was such a precious woman. I'm sure that her heavenly reward is great."

"As am I, yet I miss her so much..." Gaston began to cry. Grace held his head in her lap and gently stroked his hair.

"I am so very glad you're here, my darling Grace," Gaston said. "In my time of great sorrow, the good Lord has sent an angel to comfort me."

"I had to come, Gaston. You see, I...I...have something very important to tell you." She took a deep breath, mustering her courage. "I love you, Gaston. I couldn't tell you before because...well, there was Henry. But he's gone now."

"Grace." Gaston's voice was almost a whisper. "I feel the same for you that you feel for me, yet we both know that nothing can ever come of it."

"Even so, I had to tell you."

"For what reason? Why is there even need to discuss the matter? Any other woman in your position would simply do the best they could to simply forget that I even exist."

"But I'm not any other woman in my position. I could never forget you, dear Gaston."

"I know that." Gaston sighed. "You're the most stubborn woman I've ever known, Grace."

"I came by that honestly, you know," said Grace.

He wasn't sure exactly what she was talking about, but he guessed that his parents would have probably understood.

"Make love to me, Gaston," Grace suddenly urged. Can't you see that it's our only chance? Her Majesty will surely have me wed to one of the Knollyses or another of their sort soon, and then it will be forever too late."

"So, that was the reason you came here today? To offer yourself to me?" Gaston burst out laughing. "That took a lot of nerve, Grace. A lot of nerve."

"I came by that honestly as well." Grace had to smile in spite of herself.

Gaston just stared at her incredulously for a few minutes, then softly chucked and took her hand. "Come on then, you silly girl," he said, leading her to his bedroom.

With Gaston there was none of the awkwardness that had accompanied her first time with Henry. The long-suppressed yearning mingled with a sense of urgency to make that encounter seem almost mechanical by comparison. As she kissed Gaston deeply and their tongues entwined, she closed her eyes and was transported to another place inside her mind, one inhabited by herself and Gaston alone. She barely noticed as he removed first her dress and then her undergarments. Her hands moved swiftly to divest him of his clothing as well. She felt his hot breath on her face, his soft lips as they kissed her, his hands as they explored her body for the first time.

After their passion was sated, he started to move away, but she clung to him and began to cry.

"What is it, my love? Did I hurt you?" His voice was soft with concern as he gazed into her eyes, his fingers gently sweeping damp hair back from her forehead.

"No, not at all," she quickly assured him. "Can't you see, Gaston? It's just so beautiful...I'm here, and you're here...we're together...it's like a miracle...no matter what happens, we'll always have the memory of this day to treasure in our hearts."

Gaston's eyes were filled with tears, and he murmured her name over and over again as he began to place tender kisses all over her face. Grace knew that she must soon return to her family, her children, her home, her life. As she lay in Gaston's bed letting him hold and caress her, she fervently wished that there were some way she could make time stand still.

As Gaston held her, he thought about all the times he had imagined this very scenario, wondering what it would be like but not daring to hope that it could ever actually take place. Now that it had, he found that it had borne little resemblance to his fantasies but had exceeded his wildest dreams. The brevity of the encounter made it all the more precious to him, and he knew that he would treasure it for the rest of his life, just as Grace would.